An American Editor

December 21, 2025

On the Basics: An editor’s bookshelf is back

Filed under: On Today's Bookshelf,To Be Read — Rich Adin @ 11:34 am
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© Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Owner

An American Editor

© An American Editor. Content may not be recirculated, republished or otherwise used without both the prior permission of the publisher and full credit to the author of a given post and the An American Editor blog, including a live link to the post being referenced. Thank you for respecting our rights to and ownership of our work.

An American Editor founder Rich Adin would publish occasional posts about books of interest to colleagues in “On Today’s Bookshelf,” and I thought it would be worthwhile to restart that conversation. The book he acquired and added to his to-be-read pile since the last column was A Book of American Martyrs by Joyce Carol Oates.

My first contribution to this column is The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara B. Franklin. I bought it for my own reading pleasure and am working on a review for the Editors Toronto blog. It’s a fascinating story with an unusual approach to biography; it’s also somewhat of a challenge, because I haven’t written a book review in longer than I can remember — and then it was about mystery fiction.

I also recently enjoyed reading The World She Edited: Katharine S. White at the New Yorker by Amy Reading (what a great last name), another biography of an editor. White was the only woman on the magazine’s staff for 36 years and “transformed the magazine into a literary powerhouse.” While the book is “intensely personal,” it’s from a different angle than that of The Editor: “… almost every source for this biography comes to us already interpreted by Katharine’s reading.” Her impact on the work of the writers she edited is fascinating, as is her interaction with those writers, and her own writing is well worth reading as well.

Books like these are inspiring on several levels.

What writing-, editing- or publishing-related books have colleagues here been reading lately, either fiction or nonfiction? Let us know in the comments!

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning writer, editor, proofreader and speaker; provider of publishing services for publications, independent authors, publishers, associations, nonprofits and companies worldwide; networker; the editor-in-chief and owner of An American Editor; and co-editor-in-chief of the Editors Toronto BoldFace blog. She created the Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer® conference (www.communication-central.com), now co-hosted with the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (www.naiwe.com) and sponsored by An American Editor. She also is developing Publishing with Flair (www.publishingwithflair.com; formerly A Flair for Writing) to help independent authors produce and publish their books. She can be reached at [email protected].

December 15, 2025

On the Basics: Yet more scams

Filed under: Editorial Matters — An American Editor @ 8:34 pm
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© Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Owner

An American Editor

© An American Editor. Content may not be recirculated, republished or otherwise used without both the prior permission of the publisher and full credit to the author of a given post and the An American Editor blog, including a live link to the post being referenced. Thank you for respecting our rights to and ownership of our work.

Sorry to approach the end of the year with anything negative, but it’s time for another of my periodic warnings for colleagues about scams.

• This apparent scam is one that I find especially of concern because of how it reached me: I recently received a job posting through one of my professional associations that involved simply typing photo captions for a Canadian company. The fee seemed ridiculously high, even with proofing as I typed, but the email exchanges were reassuring. Because the project came through one of the associations I belong to, I thought it was safe to apply for and complete the assignment.

I was told that I’d be paid via direct deposit or PayPal; whichever I preferred. I opted for PayPal since I had a lingering sense that I might not want to provide my banking info. And sure enough, when I submitted my invoice, all of a sudden they wanted me to have a company freelancer’s ID, which included providing my date of birth, none of which was part of the original assignment/conversation. When I said that shouldn’t be needed for payment as promised, the situation went downhill fast. I’ve never been asked for my date of birth, other than as part of a W-9 tax form, if then.

Suffice to say, I still haven’t been paid. I’ve handed the matter off to my attorney but don’t expect success. Luckily, the project only took a couple hours and the “client” has been notified that they can’t use my version of the material until I’m paid (but who knows if they’ll honor that).

I’m assuming this might have been a version of the overpayment scam (https://americaneditor.wordpress.com/?s=Scams), but am not sure, since I haven’t received any payment. It seems like a lot of trouble to go to for project that was on such a small scale, even though the fee offered was substantial.

If colleagues receive (or have received) a similar pitch, probably from a Joan Logan, beware. If any of my membership associations receive a similar posting, please don’t accept it.

• Lately, I’ve been receiving a flood of email messages from supposed writers gushing over how wonderful my writing is and asking to respond with insights about my writing process, inspirations, etc. I have no idea what they really want or would do if I were to respond, but the fact that they’re so similar, as well as over the top, makes me toss the messages right into the junk folder.

• Along similar lines, I’ve been receiving messages lately from people — or maybe bots — also gushing about my writing work … with compliments about books I haven’t written. They offer to provide publicity or marketing services to get the books I haven’t written out to the world and a wider range of readers. Um, yeah, right. Not very convincing.

With any such contacts, don’t respond, even to say “Not interested,” “No, thank you,” “Remove from all lists” or “Bug off.” Responding only confirms that your eddress is live and opens you to more (and more and more and more) similar garbage. Mark the messages as junk and delete, delete, delete.

Here’s to a new year with fewer scams and spams (I know; highly unlikely). If we can’t stop the flood, let’s at least up our radar and skepticism levels, and relegate this stuff to its rightful place in our junk folders and spam blockers.

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning provider of editorial and publishing services for publications, independent authors, publishers, associations, nonprofits and companies worldwide; editor-in-chief and owner of An American Editor; and co-editor-in-chief of the Editors Toronto BoldFace blog. She created the annual Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer® conference for colleagues (www.communication-central.com), now co-hosted with the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (www.naiwe.com) and sponsored by An American Editor. She also owns Publishing with Flair(www.publishingwithflair.com; formerly A Flair for Writing), which helps independent authors produce and publish their books. She can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].

