The Editor's Half Hour

Isabella Furth shares her insight about emotional labor and how it affects the editing process. Emotional Labor is defined as caring work or relationship work; it’s about managing emotional resources, but it can often become devalued or taken for granted. Isabella explains the importance of recognizing emotional labor because it isn't something that should be avoided or ignored. As editors, we...

For about 20 years, the University of Chicago Press has been looking to publish a book about book design, and it has finally happened. In 2024, The Design of Books, written by Debbie Berne was officially published and it shares everything that authors, editors, and agents should know about book design. Debbie has been a professional book designer since 2002 and has designed hundreds of book interi...

Rebecca Scharpf of Scrollwork Edits provides an abundance of information about what it takes to work with neurodivergent clients. She primarily works with fiction writers and specializes in editing fantasy, sci-fi, and romance novels. In this episode, she shares a variety of ways editors can create positive and affirming spaces for neurodivergent writers. Rebecca shares several resources for both...

Award-winning editor, Karen Yin joins us to discuss her latest book, The Conscious Style Guide: A Flexible Approach to Language That Includes, Respects, and Empowers (Little, Brown Spark). She provides insight and guidance on how to be more equitable in the way we communicate. Karen explains that this is not a book of dos and don'ts. In fact, it's the opposite of that! This book is a corne...

There are several things that CaTyra Polland is known for, but the most notable is being the founder of National Black Authors Day, which is celebrated on May 4. In this episode, she shares valuable insight into how she started her editorial career, which led her to start her own business, Love For Words (love4words.com). She explains her mentality behind starting this national holiday and what it...

In this “STET Special” one-hour podcast episode with the award-winning copywriter, Erin Brenner, we take a deep dive into her latest book, The Chicago Guide for Freelance Editors: How to Take Care of Your Business, Your Clients, and Yourself from Start-Up to Sustainability. We cover a variety of topics like branding, marketing, finances, setting rates, and last but not least, self-care. This book,...

The Universally Acknowledged Truth About Romance examines the editorial approach to romance through the lens of Jane Austen. Our special guest, Sarah Calfee—founder and owner of Three Little Words Romance Editing—has been a fiction editor since 2018 and specializes in romance. In this episode, Sarah gets into the nuts and bolts of what it takes to provide dev editing and line/copy editing her way....

Unlock the magic of what it takes to integrate your personal story with your business. In this episode, Sonia Alleyne shares advice that freelancers can take when they are forming their businesses or updating information on their websites. Potential clients need to be sold on an experience, but first, they need to be “seen.” Sonia got her start as an editor in New York and has interviewed high-pro...

What does it mean to find your community? If there's one thing to be shared from my interview with Tara Whitaker, it's that there's power in numbers! Today more than ever, editors need to stick together, have more open conversations about what we do, and create a way to congratulate and encourage one another. Tara is pioneering a new wave of modern editors to create companionship, cama...

In this captivating and final episode of 2023, Erin Servais and Nadia Geagea Pupa dive deep into the fascinating world of Generative AI. They discuss several capabilities of ChatGPT and how it's constantly changing. There is still "doom and gloom" surrounding the topic of generative AI, but Erin shares her positive outlook, opinions, and insight for the editorial community. Yes, ChatGP...

One of the best things about being an editor is the interaction you get to have with your client. Developing this rapport can elevate your work immensely, but what do editors do when their client has passed away? What liberties is an editor allowed to take? How much is too much when editing in this way? What is an editor to do when they need clarification? We discuss all this and more in Episode 1...

This episode is a continuation of PART I: Editing True Crime. In this Part II, Maria Carillo gives listeners a chance to explore the world of editing true crime (or narrative nonfiction). Maria Carrillo has edited several award-winning projects. She's the former enterprise editor at the Tampa Bay Times and Houston Chronicle and, before that, managing editor at The Virginian-Pilot. Maria is als...

For the editors interested in the inner workings of academia, or for editors already entrenched in the world, this episode of The Editor’s Half Hour is for you! We discuss the realistic side of working with academic clients and the important work they do, in addition to future opportunities for editors, and how generative AI is affecting the academic industry. We also talk about other tips and too...

Erika M. Weinert (known as The Werd Nerd) celebrates the one-year anniversary of her book, Cursing with Style. The book contains more than 100 entries and is meant to aid editors in keeping expletives consistent throughout their clients’ manuscripts. Erika is a line and copy editor with more than a decade of experience in the industry. Having researched more bad words in her career than she cares...

It’s common for many freelance editors to get annoyed by having to maintain a social media account because it feels like another chore. It’s also uncomfortable having to be "salesy." But maintaining a social media account is a necessary thing for everyone—not just editors. However, there's one platform that many seem to neglect, or think is a waste of time, and that's Instagram! Th...

Book coaches guide authors through the writing process from ideation to publication. They hold writers accountable and assist them as they develop content into fully formed manuscripts. In most cases, however, experienced authors write in isolation, finish their manuscripts, and find copyeditors. In this episode, we speak directly to copyeditors who instinctively provide feedback to authors on how...

Given its intense subject matter, it takes a special type of editor (or writer, journalist, etc.) to work on true crime. Throughout the developmental process, editors ask questions that often go much deeper than expected. We question the nature of content and how explicit it should be. And depending on your role in the project, you may be called to make ethical decisions when you least expect it....

Not all beta readers are editors, but editors seem to be the best type of people to take on this task. This episode explains what it takes to perform this high-value task of providing writers with useful feedback. Beth Wojiski (https://www.bethwojiski.com) is an editor, writer, threshold singer, and artistic soul passionate about offering editorial support to other creatives. In addition to proofr...

Editors around the globe have been waiting for the highly anticipated book The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction . With more than 500 novels and anthologies under her belt, Amy J. Schneider is a true expert when it comes to copyediting fiction. Amy’s book is a road map and go-to resource to help copyeditors navigate the world of fiction. In this podcast, we discuss the copyediting process for f...

Erin Willard, copyeditor, walks us through what it takes to edit a fictional book in a series, how to manage the characters in the stories, and the logistics of how the process should be managed. Erin's past projects have included editing manuscripts of award-winning novels, short stories, and memoirs. Working with independent authors and small publishers is her specialty, giving a light polis...

Ellen Polk, copyeditor and proofreader, will explain her perspective on AI technology in the world of editing. What does this mean for editors, what are the pros and cons, and what are some of the things to pay attention to as AI gets more and more sophisticated?

Learn more about your host, Nadia Geagea Pupa, and the purpose behind the podcast.