Feast or famine. I’ve heard about that before – you’re either overbooked with work, or you can’t pay a person to hire you. People have

been telling these stories for years, but the phenomenon eludes me. It’s not that I don’t have the qualifications to edit professionally, people simply don’t know that I’m available.

I’ve reached that point my career that it’s time to switch from student to professional. First, I need to let the world know that I’m here. Instead of letting the marketing possibilities overwhelm me, I’m using the tools that helped train me as tools to promote me.

1. Conferences: A large gathering of writers, agents, and editors – I’m still making those personal connections. This time, however, instead of simply learning about writing, I’m prepared with examples and credentials to demonstrate my editing skills.

2. Associations: Not only have I let people in my writing associations know that I’m ready to edit, I’ve also joined editor networks. I’m learning more about editing, as well as adding my name to a list of professional editors.

3. Website: A blog is great, but I want someone to hire me, and they’re more likely to do that if they know what services I offer and how much I charge. That lets them know exactly what I can do, how much it will cost them, and, most importantly, that I’m available to work!

4. Social Sites: I started a public fan page so people who read my articles could find me. I’ve updated it to include my editing information, and I started liking/following/stalking other editors and groups. A few more connections won’t hurt.

5. Writing Media: Blogs, magazine, websites – they aren’t just full of great articles and lessons. Skim the pages and check out the ads. I started reading these because I was a newbie, but now I’ve got experience and some skill. Instead of merely reading these pages, I’ve decided to buy one of those ads that I’ve been scanning for the past few years.