The Blog

Grab a drink and sidle up to the table: Molly's best tips for freelance editors and nonfiction writers are here for your perusing pleasure. Join the word nerd party!

The Blog

Grab a drink and sidle up to the table: Molly's best and brightest tips for freelance editors and nonfiction writers are here for your perusing pleasure. Join the word nerd party!

4 Ways for Freelance Editors to Rest and Recharge editorial business topics

If you're a freelance editor, you’re probably working too hard. This is because editorial business owners often wear many hats: marketer, bookkeeper, sales professional, project manager, webmaster, customer service representative…the list goes on. Even when you’re not...

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Problem Clients, Part 3: How to Fire a Client editorial business topics

Every business owner runs into a problem client from time to time. Even as you get better at defining your ideal client, watching for red flags, and setting clear boundaries and expectations, someone is bound to sneak through the gates and wreak havoc every now and then.

The good...

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Problem Clients, Part 2: Setting Clear Boundaries and Expectations editorial business topics

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how to define your ideal client and spot red flags. This week, I’d like to talk about the freelancer’s role in establishing clear boundaries and expectations for clients.

Setting clear boundaries and expectations is the only way to develop...

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Problem Clients, Part 1: How to Define Your Ideal Client editorial business topics

Potential problem clients are everywhere—just think back to the last person you saw being rude to a flight attendant, for example. Some people are inherently demanding, aggressive, unfair, and inconsiderate, and as freelance editors, we can usually spot those individuals...

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5 Ways to Attract the Ideal Clients for Your Freelance Editing Business editorial business topics

How do I find new clients?

Pose this question to a business coach or in a peer group and you’ll likely become the questionee: What are your specialties? What type of work do you want to do? What are your priorities for your business? It’s impossible to answer in a uniform way.

...

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Freelancer Finance, Part 4: Making Sense of Billable vs. Non-Billable Hours editorial business topics

In the previous installment of this freelancer finance series, which argued against the feast-or-famine mentality, I mentioned that I work a maximum of 25 billable hours a week. A colleague asked how I divvy up my non-billable hours, which was an excellent question that also hinted at a...

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Freelancer Finance, Part 3: Why It’s Time to Drop the “Feast or Famine” Mentality editorial business topics

I’ll come right out and say it: I’m not a fan of the term “feast or famine” when it comes to freelancer finance.

All the other terms we use to describe the ever-changing nature of the freelance money cycle—peaks and valleys, rise and fall, ups and downs, ebb and...

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Freelancer Finance, Part 2: How to Better Manage Your Freelance Income editorial business topics

Even though my freelance editorial business was technically profitable within a year, it took me three more years to start paying myself a regular salary. Sure, I would take draws to pay personal expenses, but they were minimal and erratic. I was reinvesting and saving as much as I possibly...

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Freelancer Finance, Part 1: What Is Your Actual Income? editorial business topics

When I was working for a company, I knew my salary off the top of my head. But when I started my own freelance editorial business, things got a lot more confusing.

Even though I did my own taxes for years and thought I had a solid understanding of my LLC’s finances, I still preferred to...

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The Pros and Cons of Asking, “What Should I Charge?” editorial business topics

In my last post, I gave some tips on what to do when someone asks, “What’s your rate?” This time, I’d like to address that dreaded question’s (sometimes evil) twin: “What should I charge?”

If you’re a member of almost any Facebook or LinkedIn group...

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What to Do When Someone Asks, “What’s Your Rate?” editorial business topics

Imagine a scenario, if you will. You’re at a networking event for entrepreneurs and freelancers, and you start talking with someone in a different industry. They ask you what you do, and here’s how the exchange often goes from there:

“I’m an editor.”

“How cool!...

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When It’s All Your Fault: How to Own Up to a Mistake and Break Bad News to a Client editorial business topics

Back in 2016, my worst nightmare as an editorial business owner came true. After weeks of copyediting a novel, I was doing final checks and preparing to send it off to the client when I was suddenly overcome with a feeling of impending doom.

I hurriedly did a Compare Documents in...

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The 3 Essential Elements of Author Queries editorial business topics

Working with an editor can be a daunting task for many writers, especially if it’s their first time having their work edited by a professional.

You can make the process less intimidating and earn the writer’s trust by letting them know that you’re a coach, not a judge, and...

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Are You Charging What You're Worth?

Forgoing breaks and vacation time to meet deadlines? Overworking yourself without much payoff? This free course shows you how to find your ideal freelance rates and say goodbye to the hustle.