National Association of Independent Writers & Editors
Member Benefit #45
Scrivener is the go-to app for writers of all kinds, used every day by best-selling novelists, screenwriters, non-fiction writers, students, academics, lawyers, journalists, translators and more. Scrivener won’t tell you how to write—it simply provides everything you need to start writing and keep writing.
NAIWE members receive 20% off a standard license!
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
Today’s podcast episode is a Book Award Winner episode, where we get to know a writer who won the NAIWE Book Award.
Leslie Simmons won the 2024 Book Award for her book Red Clay, Running Waters in the Genre Fiction category.
Leslie Simmons writes Historical Fiction about people in the center of defining moments in American history. Her debut novel, Red Clay, Running Waters uses the power of story to explore how a past we didn’t live shapes the lives we live today.
Leslie grew up in Philadelphia, following in the footsteps of the founding fathers. A lifelong reader and lover of all things historical, she is fascinated by the lessor known lives of those who changed history. After decades of research into the Cherokee, Indian Removal, the Ridge family, and the Antebellum Era, Leslie followed a path marked by serendipities to the book she knew she had to write.
Here is a preview of today’s discussion:
When did you first have the idea for this book? And what inspired you to actually write this book?
Curiosity about one old house — the Ridge House in Fayetteville, Arkansas — led me on a journey spanning forty years, a journey into an era of American History I knew little about, It was a journey into the lives of the Ridge family — once prominent members of the Cherokee Nation – who lived at the center of the forced removal of Native peoples from their homelands.
I discovered the house that had intrigued me once belonged to a White woman married to a Cherokee man. I also learned that most Cherokee considered the woman’s husband a traitor, responsible, in part, for the Trail of Tears. A marriage between a White woman and a Red man certainly wasn’t common before the 1830’s, even if the house did lay close to the border of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. And just what was it that had led her husband, once considered the hope of his nation, to go down the treacherous path to his alleged treason?
My assumptions were mightily challenged by what I learned. As I trawled through the records, and the story revealed itself, the phrase ‘past is prologue’ flashed like a neon sign in front of me. This modest house in the center of a historic Ozark town, and its previous occupants, had me wondering – ‘What happened to them?’, ‘How had John Ridge gained his historical reputation?’, ‘How had the Trail of Tears happen?’.
Understanding the conflicts, betrayals, and good intentions gone wrong of the Antebellum Era surfaced parallels to the politics and social issues of my own times. I was intrigued, especially since I found myself taking a very different point of view on the Ridges and how their lives unfolded. I knew I wanted to uncover their side of a story, one that remained untold, and to show how a past we didn’t live shaped our lives today.
Please describe one of your favorite characters from your book.
All the characters in Red Clay Running Waters are historical figures, so there were some constraints on how I portrayed them, driven by the demands of authenticity,
Of course, the main characters in this story hold my heart the most, especially John Ridge. I fell in love with John through his own words in the historical record, but I came to love all those whose lives he touched. I carry them still in my thoughts.
Outside of the main ones, however, Patrick Dempsey stands out as a favorite, despite his relatively minor role. His name is mentioned only once in historical record; he became a more important figure in John’s story through my own fictional creation, so perhaps that investment in character creation led to his favored status. Even though I had nothing to go on I had a clear vision of him from the start, his wit, energy and the part he needed to play. I had fun with him, even although he has a fairly serious part in events. I love his perspectives, his cynical humor, and his devotion to his friendship with John. He was a fantastic vehicle for plot points and reflection.
We wanted to get to know Jeanne Grunert (NAIWE’s Branding and Marketing Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.
With the rise of Google AI Overviews and conversational search engines like ChatGPT, how should B2B companies shift their KPIs away from traditional organic click-through rates?
B2B companies should shift their KPIs toward AI visibility and influence metrics, because traditional organic click through rates collapse in an AI‑first search environment. The core shift is: stop measuring clicks; start measuring whether your brand appears, is cited, and shapes the AI-generated answer buyers read. And, of course, focus on what people actually do once they reach your website: engagement and conversation to leads.
