“If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”

Two and a half months have passed since Cedar and Wicket came into our lives. From watching all of their interactions, I would say that collectively they are all now a family pack. Both puppies have fit into the routines and daily flow of the household.

It did take Nyssa and Dash some time to accept the two young ones, though. And I expected that. However, her manner for accepting them was very different. Cedar kind of forced his way down her throat by throwing himself in front of her constantly and kissing her whenever he could. She gets annoyed and he flops in front of her submissively and they play.

It took Nyssa a long time, until last week or so, to give any individual attention to Wicket, though. I was starting to get nervous even, but then she gave him her “nibble treatment” for a while and they played tug and all has been well since. I guess she figured Wicket isn’t going anywhere, and he is sweet and fun, so why not. Dash already plays with him, she may as well, too.

Her decision to accept and integrate, and this time of year when many association memberships come due put me in mind of the benefits of these organizations.

I’ve seen several queries on social media channels about whether the professional editors associations are worth joining. What are the benefits? Is the cost justifiable?

In my opinion, yes, they are.

I am a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and several others. Last year I took a full complement of editing courses from the EFA at discounted rates, which balanced the membership fee. Not to mention those courses were all taught by EFA members who are highly respected editors themselves. I enjoyed every one of them and was grateful for the connections I made with experienced editors. Their feedback was insightful, instructive, and helped me be more confident in my work. I highly recommend the EFA courses if you want editing instruction.

The communities these associations give you the opportunity to be a part of is also a huge resource. Most of them have Facebook groups, both public and private, and the amount of information shared in these forums is astounding. Peer-driven support can be so important for this industry, given that so many of us are working from home, much of the time in solitude. Having a group at the ready to answer questions and bounce sticky bits off of is invaluable. I’ve learned a metric ton just by lurking and following along!

For new editors like myself, it also gives us the space to integrate slowly, to get up to speed at a pace we are comfortable with. Introverts, (like me), certainly appreciate this.

Once again, Nyssa is right. Might as well join and have fun (and learn), than resist and be left without support when it may highly benefit you. If you can join some associations, I say do it. Be part of the community. #editorsjustwannahelp

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo! 🐕‍🦺

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