Learning Something New Every Day

Before my mom retired, she always used to joke that she learned something new every day. When I was younger, I used to dread the idea of learning something new every day because I thought that meant I would never truly be an expert in my field. It’s only now that I’ve started freelance editing that I understand the value of being in a constant state of learning (and that it doesn’t mean you’re not an expert).

I’ve seen some freelance editors on social media judging others for not knowing certain things about editing. “If you’re qualified to edit, you really should know X, Y, and Z.” And while this is true to some extent, I hate to think what editors would become if we all adopted this mentality. We wouldn’t be very good editors, that’s for sure.

Even the best editors should learn something new, if not every day, then at least frequently. I’ve always had a pretty good grasp of English phrases and idioms, but when I first started taking editing classes, I was shocked to find out that the correct phrase is “homing in,” not “honing in.” Even now, more than a year after I first made the decision to pursue editing as a career, I find myself learning new things.

On top of that, editors who have a mentality of constantly learning are just…better editors in my opinion. The editors who don’t want to learn are the ones who give us a bad rap. Having an open mind is not only cohesive to editing, it’s important in life in general. Not to mention that it allows us to connect with writers more deeply, since we’re open to new ideas or information.

So, I suppose I should apologize to my mom for rolling my eyes every time she said she learned something new at her job. It turns out I’d end up adopting the same mindset in my own career.

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.