Editing and Writing Services [Current Openings: 2]

[a stray writer]

Hi, LemmaSoft.

My name's John, and I'm an editor/writer from the United States. I've been in the field for 11 or 12 years now. During 2017, my short stories were published in 14 different literary journals, and my non-fiction work appeared at Mic Multiplayer and elsewhere. In 2016, a story of mine was nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

I started testing the waters of the VN scene in early 2017. So far, I've helped to ship one game (Golem Creation Kit, as a writing assistant) and have worked as an editor/writer on two others: Final Verdict and Forgotten Wish. I'm eager to expand this list in 2018.

Editing

As an editor, I can adapt to suit your style and the needs of your project. My specialty is line editing, but I'm experienced with proofreading, big-picture structural editing and more. Based on your requirements, I can offer everything from heavy rewriting to hands-off writing critique.

So far, I've mostly been hired to revise and expand the VN scripts of other writers. My largest job along these lines was Forgotten Wish, a 90,000-word+ novel that I edited end to end. With permission, here's a small before-and-after comparison of my work on that project: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f1r ... sp=sharing

Writing

As a writer, I don't have a single style. My personal stories tend toward the experimental and surrealist, both in language and content. However, I'm completely comfortable with traditional forms, and (as I said above) can shift my style to match any project. A few of my fiction and non-fiction publications in 2017 included:

• "Freshwater Mermaid", in The Sleep Aquarium [fiction]
• "The Feeling of Guilt Felt in Private by a Child", in 50-Word Stories [fiction]
• "Last Things", in Three Drops from a Cauldron [fiction]
• "What happened to the women who built the video game industry?", in Mic Multiplayer [non-fiction]
• "Ogre John Goes to Jerusalem", in Literary Orphans [fiction]

An example of my original VN writing includes this short sequence (again, with permission) from Forgotten Wish: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-G2 ... sp=sharing

I'm able to deliver my scripts in Ren'py code format and can, if necessary, provide other basic Ren'py game code with competence. This includes flags, expression changes, branching paths and so on. As an example: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fL1 ... Zt43o/edit

Preferences & Stipulations

I avoid projects that include overt or pervasive sexual content, extreme violence, fetishes and/or R-rated profanity. As a result, offers in the R to 18+ range are best directed elsewhere.

Content-wise, my preference is G to PG, although I consider PG-13 material on a case-by-case basis. I'm a perfect fit for all-ages projects — and those aimed at young-teen or middle-grade audiences, or younger. If you're uncertain whether your project qualifies, feel free to send me a content list.

I'm comfortable with most genres — particularly when executed with a slice-of-life or jōsei or high-concept bent — and am happy to research for a project. That said, if your VN is (for instance) a realistic Chinese period drama, then I probably won't be useful compared to writers or editors knowledgeable in that field. Likewise, if your story focuses on LGBTQ+ issues, this is not my area of expertise; such an opening would be better spent on a writer/editor within the LGBTQ+ community.

Finally, if you see fit to hire me, I'll require credit inside your project for my contributions.

Pricing

My rates range from $0.03 to $0.05 per word, based on the project. (Critique and proofreading jobs, and projects of 10,000 words or fewer, may qualify for a reduced rate.) I'm flexible when it comes to payment plans and work schedules.

If you'd like to check my compatibility with your project, I can provide a "screen test" (200-400 words) to your specifications.

Jobs & Openings

• [OPEN SLOT]
• [OPEN SLOT]
• Project Venus (1/2018—)
• Forgotten Wish, as editor/writer (9/2017—1/2018)
• Golem Creation Kit, as writing assistant (2/2017—7/2017)
• Final Verdict, as editor/writer (1/2017—4/2017)

Contact

If you're interested in hiring me, feel free to send a private message or email — I'll get back to you as soon as possible. I prefer Discord for keeping in touch during a project, but am willing to use Skype (or even email) if necessary. Thanks for considering me!

[stellacircle]

I've hired John as an editor and a writer and he was a pleasure to work with! He's quick and reliable, he was able to meet all deadlines and spot very important plot-lines that we needed to tackle. He adapted to our style of writing and met the vision for our visual novel; his edits and writing strengthened our original script and connected the dots together in the full story. He was also available everyday and responded very fast to our messages. I recommend John if you ever need a writer or an editor!

[a stray writer]

I've opened two more slots — hoping to add more work on top of what I'm doing already. It looks like the forum rules have changed recently, so this will have to be my last update for the next two months. Thanks for all the job offers I've received so far, everyone.