On the Basics: Breaks and vacations for freelancers

Filed under: Editorial Matters — An American Editor @ 6:09 pm
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By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter
Owner, An American Editor

© An American Editor. Content may not be recirculated, republished or otherwise used without both the prior permission of the publisher and full credit to the author of a given post and the An American Editor blog, including a live link to the post being referenced. Thank you for respecting our rights to and ownership of our work.

I recently presented a webinar about how freelancers can work breaks or vacations into their lives, for the Freelance Cohort of the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), and it seemed like a good topic to discuss here.

We all need the occasional break, whether a couple of hours, a day or two, a week, or more. This is especially important for freelancers, because we don’t have mandated vacation time or other types of official downtime. As part of setting boundaries and protecting our mental and physical health, it’s vital to schedule such downtime — and communicate effectively with clients about such respites.

The first step is to realize that we can, as freelancers, take time off. It can be hard to do, especially for more than a few hours or a day, yet it is not only possible but essential to mental and even physical wellbeing. The “all work and no play” saying might be time-worn but remains true; never taking a break is not healthy. It’s up to us, as our own bosses, to make sure we have that essential time to relax, recharge and renew. If we’ve proven our value to our clients and give them appropriate notice, they won’t abandon us because we give ourselves that benefit.

Vacations can even be good for a freelance business — several colleagues have said that as soon as they say they’ll be taking time off, clients suddenly have projects to do before they head out.

The next step is to figure out what you need. An hour a day (lunchtime?), a day a week, a day or two a month, a week/two weeks/a month at least once a year? Not everyone needs the same amount of downtime. The primary variables are deadlines and family. If you have a partner, they might have defined vacation benefits or options. If you have children, you might want or need to take time off during their spring break, summer vacation or December holiday break. Caring for parents or friends might require blocks of non-work time. If a health issue of your own crops up, you might need time for a hospital stay and recuperation.

Once you decide on what kind of break time you need or want, the big challenge is letting current and prospective clients know when you’ll be out of pocket. The classic freelancer’s fear is that “If I say I’m not available, my clients will go elsewhere.” That can happen, but, in my experience, it’s rare, and more likely to occur with a potential new client than ones you’ve worked with for a while who know you and appreciate what you bring to their projects.

Your timing for notifying clients about being unavailable can depend on the kinds of projects/clients you work with; I’d give regular clients a week of notice that I’ll be unavailable for a day, and two weeks for a longer absence.

You can put an “out of the office until …” message on your voice mail. If you belong to discussion lists, though, don’t use an autoresponder to indicate that you aren’t available by email; that response would be posted to every list message, which would annoy colleagues and listmates. Instead, unsubscribe or go on no-mail so the autoresponder only reacts to messages from individuals.

I wouldn’t announce breaks beforehand on Facebook and other online platforms; not to be cynical or fear-mongering, but you never know who/what might see those posts and be able to take advantage of your absence. Regale your online connections with highlights of your trip after you get back.

For short-term, day-to-day breaks, some colleagues post their “office hours” at their websites and let new clients know about those in initial conversations. That’s a great way to establish boundaries. If you have a set time to be unavailable, you can let new clients know as soon as the relationship begins. You can always say something like, “If you need me for something urgent, I’ll do my best to be available.”

If you do a lot of unscheduled, on-demand assignments, as I do, you can say you’ll be traveling or on vacation but checking email in case anything urgent comes up. For those clients who are used to you being available on call and send you projects at random, often with the expectation of or request for fast (even immediate) turnaround, you can provide a cellphone number and say that you’ll do your best to respond. My husband had to reserve vacation dates for the year every January, so I knew well ahead of time when I’d be away. I let my regular clients know that I would check email first thing every morning and after our dinner outings every evening, but wouldn’t be available during the day. I never lost a client over that.

For those longer breaks that you plan ahead of time, such as summer vacation or attending a conference, give clients a heads-up a couple of weeks beforehand.

If your projects are more long-term, you can plan a vacation — and your work — around those known deadlines. You and your clients can be prepared, maybe even by their sending you something earlier than usual so it can be done before you head for the beach or wherever. Consider finishing other projects ahead of deadline so you’re free to enjoy those trips.

However you structure your freelance business, don’t let fear of losing clients or any other concern keep you from building occasional short and long breaks into your (work)life. Your mental and physical health will benefit, along with the quality of your work, your family time, and even your clients’ appreciation of your availability.

Colleague input

Do you take short breaks or longer vacations? How do you handle notifying and keeping clients?

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning writer, editor, proofreader and speaker; provider of publishing services for publications, independent authors, publishers, associations, nonprofits and companies worldwide; networker; and the editor-in-chief and owner of An American Editor. She created the Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer® conference (www.communication-central.com), now co-hosted with the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors(www.naiwe.com) and sponsored by An American Editor. She also owns Publishing with Flair (www.publishingwithflair.com; formerly A Flair for Writing), which helps independent authors produce and publish their books. She can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].

September 19, 2025

On the Basics: An editor’s origin story

Filed under: Editorial Matters — An American Editor @ 4:53 pm
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© Ruth E. Thaler-Carter
Owner, An American Editor

© An American Editor. Content may not be recirculated, republished or otherwise used without both the prior permission of the publisher and full credit to the author of a given post and the An American Editor blog, including a live link to the post being referenced. Thank you for respecting our rights to and ownership of our work.

Have you ever wondered how you ended up as an editor? I started thinking about that after seeing a recent post from Susannah Noel, president of the Editorial Arts Academy, in which she said, “It seems like everyone’s editing origin story is a little different. There are so many ways to get into the field, and each has its merits.” I found the topic especially relevant because I’m a writer, and so many people think, or assume, that you can’t do both writing and editing. I use the title “writer/editor,” but to myself, I’m first and foremost a writer. That’s where I started, both personally and professionally, and it’s still my primary identity in my mind.

