Early in my freelance editing career, about 20 years ago, I first learned of the Editorial Freelancers Association. I would have joined, but at that time it seemed to be solely targeted to members in the New York area. Being in Texas, I saw little value. Over the years, however, they extended their reach and I was finally able to join. I even found an active North Texas chapter that met near me.
In 2017 I was elected to the board of directors, thinking that I could be most impactful on the website committee by helping to improve the website. Little did I know that an overhaul was already in the works and that my talents would be put to use in my favorite capacity instead—as a conference planner. I had to step down from the board due to conflict of interest, but I certainly never expected that I would end up directing their first full conference!
They’d held two workshops before—one with sessions at a university campus, the other in their office—but never one that incorporated all of the key elements of a full-fledged conference. This year will be their first.
The 2019 Editorial Freelancers Association Conference gathers freelance editors, writers, indexers, translators, and other editorial professionals for networking and professional development. This event includes 23 workshops and sessions, two keynotes, including the awesome Louise Harnby. Sponsors include Chicago Manual of Style, American Copy Editors Society, of which I also happen to be a member, UC San Diego Extension, Editors Réviseurs Canada, and PerfectIt, along with my own company, Boss Meetings & Events. Additionally, there’s a catered welcome reception, luncheon, and breakfast each morning, plus AM and PM breaks. All in all, a great program!
The conference will be held August 21-23, 2019, at the Swissôtel Chicago, 323 East Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois 60601-9722. For more information or to register, visit the EFA conference website.
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