Announcing New North Texas Chapter Coordinators

We’ve previously communicated that the North Texas (DFW) chapter of EFA is transitioning to new chapter coordinators this month. Now we are pleased to introduce your new coordinators, James Gallagher and Penni Askew.

Both James and Penni have been active participants in our chapter for several years, and we are excited that they have volunteered for this leadership role. Here’s a bit more about each of them:

James Gallagher operates Castle Walls Editing as a copy editor, developmental editor, and proofreader. He has edited more than four hundred manuscripts for indie authors and publishers such as Hachette Book Group, Catapult, and Thomas & Mercer.

A member of ACES, the EFA, and PEN, James also leads a mastermind group (Pens & Pilcrows) and has presented at national editing conferences both virtually and in person. James edits a variety of genres but particularly enjoys working on horror and romance. You can reach James at James@castlewallsediting.com.

Penni Askew is a genre fiction and narrative nonfiction editor who loves helping authors produce their best book possible. Past clients have described her editorial comments as compact and powerful, allowing the writer to make their voice shine.

In her decade-plus in publishing, she has worked on over 140 books. Penni performs manuscript evaluations to help improve your story’s structure; line edits to help each sentence be as effective as possible; and copyedits to help fine-tune the grammar, usage, and mechanics.

Penni grew up in Colorado and spent calving and haying seasons on her grandfather’s ranch in Idaho. She lives with her family in North Texas, where she enjoys listening to audiobooks, knitting, and spoiling her dog. You can reach Penni at penni@wordsummitediting.com.

While we are stepping down from being chapter coordinators and putting the reins in Penni’s and James’s capable hands, Richelle and Angie are not going anywhere. You’ll continue to see us at the monthly coffee chats and quarterly meetings.

Richelle Braswell and Angie McCauley

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Join Us on Saturday, August 2, for Managing and Interacting with Your Editing Clients

You won’t want to miss our chapter meeting on Saturday, August 2 at 2 p.m. CT, when Katie Chambers will be talking with us about Managing and Interacting with Your Editing Clients.

As a freelance editor, your interactions with your clients can impact the quality of your editing business. And you could be spending too much time writing emails, organizing clients’ information, and following up with clients’ specific needs and questions.

To ensure high-quality client management that doesn’t take up too much precious time, learn how to establish a good working relationship with every client and streamline your communication and management.

Topics include:

• Template emails
• Email management
• Client intake data
• Systems and processes for client management

Handouts you will receive:

• Sample template emails
• Pros and cons of various CRM software
• Instructions on how to use conditional formatting in Excel to help you manage client-based tasks

Register for the event

About Katie

With a passion for words, the gift of teaching, and a knack for dynamic public speaking, Katie Chambers brings clarity and excitement to every topic. She's the owner and head editor of Beacon Point, where she and her team of editors help indie authors polish their fiction and nonfiction. Through presentations, webinars, and a robust resource center, she also teaches freelance editors how to streamline and strengthen their business.