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Why editors should review their businesses annually

17/12/2025

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Learn why doing an annual editorial business review is a good, professional habit.

Summary of episode 149

Find out more about the following:

What an annual business review is
Why regular reviews matter
Checking your financial health
Reviewing clients and projects
Realigning services and goals
Reviewing marketing and branding
Professional development
Celebrating success
How to do your own review

Listen to episode 149

Get the podcast book series

These five guides (available in print or ebook) capture the essence of our conversations on the podcast covering five core themes: editorial foundations, growth, sustainability, legacy and marketing. Buy now from from Amazon or find out more about the series.

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes. Members of our Second Cup tier get extra free bonus content too!

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About Louise Harnby

Louise Harnby is a line editor, copyeditor and proofreader who specializes in working with crime, mystery, suspense and thriller writers.

She is an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and co-hosts The Editing Podcast.

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Crime Fiction & Thriller Editor
Connect: X @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

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Do editors and proofreaders need insurance?

17/12/2025

1 Comment

Learn about insurance and what you might need for your editing and proofreading business.

Summary of episode 148

Find out more about the following:

Why insurance matters
Common risks that editors and proofreaders face
Insurance policy options
How to choose the right insurance
How much insurance might cost

Listen to episode 148

Get the podcast book series

These five guides (available in print or ebook) capture the essence of our conversations on the podcast covering five core themes: editorial foundations, growth, sustainability, legacy and marketing.

Buy now from from Amazon or find out more about the series.

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes. Members of our Second Cup tier get extra free bonus content too!

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About Louise Harnby

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Crime Fiction & Thriller Editor
Connect: X @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

1 Comment

8 tips for transparent AI disclosure in your editing business

3/11/2025

6 Comments

Here are 8 suggestions for you to consider when disclosing how you use AI in your editing business.

In this post

Read on to find out more about:

the impact of AI on editors and proofreaders
why disclosure is important
where to disclose your AI use
disclosing why you use digital tools
disclosing who's accountable for the output
disclosing use of generative AI
disclosing specific digital tools
disclosing where tools are hosted
disclosing AI's presence and interaction
disclosing whether AI systems are open or closed
seeking consent
drafting your own statement
free checklist for you to download.

The impact of AI on editors and proofreaders

Editors and proofreaders are already feeling the effects of AI-assisted technologies on their work.

Some of it’s uncomfortable – with reports of our colleagues losing clients as workflows they’d previously undertaken responsibility for have shifted to AI.
Some of it’s beneficial – we’re seeing opportunities for efficiency, the knock-on effect of which can be better hourly rates.
And some of it’s confusing – because we might not even realize that AI’s still operating behind the scenes of some applications, even though we’re not actively using it.

Why disclosure is important

Making time to understand whether AI is part of our editorial workflow because of the digital tools we use, and then disclosing that usage, ensures we model transparency for our clients and our community.

And when we do it, others feel inspired to do the same. That helps everyone make informed decisions based on the best information we have available at the moment.

Being transparent also means we’re participating in a journey that fosters professional integrity and trust. Clients are more likely to feel confident in our recommendations when they see us being honest and understand which tools we’re using, why, and what the limitations and risks are.

Perhaps, like me, your approach to disclosure is a work in progress, but I think we should all be accepting of that given how rapidly the landscape around us is changing, and how complex some of the issues are!

Where to disclose your AI use

There’s no single best place. It’s up to you where you make your disclosure and how you link to it.

I work solely with indie authors and so I’ve chosen to include a section in the terms and conditions that make up my contract of services agreement. That’s because this is the text that clients are required to read prior to making a booking.

However, some of you might prefer to create a separate disclosure page and link to it from the T&Cs or your contracts. If modelling transparency is important to you, it’s less about where your disclosure is than that it exists in the first place.

What to include in your disclosure

I’ve suggested 8 things to consider for inclusion in your disclosure, though admittedly these are based on my particular needs.

If I’ve omitted anything that you think would be critical to your editorial business, please do leave a comment!

