Curious about what my copyediting process looks like? I’m giving you a sneak peek in this episode of The Modern Editor Podcast. Listen in as I share the 10 quick searches I run every single time I start a new copyediting project.

Something I love about editing is that everyone has a different process, and I appreciate learning from others. This is a glimpse into the process that works for me, so take what you like and see if it works with your own process. There’s no one right way to edit.

• (1:35) Why I Like to Run Prechecks
• (3:35) Extra Spaces
• (4:25) -ly Adverbs with Hyphens
• (5:00) Further and Farther
• (5:33) Halves
• (6:19) Compounds
• (6:51) Words That End in “Like”
• (7:46) Commonly Confused Words
• (8:45) Comma With Internal or Terminal To, Either, or Though
• (9:47) Double Punctuation
• (10:28) Straight Apostrophes and Straight Quotes

• Grab the Editing Contract Template
• Join the Freelance Editors Club

What does it really take to become an editor? In this short-and-sweet episode of The Modern Editor Podcast, I’m sharing how I got into the editing biz fourteen years ago. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t for the best reason 😅

This episode is for new and hopeful editors who want to learn from my experience and build a successful editing business. However, I think there are some good reminders for veterans, too. Listen in as I share the good, the bad, and the vulnerable!

• (1:05) I Could Find Typos Everywhere
• (2:09) Did You Know There Are Different Types of Editors? I Didn’t!
• (4:34) The Freelance Editors Club Membership Price is Going Down
• (5:21) Four Steps to Getting Started as a Professional Editor
• (10:54) Fourteen Years in and I’m Still Learning

• The Chicago Guide for Freelance Editors by Erin Brenner
• Editorial Freelancers Association
• ACES: The Society for Editing
• Editors Canada
• Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
• Northwest Editors Guild
• San Diego Professional Editors Network
• Freelance Editors Club
• The Chicago Manual of Style
• AP Stylebook
• Developmental Editing by Scott Norton
• Editing Fiction at Sentence Level by Louise Harnby (line editing)
• The Copyeditor’s Handbook and Workbook by Amy Einsohn and Marilyn Schwartz
• The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction by Amy J. Schneider

• Grab the Editing Contract Template
• Join the Freelance Editors Club

Are you the right editor for the job? In this episode of The Modern Editor, I’m flipping the script and taking on the author’s POV. Listen in as I list what I think are the most important things authors should look for when hiring an editor.

This episode is directed toward authors, but editors will benefit from it too. You’ll learn whether or not you’re marketing yourself correctly so that the right authors hire you to work with them.

• (2:27) Number One: An Editor's Education
• (4:51) Number Two: Does the Editor Work with Your Type of Content?
• (7:46) Number Three: Look for Testimonials, Referrals, and Word-of-Mouth Recommendations
• (9:28) Number Four: Ask for a Sample Edit
• (13:16) Number Five: Values Alignment
• (14:56) Number Six: Do They Use a Contract?
• (15:57) Number Seven: Rates
• (21:22) Number Eight: Deadlines and Availability

• Writing With Color Descriptions Guide: Skin Color

• Grab the Editing Contract Template
• Join the Freelance Editors Club

I don’t know about you, but I could use a pep talk right about now. Things are feeling bleak in the editing and publishing industries, not to mention everything else going on in the world.

If you’re currently feeling defeated, bitter, exasperated, or annoyed about the state of our industry right now, you’re not alone.

I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge what we’re going through in this episode of The Modern Editor Podcast. Listen in for a pep talk from yours truly, along with how I’m staying hopeful and focused through the muck.

• (0:56) The Current (Meh) Landscape of the Editing Industry
• (4:03) How to Cope With These Challenges
• (10:25) Keeping Hope Alive

• Grab the Editing Contract Template
• Join the Freelance Editors Club

If you thought I was done talking about generative AI, I’ve got news for you: I’m not 😅

Things are changing and advancing extremely fast, and I think it’s important for editors to be vocal about their stance on generative AI. Recently, I came across something that piqued my interest: a database of creatives who do not use generative AI in their work.