It’s true that there are many paths to becoming an editor, from formal training through certificates or certification programs to hands-on in-house experience (increasingly rare these days), to self-appointment (“I notice typos in what I read, so I would be a great editor”), and more. My editing origin story begins with sixth-grade English class. My teacher gave me a solid grounding in all aspects of English that has lasted me for all the years since (thank you, Miss Thomas). I’ve often felt that my sixth-grade skills were stronger than those of many people who graduated from college.

Starting with writing

I didn’t plan to be an editor. I always wanted to be a writer, specifically a journalist, even though I wasn’t one of those kids who wrote stories and little books as I was growing up. I got turned down for the high school literary magazine, which was painful and a discouragement for applying for the school newspaper. Instead, I contacted the local community weekly and got a gig to write a column about high school activities. My first paying writing job — it was heady stuff, even at $15 per article (which some publications still pay now).

In high school, I had the very good luck of taking a class in “Critical Reading and Writing” with a teacher who has become legendary among alumni for her lasting impact on our ability to think and write clearly. She encouraged my writing work with incisive comments — and compliments. She gave me confidence in my skills, both the content of my writing work and the grammatical cleanliness of that work (thank you more than I can say, Miss Hart). I could have graduated after 11th grade, but I stayed in high school for my senior year —  to take AP English with her.

I chose Indiana University for college because of its journalism program. My first week or two in Journalism 101 were a revelation, and not a great one: I was bored. I discovered that I already knew a lot — not everything, but a lot — about journalistic writing, and I was self-aware enough to realize that if I was bored, I wouldn’t do well in class. I stuck it out for the semester, mostly thanks to writing editorials and opinion pieces for the school paper, and switched my major to comparative literature; something I knew I’d enjoy learning about, even if it didn’t offer a clear career path. I figured I could find writing work on my own.

An editing evolution

In college, I made money by typing papers for students and found myself fixing grammar, punctuation, usage, transition and other issues as I went along — but I didn’t realize that I was doing copyediting, or at least proofreading; it was just a natural reaction to seeing errors that I had learned about in that sixth-grade English class and those high school elective and AP English classes.

It was in my college work-study jobs and post-college in-house jobs that I recognized my editing side: I was often the only person who noticed and/or seemed to care about typos and clunky transitions or phrasing. I became the unofficial in-house editor and proofreader at my first “real” job — as a secretary at an Urban League program — and then as a staff reporter at a St. Louis weekly newspaper. Having those skills led to the magazine job that took me from St. Louis to DC, and then to a communications manager position with a trade association and chief of publications at a hospital. Eventually, I realized that I was as good at editing and proofreading as at writing, and I’ve combined them ever since in my freelance business. Editing feels as much like a calling as writing does.

Editing has been an education in itself. Thanks to my editing career, I’ve been able to work on projects in a wide variety of fields and topics, from kiteflying (really!) to the arts, collecting, education, communications, business, Porsche history, machine computing, freelancing, health and medicine, retirement planning, waterfronts … At least as much as my writing, my editing and proofreading work is a fascinating opportunity to learn about new topics and “pollinate” projects with insights from one to another.

It seems almost ironic to be able to have an editing career without formal training, but in-house experience had a huge impact and was an invaluable resource. I know how to use the AP and Chicago style guides, and have print editions of and online subscriptions for those, along with a print copy of APA. I’ve found LinkedIn and Facebook groups to turn to for anything I’m not sure of, and am active in associations like NAIWE, EFA, ACES: The Society for Editing, Editors Canada/Toronto, etc., for similar assistance if needed and ways to keep up with changes in language, usage and tools (as well as provide insights to colleagues; I believe in giving back as much as I receive).

The problem for today’s aspiring editors is that it’s increasingly hard to find in-house jobs working with experienced editors, and the proliferation of the digital world, especially tools like artificial intelligence and platforms that allow people to present themselves as editors regardless of experience or skill level, create a greater need for such training. I wouldn’t want to try editing as a career now without some formal proof of skill beyond being able to say that I provide editing services to clients A, B and C, or in fields D, E, F and more.

It’s worth mentioning that in another Facebook post, a colleague posted this warning in response to someone looking for an editor or proofreader: “Make sure that the person is a truly professional editor/proofreader, that they have undergone reputable training (some training is so much better than other training), does continuing professional development, is experienced, and preferably is a member of a professional editorial organization, eg IPEd, CIEP, ACES, EFA, EC.”

Giving back

As most of my colleagues know, I’m a big believer in networking, and it’s my major avenue for giving back in recognition of people who have been helpful to me over these many years. I’m active in several professional associations, making presentations and contributing to blogs, among other activities, to help colleagues understand what editors do and how to do it well. I also donate editing services to a couple of nonprofit organizations that I believe in, and I’ve even created a scholarship at my high school alma mater, in memory of the teachers mentioned above, to support students who are interested in professional communications work.

Colleagues’ views

My editor identity originated with those sixth-grade and high school classes, and is based on hands-on experience and learning from colleagues (especially people on the print shop side), rather than formal training — I’ve never taken an official editing class or earned any certificates or certifications for editing/proofreading. That isn’t anything I’m proud of as such, and I always encourage aspiring editors to get formal training or experience, but I am proud of my editing skills. I’m eternally grateful to those early English teachers and everyone I’ve worked with over the years who encouraged me to use those skills, whether colleagues I learned from or clients who have shown confidence in and appreciation for what I do.