Tip 1. Why you use digital tools

This is an opportunity to state at the outset not just that you are using digital tools – and most of us are using them, though not all of them are AI-assisted – but also why.

It shows clients that you’re able to use technology responsibly, and that the goal is to maintain professional standards for their benefit.

Example from my T&Cs

‘To enhance the quality, accuracy, consistency and efficiency of my editing service, I use digital tools that may have AI-assisted technologies running in the background (even if I'm not actively using them).’

Reason
I want to clients to know that I’m not working in the Stone Age, and that my use of digital tools will help give them a better result.

Tip 2. Who’s accountable for the output

This is an opportunity to make it clear that regardless of a machine’s involvement in your editing process, it’s you, the editor, who’s accountable and responsible for what’s delivered.

Here you’re focusing on your human value – the sense and sensibility you bring to your work for them, even though you’re using tools to help with some of the mundane heavy-lifting.

Example from my T&Cs

‘All outputs are reviewed and refined by me, a qualified human editor, before delivery to ensure quality and contextual accuracy. Software and AI tools are used strictly to support my human editing process and do not replace my human judgement or professional oversight.’

Reason
I want to draw attention to the fact that a human is in control of the process at all times.

Tip 3. Your use of generative AI in the editing process

Here’s where you can make a clear statement about your specific use of generative AI. It can help to clarify this because not all AI is the same.

Some editors use AI-assisted tools such as ChatGPT, Draftsmith or ProWritingAid for generative support with revisions; some might not. Being transparent helps clients understand what your particular skills are and who or what is doing the work.

Example from my T&Cs

‘I do not use generative AI to draft recasts of your text or make stylistic recommendations on how your book should read.’

Reason
I pride myself on my stylistic line editing skills and want clients to know that I, a human editor, have the capability to do this nuanced and emotional work.

Tip 4. Which specific digital tools you use

This is where you can name the digital tools you use as part of your workflow, their specific purpose and whether they’re licenced.

You don’t have to limit yourself to AI-assisted technologies. You can include word-processing and spreadsheet software, PDF tools, consistency checkers, macros, search engines and file management tools associated with your editorial process.

Including a full list also means that when you seek a client’s consent (see #8 below), they know exactly which tools they’re consenting to the use of.

3 examples from my T&Cs

‘Microsoft Excel: Used for creating chapter summaries. […] via a licensed version of Microsoft 365.’
‘PerfectIt: Used for consistency checking. A licensed […] Word add-in.’
‘Google search: Used for fact-checking.’

Reason
I want my clients to see the breadth of digital tools I use to support my service and to understand that I’m not using any old junk off the internet – where required, I have licences from reputable providers.

Tip 5. Where the tools are hosted

This is an opportunity to tell clients whether each of your tools is hosted locally, in the cloud or elsewhere. Bear in mind the following:

Locally hosted tools: The data stays on your computer, offering more control and privacy.
Cloud-hosted tools: The data is stored on external servers, enabling easy access and collaboration but requiring trust in the provider’s security.

If you’ve committed not to uploading client material to third-party sites, creating this information is a good way of double checking that you’re not in breach of that commitment.

3 examples from my T&Cs

‘Microsoft Word: […] Hosted locally via a licensed version of Microsoft 365.
‘PerfectIt: […] A licensed, locally hosted Word add-in.’
‘Dropbox: […] Cloud-based licensed version.’

Reason
By stating where my digital tools are hosted, I hope my clients will trust that I’m handling their data honestly and responsibly, but within the realms of what’s on offer and practical for my business.

Tip 6. AI’s presence and interaction

Some of the editing tools we use may have AI operating in the background, and even though we’re not using it, it’s still ‘reading’ text and transmitting data.

This is an opportunity to be honest about that, and for your client to make informed decisions about whether they’re okay with it.

Examples from my T&Cs

‘Microsoft Word: Used for text editing and reporting. Hosted locally via a licensed version of Microsoft 365. Copilot runs in the background but I don't use it for editing. Copilot may still transmit small portions of the text in your project (commonly called 'code') to generate suggestions. Any editorial suggestions I add to your project may also be processed in this way. GitHub provides privacy controls to protect this private work. This private code will not be stored or used to improve Copilot unless I have explicitly opted in, which I have not.
PerfectIt: Used for consistency checking. A licensed, locally hosted Word add-in. Does not use AI. Runs offline and does not transmit data.’

