As a process nerd, I love this series. I would love to see you talk to a public school teacher (I teach high school English, I know there are tons of educators here too).
Since everyone has been a student at some point in their life, I think a lot people presume they understand the job of a teacher. But technically, only 4.5hrs of my 7.5hr contract day is spent teaching! So there’s time (never enough) for teachers to manage their workflow, collaborate in PLCs, etc. And I know teachers approach this very differently, given their content area, age group, work styles, etc.
Especially with the scrutiny our profession is under I would like to expose people to the nitty gritty day to day reality.
Teachers are incredible. You have to be good at pedagogy, performance skills (you're holding a stage all day long!), admin, workplace politics, and more. One of my sisters used to be a teacher, as well as one of my ex-partners. Y'all are truly phenomenal. And criminally under-respected, financially and culturally. Thank you for all you do.
This rules and even though I am in a different industry I could relate a lot since I am self-employed with a sole member LLC. What a great idea for a series!
I loved this! One thing it got me thinking about how so many of us are trying to think up alternative revenue streams these days—AI is changing my work place so fast. I’ve been thinking about this a lot too but mostly just in circles that sound like “I need a back up plan! What? I don’t know. I need a back up plan! What? I don’t know” etc.
I think about this a lot. And I think it comes down to - "done" is better than perfect. That being said, I still don't have an alternate stream, apart from stocks!
Oh, I loved this -- and I relate HARD to not quitting Facebook because it serves as a source of professional community/knowledge/networking for freelancers who don't have built-in colleagues. Looking forward to more of these interviews!!
This was an absolutely exceptional piece. Warm, personable, gorgeous narration (no pun intended)(okay, maybe slight pun intended) of a day, a career, an industry, and a kind, thoughtful, hardworking being.
Newest reason to keep working on a book draft: to ask that Emily narrate it!
(Also: I want this level of organization of my own admin. The nerdery! I love it!)
Thank you both for the gift of this piece. It left me feeling such a strengthened connection and sense of community. What a gift.
This was so interesting to read as an editor—super cool to learn a little more about what happens down the line in the publication process! Why yes, I would also love to read books all day 🙃
I’m curious about your setup with the pseudonym. Do you narrate under both names, or just the one (and live your private life under your real name)? If you narrate under both, do you split projects by genre or something else? Does a pseudonym work as a DBA for tax stuff?
I narrate under both names, but the pseudo is for spicy romance. Emily does clean romance and rom-coms with a little spice in it (where the sex isn't the POINT of the book), and my pseudo gets all other romance. Usually I just check the manuscript for a few key terms (cock, pussy, etc.) and see how the sex is written to decide if it's an Emily or pseudo book.
All my pseudo work is just paid to me, though. The contract is with me, Emily, regardless of what name I use. So taxes are all just under me. 😊
I don't actually listen to audiobooks! I'm a visual learner, not an aural one, so it's very hard for me to start connected to the material unless I'm physically reading with my eyes. Most narrators are also voracious listeners, but sadly not me.
This is partly why I continue to do all my timekeeping/invoicing by spreadsheet rather than signing up for some sort of online service! The only thing I'm really missing as a result is some sort of automated "fill out this survey, please" query at the end of a project, which I ALWAYS forget to do until it feels too late.
This was fascinating! I primarily listen to audiobooks these days as I'm part of two book clubs and I'd never get any reading done if I attempted Kindle/physical books, so I so appreciate your work! And as a fellow Airtable and YNAB user, we are kindred spirits!
I just laid down my first audiobook track last week — it's just me reading my Substack as a podcast, but basically it was an audiobook read. Now I feel terrible because I interviewed my guest almost a year ago and the audio was bad, so I used an AI voice for her!!
As a process nerd, I love this series. I would love to see you talk to a public school teacher (I teach high school English, I know there are tons of educators here too).
Since everyone has been a student at some point in their life, I think a lot people presume they understand the job of a teacher. But technically, only 4.5hrs of my 7.5hr contract day is spent teaching! So there’s time (never enough) for teachers to manage their workflow, collaborate in PLCs, etc. And I know teachers approach this very differently, given their content area, age group, work styles, etc.