What is your editor’s origin story? How did you get started, what attracted you to editing as a career, how do you prove your worth to prospective clients or employers (especially if you don’t have formal training or experience), — and how (other than being an An American Editor subscriber, of course) do you refine and improve your skills as you go along?

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning writer, editor, proofreader and speaker; provider of publishing services for publications, independent authors, publishers, associations, nonprofits and companies worldwide; networker; and the editor-in-chief and owner of An American Editor. She created the Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer® conference (www.communication-central.com), now co-hosted with the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (www.naiwe.com) and sponsored by An American Editor. She also owns Publishing with Flair (www.publishingwithflair.com; formerly A Flair for Writing), which helps independent authors produce and publish their books. She can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].

September 8, 2025

On the Basics: Settling into a new home through networking

Filed under: Editorial Matters — An American Editor @ 11:48 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

© Ruth E. Thaler-Carter

Owner, An American Editor

© An American Editor. Content may not be recirculated, republished or otherwise used without both the prior permission of the publisher and full credit to the author of a given post and the An American Editor blog, including a live link to the post being referenced. Thank you for respecting our rights to and ownership of our work.

Based on September 2025 webinar for NAIWE. Similar version posted to NAIWE blog.

Moving to a new place is both exciting and a little scary, especially if you don’t already know anyone there. Whether you move for personal or professional reasons, think of networking as a way to feel more connected to your new location and to keep your publishing career or independent business going. You can use the networking concept or process to find new colleagues, land new clients or projects, and meet new friends — not to mention retain connections with your previous location.

Having recently moved to the Albuquerque, NM, area, I know whereof I speak. And not only that: Over the years, I’ve gone from Rochester, NY, to St. Louis, DC, Baltimore, back to Rochester, back to St. Louis and now here. Every time, I’ve made new contacts, both personal and professional, and kept in touch with those in everywhere I’ve lived before.

Why bother? It’s simple: Networking is how you grow a career or business, and is especially important for freelancers.

It’s important to make the effort to connect — either socially or professionally, you can’t just sit back and wait for people to find, meet and hire you. But rein in your need for new contacts; be patient. Do make yourself make the first moves, but don’t be greedy for information, resources or connections. You often have to make those first moves, even if you’re an introvert. If you find it hard to engage, limit your initial networking efforts to small groups or one-on-one meetings; save the conferences and other large gatherings for when you feel more comfortable in those situations.

One valuable perspective: The online world these days can be ideal for the shy and introverted; you can attend events remotely and control your amount of interaction and visibility.

When to start the process

If you’re wondering when to begin network in a location, the answer is easy: ASAP — start looking for networking opportunities as soon as you know you’ll be relocating.

Before the move, or as soon after as possible, get business cards with your new contact information and stash a handful in bags, briefcases and pockets so you always remember to take them with you — not just to meetings, but also to social events and on errands.

The obvious networking starting point approach for professional reasons is to look for local or regional chapters of work-related associations you already belong to, and expand that to ones new to you. You can often join the local versions before you get to the new place. This approach can also work for organizations that don’t have local versions. Neither the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) nor ACES: The Association of Editing, for instance, has chapters — but they do have members all around (and outside) the country. The New Mexico chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) is moribund, but nearby members can be contacted through the EFA directory.

Once you’re there, send a message to an association’s email list or Facebook/LinkedIn group to let colleagues know you’ve arrived at your new place and would like to get together for coffee or a meal to get acquainted and learn about the local landscape for everything from favorite restaurants to possible work opportunities.

Whatever you belong to, be sure to update your contact information so you don’t lose touch with association resources — and members. Once you find and join a local chapter, show up at Zoom and in-person meetings. Hand out those business cards and ask about ways you can contribute to the group.

Use Google and other browsers to find local publications that might use your professional skills. Think outside the usual box as well, and look for other ways to find projects: Contact businesses, nonprofit organizations in causes you believe in, alumni groups, etc., and offer your services.

You can apply networking to social efforts by joining a neighborhood group or association, book club, church or temple, hobby group, high school (yes, high school!) or college alumni group, etc. Use Facebook, LinkedIn and things like MeetUp to find groups, both formal and informal, that speak to your interests. There’s even something I just noticed: jeopardybarleague.com, for places where people gather to play the “Jeopardy!” game. If you don’t see one in your new town, you can join a player list to find out when new venues are added.

Examples to consider

With the understanding that I’m the poster child for extroverts and am known for staying in touch with friends and colleagues everywhere I go, here are a couple of examples from my recent move to Albuquerque. I have a whole nest of family here — it’s why I made the move — but I didn’t know anyone on a professional level.

• My new condo community publishes a quarterly magazine. Guess who not only was asked to be co-editor, but was profiled in and wrote an article for the latest issue? Yup.

• Chatting with neighbors at one of our occasional community potlucks has yielded a connection to a neighbor’s daughter, who needs writers for an alumni magazine she manages, and a potential opportunity with another neighbor who wants help with polishing some writing by her late mom — and is willing to pay for that editing.

• My new place has a garden (my first ever!), and a high school classmate who has lived here for several years introduced me to a program for making it into a Backyard Refuge. Not only is that fun and good for the environment, it’s an opportunity to write, edit and/or proofread for the organization.

• One of my professional associations has a regional chapter here, and I’ll be attending a meeting later this month. It’s in Las Cruces rather than where I am in Albuquerque, but another high school friend lives in Las Cruces and belongs to this organization, so it has the double benefit of a chance to hang out with her while I’m there.

• My brother told me about a local writers’ group that a friend of his belongs to, and I’ve joined it. I’ve attended a couple of meetings via Zoom — and have had an offer to speak accepted for later this year.