Reason
Compare the italic text in the above examples. I think it’s really important that I’m up front about the fact that Copilot is still sniffing around in the background when I’m using Microsoft Word, even though I’m not actively using the AI to suggest textual edits.

This is especially the case given that I’m not yet ready to turn the function off because I’m still exploring how it might aid efficiency with non-client work that I do in Word.

Tip 7. Use of open and closed systems

You can also disclose whether any AI systems you use are open or closed, or what your position is on this matter.

Closed: These systems are operated by companies that keep their technology and training data private and secure. Uploaded content isn’t shared publicly or used to train AI models. It remains confidential and is processed only for the purpose of providing editing support.
Open: These systems make their code and data public, allowing anyone to modify or retrain them.

Providing this information shows clients that you understand the differences and are making responsible decisions.

Example from my T&Cs

‘I do not use open AI systems for client work. This ensures that your materials are never used for language model training and that your privacy and data are fully protected.’

Reason
I’m still learning about AI, and the list of editorial digital tools I’m using in 2025 may look different in two years’ time. However, I want my clients to be confident that I’m using them in a way that respects their privacy to the best of my ability.

Tip 8. Seeking client consent

If your disclosure is part of your T&Cs and contract agreement, seeking consent is an opportunity for informed transparency, legal compliance and professional integrity.

It’s protects you both, and you’re being clear that there’s choice involved here. You’ve chosen to use a set of tools, but they can decide whether they’re okay with that … before the project’s underway rather than halfway into it, when it's too late.

Example from my T&Cs

‘I use reputable providers and maintain the confidentiality of your materials. However, by submitting your content for editing, you acknowledge and consent to my use of the digital tools referred to in [section] in the processing of your materials under my supervision.’

Reason
I want my clients to formally agree that they’re happy for me to use the tools I’ve listed. That way, it’s part of our service agreement from the get-go and avoids misunderstandings.

Can I copy your disclosure statement?

What's right for me, my business and my clients may be partially or completely unsuitable for you and yours, so I wouldn't recommend this.

Instead, think about the tips that I and others in our community have offered up for consideration, and then use that information as a jumping-off point ... something to help you craft your own AI and digital tools disclosure statement – one that's perfect for your business.

Summing up

I hope you've found these tips useful. Creating a transparent digital tools and AI disclosure statement helps all of us professional editors to build trust, demonstrate ethical practice and ensure we're complying with privacy regulations.

It clarifies how our clients' materials are going to be handled, distinguishes our human expertise from automated support, and protects both parties by obtaining informed consent.

And, ultimately, by doing this, we're showing our clients that we're professionals who are committed to treating their data and creative work responsibly and securely.

Want to take a look at how I've approached the disclosure of digital tools in my terms and conditions? The button below will take you there – scroll down to section 14.

LOUISE'S AI DISCLOSURE

Free checklist

There's a free fillable checklist to help you think about your position and obligations in relation to the use of AI tools. It's available in my resource library via the button below.

GET THE CHECKLIST

About Louise

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Crime Fiction & Thriller Editor
Connect: X @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

6 Comments

Should you make changes to your editing business?

8/8/2025

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Tips on why your editorial business offering might be ripe for some changes.

Summary of episode 145

Find out more about the following:

Signals that it’s time to make changes
What change looks like
How to make change strategically
Resource: Is Your Website AI-Friendly? The 8-Point Checklist for Keeping AI Visitors Happy
Bonus content for Second Cup tier Patreon members: Louise and Denise discuss how their editing businesses have changed over time.

Listen to episode 145

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes. Members of our Second Cup tier get extra free bonus content too!

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About Louise

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Crime Fiction & Thriller Editor
Connect: X @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

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New 5-book series from The Editing Podcast hosts!

