The Modern Editor Podcast

Are you on the fence about joining a book club? Over the years, I’ve had both good and bad experiences with book clubs, and I currently host one inside the Freelance Editors Club. In this episode, I’m sharing my top five reasons to join a book club and tips on finding the right one for you.

I’d love for you to join us in the Freelance Editors Club and be part of our book club. We mostly read books that center around editing, writing, business building, and personal development. We also read a fun fiction book every December. You can find out more about it and join us here. 

• (1:04) 1: Educational Opportunities
• (2:00) 2: Community and Connection
• (3:31) 3: Accountability
• (4:38) 4: Reading Outside Your Usual Choices
• (5:42) 5: Hearing New Perspectives
• (6:48) How to Find a Book Club
• (11:37) Create Your Own Book Club
• (12:31) Join the Freelance Editors Club Book Club

• Freelance Editors Club Book Club

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• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Book a 1:1 coaching session

Do you see other entrepreneurs seamlessly taking on new clients while you’re piecing together your processes like a puzzle? In today’s episode, Akua Konadu, host of the Independent Business Podcast, joins us to share valuable insights on how you can grow your business. Listen in as she breaks down some of the major findings that came out of the research behind Honeybook’s 2025 Growth Guide, along with key takeaways that’ll help you harness more business growth in 2025.

• (1:34) The Quick and Dirty Summary of Honeybook and How it Can Help Grow Your Business
• (7:02) Understanding Honeybook’s Growth Guide
• (10:03) The Importance of Diversified Revenue Streams
• (14:13) Why You Need to Build Client Loyalty
• (19:48) How to Use the Revenue Benchmarking Tool
• (21:51) How Editors Can Leverage Retainer Clients to Grow Their Revenue
• (25:47) The Future of Entrepreneurship

• 2025 Growth Guide
• The Harris Poll
• Honeybook

• Website: https://akuakonadu.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akuakonadu_/

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Book a 1:1 coaching session

Are you ready to expand your offerings? Maybe you've elevated your skill set and you want to add a different type of editing, or maybe you want to create a product that'll meet more of your clients’ needs. 

In this episode, we’re diving into everything you need to think through before you introduce a new product or service to your editing business. Is now the right time? How do you create new products? Then, how do you launch them? Let’s get into the nitty-gritty!

• (1:03) Why Not to Launch a New Product or Service
• (3:19) Do You Really Want to Create a New Product or Service?
• (5:27) Is the Product or Service Needed in the Industry?
• (7:57) Does This Product or Service Fit Into Your Existing Business
• (10:16) How to Create Your New Product or Service
• (13:56) Picking a Launch Date
• (15:42) Promoting Your New Product or Service
• (19:47) Assessing Your New Product or Service

• Editing Contract Template
• Canva
• Episode 14: 11 Ways to Market Your Editing Business Outside of Social Media

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Book a 1:1 coaching session

Have you ever felt “stuck” in your business or personal life? I’ve experienced this lately, so I wanted to share some tactics I use to help myself feel unstuck. I’m sharing these tips to illustrate that even coaches need coaches, just like editors need editors. I want to normalize the fact that everyone needs help.

Sometimes I need someone else to tell me something in a different way or from a different perspective. I want to be up front that while I’m using these tactics I’m sharing with you, I’m also talking to my two coaches about my situation. I want this podcast to be supportive and help you move forward, but I also encourage you to ask for help when you need it.

• (2:03) Start With Getting Curious
• (3:26) Tactic One: Take a Break
• (4:53) Tactic Two: Do a PITA Audit
• (9:04) Tactic Three: Create a New Habit
• (11:25) Tactic Four: Try Something New
• (14:58) Get Coached by Me

• Notion
• Tiny Habits Certification
• Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
• Canva

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Book a 1:1 coaching session

Do you have clear boundaries for your business? In this episode, we discuss what boundaries you should have as an editor, why they’re important, and how you can enforce them using contracts. 

Disclaimer: This is not legal advice. I’m not a lawyer, but I am related to one, and we created an editing contract template that you can use with your editing clients. Find it here.

• (1:48) Do Boundaries Destroy Creativity?
• (3:28) The Basic Definition of a Contract
• (4:58) Adding Boundaries to Your Contracts Through Scope of Work
• (6:52) Setting Boundaries With Payment Arrangements
• (8:36) Creating Boundaries Around Deadlines
• (10:42) Boundaries Around Communication
• (13:15) Setting Boundaries Around Generative AI
• (15:31) Defining Boundaries Around Acknowledgments
• (18:31) How to Handle Contract Termination
• (19:52) Introducing My Editing Contract Template

• Episode 7: Why You Need Boundaries in Your Business
• Editorial Freelancers Association
• Editors Canada
• The Paper It’s Written On book
• My new Editing Contract Template

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Book a 1:1 coaching session

Should you review books as an editor? Back in the day, I used to be a book blogger (which is now called a book reviewer), but I stopped when I became an editor. Why? In today’s episode, I’m telling you exactly why.

