Apologies in advance for invoking a cliché — it’s time to spring into spring.
As a freelance writer and editor, I always view a new year as a great opportunity for new projects and clients, new and better rates, new tools to obtain and use, new aspects of language and usage to learn about and adapt to, and new topics to add to the areas of interest and expertise that I work in. In some ways, 2025 is no different so far; in the first couple of weeks of January, I received assignments from one occasional client and several of my regular ones, presented three Zoom sessions for three associations I belong to, and pitched a few potential new clients with ideas for new projects. It felt like a good start, and provided momentum that is lasting into this new season.
With that said, I’m terrified about the political landscape we’re facing as 2025 has gotten started, but trying to be optimistic about the things I can control, starting with networking activities.
I’ve been active over many years in about a dozen associations, including NAIWE. As some of our members know, I make a point of emphasizing the importance of being more than a “checkbook” member — not just joining an association, but being active and visible in it; not sitting back and waiting for it to hand us something, but giving time and service to the group and its members.
That means participating in discussion lists, forums, and other communications channels by answering colleagues’ questions, giving advice, sharing resources and tools, and even asking questions that lead to useful conversations. It can mean writing blog posts, columns, articles, even books for the group; presenting webinars, workshops, courses, and conference speeches; organizing events; and promoting a group and its services.
We do need to receive enough service, benefits, and connections from our networking efforts to make both the financial and the time elements worthwhile. Where many people err, though, is joining an association just to find new jobs or freelance projects. That’s a valuable aspect, of course, but can lead to disappointment, because simply signing that check or making that online payment is not a guarantee that new work opportunities will magically appear. Most association job services are super-competitive simply on the basis of numbers — depending on the group, anything from dozens to hundreds of members might compete for the same opportunities. Not everyone who applies for those opportunities will be qualified, which makes it more challenging for qualified colleagues to rise to the top and harder for clients to reach those who are right for a job.
I’m not a very political animal, but in 2025, my perspective on networking includes looking for ways to protect democracy, copyright, and civil rights. I’ll be looking for ways to connect my communications skills and activities with those and related issues, which I think will be increasingly important as the year evolves.
On a less esoteric level, I’ll be assessing what I give to my various membership organizations and what I receive in return. I might step back from being as active as I typically am in some of them — and I might find new ones to join and contribute to. As I noted in my most recent NAIWE blog post, I’m heading to a new home where such assessments and investments will be foremost on my agenda, both professional and personal.
Here’s wishing a healthy, productive, and profitable 2025 for all of my NAIWE colleagues.
Ruth Thaler-Carter has been a full-time freelance writer, editor, proofreader, desktop publisher, and speaker for more than 40 years. She has been published locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally in, and does writing, editing, and proofreading for, publications, associations, nonprofits, websites, service firms, independent authors, and businesses. She sold her first freelance articles when she was still in high school. Often called the Queen of Networking, Ruth is active in about a dozen professional associations, serving as a newsletter editor, webmaster, publication author, speaker/presenter, blogger, program host or planner, and chapter leader. In 2006, Ruth launched the Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer conference — now cohosted with NAIWE — to help aspiring and established freelancers find greater success. Ruth is also owner and editor-in-chief of the An American Editor blog and owner of the Publishing with Flair publishing business. Her honors include member of her high school alumni hall of fame, in part for her publishing work and networking services; Writers and Books Big Pencil Award for teaching adults and contributions to the literary community; EFfie awards for writing, editing, and newsletters; an APEX award for feature writing; the Philip M. Stern Award of Washington (DC) Independent Writers for service to freelancers; and IABC/DC Communicator of the Year and Silver Quills for magazine writing and newsletters.
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