Today we’d like to introduce you to Andria Flores.
Andria, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
As a freelancer, I started out in 2012 writing and editing anything I could get my hands on, intent to build my experience and client base. I’ve edited websites, business documents, college essays, personal letters, social media posts, blogs, magazine articles, children’s books, eBooks, as well as fiction and nonfiction manuscripts. Finally, after over a dozen years in the industry, my primary client base is new authors—both fiction and nonfiction. And I absolutely love it!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like every entrepreneur, I’ve had struggles, but the key to working through them has been making myself comfortable with risk. Risk is a factor in business, but I’ve been very intentional to get comfortable with it. I’ve learned to sit with risk rather than fight tooth and nail against it. The more comfortable I am with uncertainty and challenge, the less likely they are to knock the wind out of me when they come barreling through.
A common struggle for any entrepreneur is workflow and cashflow. I started out in 2012 as a freelance writer and editor with zero dollars in the bank, an old PC laptop, and some good old-fashioned small town networking. About nine months in, I landed my first big local client, for whom I worked almost exclusively for four years. During that time, my finances became steady, so I put a little money back and very gratefully upgraded to a MacBook Pro (a large purchase at the time, but a standard in my industry). Those first five years were absolutely pivotal for my growth, both financially and in terms of professional development. The sacrifice I made was a lack of choice and variety in editing, specifically a lack of book editing, which was my goal. But it was all worth it.
Business evolved such that I began integrating new clients into my schedule. The result? Two years of frequent lane changes between too much work on my plate, down-shiffting to only part-time tasks, to occasional dry stretches with no clients in sight. This season was a more difficult period of growth for me than the first because this stretch of road was less about ramping up my skills as an editor, and more about becoming nimble as a business owner. Over time, I got the variety of work I wanted, to include more manuscripts, but the tradeoff for quite some time was less financial stability.
Finally, in the past five to six years, with manuscripts coming in at a comfortable rate from all over the United States, I’ve been able to study and experiment with business growth and marketing. Now my business thrives with a healthy blend of repeat authors and new ones, so much so that I contract professional proofreaders and administrative support as needed. I consistently experience more equilibrium between my cashflow and my workflow, all while doing the work I love most—editing manuscripts for new authors. It’s 100% my passion. I can attest that long-term vision and comfort with risk-taking have been my faithful partners from the start.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Andria Flores?
In the past 12 years, I have edited over 132 books (most of those in the last six); written and edited numerous websites, articles, and business documents; authored my first book on the effects of perfectionism in my life (type A plans B on Amazon); and grown a thriving business. I thank God for guiding my steps, staying up late at night with me in the early days, and encouraging me when challenges struck.
What I am most proud of about my business is my client base. I have been blessed with the best clients. My husband frequently notices the cards, gifts, and texts I receive at fairly frequent intervals. I love these people! As much as building my business fuels my drive, my authors and their stories fulfill me even more. I am passionate about our collaborations and seeing them achieve their goals in publishing.
With that passion, I just can’t help but form lasting relationships with them. This past year, my love for my authors motivated me to redesign my website, step up my social media presence, and create resources exclusively for them. I want to support them and thank them for their business and their relationships. I would say to any author looking for an editor: Expertise is important, but with that, find someone who is in your corner. It will make your book the best it can be when your editor is invested.
I’m often asked about my pricing, which I publish on my site. Below is the breakdown, but I highly recommend reaching out for a one-page proposal customized specifically to your work and exactly what you are looking to get out of your edit.
Pricing:
- $0.01-0.03/word—Proofreading
- $0.04-0.06/word—Copyediting
- $0.08 and up—Content Creation
- $55/hr—Business Editing
- $75/hr—Writing Coach
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.andriaflores.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andria.flores/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/typeAplansB
- Twitter: @andriaflores22
Image Credits
Christopher Cook
