Grow Your Freelance Career

As a freelancer, you owe it to yourself to be part of the EFA community. Our programs, benefits, and networks of mutual support help members broaden their skills, develop successful businesses, and perfect the art of freelancing. Clients of all stripes know that the EFA is the best place to find the talent they need for their projects.

EFA membership will help you:

• attract clients & build your business
• develop your editorial & management skills
• network & share knowledge with other freelancers
• receive discounts for professional tools & services

Read FAQ about joining the EFA.

Find Classes

At the EFA, you can strengthen and enhance your editorial and entrepreneurial know-how with classes designed for and taught by freelancers. Members receive access to a library of free webinars and also get 20% off all our education offerings. Year-round, we host traditional classes, webinars, and self-paced courses—so you can learn in the way that’s best for you.

EFA classes cover topics such as copyediting, medical editing, tracking business data, and finding clients. Check out our course catalog and build your skills today.

Find Clients

The EFA Job List and Member Directory bring members and clients together—just two ways we help our members find jobs that are the perfect match!

➤ The Job List: EFA members are in demand by clients from indie authors to large corporations. In fact, our members-only Job List recently surpassed 10,000 job postings! When you sign up for alerts, we email you as soon as a new job is posted. And it’s effective: 94% of clients who posted on the Job List reported hiring an EFA member for the job.

➤ The Member Directory: Whether you're new to freelancing or a veteran, your status as an EFA member enhances your professional profile—and your customizable EFA Member Directory listing is one of the most powerful promotional tools you have. Authors, publishers, and businesses search the directory to find the right freelancers for their projects. If your skills, experience, and areas of expertise are a fit, potential clients contact you directly.

In addition to your Member Directory listing, adding the EFA member logo on your website or your email signature is another way to enhance your professional profile.

Find Community

Freelancing can mean a lot of time on your own. Fortunately, the EFA offers virtual and in-person opportunities to meet and network with other members. Those who are most active in the EFA community get the most benefit from membership. 

➤ Chapters & Affinity Groups: Chapters in various cities and regions, as well as affinity groups formed around shared editing interests or identities, exist through the volunteer leadership of EFA members. Events, forum discussions, and other activities may be found on individual chapter and affinity group pages. Email khiteriara.brown@the-efa.org for more information about starting a chapter in your area or another affinity group (you must be an EFA member to create one or serve as a chapter or affinity group admin).

➤ Virtual & In-Person Events: In addition to chapters and affinity group events, the EFA hosts guest presentations, panel discussions, socials, and networking opportunities for all members. In addition to the annual winter social and the annual association meeting, all members are invited to attend these special EFA event series:

• Candid Conversations, presented by the EFA’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Transformation (EDIT) committee—a virtual series featuring thought leaders in diversity, equity, and inclusion, who spotlight their own personal and professional journeys navigating their careers
  
• EFA STET Talks—informal yet informative monthly sessions hosted by EFA Board members featuring a presentation or interview with experts on topics of interest to editorial professionals, followed by conversation and Q&A

➤ EFA Community Forums & Discord Server: Stuck on a point of grammar and need another opinion? Want some input on your new website? The EFA Community Forums and Discord server bring members from around the world together to exchange ideas, ask and answer questions, and seek and offer advice.

➤ Social Media Platforms: Follow us and join our virtual watercooler conversations on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky!

Find Resources

But wait—there’s more! These are just a few of the other resources available to EFA members.

➤ Affiliate Discounts: Receive great discounts on many editorial tools and other services, including the Chicago Manual of Style Online, PerfectIt, Draftsmith, as well as health care discount plans and long-term care insurance. Want to offer EFA members a discount on your services? It’s easy! Just fill out our Affiliate Discount Submission Form and you’ll be on your way.

➤ Resources for New Freelance Editors: Are you new to freelancing? Wondering how to launch your own freelance editorial business or find clients? Check out this comprehensive list of EFA and other valuable resources for new freelance editors and business entrepreneurs.

➤ EFA Bookshop: Visit our shop on Bookshop.org for the newest EFA booklets on topics of interest to editorial freelancers as well as curated book lists on editing and writing, the business of freelancing, networking, and more. (Our 2019 and older booklets still are accessible on our  Lulu.com storefront).

➤ Newsletters: You're automatically subscribed to our e-newsletters, including What’s New at the EFA and the Freelancer, which are packed full of happenings, interviews, trending topics, pro tips, and more. You may change your subscription preferences at any time by going to My Profile > About tab > Edit > Email Preferences in your dashboard (see screenshot below). There is also an unsubscribe link in the e-newsletters EFA sends.

Note that the field to subscribe/unsubscribe from Job List alerts is located in the Additional Information section of your profile, as outlined in these instructions.

Join the EFA