8/7/2025

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Learn about editorial foundations, growth, sustainability, legacy and marketing with this 5-book series.

Fancy reading some of the core takeaways from The Editing Podcast? Notes from the Podcast is a brand-new book series that focuses on five core areas of editorial business development.

What’s in the series?

Currently there are five books in the Notes from the Podcast series, all focusing on what Denise and I like gassing about the most – running, growing, sustaining and marketing an editing and proofreading business.

Editorial Foundations – helps editors and proofreaders who are setting up their new businesses. It captures the conversations we’ve had about building a freelance business from the ground up.

Editorial Growth – helps early- to mid-career editors and proofreaders who want to grow, focus and professionalize. The Notes capture our discussions about refining, marketing and elevating a freelance editing practice.

Editorial Sustainability – helps more experienced editors and proofreaders who want to invest in longevity. The focus here is on strategy and business evolution.

Editorial Legacy – focuses on how we as editors can make quiet contributions that shape and support the editorial profession.

Editorial Marketing – speaks to every editorial freelancer who’s ever felt nervous about business promotion, and who wants ideas about how to go about being globally visible.

Is the content identical to The Editing Podcast?

The content in the podcast is scripted with the spoken word in mind. Publishing those conversations verbatim would not have made for engaging books.

What we’ve done instead is extracted that content and presented it so that the written word takes centre stage.

So, yes, it’s still our podcast content, but it’s been repurposed and reworked so that it’s book-fit.

How long did it take to create the books?

The answer to how long it took depends on your starting point.

We didn’t write the books from scratch – creating them required having the podcast scripts in the first place. And since we broadcast our first episode in 2019, so you could say the journey started then.

However, it was 2022 when Denise and I got together for a strategic-planning weekend in Tynemouth so we could review where we were with The Editing Podcast and discuss our longer-term goals.

During the discussion – with breaks for fish and chips, and ice cream … not always in that order – the idea for a book series was born.

We’ve spent the past three years doing the following to bring these books to life:

scoping the themes of the series
exploring different series names
developing the cover designs to reflect the podcast branding
organizing, revising and checking the content
discovering what we need to do, and what we need help with
preparing the books for print-on-demand publication.

Did you use AI?

The biggest challenge we faced in making this project viable was untangling well over 100,000 scripted words spread across 145 separate episodes broadcast in no particular order.

Some of that scripted content was irrelevant because it:

took the form of speaker-identification tags
included jokes or anecdotes that went off at a tangent
focused on issues that weren’t relevant to the five core book themes
included information about how to subscribe to the podcast.

Even the content that was relevant wasn’t located only in episodes whose titles made it obvious. It was all over the place! Plus, it was scripted in a way that suited voices rather than books.

Initially we embarked on doing that untangling work ourselves. However, it was backbreaking – eye-wateringly inefficient, not to mention mundane.

We realized it would take us years, not months, and the project looked like it might have to be shelved …

Unless we got help.

We talked over the options and wondered if AI might come to the rescue. We decided to give it the task of:

hunting down where the theme-relevant content was located within all 145 episodes
extracting the relevant snippets
and then returning them to us.

That was a learning curve because it took a while to work out how give it the right prompts to ensure it gave us exactly what we wanted. However, it was time well spent because we got there in the end!

So, yes, we did use AI – to analyse our own content and extract the chunks of it that we wanted. From then on, it was up to us to do what we do best …

What Louise and Denise did

Once the AI had delivered our booty, we spent several months doing the following:

organizing the content logically within each of the volumes
stylistically line editing each book to make it book-fit rather than spoken-fit
writing new information to provide clarity

With that done, we turned to:

creating the prelims, introductions and conclusions
designing the covers and promotional images
formatting the interiors so they’re KDP-ready
copyediting the five manuscripts
proofreading the page proofs
sending advance PDF copies to multiple reviewers who generously agreed to cast their eye over the series and provide testimonials (thank you, each and every one of you!)
preparing our marketing plan.

And finally, we published!

Why bother publishing when people can listen?

Denise and I have always been massive advocates for repurposing valuable content because it respects the fact that people like to get their information in different ways.