Where to network

Local bookstores (even ones affiliated with national chains) can be a great source of networking opportunities. They usually host readings and book clubs, which are an excellent way to meet people who might need an editor or proofreader, as well as get feedback on your own writing projects.

Again on the social side, but with the potential to learn about freelance opportunities, you can use networking to find something like help with childcare if you have young children. In fact, business connections might be good sources of such information.

Another thought: Find a restaurant for Sunday brunch, a pool (swim or billiards!) or tennis club, a gym to join — somewhere to appear regularly. You’ll make new friends, and some of those connections could lead to editorial projects. I’ll never forget sitting at the pool of the Washington Hilton years ago, marking up a manuscript between dips, and chatting with an acquisitions editor at the hotel for a conference of academic publishers, who noticed what I was doing and started a conversation. We’ve been connected professionally ever since. Talk about a seren“dip”itous connection!

Maybe get a dog, if you don’t already have one. Taking your dog to a dog park or doggie daycare is a great way to make new friends through your shared interest who might also turn out to be colleagues or potential clients.

How to make those first connections

It can be challenging to attend an event in a new place for the first time. Not every organization introduces new members or visitors, or does ice-breaking activities to make attendees feel more comfortable.

There’s nothing wrong with being the one to offer to shake hands and exchange introductions. If that’s hard to do, create an opportunity for someone to come to you: Wear something that might spark a conversation, such as interesting or unusual jewelry, a pin from an alumni association or organization, a themed outfit — think of those newspaper-print shirts or dresses that journalists often wear to a conference. I have a couple of cat-themed outfits for meetings of the Cat Writers Association!

For a conference or local event with a speaker, prepare a question or two to ask the presenter (keep it short and relevant). Many organizations make their event schedules public ahead of time, or at least available on arrival, so you can see which sessions you want to attend and prepare questions or comments accordingly. That positions you as someone who’s engaged, attentive and worth meeting.

If you’re very shy and introverted, consider inviting a friend or neighbor to go to a meeting with you. That gives you someone to talk to, so you don’t feel alone, and who can be a kind of “wingman” in introducing you to attendees.

What not to do

There can be pitfalls to networking efforts in a new place (or online community/platform, email discussion list, etc.). Probably the most common is to make your first appearance be about looking for work and asking for referrals to colleagues’ clients. Do introduce yourself with brief details about the kind of work you do and where you moved from, but give it a few meetings before (if ever) asking for recommendations or referrals. Colleagues need to know who you are before they’ll consider recommending you for projects.

By the way, networking isn’t just for those of us who are independent writers, editors, whatever, but there’s a difference if you’ve relocated for an in-house job versus aiming to continue or start a freelance venture in your new place.

If you’ve landed in a new city for a “regular” job, you have a built-in network with co-workers in that new workplace, and the new employer might support memberships, or let you attend networking events on company time. Getting connected will take less effort than if you’re freelancing. For freelancers, making new networking contacts in a new place is on you. If you’re already freelancing and/or belong to a professional association, you should be able to keep those clients/projects no matter where you are.

It’s also important to stay in touch with your colleagues and friends in your previous location. That’s easy for me, again as the poster child for extroverts — I often say that once you’re in my network, you never escape. I stay in touch with friends (going back to childhood!), colleagues and clients in places I’ve lived before through email, Facebook/LinkedIn, memberships, even phone calls and — gasp — letters, postcards and birthday cards. Keeping those connections going can be a huge help as you adjust to the new place by reducing any feeling of being alone or isolated.

On either the social or the professional level, but especially the professional one, if there is no association chapter, book club or hobby group you can join, see if you can create one. National organizations usually have resources and processes to help members start or revive local outlets. Being the one who makes that effort positions you as a valued colleague, and even as a leader.

The bottom line

One key element to remember is that networking works best when it’s a two-way process — if you get results, be sure to serve in return. Try not to take unless you give.

Whether you move across town or across country, these are all effective ways to network and become better known among potential colleagues, colleagues, friends and family. Keep them in mind even if you don’t move anywhere new at all!

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning writer, editor, proofreader and speaker; provider of publishing services for publications, independent authors, publishers, associations, nonprofits and companies worldwide; networker; and the editor-in-chief and owner of An American Editor. She created the Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer® conference (www.communication-central.com), now co-hosted with the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (www.naiwe.com) and sponsored by An American Editor. She also owns Publishing with Flair (www.publishingwithflair.com; formerly A Flair for Writing), which helps independent authors produce and publish their books. She can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].

September 2, 2025

On the Basics: Punctuation Day is every day for editorial professionals

Filed under: Editorial Matters — An American Editor @ 12:42 pm
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By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter

Owner, An American Editor

© An American Editor. Content may not be recirculated, republished or otherwise used without both the prior permission of the publisher and full credit to the author of a given post and the An American Editor blog, including a live link to the post being referenced. Thank you for respecting our rights to and ownership of our work.

National Punctuation Day® may not affect my writing, because I treat every day as National Punctuation Day, but I’m all for it anyhow. It’s coming up on September 24 (https://nationaltoday.com/national-punctuation-day/), so this might be a good time to think about what it means and how to celebrate when it rolls around.

While I’m confident — sometimes even arrogant! — about my punctuation skills, I consciously think about punctuation in everything I write, edit or proofread. I love using the right punctuation marks in the right ways to make my, and my clients’, writing as clear as possible to readers at any level.

