Below are some of the main benefits of EFA membership. To read what EFA members have said about the value of membership, visit the member testimonials page.

Online Membership Directory

A powerful marketing tool, directory listings come free with membership. All members are included with minimal information (name, street address, and business-only telephone). Members customize their entries with the information they choose: name, contact information, skills and specialties, brief promotional blurbs, and resume. Potential clients use the directory to find and get in touch with members nationwide. Many members report getting good assignments from clients who hired them after searching the directory for freelancers with the skills and expertise they were seeking. The directory is searchable by skills, specialties, location, name, or keyword.

Education Program

Members enjoy reduced tuition to EFA courses designed especially for freelancers to build and enhance editorial and entrepreneurial skills. You’ll save 20% on the standard price. Topics include editorial skill-building from beginning to advanced level, business tips for freelancers, introductions to particular subfields of editing, and deep dives into tools and techniques. Our online courses are usually offered in the spring, summer, and fall and are open to nonmembers and members alike. The EFA is continually working to partner with other organizations to increase EFA member access to an even broader range of educational opportunities.

Free Webinar Recordings

Many of our recorded webinars are free for members. These include: Authenticity Reading: What It Is and Why Editors Should Care; Creating a Persuasive Website for Your Freelance Business; Digital Marketing Primer; Introduction to Medical-Legal Editing: A Big Little Niche; and Trans Allyship for Writers and Editors. You can access all our free webinars by logging in to the EFA course site (which uses different login information from the main EFA site) and visiting the EFA Member Free Webinar Library.

Job List Subscription

Included in the annual membership fee, the Job List postings provide members access to a wide variety of jobs, both freelance and full-time, in-house and at home. Clients from coast to coast and beyond—publishers, individuals, authors, businesses, and nonprofits—use this service (free to them), and many members get most of their work from the EFA’s Job List.

Discussion List

The EFA’s primary online forum is its lively members-only discussion list, where participants exchange ideas and advice with hundreds of other editorial professionals all across the country. Many members tell us the discussion list is one of the most enjoyable and valuable features of membership. The discussion list is free to EFA members and is a separate service from the Job List.

Regional Chapters and Networking Groups

The EFA has regional chapters and networking groups all over the country, and new ones form as interest arises. Meetings and other activities are listed on individual chapter pages and under Events. Chapter events are open to all members, guests of members, and freelancers interested in joining the EFA. The EFA also invites members to act as regional liaisons in areas without chapters. Liaisons answer questions about the organization and freelancing in their locale.

Meetings and Events

The EFA offers freelancers a variety of meetings, social events, and other networking opportunities. Meetings may take place in person or virtually. They include expert panels, special guest speakers, the annual business meeting, and joint meetings with related organizations. Periodically, we hold a national professional conference in different locations around the U.S. On the lighter side, the EFA holds networking lunches, Scrabble nights, coffee hours, picnics, holiday parties at the New York headquarters and at many chapters, and more. See Events for details.

Publications

The EFA publishes a quarterly newsletter, the Freelancer, and a monthly e-bulletin, What’s New at the EFA. In addition, the EFA has compiled a list of diversity and contested terms, a list of mental health resources, and a repository of information about keeping your business safe from online scammers. All of these are available to members only.

Social Media

The EFA has a presence on several social media platforms. EFA members are encouraged to engage with the organization and other members on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. All are great platforms for keeping up with the EFA’s latest news and events and making new connections.

Health care Discounts

EFA membership offers access to health care discount plans at group rates through Careington. In addition, the application fee for Careington plan subscriptions is waived for EFA members. For more information about the program, visit Careington’s EFA affiliate page.

Affiliate Discounts

Thanks to our many organizational affiliates, EFA members receive substantial discounts on a wide variety of conferences, continuing education programs, insurance, memberships, software tools, subscriptions, and more. Visit the Affiliate Discounts page for more details on these benefits and how to access them.