Choosing a Niche in Freelance Editing

In the editing and writing world, people often ask editors what their niche or specialty is. As a person who is constantly interested in learning, finding the right niche was challenging. Thankfully, there were many experienced and wise editors who encouraged me not to limit myself by focusing too much on a specialty.

Now that I’ve actually had opportunities to work with more writers, I feel much more comfortable in saying my niche is developmental editing speculative fiction. Although that is somewhat of a broad niche, it allows me to work on so many different kinds of projects, which is one thing I love about my job. I enjoy working across age ranges and working with authors who include diverse representation in their work.

That being said, I also feel like I have the freedom to explore other interests without abandoning my specialty. I marvel all the time about the joy I find working with the amazing, kind, and talented people I get to work with. It sounds cheesy to say, but my work doesn’t feel like work. When others joke about retiring, I daydream about never retiring.

But, just as I do in my personal life, I hope to continue learning about different topics related to editing. I’m hoping to explore proofreading in the near-ish future, and I’d love to narrate children’s audiobooks someday. And the nerd in me would love to work on more philosophical pieces. Until then, I’m content specializing in the area I do, knowing that my niche doesn’t hold me back from new opportunities.

Whose Book is it?

One topic that has come up over and over again in the book community is the question of who a book belongs to, who authors write books for. It seems the most popular response to this question is “readers,” but I think we should challenge this idea. I’ve had instructors, mentors, writers, and other editors say that a book is, first and foremost, for the reader, but the more I talk and think about this topic, I’m not so sure the answer is clearcut.

So, if an author isn’t writing for their readers, who are they writing for? Well, I’d say that they’re writing for themselves. Of course, they have potential readers in mind when writing, and editors should advocate for their readers as well. But at the end of the day, everyone who writes does so because they have a story within them, a story they want to share with others. And if they didn’t write for themselves before anyone else, then they wouldn’t have a meaningful story at all.

If authors only wrote for readers, the stories they create would be two-dimensional and insincere. I’d argue that readers can tell when an author wrote a book according to what they think readers would want as opposed to telling the story inside their heart.

What does this mean for writers? Well, I often hear writers worrying that they’re putting too much of themselves into their stories, either by making a character too similar to them or in some other manner. While this is typically solid advice, I think the writing community sometimes takes this more seriously than we should. In fact, at times the best thing a writer can do for their story is to add more of themselves to it.

I’m not saying that writers should flip to the other extreme and put all of themselves into every story, but I think it’s important to recognize when a story could benefit from adding more of the writer into it. And I certainly think we should normalize the idea that writers are writing for themselves first.

My best piece of advice on the topic: Write for yourself first. Worry about writing for the reader during revisions or during the editing process.

The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

I recently attended a webinar through the San Diego Professional Editors Network entitled “AI and the Future of Editing.” Artificial intelligence is certainly a hot topic lately, and it will surely be something editors have to contend with moving forward. But the question I keep asking myself is, “Is it ethical to use AI in any capacity in its current iteration?”

One of the panelists at the webinar stated that it is okay for authors to use AI, as long as 80% of any given work is in their own words and no more than 20% of a piece is generated by AI. While I understand where this speaker was coming from, I couldn’t disagree more. In my opinion (and I know not everyone feels this way), using AI in any capacity in its current iteration is ethically wrong because it “learns” from creators’ works without their express permission. To me, that is nothing less than plagiarism.

Now, another panelist suggested that AI is a good tool to use, say for research, but that authors should refrain from publishing anything that was generated by AI. Again, I disagree with this sentiment. Using a tool that essentially plagiarizes is still unethical, even if the user is not directly publishing whatever the AI generates.

So, to what extent do I think we should use AI? Honestly, until there are more concrete laws that dictate what AI companies are allowed to access in order for the AI to “learn,” I don’t think we should be using it at all. I’ve seen many people use AI to generate images or stories, and it is fun and entertaining, but at the end of the day, the AI used a human being’s work without their permission to generate that entertainment.

Do I think AI has a future in the publishing industry? Certainly! Artificial intelligence has the ability to learn from various sources, and when creators give their permission for AI to use their work to learn, then it is a great tool that has the potential to drastically change writing and publishing (although, I would still argue that it is missing a human element).

Do I judge those who use AI? Of course not! Choosing whether to use AI is something each individual must decide for themselves, but next time you start to put a prompt into an AI generating website, I want you to think of how you would feel if that technology were using your work to generate “art.”

Purple People and the Importance of Context and Queries

Grammar does not exist in a vacuum. Thankfully, editors usually have the context of an entire book or article to work with when they are editing, but what if they didn’t?

The lyrics to the song “The Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley are a prime example of why context (and querying) is important. The most popular part of the playful song states, “It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin’ purple people eater.”