That said, establishing and celebrating a National Punctuation Day is an exciting opportunity in many ways. It’s a chance for writers, editors [as a journalist, I only use the serial comma in my own writing or in editing/proofreading for a newspaper client if an item in a series is a compound] and proofreaders to stop and reflect about which punctuation marks give us the most, if any, trouble and to refresh our understanding of what to use where. It’s dangerous to assume that we know everything there is to know about punctuation (or any other aspect of writing and editing), and it can be energizing — and humbling — to realize there may be something new to learn.

National Punctuation Day is also a great way to remind writers, editors, proofreaders and publishers to educate potential readers not just about which marks to use where, but why we care about correct punctuation. It’s a moment to have fun with our obsession, as others may see it, with those so-called pesky apostrophes, colons, semicolons and other mysteries of mark-up.

I might not need National Punctuation Day to make my punctuation skills better, although I do believe in being a lifelong learner, so I keep my eyes peeled for any changes I should know about and use. It’s still a great way to spread the word about the importance of using punctuation correctly and consistently to serve our readers and our works.

How will you celebrate National Punctuation Day? Other than this post, I might re-read Ellen Jovin’s Rebel with a Clause!

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning writer, editor, proofreader and speaker; provider of publishing services for publications, independent authors, publishers, associations, nonprofits and companies worldwide; networker; and the editor-in-chief and owner ofAn American Editor. She created the Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer® conference (www.communication-central.com), now co-hosted with the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (www.naiwe.com) and sponsored by An American Editor. She also owns Publishing with Flair (www.publishingwithflair.com; formerlyA Flair for Writing), which helps independent authors produce and publish their books. She can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].

June 24, 2025

On the Basics: What it takes to be an editor — perspectives on “Basics of Editing and Proofreading”

Filed under: Editorial Matters — An American Editor @ 1:24 pm
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© Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Owner
An American Editor

© An American Editor. Content may not be recirculated, republished or otherwise used without both the prior permission of the publisher and full credit to the author of a given post and the An American Editor blog, including a live link to the post being referenced. Thank you for respecting our rights to and ownership of our work.

I recently did a Bluesky chat for ACES: The Society for Editing that seemed to cry out for adaptation and expansion here. It involved answering 10 questions about becoming an editor. I hope colleagues find this version helpful.

• What is your background in editing and proofreading — how did you use your editorial skills as a writer to move into editing?

I’ve always thought of myself as a writer first and foremost, with editing and proofreading becoming part of my freelance business offerings in a natural progression, thanks to incredibly strong training in grammar and usage in, of all places, sixth grade, followed by excellent AP English and related classes in high school. That has been so core to my professional activity and success that I established a scholarship at my high school alma mater in honor of two teachers I consider the most important to that success: Louise Thomas, sixth-grade English, and Elizabeth Hart, AP English and electives such as “Critical Reading and Writing.”

In college, I typed other students’ papers and found myself fixing a variety of issues — outright typos and technical errors, consistency, transitions, general grammar and usage concerns, etc. At the time, I didn’t think of myself as an editor or proofreader, but I realized that I had a better grasp of these details than most of the people around me.

Once I started working, I was always the only person who either really cared about accuracy in grammar and usage, etc., or had the skills to catch errors and fix general issues. I learned from colleagues and co-workers as I went along, and continue to absorb information about new trends, tools and techniques in language.

Essentially, I started out as a writer and became the copyeditor and proofreader by default in full-time jobs as the person with the skills.

• What is the most important characteristic for an editor? A proofreader?

An editor needs solid knowledge of grammar, usage, spelling, punctuation, etc. — without AI! — and of at least one major style guide, as well as respect for authors and when to make changes. A proofreader needs the same skills and a sense of what’s a “mechanical” or technical error or typo that must be fixed.

My colleague April Michelle Davis, executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) and owner of Editorial Inspirations, recently posted this perspective on what an editor should do:

“A professional editor will not only correct basic spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors, but also ensure that authors are relaying to their readers exactly what the authors intend. An editor works with the authors to create the best product possible. The editor’s job … is to make the author look good while (remaining) transparent to the readers.”

• How are editing and proofreading different?

In editing, you can make changes — sometimes substantive ones — to clarify, expand, or correct the material, depending on the level of edit you’re responsible for. Even in copyediting, which is the “lightest” level of editing, you can revise. In proofreading, you’re only supposed to correct outright errors, not rewrite. It can be very difficult to know where to draw that line.

• What specific skills and expertise does an editor need? What about a proofreader — any additional skills they should have? 

Both need attention to detail and knowledge of grammar/usage/etc. — which should essentially be ingrained; you shouldn’t have to look up or double-check every basic aspect of language and usage. Editors also need compassion and sensitivity to authors’ feelings, as well as tact in recommending changes or asking for clarification. Both need to know when to look things up, and should not assume we know it all.

• What is the main role of an editor vs. a proofreader?

The editor has a more in-depth role than the proofreader — the editor is expected to clarify material, flesh out incomplete thoughts or pinpoint where the author should do so, ensure consistency in style, often almost co-write. The proofreader fixes outright errors but doesn’t revise or rewrite.

• Are there different expectations for an in-house vs. freelance editor?

The work is the same, but in-house editors often have to answer to more than one colleague, are expected to be available whenever and if needed, and also to handle whatever they receive, and usually can’t turn down requests. Ideally, freelancers can set their own hours and say no to requests that seem unreasonable.

• What do you think about using or the impact of artificial intelligence (AI)?

I’m very concerned about AI and am doing my best not to use it. It’s a threat not just to human beings as editors and proofreaders, but to copyright protection for authors. And it’s often wrong! A human being is still necessary, as long as they have the skills and experience to do it right.

• What are some of the types of projects, employers or clients that use editors and proofreaders? That is, can you succeed as an editor/proofreader working on something other than books?

