When I enter my yoga class, I always unfurl my mat with the curved ends facing down. *Pfffffffffffff. Thud.* But I watch other yogis come in weekly, throw down their mats with the curved edges facing up, and then spend half the class kicking the ends down. When I see these poor souls in a mat stand-off, I think, “it doesn’t have to be like this.”

Just unfurl it the opposite way.

How this helps me as an editor: Yes, I know I’m supposed to be relaxing in yoga. And this situation seems petty. But I see the little things others don’t and I strive to make them more effective.

Self-editing is the same. It doesn’t have to be a constant struggle. There are efficient ways to revise your work without the ongoing fight. At times editing can even be a meditative act. It just takes practice and knowing which end is up.

Between my work as a flight attendant and as a high school English teacher, I’ve often had to remember a lot of names. My trick is to repeat a person’s name in some relevant context right after they say it. “So, Amber, what is it you do for a living?” “You know Phil that’s a really good point.”

See what I mean? My husband is partial to the technique from the movie House Bunny and that works, too, but people will think you’re insane.

How this helps me as an editor: As a developmental editor, I’m a connecting force. My job is to be the conduit that links a writer to their readers. These two ends of the spectrum must understand each other. So knowing everyone’s name is a great start toward connection. Putting a face and name together is also excellent practice for seeing your reading audience as real people, not as a formless blob. Try to get into the shoes of readers as often as you can.

Yes, spelling is important to a final piece of writing. But it’s the last bit of polish to a well-written story. Unless you have a team of editors behind you for every post you write, you’ll never perfect every word. So don’t let those grumbly grammarians online get you down. I’ve written an entire post on how to deal with the Grammar Police here.

How this helps me as an editor: I don’t want writers to beat themselves up over minor mistakes and typos. If that were the point of writing, you might as well go be a scientist or mathematician. Writers shouldn’t feel beaten over the head by rules. Instead I want writers to come to the editing process with a desire to re-vision their work.

You can make spelling and grammar mistakes and still be an excellent writer. You can also be an overly technical writer without much depth. If you’re the former, you’re doing it right even with the typos.

I can spend a whole day prepping a brisket and that’s before the six hour cook time. I’ve taken fancy cooking classes at the Biltmore in Phoenix, AZ. And I could lose myself in online and TV cooking shows. Lidia’s Italy my was go-to show on lazy Sunday afternoons growing up. But lately I don’t feel like I’m challenging myself unless I’m setting something—intentionally—on fire in the kitchen.

How this helps me as an editor: Great cooking is a lot like great editing. There are so many components you have to master that it’s best if you just take the process one step at a time. But you need some guidance. Writers who claim to just keep writing until their skill set improves are full of crap.

I’m trying to picture Gordon Ramsey telling me in his MasterClass to just keep trying to cook Beef Wellington until I get it right… with no clear direction. It would never happen. Editing requires a recipe—a skillful plan. Just like cooking.

I had no long-held desire to homeschool. It’s not a religious thing. And I’m not in a cult. It was a decision born out of necessity. I was actually quite pissed that everything closed down including my 3-year-old’s Montessori school for COVID, leaving me with not much choice but to homeschool back in 2020.

How this helps me as an editor: Two years into homeschooling, I feel totally different. I love it! Sure, I’d get more time to write and more paying gigs if I sent my daughter to school. But learning how to research, pick great curriculum, and how to combine best practices into each subject makes teaching feel like a work of art. I love watching my daughter learn.

I’ve also spent the past two years taking Professional Development classes in the Science of Reading. And I’m a better reader, writer, teacher, and editor for it. If you haven’t listened to the Podcast Sold a Story I’d highly recommend it. Your future readers depend on being taught to read correctly!

All those classes professionals hate to sit through, I take those for fun. Sure, I don’t get the credit for it like career people but I get the insights.

I’ve spent countless hours with counselors at various Jungian therapeutic workshops. And even more hours listening to top researchers lay out the Science of Reading.

Yes, I’m a nerd.

How this helps me as an editor: Not only do I love to learn how adults approach writing, but better understanding brain science specifically on how we learn to write as children helps me better tackle writing and editing. Our language is complex. Reading and writing don’t occur naturally like speaking. The more we understand the process, the better we’ll be at finding and utilizing the best writing tools.

I’ve also learned some real insights from psychotherapist on how writing aids the healing process.

To make some extra money while I was homeschooling my daughter, I took on copywriting for a content agency. The pay wasn’t great and after spending much too long working on copy for one cranky client, I was done. I let the company know I could no longer work for them. But my writing stood out and the agency extended an olive branch. I was able to state exactly what my goals were in the copywriting arena.

Since that time, I’ve been busier with more fulfilling work than ever before.

How this helps me as an editor: Words have power! Learning how to negotiate for yourself especially around your writing is no easy feat but if you learn how to use words to your advantage, everyone wins.

Sometimes writing works for us when spoken words fail. And learning to stand up for your writing is key whether your negotiating how your book gets edited or what requirements you’ll agree to in a contract.