What’s the point of networking? Editorial colleagues and what they can teach us

This article is for editorial folk who currently choose to operate their businesses in isolation. There's nothing wrong with that at all if that's your bag, but I hope this will show you just some of the benefits of networking.

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Why we need our colleagues

In ‘The rates debate’ and 'The highs and lows of editorial fees', I argued that colleagues shouldn’t be the primary determiners of the price we set or accept for editorial work.

They are, however, our go-tos for much else, and the professional editor and proofreader would be bonkers not to take the opportunity to exploit the myriad learning opportunities on offer from those with different skills, levels of experience, subject specialisms and environments!

Rather than just writing a list, I thought it might be more interesting to give you a few examples of how some of my colleagues have helped me to develop my editorial business. The list isn’t exhaustive – it would be a book if it was – but it should give you a flavour of what’s on offer.

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​Learning a new macro

I like to consider myself pretty strong on the editorial tech-tool front. And yet there was a time when I’d keep forgetting to switch Track Changes back on after I’d toggled it off. I needed a solution – some sort of visual or audio reminder.

A colleague alerted me that Paul Beverley had already tackled the problem with a macro: if you fancy trying it for yourself, you can read about how it works and how to install it at ‘How to never forget you’ve switched off Track Changes!’.

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​Tightening up my marketing message

Some years ago, I'd been thinking about how I could better present my services so that they reflected the reality of what I spend most of my time doing – editing for indie authors.

Again, it was my professional network that came to the rescue.
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• Conversations with two editors friends helped me to unpick my own services and gently redefine them while staying true to my brand.
• Then another colleague hooked me up with marketing masters Andrew and Pete, who helped me and thousands of others to make our businesses more engaging and visible.

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​Understanding another skill

Development editing isn't a service I offer. That doesn't mean I'm not interested in learning about it, though. I expanded my knowledge through colleagues who have experience in this macro level of editing.
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• At one of the Norfolk CIEP group meetings, three colleagues talked through what their non-fiction development editing roles involve. One of the most interesting points to come out of the discussion was not just the similarities in what they do but also the differences – demonstrating the importance of getting more than one viewpoint when you’re leaning something new.
• Another colleague recommended Nicola Morgan's Write to be Published, which I found to be a thoroughly engaging text.
  

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​Using Word more efficiently

Some years ago, two editorial colleagues wrote blogs that had a significant impact on how I use Word.

• One taught me how to create drop-down boxes in Word. I used this information to redesign my style sheets so that I don’t have to retype recurring options every time I create a sheet for a new client (e.g. -is- or -iz- spelling; full points or not after Mr, Mrs, etc.). Invoice elements (e.g. settlement terms and repeat-client names and addresses) could benefit from the same treatment.
• Another taught me how to customize Word’s ribbon so that it works more efficiently for me. I used this to easily run the new macro I’d learned about.

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Using a gadget

One of my bugbears had been having to use hyphens for en dashes on my iPad and iPhone. It was colleagues who showed me that Apple has provided en and em dashes – I just hadn’t realized that if you hold down the hyphen button a small window opens and you can slide your finger to your preferred dash.

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​Discovering new tools

I love any editorial tool that can increase my productivity or enhance my professionalism. Colleagues alerted me to three particular favourites:
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• ​Canva: a user-friendly graphic design tool
• Toggl : a time-logging tool
• TextExpander: a tool for storing and inserting my commonly used words and phrases

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​Maxing out an existing tool

I hadn’t been getting the best out of PerfectIt, even though I’m a long-time user. At another networking meeting, two colleagues showed me how to use the wildcard function more effectively.

This, combined with Jack Lyon’s Wildcard Cookbook for Microsoft Word, has been a real productivity enhancer. PerfectIt tends to handle wildcards a lot better than Word when Track Changes is switched on.

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​Quoting mechanisms and publicizing rates

Over the years, colleagues have shared invaluable tips on pricing matters over the years, and although determining fees needs to be done using a deeper level of analysis than just following what friends are doing, there’s still a lot they can can bring to the table. Thanks in part to those conversations:
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• I experimented with quoting per-word rates instead of hourly rates, which had a dramatic effect on my income and provided more transparency for my clients.
  
• I experimented with advertising my rates on my website, which saved me time, filtered out enquiries from those whose budget wasn't a good fit, and also provided more transparency.

​These two examples proved to be excellent reminders that testing is essential for the editorial freelancer who wants to learn whether a colleague’s way of doing things is appropriate for their own business.

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​Making friends

My colleagues can do something a book or a course can’t. They can become friends. I’ve made so many edi-buddies that I can't even begin to list them all.

Not only have those people helped me how to be a better business owner, they've provided me with community, comfort and loads of laughs. 

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Finding your people

There’s a ton of other stuff that colleagues can help with – I’ve only scratched the surface. If you’re reading this and you’re not connected, consider the benefits of changing the situation.
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• Your regional editorial society’s annual conference might be a fab opportunity. If you find the idea a little daunting, try a chapter meeting first where the numbers are smaller, or join in the discussion in an online forum.
• If you attend a course, take business cards with you so that you have something to hand out that will remind other attendees who you are.
• If you’re already a member of an editorial society but there’s no local group in your area, why not start one yourself? It could turn out to be one of the best moves you ever made!

Ultimately, editorial freelancing is about running your own business, but there are plenty of people who’ll support you in its growth if you find a comfortable space in which to meet them!

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About Louise Harnby

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