The Modern Editor - Editing Tips for Freelance Editors

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. 

Mentioned in this Episode:

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.

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.

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.

Springtime comes with a sense of renewal and new opportunities that always make me feel reinvigorated. To celebrate, this episode is a re-air of a previous episode where I offered six tips to refresh your editing business. 

Of course, you don’t have to wait for a certain season to follow these tips, but it’s natural to feel the itch to do a little spring cleaning at this time of year. Taking advantage of that fresh spring energy is the perfect way to set yourself up for success in quarter two. Consider this your spring cleaning checklist for your editing business.

Welcome to our fourth and final episode in our editor wellness series! In this episode of The Modern Editor Podcast, we’re talking all about social and intellectual wellness for freelance editors.

There’s a lot to mull over in this episode, including the difficulty of making friends as an adult, cultivating critical thinking skills, and why you shouldn’t outsource your brain.

As always, this episode could bring up some emotions. Please take what works for you and leave the rest. Give these concepts time to sink in so you can apply them to your life in phases rather than all at once.

Welcome back to our series on self-care! Our last few episodes covered physical/environmental wellness and financial health. In this episode, we’re diving into mental and emotional well-being tips for freelance editors. 

Specifically, I’m talking about how our thoughts and emotions show up in our businesses and how I process my emotions. I’m also going to share some self-care ideas that can benefit your mental and emotional health.

It goes without saying that this can be a loaded topic, so please remember that I’m not a medical or mental health professional in any way. I’m simply sharing what I’ve learned from fourteen years of running my own editing business so that you can take the insights you like and make them work for you.

• Jessica Stong
• Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
• Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
• Your Attention is Sacred Except on Social Media by Amelia Hruby
• Hood Wellness by Tamela J. Gordon
• The Cure for Burnout by Emily Ballesteros
• Quiet by Susan Cain
• National Institute of Mental Health
• Calm app: How to regulate your nervous system and restore calm: 12 proven techniques
• Episode 3: Why Mindset is More than Just a Buzzword
• Episode 7: Why You Need Boundaries in Your Business
• Episode 26: How to Avoid (or Recover from) Burnout
• Episode 47: Editor Self-Care: How to Use Affirmations in Your Business

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

If you want to confront your relationship with money, start a business. Have you heard this saying before? I couldn’t agree with it more. Nothing makes you get up close and personal with your finances than running your own editing business.

In this episode of The Modern Editor, we’re continuing our editor wellness series on self-care, but this time we’re talking all things money for freelance editors.

I think it’s safe to assume that most of us didn’t learn about money the way we should’ve and likely have complicated relationships with our finances. We’re diving into how our upbringing affects our relationship with money, how to improve our money mindset, and I’m giving you practical tips on how to run your freelance business as financially effective as possible.

Welcome to a brand-new editor wellness series on The Modern Editor Podcast all about health, wellness, and self-care. (I kind of hate those words, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t important 😂) As freelancer editors, it’s easy to let our health fall by the wayside, especially in busy seasons.

In this episode, we’re exploring physical and environmental health and how we can take care of ourselves in a holistic way. Content warning: We’ll be talking about food and exercise.

Instead of a typical goal-setting exercise to kick off the new year, I’m walking you through some writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing.  Think of it more as a new year vibe check to help you ease into the year.

If you want to set some goals for 2026, I encourage you to join us inside the Freelance Editors Club, where we’re running those exercises!

• (0:14) Why Writing Prompts?
• (2:45) Prompt One
• (3:17) Prompt Two
• (3:42) Prompt Three
• (3:58) Prompt Four
• (4:23) Prompt Five
• (5:29) Prompt Six
• (5:55) Prompt Seven
• (6:18) 2026 is Not a Race

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