More people are working as freelancers than ever before, and the Editorial Freelancers Association is growing: We now have more than 2,500 members, including freelance editors, writers, proofreaders, indexers, translators, graphic designers, and other editorial professionals. Our members work for traditional publishers, government agencies, academic institutions, self-publishing authors, corporations, and nonprofits—anywhere words deliver the message.

The 2019 EFA Conference gathers freelance editors, writers, indexers, translators, and other editorial professionals to network with colleagues and develop professionally—a rare opportunity for those who work as solo entrepreneurs. We expect to attract more than 200 editorial freelancers from across North America and further abroad.

The conference will be held August 21–23, 2019, at the Swissôtel Chicago (323 E. Upper Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60601). Registration is projected to open mid-February.

We invite you to participate in this exciting event as a presenter or panelist.

SUBMISSIONS:

Our members range from new freelancers to industry veterans and work in a variety of industries using a wide range of skills. We are looking to provide balanced programming to accommodate the diverse needs and interests of our members. And we are keen to see topics that are new and fresh—or fresh takes on perennial favorites—so don’t be afraid to think outside the box! Tell us what sets your presentation or idea apart.

All presenters and panelists will receive full conference passes, including some meals and the opportunity to sell their books at our speaker table following their presentation.[1] Select presentations will be offered a small honorarium.

To propose a session topic, please submit the following to our conference programming committee by February 28, 2019:

  • Full name, email address, location (and those of any co-presenters)
  • Links to your website and any social media accounts (and those of any co-presenters)
  • A short bio and a brief paragraph highlighting your experience as a presenter (and that of any co-presenters)
  • A brief synopsis of your proposed session

Send proposals and/or any questions to conferenceprogramming@the-efa.org. All submissions should be sent in the body of an email—no attachments, please. We will begin reviewing proposals in early March.

Thank you!
Christina M. Frey, Tanya Gold, Bill Keenan

[1] Please note that each seller is responsible for transporting and stocking books, processing credit card transactions (PayPal and Square offer magnetic stripe readers), and handling all tax reporting requirements for their sales.

Office Closed Monday April 8.

The EFA Offices will be closed Monday, April 8, 2024. We will reopen on Tuesday, April 9. Job postings, discussion list subscriptions, and other customer service requests may not be responded to until then.

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