It’s so easy to get caught up in the comparison game when starting and running a business—whether it’s comparing our beginning to someone else’s middle or feeling like we should be running our business in a way that aligns with how others are running theirs. We have to remind ourselves that everyone is different, and each person is on their own path. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, I’d love to see more of us congratulating others for their success and lifting others who may need more support.

In this short-and-sweet episode, we’ll talk about the following:

• 01:46 – Why the highlight reels on social media are not real life
• 05:24 – The similarity between our journey and books
• 09:32 – The magical hack to starting a business (hint: there isn’t one!)

Connect:

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Tara on Instagram
• Tara on Facebook

When we think of boundaries, we often think of borders, gates, or walls—something to keep people out. But when it comes to our business or personal lives, boundaries are more of a safety net—something to protect us, our businesses, and our reputations. We need to have clear boundaries that set the expectations within our business. If we let these boundaries go unenforced (and let too many people cross them), this can lead to burnout, resentment, and potentially the loss of client relationships. 

In this episode, we talk about what boundaries are, why they’re important, and how to enforce them.

Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll hear:

• 02:08 – What exactly are boundaries?
• 04:42 – My favorite quote that hit me right in the gut while I was experiencing burnout
• 06:52 – Why boundaries can be so difficult to enforce
• 08:14 – How boundaries left unenforced is really just a form of disrespecting yourself…and how I learned this lesson the hard way
• 11:38 – Examples of specific boundaries you can start setting in your business TODAY

Resources Discussed in This Episode:

Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab (affiliate link)

Connect:

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Tara on Instagram
• Tara on Facebook

As we grow up, we internalize certain stories about ourselves. I’m too short. I’m not creative. I can’t start a business because I’m not smart enough. I’m too loud. I’m bad at networking because I’m too introverted. In actuality, these are just thoughts and beliefs that we’ve said to ourselves so many times that we don’t even think about them anymore. We just accept them as fact. But are they true? How do we determine whether we should believe them or not? And if they aren’t true, how do we rewrite the story?

In this episode, we’ll chat about the following:

• 02:03 – What are these “stories” we tell ourselves
• 04:35 – Something I experienced too often when I worked in the corporate world, which contributed to one of my stories
• 08:04 – Indicators that help you determine whether or not a story is true for you
• 12:34 – My tried-and-true method for rewriting the story you’re telling yourself

Connect:

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Tara on Instagram
• Tara on Facebook

Freelancers wear many hats—we’re the accountant, the marketer, the employee, and the CEO. In order to be able to manage each of these positions (and maintain our mental health), it’s important we know how to work both *on* and *in* our businesses. I talk about the differences between each and why they’re important, plus I share my tips on how to maintain “balance” at any stage of your business.

In this episode, you’ll learn the following:

• 02:05 – What working *in* your business is all about
• 04:48 – Why working *on* your business is the key to long-term success
• 07:15 – My one challenge for you TODAY that takes no longer than 5 minutes
• 10:17 – Get a sneak peek into how I timeblock my days
• 15:29 – *BONUS* My new favorite timeblocking term

Connect:

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Tara on Instagram
• Tara on Facebook

Words are powerful, and the words we use affect others. As a modern editor, it’s our responsibility to stay educated on current language trends—not only to best assist our clients, but also when advertising our business and for use in our everyday lives.

In this episode, we’ll talk about the following:

• 03:25 – Three words that set unrealistic expectations in the editing industry
• 06:39 – Why I don’t believe in the phrase “Charge what you’re worth”
• 08:27 – My alternative to using the very harmful grammar N*zi (among other words and phrases that are not just problematic but hurtful to others)

Resources Discussed in This Episode:

• The Editing Podcast: Why editing is NOT about being “a bit OCD”

Connect:

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Tara on Instagram
• Tara on Facebook

We’re talking about one of my favorite things to talk about when discussing business. And that is MINDSET! When I first started my business 10 years ago, mindset was not even a blip on my radar. No one was talking about it. And if they had talked about it, I would’ve thought it was ridiculous. I would have thought mindset has nothing to do with running a business. How wrong was I! Nowadays, mindset has become a bit of a buzzword—it’s everywhere you look. But I’m here to tell you why there are valid reasons it has become so popular and why it needs to be the foundation of your business.

In this episode, we’re going to talk about the following:

• 02:21 – What mindset is and isn’t
• 05:46 – Why mindset is super important when starting and running your business
• 08:23 – My favorite—the TEARA process! What it is and how to use it to shift your mindset
• 13:14 – I’ll walk you through an example of the TEARA process so you can start implementing it TODAY

Resources Discussed in This Episode:

• Open Path Collective
• TEARA Process worksheet

Connect:

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Tara on Instagram
• Tara on Facebook

So you’ve decided that this editing journey is something you want to pursue. Where do you start? What do you need to learn? And for those who have been editing for a while—how do you elevate your skills? There is no one way to become a freelance editor, but I do have recommendations on where to find quality education and how to vet the organizations and educators you choose to learn from.

In this episode, you’ll learn the following:

• 01:46 – One of the most important things you need to have as an editor (Pst! It’s not a master’s degree!)
• 05:24 – Where to look for editing education
• 09:32 – The vetting process I use to ensure I’m receiving quality education

Resources Discussed in This Episode:

• ACES: The Society for Editing
• Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA)
• Editors Canada
• Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP)
• The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) (affiliate link)
• Associated Press Stylebook (affiliate link)
• My favorite books about editing and writing (affiliate link)

Connect:

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Tara on Instagram
• Tara on Facebook

Welcome to the very first episode of The Modern Editor Podcast!

Have you ever thought of becoming an editor? Wondering what it takes to start your own editing business? Perhaps you’ve started your editing journey but are missing a key component—community! If any of this sounds like you, you’re in the right place.

In my new podcast, The Modern Editor Podcast, I’m talking about all things relating to business, mindset, coaching, how our values and our ethics dictate how we run our businesses, trends in the editing industry, marketing strategies, and current events that are applicable to editing, publishing, and working with authors. There will be guest interviews with other editors and professionals. And, of course, we’ll talk about editing and best practices.

In this episode, you’ll learn the following:

• 01:25 – Who am I, how did I get started as an editor, and what I’m up to now
• 06:05 – Why I decided to create The Modern Editor Podcast
• 10:55 – What is a “modern” editor?
• 12:01 and 15:39 – How I’m slashing the age-old stereotypes and busting down the gates to ensure that editing and publishing are accessible to every person who wishes to be a part of it

Connect:

• Book a free 15-minute call
• Join the Freelance Editors Club
• Tara on Instagram
• Tara on Facebook