Book publishers come to mind first, but I edit and proofread for businesses, nonprofit organizations, a law firm, a PR firm, several magazines, individual authors, websites, and more. You have to use imagination to find projects/jobs/clients. Everyone needs an editor and proofreader!

• Can someone be an editor without formal training, because they “like to read and often notice typos”?

Loving to read and noticing typos isn’t enough. You might not need to take courses or a certificate program; for many editors, it’s enough to work in-house with skilled colleagues who show the way. Formal training is preferable nowadays because in-house editorial jobs are scarcer every day.

• What are some of the resources available for learning or enhancing editing or proofreading skills?

ACES and the Poynter Institute; they have a partnership for a certificate in copyediting. Courses at several universities; Facebook groups where you can ask questions or for advice; Editors Canada, the Chartered Institute of Editors & Proofreaders (CIEP), and similar associations in other countries.

AAE subscribers: What is your experience in becoming an editor — have you had formal training or evolved somehow on your own? What would you do differently if you were starting out now? What will you from now on to enhance your skills and improve your editing career?

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning writer, editor, proofreader and speaker; provider of publishing services for publications, independent authors, publishers, associations, nonprofits and companies worldwide; networker; and the editor-in-chief and owner ofAn American Editor. She created the Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer® conference (www.communication-central.com), now co-hosted with the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (www.naiwe.com) and sponsored by An American Editor. She also owns Publishing with Flair (www.publishingwithflair.com; formerly A Flair for Writing), which helps independent authors produce and publish their books. She can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].

June 12, 2025

Brag time — awards galore!

Filed under: Editorial Matters — An American Editor @ 5:32 pm
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By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Owner

An American Editor

© An American Editor. Content may not be recirculated, republished or otherwise used without both the prior permission of the publisher and full credit to the author of a given post and the An American Editor blog, including a live link to the post being referenced. Thank you for respecting our rights to and ownership of our work.

Call it self-serving, but I’m back (finally) to announce having received recognition for my writing work — including for An American Editor posts!

I entered several articles in the Communications Contest of the Missouri Professional Communicators (MPC) affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) — and received six awards! These make me eligible for the national NFPW awards, to be presented at the 2025 conference in the fall. 

I’ve had enough editing and proofreading work recently that my writing self has taken a back seat, but that’s really my identity, and I’ve missed it. Perhaps inspired by this honor, I’ve experienced a writing spurt, and recently submitted three pieces for publication. I usually send a query before actually writing something, but these seemed to write themselves, so I just went with the flow (at 3 a.m.!). I should have links for the published versions soon and will provide in case these are helpful to colleagues. And I hope this will be the beginning of more frequent AAE posts.

Here’s what the judges said about my winning entries (I’m still blushing).

First Place, Category: 5C, Feature Story, online publication: Celebrating Creativity Among Colleagues, IABC-STL website

Judge’s comment: “What a lovely way to write about the importance of personal creativity. The personal story of the author was perfect … it explained how creativity can be sparked without getting so personal that the reader become uncomfortable. The word choices and overall flow of this feature story made this an enjoyable read.”

First Place, Category: 8D Columns, personal opinion (bylined, not editorial): On the Basics: ‘Just the facts, ma’am!,’ An American Editor blog

Judge’s comment: “As a fellow writer, I really enjoyed reading this piece and the importance of the message that we are responsible for the integrity of our work. This blog was well-written and I also appreciated the practical list of resources at the end to help writers.”

Second Place, Category: 8C Columns, informational (how-to, Q&A, advice): On the Basics: The business of a business plan, An American Editor blog

Judge’s comment: “This article should be taught in high schools and colleges. It is perfectly basic and clear, miraculously a business-focused article written without goofy jargon like ‘low-hanging fruit,’ ‘blue sky thinking’ and ‘deep dive.’ Thank you! Every business teacher should incorporate this into [their] lesson plan. You are truly a content expert when it comes to writing and the business of writing.”

Second Place: Category: 8C Columns, informational (how-to, Q&A, advice), On the Basics — Generalist vs. specialist, An American Editor blog

Judge’s comment: “Well, THIS is well written! Before I started reading, I worried that it would be pedantic, but your piece serves as a good example of what someone who hires you can expect: clear writing, crisp sentences, clear thinking and perfect structure. Thank you!”

Second Place: Category: 5C Feature Story, online publication, What a Difference a Cat Makes, Cat Writers’ Association website

Judge’s comment: “This kept me interested throughout. There were a couple of places where the asides would tend to confuse (or stop) the reader, but overall, this was everything I would expect from a blog on the Cat Writers’ Association website.”

Third Place: Category: 7C Specialty Articles, business, Connection is the essence of membership value and networking success, IABC-St. Louis blog

Judge’s comment: “Informative, although the term ‘network’ was not used in the post. Is there a distinction between connections and network, or are they interchangeable? Defining these terms would be useful. Also, the lengthy list of where to find connections can be shortened without losing its importance.”

I hope our AAE colleagues are having a similarly rewarding spring.

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning provider of editorial and publishing services for publications, independent authors, publishers, associations, nonprofits and companies worldwide, and the editor-in-chief and owner of An American Editor. She created the annual Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer® conference for colleagues (www.communication-central.com), now co-hosted with the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (www.naiwe.com) and sponsored by An American Editor. She also owns Publishing with Flair (formerly A Flair for Writing (www.publishingwithflair.com), which helps independent authors produce and publish their books. She can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].

January 1, 2025

On the Basics: Public domain update

Filed under: Editorial Matters — An American Editor @ 6:35 pm
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By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Owner, An American Editor

© An American Editor. Content may not be recirculated, republished or otherwise used without both the prior permission of the publisher and full credit to the author of a given post and the An American Editor blog, including a live link to the post being referenced. Thank you for respecting our rights to and ownership of our work.