Disclaimer: I am not saying that editors cannot review books. Some people can do both and it works really well for them. I think you should do what feels right for you and your business. I’m simply sharing my experience and thoughts with you, and this is a judgment-free zone. 

This episode was inspired by the discourse I saw on Threads about this subject, so I hope my experience can add to the discussion.

• Episode 35 with Alex Temblador

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• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Book a 1:1 coaching session

When authors write about characters from different backgrounds, it’s important they do the research to understand why they’re writing the way they do—avoiding biases they may not realize they have. It’s our job to review this work, and today’s guest has created the tool and resource to make you a better editor. Alex Temblador joins us to share about her new book called Writing an Identity Not Your Own.

This is Alex’s first nonfiction book, but she’s previously published two fiction books: Secrets of the Casa Rosada and Half Outlaw. She received her MFA in creative writing from the University of Central Oklahoma and is a contributor to Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America, and Speculative Fiction for Dreamers: A Latinx Anthology.

She is an award-winning travel, arts, and culture journalist who specializes in diversity, equity, and inclusion, publishing in the likes of Condé Nast Traveler, Outside, and Travel + Leisure, and speaking about such topics at SXSW, the Society of American Travel Writers, and the World Travel Market.

Alex lives in Dallas, Texas, where she runs a literary panel series called LitTalk and is the executive director of Write Here DFW.

Want a chance to win her book? St. Martin’s has kindly given me a copy to give away to a lucky podcast listener. Click here to enter.

• (0:38) Meet Alex Temblador
• (2:53) Alex’s Writing Journey
• (9:17) How to Feel Confident Writing Other Identities
• (15:33) Confronting Your Biases to Grow as a Writer
• (20:58) The Editing Process For Writing an Identity Not Your Own
• (27:08) The Responsibility of Editors
• (31:29) How to Approach Writing Different Identities Based on Genre
• (39:16) Confronting Your Biases is a Continual Journey

• Writing an Identity Not Your Own on Bookshop.org
• Alex’s website: https://www.alextemblador.com/
• Book website: https://www.writinganidentitynotyourown.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex_temblador/
• X: https://twitter.com/alex_temblador
• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@alex_temblador
• Enter the giveaway to win the book here!

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Book a 1:1 coaching session

What do kids and editing have in common? In this episode, I’m sharing five nuggets that my kids have taught me that have helped me become a better editor and business owner. I always say that my kids teach me more than I teach them every day, but I didn’t expect there to be an overlap with my business.

Disclaimer: you don’t need to have kids, want kids, or even like kids to get anything out of this episode. Now let’s dive in!

• (0:56) Lesson One: Practice Makes Progress
• (3:28) Lesson Two: You Don’t Know How to Do Something…Yet
• (6:20) Lesson Three: Approaching New Things With a Growth Mindset
• (8:19) Lesson Four: Nothing Will Go According to Plan
• (10:31) Lesson Five: Things Don’t Take as Long as I Think They Do
• (13:44) Episode 35 Teaser

• Episode 3: Why Mindset is More Than Just a Buzzword
• Episode 33: How to Take Time Off as a Freelancer
• Parkinson’s Law

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Book a 1:1 coaching session

Do you struggle with taking time off as a freelancer? When you’re your own boss and wear several hats, vacation time often gets put on the back burner. However, it’s up to us to take care of ourselves.

In this episode, we’re talking about how to take both planned and unplanned time off as a freelancer. We’re going to talk about how to arrange your schedule so it's more conducive to taking breaks, how to work with some trusted colleagues, and how to honor your time off.

• (1:08) Taking Time Off is Easier Said Than Done
• (1:43) How to Schedule Time Off and Communicate it With Your Clients
• (6:05) Prepping For Your Time Off
• (8:50) Budgeting For Your Time Away
• (10:47) How to Take Unplanned Time Off
• (14:39) Give Yourself Grace and Honor Your Boundaries
• (17:55) Time Off Doesn’t Have to be a Vacation

• YNAB app

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Book a 1:1 coaching session

Do you struggle with comparison? I believe we all compare ourselves to others throughout our lives. However, my hot take is that it’s not always a bad thing. 

In this episode, we’re talking about the positives and negatives of comparison. We’ll dig into when comparison hurts and discuss when and how to compare yourself to others in a beneficial way.

• (1:00) Why Am I Talking About Comparison?
• (4:44) Is Comparison the Thief of Joy?
• (7:03) How to Avoid Negative Comparison
• (8:43) How to Use Comparison in a Positive Way

• James Clear
• Atomic Habits
• Episode 3: Why Mindset is More Than Just a Buzzword

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Book a 1:1 coaching session