Diverse rumblings

I'm slightly perching rather than sitting on my faux leather office chair this morning, digesting changes to some copy rather better than my stomach has been digesting food these last few days.

It's the classic micro-business dilemma: I've got a sizable project on with tightish-but doable deadlines, and a stomach bug that's being fed only by an Imodium and alka seltzer diet. If I don't work, I'll miss the deadlines - and every day I don't work, I don't get paid. There's no-one I can hand it on to, so the only solution is work when I'm feeling reasonable - which will probably mean some work over this weekend and certainly a couple of evenings next week. This is work for a new client - and I really don't want to let them down or give a poor impression of myself and Leapfrog.

Just to add to the fun, daughter number two is also at home, while I have to drive over to Watford later in the day to pick up daughter number one from a schools outward bound course.

Jac, fit, healthy and busy is staying well clear!

The main project occupying me is worthy but a bit of a grind. It involves taking a lot of copy produced in one format, unformatting the whole thing and rewriting it for the web. The content's solid but lacks a little zing - but every time I put the zing into it, the content owner pares it back again. We'll reach a compromise, I'm sure, that'll make it both useful and readable, but for now, it's a slog and stomach rumbles and clammy skin aren't helping my inspiration - this one's about 99% perspiration!

I've also been quoting for a couple of other jobs this week that, if I win them, will kick in later in the year. In both quotes I've used the term 'light edit' - and now I'm regretting the term.

One potential client wants a revamp and update of their publications suite - everything from the headed paper to their brochures, newsletter and web site. One option I've given is to simply take the current material and re-write it where necessary based on the information they already have - that's my light edit. It doesn't involve new research or the creation of anything different (that's option 2!) but could mean changing every word on the page in some instances. In others, nothing will change bar the new design they're bringing in.

But my prospective client doesn't see that as a 'light' edit - and actually has a point. I'm going to have to use that particular term with some circumspection in the future!

Anyway, that's for the future - today's just about riding out the bug and ploughing through as much of client number one's site as my stomach, my daughter....and the makers of Imodium will allow.