Jan Kovarik
Jan K., The Proofer
Freelance Copyeditor/Proofreader, Author
July 26, 2015
To Kimberly’s Prospective Client:
I am at a loss as to how effectively convey the bottomless gratitude that I have for all that Kimberly has done for me, my at-home business, and my foray into self-publishing. I began my freelance copyediting/proofreading business in 1995, on the cusp of the explosion of the Internet and the World Wide Web. In those days, “logging on” meant going through a dial-up modem and if you were forward-thinking enough, you had an AOL member website (which meant you had a URL that was a mile long and nobody could memorize it). But Kimberly was forward-thinking—and I had half a notion to be forward-thinking—and we serendipitously connected through a fledgling “work at home” AOL member website. She needed someone to proofread her member website, and I needed someone to create mine (because I had, and still have no clue about HTML and all the mind-boggling stuff). Our working partnership was born.
Twenty years ago I cautioned Kimberly that she was dealing with a “dinosaur” and that I had no head for the digital age. She encouraged me, nudged me, cajoled me, and sometimes kicked me into the 21st century. She continues to work at getting web-related concepts through my head, but she’s always there, telling me “That’s OK, Jan, just let me do it.” Thank goodness for Kimberly! My freelance website continues to get noticed, and now my personal website for my book and its related Facebook page are coming to fruition. With Kimberly’s advice and advanced knowledge of the intricacies of “the web” we have big plans for my book site once the sequel to my first novel is finished. She’s enabled me to “think big” about my little book by continually providing input and suggestions for how to best use social media to my advantage.
One of Kimberly’s many strengths is to know when the mood is about to or has shifted in these days of digital media and social networking. I have no time (and neither the desire nor the patience) to attempt to stay atop of what’s “new” today. That is where Kimberly shines brightest. She watches the trends, knows what is relevant, and understands the adjustments that need to be made to my book website to reflect the ever-changing tides.
In 1995, I had one client for whom I worked 6-8 hours per week. Today, I have a full-time clientele, and I often have to turn down work because my workload is such that I cannot accommodate new work. I would still have one part-time client were it not for Kimberly, her vision for my business, and her ability to adjust her vision so that it correctly reflected my vision. Together we created a websites that continue to drive prospective clients to my email inbox and now attract attention to my book. Kimberly encourages me to continue to think big. I like it.
Sincerely,
Jan Kovarik
TheMcCulloughSaga.com