WAHM??

I've got a new job...sort of. You see, my good friend M in SC started a freelance editing company many years ago, before she was even in SC, actually, and gradually grew it into two businesses, the editing arm of her work and a service facilitating memoir writing. While I lived in SC, I helped her out on a few of the editing projects, specifically with APA reference style and formatting (which she claims she hates, while I don't have any strong emotions about the style one way or another). When I moved away, we worked together a few more times, and then she asked me to be on her team as she relaunched her expanded website, which was incredibly flattering and also incredibly exciting.

It IS taking me some time to get used to editing collaboratively and editing for clients via email instead of in person, but this is the age in which we live. Last year, we were able to work with clients in Hawaii, Beirut, South Africa, and India (M has a bit of a specialty in working with English as a second language clients). The international interactions are fascinating and add to the challenge, but I'm learning quickly how to edit from afar.

So, all of the sudden, I find myself rebranded as a freelance editor, indexer, and proofreader. Sounds good to me! The new website hasn't launched yet, but the volume of work has already increased. This week, I've been working on an academic article for a health research journal, a book about gardening in Hawaii, and the text of the website itself in preparation for the launch. So much fun! Really, I feel like I could do the reference formatting in my sleep but even just doing a little bit of academic/intellectual work has been refreshing for me. I really miss teaching and editing writing and textual problem solving and it's been great, even the nit picky little spacing and punctuation issues. I know, I know, I'm pathetic! But I'm pathetic and happy, so what do I care??