iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

it. I would use Gsuite. The free plan on Zoho works well for me. You have a limit on emails on the free plan, but it very generous. And I have a clear purging out system so it works for me. I get a ton of emails, but organization and purging make the free one fine. #ACESChat.

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Zoho!! I love it so much. You can use your domain email for free, and I think the interface is even better than gmail. I felt like I found gold when I discovered it. Most free email clients that allow you to use a domain email are wonky, clunky, bad interface. If I hadn't have discovered #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Thanks. I was a bit unsure, as I've never used Bluesky, and I didn't ever use Twitter. These platforms are too chaotic for me. I know odd because I am a multi-task, do tons of things at once person, but the constant movement of the threads overwhelm me. ha! I'm a LinkedIn gal. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A9 2/2: Since I’m a teacher at my core, I want to get to the core of your needs. Email me (kmchambers@beaconpointservices.org) to schedule a free consultation call, share your biggest business challenges, and get personalized direction. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A9 1 /2 : I have a Resources for Editors page on my site, with free and paid resources created by me and other editors, some mentioned throughout this chat. Peruse them here: beaconpointservices.org/editors-reso... #ACESChat

beaconpointservices.org

Resources for Editors —Beacon Point

If you love to edit, but need some tools to help with the business-side of things, I've got you covered. I have checklists and trackers to help you manage your business.

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A8: 8/8 What does matter is trust! If you’re constantly missing deadlines and going back on promises, that’s a problem. If life happens, most clients understand and still trust you because you were honest and upfront about it. If they aren’t, well, I already told you your choices for that. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A8: 7/8 This is huge coming from me (a type-A person): A missed deadline is not the end of the world. Deadlines are there to give me structure, to let the author know when to expect it so they can schedule accordingly, etc. But a day or two later usually doesn’t matter that much. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A8: 6/8 If they respond with “take your time,” I can choose to take additional time off or not. Remember I have two buffer days, so I’m still on track. But if I need it and all my current clients responded that way, I can decide to use up those buffer days and even miss the deadline. Gasp! #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A8: 5/8 Reach out even if it’s only a possibility. “I missed a day of work for personal reasons. I’m still on track to get your manuscript to you on time but just wanted to give you a heads up in case I need extra time.” You can say the reason; you don’t have to. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A8: 4/8 If the reason my plan is all off is personal, I’ve learned to treat it the same. I have insomnia issues. Some days it’s really not great for me to plow ahead and drink the caffeine. I have three young kids if something comes up pulling my attention from work, then that’s life. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A8: 3/8 My contract states that if I terminate for any reason they have to pay me for work done up to that point. So if they aren’t worth the stress, terminate. Only had to do that once. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A8: 2/8 Communicate ASAP. “here’s what changed for me and how I propose we move forward” earns trust. Most get that life happens. If they won’t budge, you have a choice: sacrifice personal time and meet the original deadline, discount the service for your delay, or terminate the contract. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A8: 1/8 Take a beat and breathe. As an anxiety-prone person, I hate when people tell me to breathe. But for real. Breathe. Most chaos feels worse in the first 30 minutes. Then decide what must happen, what can be adjusted, and what can wait entirely. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A7: 9/9 Others probably spend this time napping or enjoying nature or a hobby or reading. Maybe one day that will be me. But I really love working. Oh I should say before editing, I put “STOP FOR DAY” at the end of the page I need to get to that day for each project. That’s how I know. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A7: 8/9 With this method, I get bonus time sometimes. I may schedule 2.5 for A and based on estimated total time for the project that means 20 pages, so if I finish the 20 pages before spending 2.5 hours on that project, then happy day for me. I have bonus nonbillable time. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A7: 7/9 I just have the style sheet with deviations highlighted pulled up for all projects working on that day, and I just look that over before I start the editing to remind me. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A7: 6/9 But some need to focus on one at a time in that day, so they do the 2.5 for A, the 1 hour for B, then the 1 hour for C, and that’s fine. That’s useful if the projects have wildly different style guides. Mine all follow CMoS and then have some author deviations here and there. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A7: 5/9 So now I do a good editing stretch (2.5 hours) before nonbillable. But I can’t do all four billable hours in a row. I need the mental break. I love nonbillable tasks so they are like a reward for me! I also need to toggle between projects so I don’t burn out on one project. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A7: 4/9 Some gurus say stay on one task type (editing), then move to another task type (nonbillable) and don’t toggle back and forth. I used to do editing, nonbillable, editing, nonbillable, etc. But I did lose time overall because the time it took to switch between them. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A7: 3/9 Or it might look like Project A (1 hour), Project B (1 hour), nonbillable, Project C (1 hour), Project A (1 hour), nonbillable, Project C (30 min). It’s just never more than one hour on a given project and never more than 2.5 hours editing before a nonbillable. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A7: 2/9 I won’t edit longer for 2.5 hours in a row. So if project A is 2.5 hours that day and project B is 1.5, then I have three checkboxes for A and two for B. Project A (1 hour), Project B (1 hour), Project A (30) min, nonbillable, Project B (30 min), Project A (1 hour), nonbillable. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A7: 1/9 I prefer not to work on any project for longer than an hour at a time. So if it’s scheduled for 2.5 hours that day, I put 3 checkboxes on to-do list with (30) above the third one. If no other editing projects that day, then I do nonbillable tasks in between each checkbox. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

during business learning time, so I don't need them marked as unread to assess urgency. I delete them after read.

