Illustration of a person kneeling on an oversized clock and laying out documents on different segments of the clock face.

Freelance Tips from an Editor with ADHD, Part 1

Neurodivergent or neurotypical, freelance business owners share many of the same struggles: choosing a niche, finding clients, balancing admin time with billable time, juggling deadlines and allocating time, money and energy. In my previous article, I shared my story of how I discovered I had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) just as …

Illustration of hands over an open lined notebook, correcting text errors with a red pen.

The Pros and Cons of Sample Edits

If you asked 10 editors how they approach sample edits, you’d probably get 10 different answers. Some editors charge for sample edits, some offer samples for free and some don’t do sample edits at all. Some editors begin on page one, and others edit an excerpt from the middle. So …

Illustration of person sitting on park bench with laptop and coffee, and big yellow lightbulb above her head with the word "Idea" in it.

An Editing Scenario for Discussion

You’re a freelance editor who has been building up your business for two years now. You’ve taken a few webinars related to copy editing, you consult the Chicago Manual of Style as needed and you’ve invested in PerfectIt. You’re excited because a prospective client has asked you to copy edit …

Illustration of people with laptops and cell phones connected by a line and perched around an oversize globe and a computer monitor with a megaphone coming out of it.

How Editors Can Maximize Referrals

Self-employed editors and writers appreciate repeat clients and referrals. The more we are known and visible, the easier it is to have client prospects. Referrals come to us through past relationships, the quality of our work and our online presence. Relationships work best when we take a genuine interest in …

Illustration of a person sitting in front of a bank of six computer monitors with different charts and graphs on each screen.

An Update on the ODE

I apologize for the long break in what was supposed to be a series of monthly posts (Ode to the ODE). Part of the problem has been Life. I’ve had a busy year professionally and an even busier year personally: six weeks of travelling, my second move in a year …

Illustration of a sailboat passing by a cheerful landscape of rolling hills and mountains. There are two houses nestled in the hills and a hot air balloon flying overhead.

­­WFB: Working from Boat­­

I am not only an editor, but also a sailing aficionado. To support my passion, my husband and I cruise through the BC waters on our sailboat Andiamo! for weeks at a time—more weeks than a person would have holidays. My aim is to make the transition from home office …

Illustration of books, one labelled “French” and one “English.” A Canadian flag and an oversized A, B, C, and Z surround the books.

Editing a Translation: Finding the Balance

It has been nearly three months since I began my tenure as managing editor of The Editors’ Weekly, and I realized that I haven’t properly introduced myself yet to the readership. For shame! In today’s post, I will give a brief overview of the area of editing where I spend …

Illustration of four people collaborating over two computers on a desk. Abstract images representing ideas and success appear in the background.

In-house to Freelance and Back Again

I started my professional editing career among a team of writers and editors for the Alberta provincial government. At the time, government was the largest employer of editing professionals. The role was fairly limited: we did everything in Canadian Press style, we never credited a source, and I spent most …