I present the final part of my interview with David Schlosser. At writers' conferences, you get time for only a greeting and a couple of questions between seminars. It’s been a pleasure having this time to go more in depth.
What does your company do? Why would someone contact you? What is an analect?
My business card claims I’m a writer, editor, and strategic communications advisor. I need to add pre-/self-/author-funded publishing advisor and publisher. That’s a lot of titles to say that I play with words. I make words do what I or other people want them to do.
- Some of my clients are individuals and companies that need help writing something persuasive, or figuring out how to get a persuasive message in front of the right audience (which may not be entirely aware it needs to be persuaded). This kind of work includes things like strategic plans and campaigns, white papers and case studies, speeches and presentations, web site content, marketing and advertising, fund raising appeals, public/media/government relations materials, editorials and opinion essays, and surveys and research projects.
- Some of my clients already have words, but their words may need fine-tuning or a complete overhaul. I work with organizations and individuals to make sure their content is as clear as humanly possible, so it can have its intended effect on its intended audience. This kind of work ranges from PowerPoint presentations and speeches, to articles and journal submissions, to fiction and non-fiction manuscripts.
- Some of my clients want words, but don’t have the time or ability to put them down, so they retain me to write on their behalf. This kind of work ranges from short to long – newsletter articles to brochures and pamphlets to entire books – and it may be credited to someone else (ghost writing), to no one (most organizational materials and Web content), or to me (journalism).
- I spend an increasing amount of time coaching writers who want to complete a manuscript, or who have a completed manuscript and are trying to decide whether to seek a traditional publishing deal through an agent or publisher, or whether to fund their own publishing venture. I offer a free manuscript review (it’s quick but honest), so I hear from a lot of writers who want to know if their work is ready to send to an agent, publisher, or self-publishing partner.
- Finally, I am starting to do some of my own publishing through Equinoctes Media. We’ve got some really fun novels planned for later this year and into 2011, and my monograph on editing and revising your own manuscript (The CT Method: Revision and Editing for Fiction and Creative Nonfiction) is available in e-book format from just about every e-book retailer.
An analect is something gathered or picked up, and most people are familiar with its plural use in relation to collections of literary fragments or extracts from the classical authors. It describes the varied nature of the kinds of writing I do.
From what I've read on your site and discussions I've had with you, this sounds like an evolution of careers. How did you grow into this particular line of employment?
My work life started in politics, and after about a decade of campaigns and lobbying, I decided to go straight. I got into pubic relations for a few years, but – of course – learned that career path was as zig-zaggy as politics (and, honestly, not as much fun). When the dot-com turned to the dot-bomb back at the turn of the century, I was working with a terrific little technology PR agency, but could see what direction the economy was moving. So I jumped out and opened my own practice focused on writing and strategic communications consulting.
I worked in and out of corporate life for a few years, including helping an author-services company called Groundbreaking Press get off the ground and managing the international PR team of a Fortune 500 technology company. Since about 2005, I’ve evolved more and more into writing and editing, since those careers are more accommodating to relocation with my wife’s corporate career track. I took a couple of brief sojourns in politics during those years, but stay pretty focused on my client’s work and my own.
If I can help any of your readers with any of those topics, they can get in touch with me through my Web site at http://www.analects-ink.com/. You can also reach me through Twitter @dbschlosser and Facebook http://facebook.com/dbschlosser
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