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Yes, this keeps them bolded in my inbox. Every email system should have an "unread" view as well. SO you can see them all at a glance. Asses urgency, add them, regroup them, etc. Emails for business learning and such get marked read before I read them since I just go to that folder (cont) #ACESCHat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

For example, all marketing & freelancing blogs I subscribe to, automatically go to my marketing & freelancing tips folder. I read them on business learning days. All editor newsletters/blogs go into an editing folder, etc. automatically. I just have to move client's emails manually #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

You can set up rules to automatically send emails with certain subject lines or from certain people to automatically go to certain folders. I work with a lot of one-off clients, so it doesn't make sense for me to do that with client communication. But I do with other emails. (contined) #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A6: 7/7 My checklist has the process emails that I send to every client, so I check those off to make sure the process isn’t derailed. I use template emails to make this quick and easy. I currently have 104 templated emails. Ha! Not all are for client communications. I do a lot of things. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A6: 6/7 Yes, in the time I allotted. So whatever email I didn’t get to when the timer goes off waits until the following Monday or waits until a day it seems urgent enough to be added to a to-do list. It’s in the client’s folder, it is marked unread until answered, so it will be answered. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A6: 5/7 Since I check all unread emails every day if a previous non-urgent one now is urgent because of time lapse, then it gets added to the to-do list that day. Every Monday, I answer as many non-urgent ones (the ones I never put on a daily to-do list) in the time I allot for that task. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A6: 4/7 If somewhat, I add it, & if don’t get to it, then it goes on tomorrow’s list. I have a section on my daily to-do list where I list emails to address that day. I make sure to mark every email unread until I answer it. So open it, assess it, mark unread, then move to client’s folder. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A6: 3/7 I start my day by clicking on my “unread” email view. I skim ones from clients to assess urgency: if completely non-urgent, I don’t add it to that day’s list. I just mark it unread and move to client folder. If very urgent, I add it to the list and star it. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A6: 2/7 When I finish their project, I move all their emails to my “old editing work” folder and delete their client folder in my inbox. I purge the “old editing work” folder at the end of every year, deleting emails over 2 years old. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A6: 1/7 Every current client has a folder in my inbox. All communications from them are moved into their folder. If you have repeat clients, you can make a rule to automatically send emails from them to that folder. I work with a lot of one-off clients so I just manually move them. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

I always have editing, side projects, admin to-do lists up the wazoo. I work on a ton of things at once. But I'm in the habit of always entering in what I'm doing and pressing start on timer. Sometimes I go back and tag it later. SOmetimes I tag it right then. Really good for analysis. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A5: 4/4 I even specify number of pages to do on each project each day once I get the manuscript. So just hours at first, then hours & pages. My tracker removes decision fatigue, ensures I meet deadlines, and also helps me track admin tasks. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A5: 3/4 You don’t have to decide to do project A, B, or C today. You know you’re doing an hour on A, 2 hours on B, and 1.5 on C. And then can easily go in and massage things if you don’t meet that or use your two buffer days that were blocked out on the schedule for each project. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A5: 2/4 I can see at a quick glance exactly how much billable time I have in a day, week, month, and year to schedule new projects. It helps me effortlessly generate my to-do lists because like I mentioned you can schedule exactly how many of your billable hours will go to each project.

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A5: 1/4 My tracker is the lifeblood of my business. I sell it for other editors to use because why invent the wheel? It automatically tracks a lot of metrics that helps you make wise business choices. But when it comes to juggling multiple clients, the beauty is in the scheduler page. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

I hear you. I love that I can tag projects. It's great for time analysis. I can see how much I spent on billables, marketing, general admin, creating resources, presentations, business learning, etc. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A4: 4/4 Putting off important long-term tasks (like marketing) constantly for deadlines can easily lead to that long-term project becoming super urgent later or a loss of momentum. With that said, protect your capacity. So leave buffer time, so one urgent task doesn’t topple everything. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A4: 3/4 Some say do all urgent work first, then shift to the other long-term needs if have time. But that’s not how I roll. If I don’t get enough done for the urgent deadlines because I worked on a long-term important task, then I just give up some of my free time after my kids go to bed. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A4: 2/4 Then move to long-term important projects. When I have fewer than two hours left in my workday, I go back to any urgent deadlines that aren’t done. It’s important to me not to completely toss aside tasks that actually move the needle and/or that I enjoy for urgent deadlines. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A4: 1/4 I ask did my anxiety, my structure, or the client mark it as urgent? There’s a difference between real deadlines and self-imposed pressure. If it is truly urgent, then it gets prioritized. I’ll spend a chunk of time on urgent deliverables first thing. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Interesting. I have to use WET erase because I will accidentally erase it with my finger, elbow, you name it.

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A3: 5/5 TogglTrack: I use Toggl Track for time management. This is a big topic that I have a webinar on. But essentially, I track my time spent on billables and nonbillables, tagged by each category, then at the end of each month, I assess my time and see what I can cut back on if needed. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A3: 4/5 Email Task Reminder: I also already mentioned this one. Every email allows you to set up task reminders. You can set up recurring ones too. For example, I have a reminder to remind me every Friday to create the next week’s newsletter. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A3: 3/5 Tracker: My Project Data Tracker tracks a lot of data. One page is the scheduler I mentioned, another tracks project details (word count, page count, title, genre), initial documentation, deadlines, estimated hours and speed, invoices and earnings, and finish and follow-up. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A3: 2/5 To-do lists: daily to-do list and master to-do lists on my remarkable tablet. I create the daily to-do list at the start of every work day. Any task that comes up that isn’t urgent, I add to master to do list to schedule at another time. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A3: 1/5 Editorial Process Checklist: I already mentioned this. It’s on paper for me. For projects with one of my team members, the list is on a Trello board. I have a templated one that I just copy for each new team project so we can both check off tasks. #ACESChat

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Katie_BeaconPoint @katiebeaconpoint.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

It's all about keeping the emails organized in clear folders. I will talk about that a little later on. #ACESChat

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