Why I love being a freelance editor

Someone asked me: ‘Why do you love being a freelance editor?’

‘Well,’ I replied, ‘I can power my day on hot chocolate without sharp looks from Chia-Seed Porridge at the next desk.’ (Don’t judge me – I’ve been working from home for years!)

But seriously, on a webinar last week from a major publisher, I confess to a wistful pang for my London in-house days. Being right at the beating heart of an industry sparking with amazing houses and colleagues.

Things have changed now, and for the better. Presses and imprints are all around the country, signing wonderful authors. The amazing colleagues are still there, too – we just connect differently these days.

What I love about being freelance and working independently is collaborating with so many different types of client. Yes, I specialise in non-fiction, but no two authors, clients or projects are ever the same.

What gets me out of bed and to my desk every morning is wanting to help people achieve that special moment of holding their own book in their hands, and saying: ‘I wrote this.’

It’s an immense privilege to be part of an author’s creative process.

I love it when emails pop into my inbox, saying their copy ‘looks and feels so much better… thanks!’.

I love the celebration when a client, who’s worked incredibly hard with me on their book for months, tells me it’s gone bestseller, or won an award, or is getting great feedback and reviews.

(I particularly loved it when a client said in a meeting: ‘You are Shakespeare!’ True story, although it’d be silly not to defer to The Bard. Of course he’s The Boss.)

I love it when people come to me for advice too, it’s important they feel they can do that.

Like the aspiring personal development writer wondering if they should build an audience before querying (the answer is yes).

Or the chef thinking of writing a cookbook and wanting to know more about how to approach it and publish.

Or the businessperson scratching their head over outlining their how-to book.

What’s made my week even happier though, is discovering chocolate in the cupboard from Christmas I’d forgotten about. (Like I said, it powers my day. That’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!)

Why do you love what you do?