Editorial business owners are always negotiating. Whether it’s terms for an upcoming project or an existing contract that’s gone out of scope, having these tough conversations is part of the job.

It’s not just about getting the most money or the most favorable terms, but...

You’ve taken the first big step toward avoiding burnout as a freelance editor: you’ve booked your next vacation. Hooray! That’s a huge deal.

But now, the panic begins. What will your clients do without you? How will you manage your deadlines? What about the gap in your...

Burnout is a real thing for editorial freelancers—trust me, I’ve been there.

While I know that running away from my problems isn’t the answer, I’ve learned that taking a true break helps me recharge my batteries and come back to work refreshed.

That’s why I...

The 2023 ACES conference is coming up, and it’s time for me to hop on a flight, pick up my name tag, and bravely enter the World of Networking yet again.

As a freelance editor, networking is a necessary evil. For me, ACES is the fun kind of networking (it’s a word-nerd shindig!), but...

If you're a freelance editor, you’re probably working too hard. This is because editorial business owners often wear many hats: marketer, bookkeeper, sales professional, project manager, webmaster, customer service representative…the list goes on. Even when you’re not...

Every business owner runs into a problem client from time to time. Even as you get better at defining your ideal client, watching for red flags, and setting clear boundaries and expectations, someone is bound to sneak through the gates and wreak havoc every now and then.

The good...

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how to define your ideal client and spot red flags. This week, I’d like to talk about the freelancer’s role in establishing clear boundaries and expectations for clients.

Setting clear boundaries and expectations is the only way to develop...

Potential problem clients are everywhere—just think back to the last person you saw being rude to a flight attendant, for example. Some people are inherently demanding, aggressive, unfair, and inconsiderate, and as freelance editors, we can usually spot those individuals...

In the previous installment of this freelancer finance series, which argued against the feast-or-famine mentality, I mentioned that I work a maximum of 25 billable hours a week. A colleague asked how I divvy up my non-billable hours, which was an excellent question that also hinted at a...

I’ll come right out and say it: I’m not a fan of the term “feast or famine” when it comes to freelancer finance.

All the other terms we use to describe the ever-changing nature of the freelance money cycle—peaks and valleys, rise and fall, ups and downs, ebb and...

Even though my freelance editorial business was technically profitable within a year, it took me three more years to start paying myself a regular salary. Sure, I would take draws to pay personal expenses, but they were minimal and erratic. I was reinvesting and saving as much as I possibly...

When I was working for a company, I knew my salary off the top of my head. But when I started my own freelance editorial business, things got a lot more confusing.

Even though I did my own taxes for years and thought I had a solid understanding of my LLC’s finances, I still preferred to...

In my last post, I gave some tips on what to do when someone asks, “What’s your rate?” This time, I’d like to address that dreaded question’s (sometimes evil) twin: “What should I charge?”

If you’re a member of almost any Facebook or LinkedIn group...