We’ve all been there: You start working with a new client and it immediately feels like a bad fit. You might have missed or ignored some red flags that predicted this situation. Don’t beat yourself up; you’re not alone and can learn from these experiences.

In this episode, we’re discussing the top client red flags that have me running for the hills. We’ll also go over some common beige flags and tips for avoiding these situations as much as possible.

• (1:09) Top 11 Red Flags to Avoid
• (18:06) New Client Beige Flags
• (21:09) How to Prevent Red Flags
• (26:58) Don’t Be Afraid to Say No

• Editorial Freelancers Association directory
• ACES directory

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Does your business need a reset? In this episode of The Modern Editor Podcast, I’m sharing six quick-and-dirty ways to freshen up your business for the back-to-school season. But don’t worry, this episode can still apply to you even if back to school doesn’t impact your schedule, or if you’re listening to it at a different time of year.

These six easy tips will make you feel reinvigorated, more organized, and get you starting off a new season on the right foot.

• (1:38) Tip One: Clear Your Workspace
• (3:11) Tip Two: Organize Your Computer Desktop
• (4:39) Tip Three: Clear Out Your Bookmarks and Extensions
• (5:26) Tip Four: Unsubscribe From Email Lists
• (7:32) Tip Five: Review Your Subscriptions and Memberships
• (8:45) Tip Six: Clean Out Your Social Media Following
• (10:07) There’s No Perfect Time For a Business Reset
• (10:55) Free Course: Keep Your Digital Life Organized

• You Need a Budget app

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In 2021, I took a major leap of faith and launched the Freelance Editors Club, an online community where editors can learn and grow their businesses. I’m amazed at how far our community has come since then, so in this episode of The Modern Editor Podcast, we’re looking back at the history of FEC.

Listen in as we talk through how it all started, where the membership is at today, and the exciting things in store for the future.

• (1:27) How the Freelance Editors Club Came to Be
• (9:00) From Then to Now: What the Freelance Editors Club Offers Today
• (12:27) What’s Next For FEC?
• (16:16) FEC Member Wins
• (22:00) Try FEC For Free For 14 Days

• Neva Talladen: Otherwordy Editorial
• Audrey Hodge: Hodgepodge Solutions
• Philippa Hammond: Philippa Hammond Editorial
• Deborah Taylor: The Blue Pencil
• Rosalinda Alcalá: Word Bouquet

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Ever wish you could hit pause on the day and just breathe for a minute? This special episode of The Modern Editor Podcast is your invitation to do exactly that—with a whispered twist.

I’m exploring ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) for the very first time, combining soothing sounds with editing insights for a brief but blissful moment of calm. And yes, I’m whispering this entire episode thanks to a timely cold that made my voice unexpectedly ASMR-ready.

I’m personally a big fan of ASMR and have always wanted to try my hand at it, so I thought it would be fun to do an entire ASMR episode. I am by no means an ASMR artist, but I love watching and listening to ASMR to help me relax.

Important Sections:

• (1:15) What is ASMR?
• (3:43) ASMR Triggers

ASMR Artists I Recommend:

• Moonlight Cottage ASMR
• Shili ASMR
• Gibi ASMR
• ASMR Münür Önkan
• The ASMR Darling
• Angelo Shoe Shine

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Ready to get into the nitty-gritty of copyediting? In this episode of The Modern Editor Podcast, I’m following up on my most popular episode to date: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at My Copyediting Process.

I’m sharing ten tips and practices for copyediting manuscripts, like how to spell “blonde” and whether or not you should capitalize the word “god.” I hope you can apply these tips to your copyediting process, and stay tuned for future episodes in this series for more!

If you want to learn more about my process and pick up some editing tips, I have an Edit With Me workshop inside the Freelance Editors Club. You can essentially sit over my shoulder and watch me edit! Join with a 14-day free trial to access the workshop.

• (2:33) Create Your Own Copyediting Process
• (4:11) Tip One: Blonde or Blond?
• (7:23) Tip Two: Okay or OK?
• (8:07) Tip Three: Is God Capitalized?
• (9:13) Tip Four: Damnit, Dammit, or Damn it?
• (10:31) Tip Five: Mouthed Words
• (11:14) Tip Six: Gestures and Facial Expressions
• (12:55) Tip Seven: Searched Terms
• (13:36) Tip Eight: Google as a Noun and Verb
• (14:05) Tip Nine: Off Of
• (14:54) Tip Ten: 911, 9-1-1, or Nine-One-One?
• (16:21) Edit With Me Workshop

• Episode 22: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at My Copyediting Process

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• Join the Freelance Editors Club

Are you using PerfectIt? If not, I can’t recommend it to freelance editors enough. For years, I let fear and intimidation stop me from taking advantage of this software, and now I wish I could get that time back.

On this episode of The Modern Editor Podcast, I sat down with Daniel Heuman, CEO of Intelligent Editing and creator of PerfectIt, to talk about how this program can help editors. Listen in as he shares about PerfectIt’s origin story, its many features, and an exclusive announcement about what’s next for the program.

• (1:03) What is PerfectIt?
• (5:45) PerfectIt Frees Up Editors to Focus on What They Love
• (10:28) What Does PerfectIt Actually Look Like?
• (16:02) What Type of Document is PerfectIt Best Suited For?
• (24:37) How to Start Using PerfectIt (Especially if You’re Feeling Intimidated)

• PerfectIt
• PerfectIt Video Guides
• Join the Style Works beta testing list

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• Join the Freelance Editors Club

Ready for a quick-and dirty-business chat? I recently returned from the Craft + Commerce Conference by Kit, and in this episode of The Modern Editor Podcast, I’m sharing my top two takeaways you can implement in your editing business.

Kit (formerly known as ConvertKit) is a platform for business owners that started as an email service provider. I’ve used it for several years, but this was my first year attending this conference. While it wasn’t exclusively for editors, the takeaways can absolutely help us grow our editing businesses.

• (1:03) All About the Kit Craft + Commerce Conference
• (3:04) Why Consistency Is So Critical for Business Owners
• (6:23) Storytelling Will Beat AI Every Time

• Craft + Commerce Conference by Kit
• Episode 45: How Editors Can Create Habits That Stick

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You can do all the right things to plan for a break in your business, but coming back to work will still be hard. In this episode, we’re continuing our discussion on taking breaks as a business owner. Listen in as I share three major lessons I learned about my life and business after coming home from a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.

This is the third installment in my series on taking breaks. You can check out the previous conversations in episode 33, where we covered taking time off as a freelancer, and in episode 42, where we talked about why it can be difficult to step away from your business for a well-deserved break.

• (0:38) Why Is It So Hard to Come Back From a Break?
• (2:25) Navigating the Vacation Hangover
• (5:39) Seeing Work Tasks in a New Light
• (6:57) Recognizing My Mental Load is Too Heavy

• Episode 33: How to Take Time Off as a Freelancer
• Episode 42: Why Is It So Tough to Take Breaks?
• Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management For Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

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