Some like to listen. Some like to watch. And some like to read.

Plus, some of our listeners have specifically asked for books, saying that they love listening to The Editing Podcast, but sometimes they want to revisit a particular nugget but can’t remember which episode it was in.

By reorganizing our conversations into themed narratives, we’ve given people choice.

How to buy the books

All five books are available in print via Amazon.

ORDER YOUR BOOKS NOW

Still want to listen? Head over to The Editing Podcast!

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

About Louise

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Crime Fiction & Thriller Editor
Connect: X @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

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What are editorial reports, and should you write them?

25/6/2025

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Learn about editorial reports, and whether you should provide them to clients.

Summary of episode 143

Find out more about the following:

What an editorial report is
Why not all clients need editorial reports
What to include in an editorial report
How long editorial reports take to write
Why editors should create editorial reports
Tips for creating effective editorial reports
Bonus content for Second Cup tier Patreon members: An extra 25 minutes in which Louise and Denise discuss how they approach editorial reporting, taking into account the types of clients they each edit for.

Listen to episode 143

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes. Members of our Second Cup tier get extra free bonus content too!

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About Louise

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Crime Fiction & Thriller Editor
Connect: X @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

Editorial events: 10 practical tips for beginner presenters

29/1/2025

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Learn how to hone your presentation skills at online and in-person conferences, professional awaydays and webinars.

Summary of Episode 136

Listen to find out more about

Starting with a strong title
Mapping out the structure
Clarifying learning outcomes
Numbering session sections
Keeping slides decluttered
Offering a transcript
Making decisions about scripting
Handling questions
Practising out loud
Crafting an introduction

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes.

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About Louise

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: X @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS): In conversation with Russell Harper

11/10/2024

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Russell Harper of The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) talks about the changes to the 18th edition.

Summary of Episode 133

The international appeal of CMOS
Balancing editorial logic and real-world usage
Revision decision-making process
Reversing stylistic decisions in CMOS
Capitalization of identity markers and CMOS
Singlular 'they' and CMOS
Fiction and creative genres in CMOS guidance
Citations and CMOS
Keeping up to date with changes in the publishing world

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes.

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: X @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

Human vs AI: How editors and proofreaders can remain relevant

7/8/2024

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How human editors and proofreaders can remain relevant when AI capability is improving exponentially.

Summary of Episode 131

Listen to find out more about:

Emotional intelligence and sensitivity
The ability to be subjective
Focusing on the writer as well as the writing
Service opportunities
Being present in person
Unique personal and business identities

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes.

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: X @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

Should editors offer free discovery calls?

26/6/2024

0 Comments

Should editors offer free discovery calls? Our three-step discovery process will help you deliver the process effectively.

Summary of Episode 128

Listen to find out more about:

What a discovery call is
Benefits of discovery calls
Time and money considerations
Managing unqualified leads
Scope creep
Emotional labour
The three-step discovery process: Web page, email, call

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes.

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

How are opportunity costs affecting your editing business?

15/5/2024

0 Comments

Find out more about opportunity cost, and why editors and proofreaders need to keep an eye on this part of their business.

Summary of Episode 125

Listen to find out more about:

What opportunity cost is
An opportunity cost management framework
Knowing your business goals and objectives
Example 1: Professional development
Example 2: Software and tools
Example 3: Community

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes.

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

What should I include in my editor services agreement?

1/5/2024

0 Comments

Find out more about what editors and proofreaders might include in a services agreement.

Summary of Episode 124

Listen to find out more about:

Parties involved
Scope of the job
Rates and fees
Payment terms and methods
Timelines and deadlines
Revision and feedback process
Confidentiality and ownership
Termination clauses
Legalities and governing jurisdictions
Communication methods

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

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Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.
Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes.

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

7 ways for editors to get paid faster

5/4/2024

0 Comments

Discover seven different ways to speed up the payment process when you're invoicing for editing and proofreading work.