A new year always means new things to keep track of, add, update or otherwise be aware of. For those of us in the publishing or editorial world, new items entering the public domain fall into that category. According to a recent issue of the e-newsletter of the Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts, publications and other copyrighted items that entered the public domain on January 1, 2025, include the earliest version of Popeye, Hemingway’s novel A Farewell to Arms and Gershwin’s “An American in Paris,” along with sound recordings from 1924 and works in other media that were published in 1929.

I mention this here because many subscribers and colleagues are likely to encounter mentions or uses of such works and might want to know how to treat them, especially in quoting from them.

One helpful resource about public domain and copyright is from the University of California (https://copyright.universityofcalifornia.edu/use/public-domain.html. That website says in part):

“No permission is needed to copy or use public domain works. A work is generally considered to be within the public domain if it is ineligible for copyright protection or its copyright has expired.

“Public domain works can serve as the foundation for new creative works and can be quoted extensively. They can also be copied and distributed to classes or placed on course web pages without permission or paying royalties.” 

The U.S. Copyright Office (https://www.copyright.gov/) has a huge bank of resources about public domain and related topics.

Here’s to, among other things, fair and accurate use of works in all media!

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning writer, editor, proofreader and speaker; provider of publishing services for publications, independent authors, publishers, associations, nonprofits and companies worldwide; networker; and the editor-in-chief and owner of An American Editor. She created the annual Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer® conference for colleagues (www.communication-central.com), now co-hosted with the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (www.naiwe.com) and sponsored by An American Editor. She also owns Publishing with Flair (www.publishingwithflair.com; formerly, A Flair for Writing), which helps independent authors produce and publish their books. She can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].

December 30, 2024

On the Basics — Generalist vs. specialist

Filed under: Editorial Matters — An American Editor @ 9:53 am
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By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Owner, An American Editor

© An American Editor/Ruth E. Thaler-Carter. Content may not be recirculated, republished or otherwise used without both the prior permission of the publisher and full credit to the author of a given post and the An American Editor blog, including a live link to the post being referenced. Thank you for respecting our rights to and ownership of our work.

A recent post in a consultants’ group said the best way to succeed and profit is to have a (narrow) specialty rather than offer more than one skill or service; the poster said they would like to see more solo consultants specialize. Their rationale was that not being a specialist could confuse potential clients and perhaps suggest being a “Jack of all trades; master of none.” My perspective is a little different: Offering only one service or skill can limit your scope, income and success.

There is an advantage to carving out a niche or specialty: Being a specialist can create greater respect and credibility than what someone might experience who doesn’t have such a focus, and some specialties are known to command higher fees — medical and tech writing or editing come to mind in the communications field. For years, though, my response to variations on this topic has been that the specialist might make more per project or client than the generalist, but the generalist probably gets more projects, so the income aspect probably comes out fairly even.

I often advise colleagues to look for new ways to find business, both to handle a temporary lull in projects and to build a stronger foundation for the future in general. It can make sense to add new skills and services if your current career or business has hit a plateau, for any reason. Doing something new can revitalize not only that career or business, but yourself as well.

I started out as a writer only, both in full-time and freelance work, and still consider that as my primary identity. As a writer, I’ve always been a generalist (you don’t get more generalist than my motto, “I can write about anything®”!). I love “meeting” people by interviewing them for articles; learning new things through research for those articles; crafting well-structured, interesting, attention-holding stories; putting my own thoughts and ideas out there for people to enjoy in personal projects … the whole process.

Unfortunately, it’s gotten harder and harder to find writing work that pays well, and I expect artificial intelligence to take an increasing toll on that aspect of being a writer. Partly for that reason, I’ve expanded my freelance communications business over the years to include other services, primarily editing and proofreading. In the new year, I’ll add a new publishing venture (a publishing business I’ve had for the past few years fell victim to a disappearing colleague, so I’m launching a new entity to handle my own projects and books for clients).

I never consciously planned to be an editor or proofreader; that evolved as I found myself noticing and fixing typos in materials in regular jobs and being praised for submitting clean, error-free writing assignments. Over the years, I’ve found that I love editing and proofreading almost as much as writing, and that having a diverse offering of writing, editing and proofreading has made my long-time freelance career what it is. 

In a way, editing or proofreading can be easier than writing. As a writer, I have to not only research but create a project, even if it’s the result of an assignment. As an editor or proofreader, I’m working on what someone else has already created. There’s a lot to both of those activities beyond using spellchecker, but editing or proofreading is not the same as coming up with something original.

Of course, not everyone can or wants to add new services to offer, and not everyone needs to diversify their career or business. What works for me doesn’t necessarily work for someone else. If you don’t see a way to change or expand on what you do now, consider looking for new employers or clients who might use your current specialty. If you’ve been functioning in that area for long enough to become seen as an expert, that reputation should be transferable to a new industry, profession or cause.  

Have you added new services to your communications career or business? How did you go about it and how did it work out? Will 2025 be the year that you branch out into offering new skills and services, or find new types of clients or employers for your specialty?

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning writer, editor, proofreader and speaker; provider of publishing services for publications, independent authors, publishers, associations, nonprofits and companies worldwide; networker; and the editor-in-chief and owner of An American Editor. She created the annual Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer® conference for colleagues (www.communication-central.com), now co-hosted with the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (www.naiwe.com) and sponsored by An American Editor. She also owns Publishing with Flair (www.publishingwithflair.com; formerly A Flair for Writing), which helps independent authors produce and publish their books. She can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].

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