A Year in Review: 2025
As my business anniversary approaches, I finally have the motivation to write my 2025 wrapup! I could make this a highlight reel of sorts, but that doesn’t feel authentic this year. Here are some things I’m proud of and a long ramble about burnout.
In 2025 I got to:
Present about poetry editing to ACES and the Editors Tea Club
Edit a bunch of short stories, poetry, a dissertation, and a novel
Move my website from Wix to Squarespace and completely redo it
Gain 2033 followers across my social media platforms
Start a new blog series that I’m really passionate about (poetic devices!)
Refresh my Pinterest and work on making my boards both pretty and full of resources for indie authors
Judge two poetry contests
Commission a logo and branding from Red Fox Creative (thank you Junie!!)
Book my first monthly editing gig (with UC Berkeley!)
Meet so many wonderful editors and authors
The Truth of the Second Year of Business
Something I don't see talked about often is how hard the second year of running a business is. The truth of my second year is that my growth slowed down and that was difficult to see. There are fewer tangible tasks and a whole lot more waiting. I had higher expectations for my business in its second year, even though many of those expectations were outside of my control.
My motivation waned sometimes and I often isolated myself. I found myself visiting my editing groups less, missing meetings, pushing off coffee chats, not attending webinars. In a time where I needed my community the most, I hid myself away.
I struggle a lot with imposter syndrome. Am I even good at this? I see red flag posts on social media and overanalyze myself; do I hurt authors by offering a combo line and copy edit? Are my turnaround times too fast, too slow? Are my prices too high or too low
It was so easy to fall into comparison as well, even with editors who have been doing this decades longer than I have. I tend to keep the mindset that other editors are my colleagues and friends, not my competition, but I still find myself occasionally feeling jealous when another editor is fully booked for months out. For me though, I think that’s simply rooted in the fact that I love editing so much and I just want to do it more. I promise I have never wished ill on my fellow editors, I just want us all to get to do what we love.
I made more money in my second year, double the income of my first year, but I still needed to start substitute teaching to make ends meet. That’s just the reality of living right now!
Looking back now, it’s obvious I was burnt out. I tried my best to create a balance between my personal life, freelancing, and my other jobs, but it was really hard, especially as a disabled person. I have so much flexibility and choice of when to work, but that makes it so hard to turn my brain off. Running a business full time, subbing two days a week, working in childcare about 15 hours a week, nurturing my personal relationships and hobbies, cooking, cleaning, regular adulting, on top of family deaths, multiple physical and mental disabilities, etc etc is SO HARD and I don’t acknowledge that enough to myself. I had (and honestly still kinda have) this narrative in my head that what I was doing wasn’t supposed to be hard because I wasn’t working a 9-5. I told myself I wasn’t working enough, doing enough, being enough.
Thankfully, at the time of writing this, I feel like my burnout has gotten better. Here are some things that have helped me:
A lot of the time when I’m substitute teaching I have some time, like during planning periods or if the students are watching a movie or something, to answer emails and do some marketing. (I can’t and wouldn’t do paid contract work while I’m subbing!)
I only sub about 2 days a week and I don’t let myself do any editing those evenings, just client communication. My brain definitely wouldn’t be fresh to edit well anyway!
I don’t post on social media as much and I prioritize the platform that feels the most intuitive to me (Threads!). This doesn’t help me book clients, but I need to post a sustainable amount, not whatever amount I think might be better for the algorithm.
Therapy and continued medication
The support of my wonderful husband, cat, family, and bookish friends
Reading, playing video games, and listening to music for my own enjoyment
Trying to change how I talk to myself about working
Talking to my editor/writer friends about burnout and imposter syndrome so I don’t feel alone. We help each other!
Being transparent online with how I feel and what I’m struggling with
Trying to get out of the house to work sometimes, usually at my local library or coffee shops
Allowing myself to work from bed when I need to
Focusing on first addressing my basic needs instead of prioritizing work over them. No, I don’t need to send that email or finish that chapter before I eat lunch!
If you struggle with burnout and imposter syndrome, please know that you are not alone! I honestly don’t think I know any editors or writers who haven’t struggled at least a little bit.
I do have a Self-Care Guide for Writers available for purchase that many writers have found to be really helpful. It’s $5, but if you can’t afford it please reach out
If you want to work or chat with an editor who Gets It, feel free to DM me or reach out via my contact forms 🙂
Remember: tomorrow needs you. You are valuable and deserve to take up space. Your story matters.
Thank you for reading! And if I gotten to connect with you over this past year, thank you so much. I’m so grateful I get to know such wonderful people.