Click-through is a poor measurement of success. It only measures (1) how many people saw your content and (2) how many were motivated to click-through to your website. What happens after they reach your website is the true measurement of success. Did they stay on the page and read what you have to say? (Engagement). Did they fill out a form or contact you? (Conversion to Lead).
AI search now answers something like 90% or more of most users questions. Impressions and click-through were always rather poor metrics; most marketers called them “vanity metrics” behind the scenes because they didn’t mean much for driving leads, but they did make people feel like their sites were at least being seen. Today, we focus much more on brand visibility in AI search and customer actions once they are on a website.
Today, the real indicators of success are:
This is the new discovery landscape. AI is the first touchpoint; your website is the proving ground.
You talk about the changing nature of organic search. If search engines are summarizing answers directly, how does a freelance article writer change the way they structure a piece to ensure it still brings value?
In an era where search engines increasingly summarize answers directly, freelance writers need to shift from producing articles just to get clicks/traffic and to creating resources that search engines want to cite. This means structuring pieces so they open with a clear, direct answer that an AI overview can easily pull, then layering in deeper context, examples, data, and original insight that cannot be fully captured in a short summary. Writers should focus on intent‑driven organization, using clear headings and sections that map to the specific questions a reader might have. They also need to provide unique value through firsthand experience, expert commentary, or proprietary information, because AI cannot replicate those elements. The goal is to produce content that is compressible enough for a search engine to summarize, but rich enough that the summary still points back to the original article as the authoritative source.
I recommend testing and experimenting with a few different on-page SEO techniques:
Which one works best depends on what you’re writing and the website where you are publishing the information. I’ve found that consumer-focused articles (home, garden, health, how-to) work when you implement 1 and 3; for long-form content, 1 and 2 work great; and a combination of these and other techniques may work better for some sites than others.
Go back and update older content on your own website like blogs, case studies, and other materials, too. Sometimes that can help boost a piece that used to generate strong traffic and leads if it’s now gathering dust in the eyes of a search engine.
Google prioritizes experience and expertise. How can a generalist freelance writer pivot their personal brand to show deep “topical authority” so agencies will actually hire them?
Generalists will have a hard time gaining customers through organic search in today’s market. Even a generalist needs a niche. It may be the type of content they write (long-form articles, courses, sales materials) versus the topics they write about (education, technology, parenting) but they still must define who they are, what they do, and who they do it for or else they will get lost in today’s AI-driven world. Deep topical authority is built around areas of expertise. This develops based on a combination of factors scattered over a period of time and across many websites. Search engines including AI search engines gather data from myriad sources in a matter of seconds and form an opinion of your expertise from this data. Use what’s under your control to build your topical authority: build clear, consistent messaging on LinkedIn, other social media platforms, directory listings, and of course, your website, to develop topical authority. And, whenever you have a third-party byline, such as a byline on a site where you are published, use it to build your authority in your niche.
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Organic search has undergone an enormous change over the past several years, and it’s vital for independent writers and editors to update their approach to SEO to be found online. AI Overviews, zero click results, and generative search engines are reshaping how clients discover us, and traditional SEO tactics are no longer enough. For freelance writers and editors, this new landscape presents both challenges and opportunities.
This webinar is designed specifically for independent professionals who rely on their online presence to attract clients. You will learn how search has changed, why broad keyword ranking is no longer realistic, and what practical steps you can take to strengthen your visibility in 2026. We will cover how to position your niche clearly, optimize your website and service pages for modern search intent, create authority-building content that AI systems can easily interpret, and use platforms like LinkedIn to reinforce your expertise.
By the end of this session, you will know exactly how to adapt your marketing strategy to today’s search environment so clients can find you, trust you, and hire you.
You can join in this conversation on October 15 at 2:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on the organic search and how editors and writers can use it in their marketing efforts. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!