Summary of Episode 121

Listen to this episode to find out more about:

invoicing promptly
well-structured contracts or services agreements
clear and transparent processes
incentives for early payment
online payment platforms
progressive invoicing

Related resources

How to Earn Passive Income (book)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.
Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes.

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

The pros and cons of niche editing and proofreading

5/3/2024

0 Comments

Find out about the pros and cons of being a niche editor or proofreader, and whether it's right for you.

Summary of Episode 120

Different degrees of niche-ness
Using specialized knowledge
Getting paid for what you enjoy
Easier targeted marketing
Charging more
Lack of variety
Narrower client base
Managing and fulfilling expectations

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Emotional Marketing that Gets Editors Work (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Sign up for alerts about our publications

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.
Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes.

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

5 ways editors can use text generative AI as a business tool

8/6/2023

1 Comment

Discover how editors and proofreaders can use text generative AI as a business tool that enhances marketing, increases productivity and reduces stress.

Summary of Episode 114

Simplifying complex information
Creating content ideas for business marketing
Generating outlines for editorial marketers who lack writing confidence
Keyword and keyphrase research
Suggesting compelling calls to action for a website

Related resources

ChatGPT, AI chatbots … and why you need to be worried about them (blog post by Lisa Cordaro Publishing Services)
Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Emotional Marketing that Gets Editors Work (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Sign up for alerts about our publications

Want to hone your editorial business skills? Our actionable guides and workbooks will help you plan and implement a programme for business growth and development.
Sign up for alerts and we'll let you know when our publications are live and how to order.

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

TIP YOUR HOSTS

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes.

JOIN OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

1 Comment

3 tips for developing an editorial business mindset

7/6/2023

0 Comments

Louise and Denise discuss three ideas that help editors and proofreaders develop or enhance an editorial business mindset.

Summary of Episode 112

Aim to make progress instead of achieving perfection.
Develop a money mindset that focuses on ownership and growth.
Decide what your goals are and stick to them.

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Emotional Marketing that Gets Editors Work (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Sign up for alerts about our publications

Want to hone your editorial business skills? Our actionable guides and workbooks will help you plan and implement a programme for business growth and development.
Sign up for alerts and we'll let you know when our publications are live and how to order.

Support The Editing Podcast

Tip your hosts: Support Louise and Denise with a one-off tip of your choosing.

TIP YOUR HOSTS

Join our Patreon community: Our patrons benefit from access to PDF transcripts for episodes featuring just Louise and Denise, and for some of our guest episodes.

JOIN OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

How to manage a hectic editorial business schedule

19/4/2023

0 Comments

We talk about tips to manage your editorial business life when the schedule feels just a little bit too hectic!

Summary of Episode 111

Is the problem short term or long term?
Identifying what absolutely must get done
Extending a deadline: When to ask, how long to ask for, and what's realistic
Seasonal overbusyness and clearing your schedule
What does 'fully booked' mean to you?
Brainstorming long-term solutions with a friend
Introducing efficiencies
Outsourcing business tasks
Adjusting your schedule
Cancelling editing work: A last resort

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Emotional Marketing that Gets Editors Work (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Join our Patreon community

If you'd like to support The Editing Podcast, thank you! That means the world to us.

SUPPORT THE EDITING PODCAST

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

When to say goodbye to an editing client

5/4/2023

0 Comments

Thinking about saying goodbye to an editing client? Here's what to consider before you jump ship.

Summary of Episode 110

when the client’s budget means the rate doesn’t work
when the client pays late
when the client’s terms of service have changed
shifting your editorial brand
the client’s expectations regarding an editorial service feel like scope creep
the impact on your schedule and income if you say goodbye
transitioning away more gradually
renegotiating the terms
when the work makes you unhappy
tips on how to say goodbye

Related resources

Business Skills Collection
The Editorial Business Bundle

Join our Patreon community

If you'd like to support The Editing Podcast, thank you! That means the world to us.

SUPPORT THE EDITING PODCAST

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

When is a price for editing ‘too low’?

22/3/2023

0 Comments

When is a price for editing work too low or unfair? And do those terms even make sense universally?

