Freelancing is F-U-N

Today, I'm actually "caught up" with my editing work for a change. It doesn't happen often, so I'm enjoying it... for the moment.

And am I taking advantage of it by playing with my kids or cleaning my house or reading for pleasure or scrapbooking? Of course not.

What AM I doing today? (I know you're all dying to know!)

I am taking on the arduous task of ORGANIZING work papers... style guides that I've had for years (and that are about 90% inaccurate), the many handwritten "notes" on those inaccurate style guides (you know, the only small parts of the guides that are actually helpful when I'm working), the different Reference List styles that I have to switch back and forth between (and always trip me up), various "sample" edited files (which are probably only 50% inaccurate), and numerous emails from the in-house crew that contain answers to all of the questions I've had over the years re: style, formatting, etc.

Needless to say, the "materials" that we freelancers are given pretty much suck.

When I worked in-house as an editor, I had nice binders lining my desk which contained frequently UPDATED style guides... and I referenced them quite often. I also had the benefit of being IN the office and being notified of changes as they occurred (which happens on a daily basis in this business). And, of course, I sat two cubes away from my Journal Production Manager, who was available to answer any questions as they came up. I ALMOST felt like I knew what I was doing when I worked IN the office.

Now, I've been freelancing from home for going on 8 years. And I've spent most of that time feeling absolutely clueless and "in the dark." As a freelancer, I'm pretty much at the mercy of the in-house staff that I work with... I count on them to send me the style guides and other supporting materials that I NEED to edit these journals. I also count on them to tell me when styles are updated or changed (although styles change frequently, I'm almost never notified until after the fact, when I've already done something wrong per the old style... go figure).

I love that I work at my dining room table in my pajamas and choose my own hours. I love that I no longer fight bumper-to-bumper traffic commuting to the office. I love that when the editing bores me to tears or my eyes start seeing double from staring at Word documents for hours, I can take a break... whenever I want to. I love that I've been home with my kids since the day they were born, and that I've also been able to bring in an income at the same time. Freelancing DOES have it benefits.

But, as I stare at stacks of unorganized style guides (have I mentioned they're 90% inaccurate?) and beg my in-house co-workers for any additional supporting materials that might be of use, I long for my days in the cube... with my nice, organized, updated binders beside me and the knowledge of my managing editor a few steps away.