Now, without any context, it is not necessarily clear whether the monster Wooley sings about has one eye, one horn, flies, is purple, and eats people or if the monster is eating people who have one eye, one horn, fly, and are purple. Similarly, the ambiguity could account for multiple interpretations, say a one-eyed monster that eats one-horned, flying, purple people, or any combination of the stated characteristics.

As an editor, if I were only editing this sentence alone, it would certainly be necessary to query the author for clarification. You could say that it would be absurd to think that any of those characteristics could apply to people, but clearly, the song itself seems pretty absurd (and the editor may come to regret the decision to refrain from querying the author).

Fortunately, Wooley provides clarification within the context of the rest of the lyrics. We know that the monster (not the people) in the song has one eye, one horn, and flies because the song opens with, “Well, I saw the thing comin’ out of the sky/ It had a-one long horn and one big eye.”

However, you may be surprised at an interesting turn of events when someone speaking in the song asks the monster, “Mr. Purple People Eater, what’s your line?” And the creature responds with, “Eatin’ purple people and it sure is fine.” This is a classic example of why context and querying are important. It would be reasonable to assume that the monster is purple, but when provided with more context, we discover that the monster actually eats people who are purple. It may also be purple itself, but that technically remains unknown when examining the lyrics alone.

Querying is a necessary tool in the editor’s toolkit. When context does not provide the answers a reader needs, it is our job as editors to ask authors for clarification. Otherwise, we could end up with purple monsters instead of purple people.

Why Readers Need Your Books

I recently attended a virtual event where a few authors shared about their books, and the moderator asked who they write for. This is a question every author has likely asked themselves at one point or another, and it is inextricably linked to the question of who needs the books authors are writing. As a reader and editor, both are important, but I think authors can lose sight of who needs their books; they don’t always realize the impact their words have on readers, and their stories are often a guiding force in readers’ lives.

Above all else, it’s essential that an author writes for themselves. I have not yet met an author who doesn’t feel some sort of calling to their craft. No one would choose to do the extremely difficult task of creating a story without feeling some deeper motivation for wanting to do so. So, first and foremost, writers should always write for themselves. At the end of the day, your opinion of your work as an author is more valuable than anyone else’s.

In addition, many authors from marginalized backgrounds recognize that their work brings a sense of comfort and belonging to people from similar communities, especially those writing for a young adult audience. Authors that write the stories they needed to hear as an adolescent are changing the world one book at a time. In this way, their work is more meaningful than many people can express in words.

Finally, and I think this category is often overlooked, authors’ stories often have a significant and lasting impact on readers who either don’t know they have something in common with the author or who don’t have much in common with the author at all. I personally found my place within the LGBTQIA+ community and the neurodivergent community through reading (and no, books did not make me queer, they gave me a word for what I was already feeling). I’ve had the chance to interact with a couple authors whose books changed my life, and I always feel like I can’t quite convey how much their books mean to me. They are a part of me.

Similarly, we all have different experiences in this world, and sometimes our experiences do not teach us about the beauty of diversity. Again, this is how I felt growing up. I live in a predominantly white neighborhood, went to school with only a handful of students who weren’t white, didn’t know any openly queer people until college, and wasn’t exposed to religion much after my first communion (after which I gently informed my parents that I had learned everything about Christianity because the classes were becoming repetitive). Much like Jasmine in Aladdin, I experienced the world through books. Did the authors of the books I read write them for me? No, and they shouldn’t have been writing for me anyway, but I did benefit from them nonetheless. Having access to diverse books gave me a better understanding of the world and all the different people in it. Are real-world experiences more effective? Probably, but when I didn’t have that option, books were there for me.

So, for all the authors out there wondering if your books have an impact, they do! If you wrote a book from your heart, a book that you put a piece of yourself into, then someone somewhere connected with it on a deeper level. Whether it helped them feel less alone in the world, helped them understand themselves better, or helped them learn about other people, it made a difference in their lives. Writers should always write for themselves first, but never doubt the effect they have on readers in the process.

How Do I Know I’m Pursuing the Right Career?

Starting a freelance business is intimidating. It’s time-consuming, stressful, and expensive. So, how do I know I’m pursuing the right career for me?

Pursuing the right career is something I’ve thought about for a long time. I grew up with parents who supported whatever I wanted to do, as long as I was happy. But real life isn’t always so simple, and happiness cannot be the only factor that goes into choosing a career. Here is the path that led me to freelance editing, and why I know it’s the right choice for me:

Throughout most of my undergraduate degree, I had absolutely no idea what career I wanted to pursue. I majored in philosophy, which was definitely the right choice for me, but it doesn’t exactly come with a solid career path. I had toyed with the idea of working for a nonprofit, as volunteering has always been an important factor in my life, but while it brought me joy, it was not practical as a career choice for me.