The concept got my wheels turning, and I debated starting my own database for editors. In this episode of The Modern Editor, I’m going through my thought process and sharing where I eventually landed with these databases. Listen in to learn why I ultimately decided against the idea and some crucial questions you should ask if you’re considering joining a database.

Inside the Freelance Editors Club, we do have a directory of members who now have the option to include a tag that labels them as an editor who does not use generative AI with editing.

• (0:40) What Are “No Generative AI” Databases?
• (5:32) Why I Got The Ick
• (10:18) Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Join a Database
• (12:42) What I’m Planning to Do Instead

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Freelance Editors Club Member Directory

• Grab the Editing Contract Template
• Join the Freelance Editors Club

It’s been three years since I first talked about ChatGPT on the podcast, which is a lifetime in the tech world. How has generative AI progressed in those three years, and what do freelance editors need to do to protect themselves? That’s what we’re diving into on this episode of The Modern Editor.

Before we get started, it’s important to note that I hate generative AI with a fiery passion. If you’re looking for a balanced approach to the topic, you won’t find that here. However, I’m also not going to spend the whole podcast ranting about it. I’m here to provide practical tips you can implement in your editing business in the age of generative AI.

• (2:00) You Need to Have a Stance on Generative AI
• (3:02) A Recap of the Last Three Years of Generative AI
• (6:25) What We’ve Learned About AI Since 2023
• (12:13) My Predictions For the Future of Generative AI
• (16:18) How to Protect Yourself Against Generative AI as an Editor
• (21:34) Communicating Your AI Stance With Clients
• (30:04) What Do You Do When Your AI Policy is Violated?
• (33:13) What to Do if You’re Accused of Using Generative AI
• (35:16) You’re Not Behind if You Don’t Use AI

• Episode 21: Will ChatGPT Replace Editors and Authors?
• Mystery Humming Noise Heard Across US States
• Bartz v. Anthropic Settlement: What Authors Need to Know
• AI's Effects On The Brain
• Is AI dulling our minds?
• BBC Finds That 45% of AI Queries Produce Erroneous Answers

• Grab the Editing Contract Template
• Join the Freelance Editors Club

Do you understand the difference between working ON your business and working IN your business? As a freelancer filling multiple roles, it can take time to figure this out. First things first, you’re an editor, and editing is your bread and butter. However, you’re also the head of marketing, CEO, sales rep…the list goes on.

It’s a delicate balancing act, but one thing that can help is understanding the difference between working on your business versus in your business. Today, we’re revisiting one of the very first podcast episodes I ever released where I explain this difference and offer tips to make it all work. This episode is just as relevant today as it was when it was first released, so let’s dive in.

• (1:09) Why is it Important to Know the Difference?
• (2:32) What Does it Mean to Work in Your Business?
• (3:34) What Does it Mean to Work on Your Business?
• (4:08) Working on Your Business Helps You Avoid Burnout
• (8:03) The Perfect Balance Doesn’t Exist
• (10:08) Time-Blocking Tips
• (17:00) The Importance of Accountability Partners

• Grab the Editing Contract Template
• Join the Freelance Editors Club

I’ve been thinking a ton about different seasons of life lately, and it’s made me realize there are also different seasons we go through in our businesses.

The ugly truth is that not all seasons in our businesses are positive. Just like in life, it’s completely normal to go through hard times. Unfortunately, it’s easy to feel like a failure for experiencing a less-than-incredible season, which is a narrative that needs to be rewritten.

In this episode of The Modern Editor Podcast, I’m walking you through the variety of seasons you may experience in your editing business so that you can normalize it instead of wondering if you’re doing something wrong.

• (1:44) Not All Business Owners Experience the Same Seasons
• (3:07) The Learning Season
• (3:50) The Planning Season
• (4:23) The Networking Season
• (7:25) The CEO Season
• (9:02) The Pivot or Expansion Season
• (9:58) The Maintenance Season
• (11:23) The Dry Season
• (14:29) The Back-End Season
• (15:52) The Front-End Season
• (16:50) The Burnout Season

• Women in Publishing Summit
• Episode 5: Working ON Your Business vs. Working IN Your Business

• Grab the Editing Contract Template
• Join the Freelance Editors Club