Jeanne Grunert is the president and founder of Seven Oaks Consulting, a business-to-business content marketing agency. She is an award-winning writer and direct marketing expert with over 30 years of writing, marketing, and business experience. Prior to founding Seven Oaks Consulting, Jeanne led marketing for divisions of McGraw-Hill Education, Teachers College Columbia University, The College Board, and retail, publishing, and financial service companies in the New York City area. Known worldwide for her exceptional leadership and communication skills, Jeanne works seamlessly across cultural and corporate barriers to achieve outstanding results. She holds an M.A. in writing and an M.S. in direct and digital marketing (awarded with distinction) from New York University, as well as certifications in social media marketing, content marketing, and adult education. Originally from the New York City area, Jeanne currently resides with her husband, John, and many pets on a 17-acre farm in rural Virginia. When not leading marketing teams through her work at Seven Oaks Consulting, she enjoys gardening, reading, cooking, and writing mystery novels.
October: National Book Month. Curl up on the couch with a good book.
October: National Reading Group Month. Gather a group of friends, and meet weekly to discuss a great book!
October: National Work and Family Month. Focus on one way to improve your work/life balance. The Be a Better Freelancer conference recordings include suggestions to help with this.
October: Self-Promotion Month. Promote your skills to gain some new clients. Some of the Be a Better Freelancer conference recordings are of sessions on this topic to help with this.
October 3: National Play Outside Day. This is a day to spend a few extra minutes outside, enjoying the fresh air.
October 6: National Fruit at Work Day. Take a break today to enjoy a piece of seasonal fruit at work.
October 4-10: Mystery Series Week. This is an excellent week to investigate your characters, to ensure some mystery is included with their personality.
October 4-10: National Newspaper Week.
October 5: National Do Something Nice Day. Do something nice for one of your clients today!
October 5-9: Customer Service Week. Take notice of other industries and the good customer service they provide and strive to provide the best customer service you can.
October 11-17: National Work at Home Week. Reevaluate your home office for functionality and ergonomics.
October 14: National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day. Spend a day with a cuddly friend to make you smile. 🙂
October 18-24: National Business Women’s Week. Is there a woman in business who you have looked to as a mentor?
October 18-24: National Friends of Libraries Week. Use this week to support your local library.
October 24: National Make a Difference Day. Do something to make a difference in the life of someone else.
Schools have recently started back up, making it a great time for publishing professionals with children to complete their professional development goals before the end of the year!
Training classes allow you to stay up-to-date in the industry or learn new skills to increase your services and further develop multiple streams of income.
And NAIWE is here to help!
This month, all recordings in the NAIWE On-Demand Training Center are Buy 1 Get 1 50% off, providing the encouragement for you to complete essential training. (Use coupon code: BOGO50.)
Now is a great time to take not one—but two—courses led by our beloved and knowledgeable experts in the NAIWE On-Demand Training Center.
April Michelle Davis has been the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) since 2018. Prior to that, she was NAIWE’s Social Media Marketing Expert. NAIWE is an association that focuses on career building for writers, editors, and other professionals in the publishing industry by developing multiple streams of income; it helps its members market their products and services through social media, newsletters, and more.
She is also the coordinator for the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association, a lifetime member of the American Copy Editors Society, and a freelance editor, indexer, proofreader, and author. April Michelle has taught courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.
Her credentials include a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing (University of Virginia), book publishing (University of Virginia), and professional editing (EEI Communications).
April Michelle has shared her insights about her career development by contributing quotes and vignettes to several books. She has presented sessions on various editorial topics to many groups, including the Virginia Writers Club, the Communication Central conference, Randolph-Macon College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, the EFA, Copyediting newsletter, RavenCon, and the Hanover Book Festival. In addition, April Michelle has published four books.
Author: Valerie Ormond
Fourteen-year-old Sadie Navarro rescued a mare from an auction. Young Sadie believed she had accomplished her most meaningful work—until she found out that a ranch on the other side of the country had adopted the mare. Now Sadie feels like a failure because she cannot ensure that Sunny’s new home will care for the horse in the manner she would prefer.