Summary of Episode 109

The narrative of the universally acceptable price and why it's problematic
Why every editor needs to do the maths
Understanding your own needs and wants
How everyone has a budget that works for them and them only
Why a lower fee doesn't necessarily equal an intention to exploit
How location and circumstances affect what's acceptable
The limitations of other editors' advice
The power of open conversations about pricing

Related resources

Join our Patreon community

If you'd like to support The Editing Podcast, thank you! That means the world to us.

SUPPORT THE EDITING PODCAST

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

5 ways to be a more efficient editor and proofreader (part 2)

8/3/2023

0 Comments

Louise and Denise discuss 5 more tools that will help any editor or proofreader work more efficiently.

Summary of Episode 108

Listen to find out more about:

Searchable online dictionaries
Searchable online style guides
Templates
Styles palette in Word
Wildcards, and find and replace in Microsoft Word

Resources mentioned in the show

Chicago Manual of Style: chicagomanualofstyle.org/home
Efficient Editing: Strategies and Tactics: ciep.uk/training/choose-a-course/efficient-editing-strategies-and-tactics
Create a template: support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-a-template-86a1d089-5ae2-4d53-9042-1191bce57deb
Editing in Word: Using Styles: louiseharnbyproofreader.com/editing-in-word-using-styles
How to Write the Perfect Fiction Editorial Report: louiseharnbyproofreader.com/perfect-editorial-report
Wildcard Cookbook for Microsoft Word: Jack Lyon
Merriam-Webster: merriam-webster.com/dictionary
Oxford Dictionaries: premium.oxforddictionaries.com

Join our Patreon community

If you'd like to support The Editing Podcast, thank you! That means the world to us.

SUPPORT THE EDITING PODCAST

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

5 ways to be a more efficient editor and proofreader (part 1)

25/1/2023

0 Comments

Louise and Denise discuss 5 tools that will help any editor or proofreader work more efficiently.

Summary of Episode 107

Listen to find out more about:

Consistency checking and style enforcement
Text expanders
Macros
Social media schedulers
Your body clock

Resources mentioned in the show

10 killer editing macros for writers and editors: theeditingpodcast.captivate.fm/episode/editing-macros
Buffer: buffer.com
Free editing macros by Paul Beverly: archivepub.co.uk/Macros.html
How to check a novel with PerfectIt 5 and The Chicago Manual of Style: louiseharnbyproofreader.com/blog/how-to-check-a-novel-with-perfectit-5-and-the-chicago-manual-of-style
PerfectIt: intelligentediting.com
PhraseExpress: www.phraseexpress.com
SmarterQueue: smarterqueue.com
Text Expander: textexpander.com

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Emotional Marketing that Gets Editors Work (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Join our Patreon community

If you'd like to support The Editing Podcast, thank you! That means the world to us.

SUPPORT THE EDITING PODCAST

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

Reviewing your editing practice and planning for change

11/1/2023

0 Comments

We explore a manageable way of reviewing our businesses and planning for change by focusing on two key questions: What's the one thing we've done that works, and what's the one change we could make that would make life easier.

Summary of Episode 106

Listen to find out more about:

What's the one thing we've done that works?
Can we do more of it?
What can we learn from it?
What's the one change we could make that would make life easier?

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Emotional Marketing that Gets Editors Work (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Join our Patreon community

If you'd like to support The Editing Podcast, thank you! That means the world to us.

SUPPORT THE EDITING PODCAST

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

8 reference books for business writing and editing

23/11/2022

2 Comments

We discuss the 8 reference resources that we regularly dip into when we're writing and editing for business.

Summary of Episode 104

Listen to find out more about:

Penguin Guide to Punctuation: RL Trask
Punctuation: A guide for editors and proofreaders: Gerard M-F Hill
English Grammar in Use: A Self-Study Reference and Practice Book: Raymond Murphy
Your House Style: Styling your words for maximum impact: Christina Thomas
Troublesome Words: Bill Bryson
Everybody Writes: Ann Handley
Hack the Buyer Brain: Kenda Macdonald
On Writing: Stephen King
Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style: Benjamin Dreyer

Related resources

Editing Fiction at Sentence Level: Louise Harnby
Making Sense of Point of View (Transform Your Fiction): Louise Harnby
Making Sense of Punctuation (Transform Your Fiction): Louise Harnby
Making Sense of 'Show, Don't Tell' (Transform Your Fiction): Louise Harnby
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

Join our Patreon community

If you'd like to support The Editing Podcast, thank you! That means the world to us.