Especially with the scrutiny our profession is under I would like to expose people to the nitty gritty day to day reality.
Teachers are incredible. You have to be good at pedagogy, performance skills (you're holding a stage all day long!), admin, workplace politics, and more. One of my sisters used to be a teacher, as well as one of my ex-partners. Y'all are truly phenomenal. And criminally under-respected, financially and culturally. Thank you for all you do.
This rules and even though I am in a different industry I could relate a lot since I am self-employed with a sole member LLC. What a great idea for a series!
“Learning to see myself as both employee and manager” … what a useful concept!
I sometimes differentiate between "business owner" and "writer" but I also love employee and manager!
The great narrator Andi Arndt taught me that!
I would read hundreds of these across every profession.
Same.
I loved this! One thing it got me thinking about how so many of us are trying to think up alternative revenue streams these days—AI is changing my work place so fast. I’ve been thinking about this a lot too but mostly just in circles that sound like “I need a back up plan! What? I don’t know. I need a back up plan! What? I don’t know” etc.
I think about this a lot. And I think it comes down to - "done" is better than perfect. That being said, I still don't have an alternate stream, apart from stocks!
Oh, I loved this -- and I relate HARD to not quitting Facebook because it serves as a source of professional community/knowledge/networking for freelancers who don't have built-in colleagues. Looking forward to more of these interviews!!
I enjoy this series so much! I’m looking forward to the next one!
This was an absolutely exceptional piece. Warm, personable, gorgeous narration (no pun intended)(okay, maybe slight pun intended) of a day, a career, an industry, and a kind, thoughtful, hardworking being.
Newest reason to keep working on a book draft: to ask that Emily narrate it!
(Also: I want this level of organization of my own admin. The nerdery! I love it!)
Thank you both for the gift of this piece. It left me feeling such a strengthened connection and sense of community. What a gift.
Truly my pleasure. Bravo for writing a book! I'm in awe of authors like you.
OMG, I know her IRL!!! This is so exciting!!
This was so interesting to read as an editor—super cool to learn a little more about what happens down the line in the publication process! Why yes, I would also love to read books all day 🙃
I’m curious about your setup with the pseudonym. Do you narrate under both names, or just the one (and live your private life under your real name)? If you narrate under both, do you split projects by genre or something else? Does a pseudonym work as a DBA for tax stuff?
I narrate under both names, but the pseudo is for spicy romance. Emily does clean romance and rom-coms with a little spice in it (where the sex isn't the POINT of the book), and my pseudo gets all other romance. Usually I just check the manuscript for a few key terms (cock, pussy, etc.) and see how the sex is written to decide if it's an Emily or pseudo book.
All my pseudo work is just paid to me, though. The contract is with me, Emily, regardless of what name I use. So taxes are all just under me. 😊
This was so interesting! I am wondering who some of her favorite narrators are.
I don't actually listen to audiobooks! I'm a visual learner, not an aural one, so it's very hard for me to start connected to the material unless I'm physically reading with my eyes. Most narrators are also voracious listeners, but sadly not me.
What a lovely interview and great series idea.
Thanks for sharing! As another creative freelancer, I *totally* get the joy that a few hours of spreadsheeting can bring 😊
SAME!!!
This is partly why I continue to do all my timekeeping/invoicing by spreadsheet rather than signing up for some sort of online service! The only thing I'm really missing as a result is some sort of automated "fill out this survey, please" query at the end of a project, which I ALWAYS forget to do until it feels too late.
This is my friend Emily, and I can confirm she's as brilliant, creative, and badass as you think she is ;)
Awww damn girl, what an incredible thing to say. The badass part I learned in large part from YOU!
This was fascinating! I primarily listen to audiobooks these days as I'm part of two book clubs and I'd never get any reading done if I attempted Kindle/physical books, so I so appreciate your work! And as a fellow Airtable and YNAB user, we are kindred spirits!
I just laid down my first audiobook track last week — it's just me reading my Substack as a podcast, but basically it was an audiobook read. Now I feel terrible because I interviewed my guest almost a year ago and the audio was bad, so I used an AI voice for her!!