More than twenty years ago, when my daughter was born with significant disabilities, I couldn’t keep a staff job because companies weren’t flexible enough. More than twenty years later, and the workforce is still pushing mothers out because companies are not flexible enough. I admire people who push for change but I also understand that…
Newer editors often express frustration to me about how long it takes to establish themselves in business. Often they’re concerned because they don’t have a lot of spare time and they feel like they’re spinning their wheels. They want to do something big and bold to grab attention – if only they could figure out…
When you’re first starting out as a freelancer (and at other times, too, such as when business slows down or a major client closes shop), it’s tempting to work all hours of the day and night to keep things moving. There’s a strong hustle culture around freelancing that suggests you should be working twelve- and…
A while back I subscribed to a software service that backs up my website. No more than a week later, I got an urgent message from the company saying that I was running out of room for backups and that I needed to upgrade my plan. They threatened that they wouldn’t be able to save…
One of the common questions I’m asked by newer editors is “How much should I charge for editing?” Some editors undervalue their work in an attempt to stay competitive. This approach can lead to exhaustion and potentially compromise the quality of your work. How to Price Editing Services My hair stylist moved to Indiana from…
The search term “Editing jobs near me” is apparently a popular one (or so my SEO guru tells me), and of course I completely understand why: people think of jobs as a thing they commute to as an employee and if they have to have one of those, they’d rather it be near them. But…
In my years of teaching editing to aspiring editors, I’ve noticed that taking the step between training and actually asking for pay is the hardest one for many people. In fact, a lot of people put it off for years, thinking there are just a few more things they need to do to get ready….
I’m sharing success stories from newer editors. The following is from Zainab Mirza. – Jennifer Lawler A few weeks ago, you asked folks to share their success stories. I have a couple of wins I’d like to share. Story #1:When I first moved back to Kuwait after college in 2012, I built relationships with a…
I’ve been featuring the success stories of newer editors on the website. This is Leanne Wickham’s story. I wanted to include it because it illustrates the power of networking and referrals – Jennifer Lawler The nonfiction developmental course I did a few years ago with Club Ed was so helpful in my editing journey. I…
As someone who recently moved to Spain from the US, I’m part of a few expat groups online, and people are constantly posting warnings such as, “Watch out! My friend didn’t get her visa renewed because she didn’t keep her private health insurance!” The backstory: For some types of visas, you have to have private…