Over the years, I’ve learned the importance of saying no, and usually politely decline most of these solicitations for free editorial assistance, unless someone is asking for help with an obituary or eulogy. I’m also frequently paged to help with wedding toasts, job applications and dating profiles.
If someone’s kid is applying for colleges, chances are high I’ll get an email asking if I have time to edit (i.e., completely rewrite) their personal essay. I’m the writer in my family, which means that I am offered a great deal of unpaid work from my loved ones.