SUPPORT THE EDITING PODCAST

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Louise Harnby is a line editor, copyeditor and proofreader who specializes in working with crime, mystery, suspense and thriller writers.

She is an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), a member of ACES, a Partner Member of The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), and co-hosts The Editing Podcast.

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

2 Comments

Why we don't tweet about content we hate

9/11/2022

0 Comments

Love Twitter for engaging with other editorial and language professionals? We've got one tip for you: Don't engage with content you hate.

Summary of Episode 103

How Google's algorithm works
How Twitter's algorithm works
Why tweeting about content you hate makes it more visible on Twitter and on the web
Why tweeting about content you hate means you're assisting the creator with marketing
Using Twitter to elevate the content you love and the causes you care about

Related resources

Editor Website Essentials (multimedia course)
Emotional Marketing that Gets Editors Work (multimedia course)
Marketing Toolbox for Editors (multimedia course)
Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers
Social Media for Business Growth (multimedia course)

Join our Patreon community

If you'd like to support The Editing Podcast, thank you! That means the world to us.

SUPPORT THE EDITING PODCAST

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

5 questions you should answer before writing a business book

26/10/2022

0 Comments

Writing a business book? Answer these five questions to make sure you're on the right track.

Summary of Episode 102

Writing regularly
Niche target audiences
Building a reader base
Authority and credibility
Timeliness considerations

Related resources

Branding for Business Growth (multimedia course)
How to Earn Passive Income (book)
Writing resources

Join our Patreon community

If you'd like to support The Editing Podcast, thank you! That means the world to us.

SUPPORT THE EDITING PODCAST

Music credit

'Vivacity’ by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
Connect: Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn: Books and courses
Discover: Resources for authors and editors

0 Comments

<<Previous

FOR EDITORS, PROOFREADERS AND WRITERS

​Summary of episode 149

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About Louise Harnby

​Summary of episode 148

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About Louise Harnby

In this post​

​The impact of AI on editors and proofreaders

​Why disclosure is important

Where to disclose your AI use

What to include in your disclosure

Tip 1. Why you use digital tools

Tip 2. Who’s accountable for the output

Tip 3. Your use of generative AI in the editing process

Tip 4. Which specific digital tools you use

Tip 5. Where the tools are hosted

Tip 6. AI’s presence and interaction

Tip 7. Use of open and closed systems

Tip 8. Seeking client consent

Can I copy your disclosure statement?

Summing up

Free checklist

About Louise

Summary of episode 145

Listen to episode 145

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About Louise

What’s in the series?

Is the content identical to The Editing Podcast?

How long did it take to create the books?

Did you use AI?

What Louise and Denise did

Why bother publishing when people can listen?

​How to buy the books

About Louise

Summary of episode 143

​Listen to episode 143

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About Louise

Summary of Episode 136

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About Louise

​Summary of Episode 133

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Summary of Episode 131

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Summary of Episode 128

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Summary of Episode 125

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Summary of Episode 124

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Summary of Episode 121

​Related resources

Resource library for editors, proofreaders and writers

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Summary of Episode 120

​Related resources

Summary of episode 149

Summary of episode 148

In this post

The impact of AI on editors and proofreaders

Why disclosure is important

How to buy the books

Listen to episode 143

Summary of Episode 133

Related resources

Related resources

Music credit

Related resources

Related resources

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Summary of Episode 114

Related resources

Support The Editing Podcast

Support The Editing Podcast

Related resources

Summary of Episode 109

Join our Patreon community

Resources mentioned in the show

Join our Patreon community

Resources mentioned in the show

Join our Patreon community

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Summary of Episode 104

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Related resources

Join our Patreon community