2021’s Utah Editor of the Year Kristy S. Gilbert shares some of her lessons learned in the past decade. See the first article of this two-part series here.
Yesterday I posted some fairly practical, straightforward lessons from a decade of freelancing. This week’s lessons are also practical, but they’re less about the nitty-gritty about running a business and more about how to keep a healthy, sustainable outlook as a freelancer.
Freelancing can be a tough road, and a lot of people burn out on it. If you’re settling in for a long haul of freelancing—whether as your primary income or as a regular supplement—prepare your mindset and your support system for the journey.
4. Make Friends—and Network on the Side
One of the greatest gifts for a freelancer is friends. And I’m not just talking about the power of networking (I’ll get to that). Freelancing can be lonely and isolating. Not only do many freelancers work from home, but it’s hard for freelance editors to maintain connections to folks who understand their industry and work passions.
Friends can support you when something goes wrong. You can call them when you feel terribly alone. Editing or editing-adjacent friends can help you process information in your industry and field of interest. All in all, having a good group of friends can help you (and them) be healthier, happier people.
As a side benefit, friends can also bring you work, and even acquaintances who know you through friends can bring you work. My biggest client last year hired me because a friend of mine recommended me to an art director. At one point, a friend from my college copyediting class had referred over half my client base to me. (I’ve diversified since then—phew!) I’ve also gotten big clients from folks I met volunteering at a literary journal and from optimistic relatives who know nothing about my quality of work but enthusiastically give my name out anyway.
So yes, make sure everyone knows what you do so they can refer work to you. But there’s a difference between a network and a support system. You need both, but I see less emphasis in freelance circles on nurturing the latter.
5. Remember There’s a Time and a Season
There are many reasons to run your own editing business, and your reason will likely change and evolve over time. What started as a way to test out different genres or industries may turn into a lifelong passion! What was once a way to keep your skills sharp while you parent young children can evolve into a lifelong career. What began as a weekend gig might unexpectedly become your full-time job (whether you meant it to or not). Or things can go the other way: maybe your editing business was supposed to be your dream job but stopped being feasible or you found a full-time situation that was tailormade for you.
And all that is normal and okay. There is a time for dabbling and a season for taking your business far too seriously. Some months you might barely scrape by and some you’ll have so much work you can hardly stomach it. When your kids (if you have any) are young or you’re going through a significant health issue, you might have only so much mental space to dedicate to your career.
And none of that is bad. Don’t beat yourself up over what you can’t do or what isn’t working right now. Try what you can, learn along the way, and keep adapting your goals and strategies based on the time and season you’re in right now.
6. Know You Can’t Do Everything
Running a business is extremely difficult, especially if you’re the one working on the business and in the business. (On the business = building client lists, marketing, creating workflow systems, etc. In the business = providing the actual products or services the business gives customers or clients.) Whether you’re a solopreneur or a nimble group of like-minded pros, you won’t do everything perfectly.
Another editor or editing company might be better at marketing or tracking return on investment data. Or keeping projects to tidy deadlines and making time for continuing education. Or diversifying offerings, or making standalone products that complement their services, or building effective websites. Some folks make excellent showings at in-person conferences and some nail their social media.
It’s okay that you’re not the best (or even good) at everything. Just do the best you can where you are right now. Provide the best support you can to writers and readers and bite off as much of the business side as you can balance.
Every editor-owner is responsible for a lot: marketing, bookkeeping, invoicing, contracts, maintaining a web presence, building a network, business analysis and strategy, branding, PR, and—oh yeah!—actually editing. But most of us are only excellent at a couple of those things, good at a few more, and muddling through the rest. And that’s usually enough!
And maybe next year (see point #5) you’ll figure out how to run a spreadsheet, build a social media content calendar, or write an effective cold-contacting email.
You have time.
Kristy S. Gilbert is a book editor and designer specializing in science fiction and fantasy for her company, Looseleaf Editorial & Production. In 2021, she was named the first-ever Editor of the Year for the League of Utah Writers and Utah Freelance Editors. Outside of all things bookish, she enjoys cooking, kayaking, and krav maga.
Image credits:
Friends laughing: Public domain
Colored leaves: Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash
Not-sucking chart: Photo by Isaac Smith on Unsplash