While Sadie’s love of horses has led her to worry what may become of Sunny, her supportive parents agree to take the family summer vacation at the dude ranch where Sunny now lives.
With the family vacation being scheduled several months out, Sadie struggles with preparations to leave her own horse in good care, but also with many mixed emotions of what she could do as a teenager if she discovers that Sunny is not being well cared for.
Valerie Ormond flawlessly and seamlessly gets in the mind of her main character, a young teenager, to express her many thoughts and her feelings of powerlessness in discovering what kind of a person she wants to become in relation to her current love of horses. This is a well-written book that describes a supportive family helping one another in need.
Congratulations, Valerie Ormond’s Believing in Horses Out West for being a NAIWE 2025 Book Award winner!
Member Benefit #44
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style. With millions of copies sold worldwide in multiple languages, it is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields. Known for its authoritative, easy-to-use reference and citation system, the Publication Manual also offers guidance on choosing the headings, tables, figures, language, and tone that will result in powerful, concise, and elegant scholarly communication. It guides users through the scholarly writing process — from the ethics of authorship to reporting research through publication. The seventh edition is an indispensable resource for students and professionals to achieve excellence in writing and make an impact with their work.
NAIWE members receive 15% off the print version of the APA style guide!
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
We wanted to get to know Melissa Yi (NAIWE’s Medical Crime Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.
Your protagonist, Dr. Hope Sze, routinely faces horrific crimes—from bioterrorism to serial killers—yet she frequently lets fly a terrible pun or a sarcastic observation. How do you strike a balance between maintaining high stakes and dropping in comedic relief?
If you’re reading this, you’re probably a super reader. You’ve absorbed enough books, and maybe watched enough movies, that you now have an intuitive grasp of when you can crack a joke and when you need to push adrenaline to the limit. It helps to have a beta reader or ten, so you can sift through their reactions and figure out when you’ve gone too far. You’ll notice stand up comedians do the same thing, trying out new material live, checking how it lands. Keep learning, keep testing, and above all, have fun.
Many reviewers and peers comment on how fast-paced and incisive your writing is. Do you find that a comedic voice naturally speeds up the pacing of a thriller?
Humor is that spoonful of sugar that makes everything more palatable. Pages whirl by faster if you not only care about Hope and her friends, and sweat over how she’s going to get away from the latest killer, but also if you giggle over some of the phrasing. I know that when I’m deep in a book, I’m always highlighting jokes that make me want to re-read. Right now, I’m listening to Mhairi McFarlane, who is so witty that I’ll come back to her again and again. And I don’t even understand all of her Scottish jokes!
Humor is highly subjective. When you are writing a witty line or a funny interaction between characters, how do you test if it hits the mark? Do you read it aloud or lean on early beta readers?
All of the above! Reading aloud is a super way to catch mistakes. I love to have people read it and chortle, or tell me if they don’t understand or if I crossed the line. I never want to hurt feelings unnecessarily, and it’s often not worth offending people. But sometimes, you also need to go with your gut and say, I am the Grand Poobah, and I have the final say on this matter. In the end, you gotta be you. You could spend your whole life not offending people, wearing a mask, and is that really what you want to do with your one precious life? I say, choose wisely. Laugh often.
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Writing can transform a book into a bestseller. It eases your way through life and makes you more resilient when things invariably/incessantly go south. Or to paraphrase Mary Pettibone Poole, “She who laughs, lasts.” Join Melissa Yi, medical crime and award-winning author, for a humor workshop brimming with writing tips, samples, and hands-on exercises.
You can join in this conversation on September 29 at 2:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on adding humor to your writing, no matter the genre. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!
Melissa Yi could slice your throat and sew it back up again. Legally. Because she’s an emergency doctor. This inspires her heroine, Dr. Hope Sze, to solve everything from ingrown toenails to full-blown murder. In the thriller Killing Me Slothly, Hope confronts a cult that worships the alien god, Cthulhu–and that may overtake Hope’s own mind. Melissa writes multiple genres, including romance (hockey! Pride and Prejudice!) and memoir (The Most Unfeeling Doctor in the World).
