This past Friday, I turned 52.

As I put the past year behind me (that is, most of 2025), I am reflecting on what I accomplished at 51.

My editing business, Fiedler Editorial LLC, turned seven years old.

I gained another client in the spring by word of mouth (thanks to one of my best friends) and the client was very pleased with my edits and revisions to his website.

I edited a scientific literature review, and the author was pleased.

I helped get out the 2025 trade and retail catalogs of another good friend’s furniture  company, and from what I heard, the company enjoyed good sales. I also worked on its website and marketing emails.

I edited a new booklet that my church put out for a new Bible study. This booklet contained many links and QR codes, all of which I checked as part of my editing. A few of them were wrong. I saved the participants a few headaches.

I fastidiously educated myself on AI by taking a wonderful course taught by Erin Servais. I finally learned how to understand AI and how to use AI in editing, although I have only used it in the homework for the class. I learned that I don’t like AI, and so I do not use it in my editing.

Of course, not everything about the past year was good. My father passed away in March, and I was forced to temporarily shut down my editing business for about three weeks while my mother and I dealt with first the hospital, then the hospice, then the funeral arrangements. I was very blessed that my most consistent client (the furniture company) was so understanding during this time.

My biggest aim now is to get more clients. I want to be booked weeks in advance. I am posting on this blog and on LinkedIn, keeping my website and professional profiles up to date, and reaching out on LinkedIn. I just started reading The Chicago Guide for Freelance Editors by Erin Brenner, and I trust that I will gain valuable ideas from it.

Here’s to an even better year!