I briefly considered social work in patient advocacy as a career, and I think it would have been an interesting career for me, but after I got sick in 2018, I decided that I didn’t want to constantly be surrounded by others who were sick. For a long time, being sick was my life, so I didn’t want to make a career out of it.

Finally, I thought about going to graduate school for library sciences, but I ultimately wasn’t sure if I would enjoy all, or even most, aspects of the job. I love books, but being a librarian consists of so much more than just reading (as does editing). In fact, reading is typically not a big part of most librarians’ jobs.

So, when my lovely mentor first mentioned editing, I was intrigued. I had not known that freelance editing was a real job, so the idea that I could become an editor on my own terms was enchanting. Although I’m still in the process of gaining more knowledge to become the best editor I can be, I have had a few experiences editing recently. With one of those experiences, I was developmental editing a book, and I realized I had a huge smile on my face while staring at the computer screen. That was when I knew that I was definitely pursuing the right career for me. Of course, happiness isn’t the only important factor, but it is the foundation for a life filled with joy and fulfillment. I know this is a job that I will find joy in for years to come.

Balancing a New Career with a Chronic Illness: Part 2

Another obstacle that many people with chronic illnesses face is the repercussions of the stereotype that we have a ton of free time on our hands. For a while, I was too sick to work, and when I told people this, I was almost always met with something like, “Oh, that must be nice having so much extra free time!” Because of this, I’ve run into quite a few people who seem to think that I will be available 24/7 because I don’t have a “real” job.

This situation can be tricky to navigate. On the one hand, people who say these things are partially correct but only partially. I don’t have a 9-5 job that restricts my time. However, I do have an illness that sometimes takes up the same amount of time that a full-time job would. I try to balance this by working when I’m feeling well and recognizing when I need rest. One major benefit of being a freelance editor is that I create my own hours. So yes, most days I don’t wake up until after noon, but I also tend to work until 1-2 in the morning.

Finally, a new challenge that I’ve faced recently is feeling too good. I know what you’re thinking: “How is feeling too good a problem?” Well, let me tell you. I have had multiple days where I’ve been able to work more than 8 hours, something that was unheard of for me for many years. Unfortunately, I tend to get carried away when I’m feeling well, and I have a harder time of recognizing when I need to take a break. Just because I can work multiple 10+ hour days in a row, doesn’t mean I should. Mostly because, even though I am physically capable of doing this, it usually ends up taking a toll, which ultimately wipes out an entire day of potential work.

To manage this, I have been trying to find balance within my work. I try not to spend hours on end working, even if I just take small breaks to scroll through Instagram or crochet. This helps me feel like any work I do isn’t really work. I have a ton of fun with my job, and when I focus on the joy it brings me, it is less taxing physically and emotionally.

I’m also trying to self-impose a weekend. Truthfully, I haven’t been very successful with this strategy yet. When you don’t have a job with set hours where you need to be present, it can be difficult to set time aside for relaxation, nonetheless a whole day for relaxation. I’m not quite sure yet if this goal is attainable, or even necessary.

Whether you find yourself struggling with issues stemming from chronic illness, or you’re just trying to find balance in your life, I hope some of what I said resonates with you. Let me know some of your favorite strategies for balancing work and life in the comments!

Welcome to the World of Freelance Editing

As some of you know, I decided to start pursuing a career as a freelance editor last year. Since freelancing and writing can be such isolating fields, I thought I’d start a blog series detailing my experiences as I launch my career, and eventually, offering advice to fellow freelancers and authors.

It’s easy to find advice from people who have been in these fields for years, and obviously that advice is necessary and useful to newbies like me. However, during the process of becoming a freelance editor, I keep thinking, “Why aren’t there any newbies sharing their experiences?” The wisdom from the pros is greatly appreciated, but sometimes I just want someone to commiserate with about all the intricacies of starting out in a new field, all the insecurities we feel along the way, and all the many misunderstandings. In other words, I want to talk with someone else who sometimes feels like they have absolutely no clue what they’re doing, someone who feels imposter syndrome creeping up, someone who spends two hours trying to determine where a comma goes, only to realize their first instinct was, in fact, correct.

So, whether you’re here because you’re in the same boat as I am, or if you’re an author looking for advice, welcome! I’m glad you’re here, and I hope you find some useful information along the way. If you have any burning questions for me, let me know in the comments, and I’ll do my best to answer them.

A little background information about me: I have been writing book reviews for about two years now. During a brief period when I wrote for a magazine, I met another contributor, who I now consider to be my freelance editing mentor. She had mentioned that she was an editor, and after a lot of questions and contemplation on my part, I decided to pursue freelance editing myself.

Currently, I am taking Copyediting II through the University of California San Diego Extended Studies. I’m set to complete their Copyediting Certificate by September, then I plan to continue taking developmental editing classes through the Editorial Freelancers Association. Basically, I’m very new to the field. I look forward to learning and connecting with you all on my journey into the freelance editing world.