Today’s podcast episode is a Book Award Winner episode, where we get to know a writer who won the NAIWE Book Award.
Ana Maria Lopez Jimeno won the 2025 Book Award for her book Vademecum of English. A Complete Reference Guide for Teachers and Learners in the Reference category.
Ana Maria Lopez Jimeno is a linguist and language educator with over 40 years of teaching experience across three languages — English, Spanish, and Arabic. She founded a language academy and the first English kindergarten in Toledo, Spain, and she has spent the last several years teaching Spanish to refugees and migrants as a volunteer with the Spanish Red Cross. That combination — rigorous linguistics on one side, grassroots language access on the other — is what shaped both her teaching methodology and, eventually, her latest book. She is currently working toward a Doctorate in Didactics of Languages.
Here is a preview of today’s discussion:
You recently had your book Vademecum of English published, which is a reference book on the English language. There are many other reference books that have been published. Can you tell us about your book and the need it fills?
Vademecum of English is a structured reference handbook for English teachers and advanced learners, organized into over one hundred charts covering phonetics, grammar, vocabulary, and etymology. The premise is simple: teachers should be able to find a clear, well-reasoned explanation for any aspect of the language in a single place, without consulting multiple sources that often contradict each other. Nearly half the book is devoted to etymology and morphology — what I call etymorphology — because understanding how words are built is, in my experience, the most powerful tool for genuinely owning a language.
What did you learn while working on this book? And what were some challenges you faced during the writing or publication of this book?
The main challenge was restraint. There is always more to say about language, and deciding when a chart was clear enough — without becoming a dissertation — required constant discipline. I also learned that explaining something simply is considerably harder than explaining it in full complexity. The grammar sections went through many revisions because I was not willing to state a rule without showing the logic behind it. Finding that logic sometimes meant going back to historical linguistics; sometimes it just meant sitting with the question until a better answer came.
What avenues have you used to market your book? And which ones were the most successful for you?
Book award competitions have been more effective than I expected — not for the visibility alone, but because recognition from independent juries gives other educators a concrete reason to take the book seriously. Reviews from within the professional teaching community, particularly TESOL Spain, reached exactly the right readers. Word of mouth among teachers has also been significant; it is a practical profession, and recommendations travel fast when something actually works in the classroom.
September: Self-Improvement Month. Take some time to improve yourself. What class will you take or conference will you attend to improve your business self? Think ahead and sign up for an on-demand training through NAIWE!
September 5: National Play Outside Day. This is a day to spend a few extra minutes outside, enjoying the fresh air.
September 6: National Read a Book Day. Grab a book (a fun read or even one for professional development) and spend the day reading.
September 7: Labor Day. This day recognizes the men and women who labor to build this country. As self-employed professionals, many tend to work on this day, but what will you do to celebrate?
September 10: National Swap Ideas Day. Share a creative or helpful idea with a client or colleague.
September 12: National Day of Encouragement. This day is dedicated to uplifting people around us and making a positive impact. Who can you encourage?
September 15: National Online Learning Day. This day recognizes the advantages and vast potential of online learning and the accomplishments of these students. What can you study today to improve your skills? NAIWE hosts monthly webinars, which members and nonmembers may attend, to become familiar with new subject matter, learn new skills, polish existing talents, and get their questions answered by experts!
September 15: National IT Professionals Day. This day is set aside to honor the venerable geeks of the world we all rely on to keep us connected.
September 22: American Business Women’s Day. A day set aside to honor and reflect on the contributions and accomplishments of the millions of women in the workforce and the millions of women business owners in the United States.
September 24: National Punctuation Day. A period, a comma, a semicolon, a question mark, and an exclamation point are examples of some of the punctuation used in writing to separate sentences and their elements and to clarify meaning. National Punctuation Day commemorates these and all punctuation marks.
September 29. National Coffee Day. According to an expert cupper (a professional coffee taster), there are four components of a perfect cup: aroma, body, acidity, and flavor. Linger over a cup today while examining the importance of your words.