Freelance Editor, Freelance Mom, Explained

I'm not exactly a freelance editor in the traditional sense, not yet anyway. I'm more like that kid from The Sixth Sense, although what I see is much worse than dead people. I see typos, and I see them everywhere: missing-pet posters, construction signs, motel billboards, newspapers, novels, small-business emails, you name it.

I've often referred to myself as an instinctive editor. On one hand, I can't always express why some rules are rules; I just know when something isn't right. On the other hand, I also think it's necessary to throw some of these rules out the window. I'm a bit of a rebel.

I'm also a self-professed freelance mom. Like a freelance anything, I often work from home (but hardly stay at home), I do work in my pajamas (but not always by choice), I set my own hours and pay (for the record, it's 24 hours/day, $0/hour), I have no benefits, and I get to choose who I want to work for. 

Well, I have a new boss now. She's 20 pounds and 30 inches; she has four teeth, a mean scratch, and the sweetest voice you've ever heard. At 10 months old, she's also the youngest boss I've ever had. She's Elizabeth, and she's amazing. 

Although I've been on maternity leave since January 3rd, 2010, yesterday was my last official day as a full-time editor with Oxford University Press and my first official day as a freelance mom. I only hope that after many years of hard work and dedication my new boss will find me as valuable as my old one.