I’m taking my very first business trip this week. I’ve never had a job that required any kind of travel, and I’m very excited that I get to create this opportunity for myself.

I know, I know: if you have to travel for work regularly, it can be a major pain in the ass. The time, the hassle, the sheer volume of germs encountered on so much public transportation.

ACES, here I come

But in spite of all that, I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking myself to the ACES: The Society for Editing annual national conference in fabulous Providence, Rhode Island. ACES is an international organization of editing professionals across industries and in a variety of media, and I’ve been a member since founding my business.

This trip is exciting because it’s a big first for Mallory Herrmann Editorial Services LLC, but also because it’s chock-full of opportunities to learn, network, and check out the local doughnut scene.

I’ll be attending sessions on writing about distressing content, how words get made, using style guides—and, yes, comma usage. I expect there to be much nerdery! There will also be opportunities to learn about process and workflow, social media, diversity and inclusion, and succeeding as an editor.

Ready to learn

I’ve got a brand-new notebook and a stock of pens for all the notetaking I expect to be doing over the three-day conference. I can’t wait to soak up as much as I can in order to both add value to the work I provide for my clients and to create improvements in my business as a whole.

Because being an editor isn’t just about knowing the rules and then following them; it’s an evolution. I’m always learning new rules, new exceptions, new best practices—and that’s a very good thing.

I can’t wait to share some of my takeaways from the conference here and on social media. Follow me over on Facebook and Instagram for live updates from Li’l Rhody this week!