Barbie Halaby
monocleediting.bsky.social
Barbie Halaby
@monocleediting.bsky.social
My keen eye for your best words. Editor/proofreader/bibliophile/mom who loves black tea, brookies, and sarcasm. EFA & ACES. She/her.
Be where your audience is. I'm still not sure I've nailed this one. #ACESchat
A3: Once you've defined your goal, identify where the audience is. Be in those places, talking to those people, and being sure that your effort is spent in the places it'll have the highest impact. Building a rep might = LinkedIn/Bluesky but selling to authors might = FB groups 2/2 #ACESChat
October 1, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Reposted by Barbie Halaby
Hello! Coming right up, I'll be talking about ways you can market yourself as an editor — stuff you can think about whether you freelance or are established with a company. Chat soon! #ACESChat
October 1, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Reposted by Barbie Halaby
The next #ACESChat is Marketing for Editors with Alysha Love on Wed, Oct. 1, at 4 p.m. ET. Join us on Bluesky and bring your questions and experience. @alyshalove.bsky.social #editor #AmEditing
October 1, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Cheers to Sandi Rusch on "Charms & Chapters," the sequel she never planned to write. Working on this meant a lot to me because she was gently given to me after her previous editor, our beloved mutual friend @NikkiBusch, passed away. I loved helping Sandi make it “a better book,” as she said.
September 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM
#ACESVCON25 and it's day 2! Today we delight in none other than the esteemed and charming @petersokolowski.bsky.social during his biannual musings on the English language. At least during VCon rather than IRL con (come to ATL!), he won't see me going all 😍 at his session. @acesediting.bsky.social
September 18, 2025 at 1:25 PM
I'm excited for #ACESVCON25! If you'll be there, say hi! What are you hoping to learn? There is so much I'm looking forward to, but the Pun Slam is my favorite part of things, TBH. If you are an editor and you haven't heard about @acesediting.bsky.social, please let me tell you about it.
#ACESVCON25 begins today, Sept 17! We are grateful to our virtual exhibitors and thank them for their support of ACES. Thank you also to #PerfectIt who sponsored #SpatialChat, a community-engagement platform we are excited to introduce during the conference to bring everyone together.
September 17, 2025 at 1:04 PM
This is so cool! Any #QueerSFF writers want to take advantage of this opportunity. These are fantastic editors. #WriterSky #SFF
Want to get feedback from a professional editor on the opening pages of your #QueerSFF novel?

This year, @spacemagiccon.bsky.social has created that opportunity for you!

Submit your novel's opening pages to apply for a one-to-one session. ⬇

forms.gle/vaqPkKYwM1ex...

#RSM2025 🌈📚🪐 #WriterSky
September 3, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I've been tagged in the best chain mail ever: Recommend a "fun, low-stress book" and tag another copyeditor for theirs.

I devoured the first novella in a trilogy recently: "Full Speed to a Crash Landing" by @bethrevis.bsky.social (on audio).

Your turn @ink-and-insight.bsky.social!
I recently read Rosie Danan’s “Fan Service” and it is a delight. Very fun and very NSFW.

Romance novels in general are pretty good for comfort reading.

I nominate @franlovesbooks.bsky.social and @monocleediting.bsky.social
I'd like to try something. I'm going to recommend a fun, low-stress book and then I'm going to name another copyeditor and ask them to give a recommendation and then pass the virtual baton to another editor.

To give this a better chance of working, I'm tagging three editors.

1/2
August 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
First of all, 🔥 logo. Second, I wish I was a writer so I could join this amazing venture. I have some insider knowledge that it is going to become one of your favorite weeks of the year.
Who are the mysterious creators behind this anyway?

(Is it still mysterious if I tell you? Eh, you can decide...)

We're editors, writing coaches, authors & publishing consultants:

@eliotedits.bsky.social
@eacrawley.bsky.social
@literarylaura.bsky.social
and Beth Wright!

#writers #editors
August 7, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I don't really think of myself as a writer, certainly not a creative writer, but I'm feeling some writer's block just trying to come up with the perfect lines to suggest to an author during a #LineEdit! I'm glad it's only an idea to get them to think of alternatives, because this is hard.
July 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Ooh! A book I copyedited is featured on the cover of @sunypress.bsky.social Fall 2025 catalog! It was an immense honor to work with the previously unpublished stories of the esteemed Gloria Anzaldúa, respectfully edited by three impressive volume editors.
Explore our Fall 2025 catalog! This season's list features a dynamic selection of new releases and paperback editions. You can browse our full catalog at sunypress.edu/Catalogs/Fal...
#newbooks #fall #fallcatalog #ReadUP
July 3, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Reposted by Barbie Halaby
This just in: Submission deadline has been extended to June 30. Join us!
#VCON25: ACES' 4th annual virtual conference starts and ends with the breakout sessions. What do today's editors need to know about words and language, core editing skills, and the business of editing? Submit your session proposal through Monday, 6/23. Free registration. tinyurl.com/4tbv49dy
June 23, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Let's go, edibuddies! The Thursday #EditorSprint starts now! My buddy The Rock is cheering you on too.
a muscular man screaming with the words let 's go
Alt: The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) rings a bell while clenching his muscles and screaming with the words "let's go!".
media.tenor.com
June 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Our dearest @nicolewayland.bsky.social has some other commitments today, so I'll be hosting this week's #EditorSprint. Drop a reply about what you will be working on starting at 2:00 ET, and we'll make this a great sprint, knowing we're all in this together!
June 12, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Don't forget to vote for the next slate of @acesediting.bsky.social Board members! Voting is open through the end of today. A lot of amazing people are running right now, so the decision might be difficult, but make your voice heard. What do YOU want from #ACES? aceseditors.org/about/board-...
Candidate Statements for the ACES Board of Directors 2025
aceseditors.org
May 15, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Please get involved in your communities! Use your voice to advocate for the change/progress/direction you want to see. I voted!
Only about 10% of EFA members usually vote. But this year, we’re aiming higher and we need YOU to help us beat the trend.

Review the candidate statements and cast your vote by April 11. Your voice matters—let’s keep the EFA strong, relevant, and member-driven!
April 10, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Thanks to @apstylebook.com for the amazing #ACES2025 session. I’m going to thread some quotes and notes.
April 4, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Hey Bluesky #editors! There's a wonderful in-person training opportunity coming up in April in Salt Lake City. If you can get there or come to ACES2025 a day early, join us for small group discussion with some of the leading experts in the industry. See tinyurl.com/2s3d5pu6
January 31, 2025 at 8:18 PM
It's not to late to sign up for @acesediting.bsky.social VCON24! Tons of great speakers, opportunities to virtually mingle and learn from other editors. If you're not booked up next week, give it a go. If you are (go you!), sign up and watch over the next few months. aceseditors.org/conference/v...
Tracks and Sessions Overview
aceseditors.org
September 17, 2024 at 3:39 PM
@acesediting.bsky.social is looking for a few good ideas. Do you have a topic you could present as a webcast in our ACES Academy? Bonus: They are now paid! Share your expertise with your fellow editors and beef up your own experience. Propose here: aceseditors.org/training/wan...
Want to Propose a Webcast?
aceseditors.org
August 9, 2024 at 2:48 PM
I know next to nothing about horses, but somehow I knew that "cantor" wasn't quite the right word for their gait. As always, 80% of an editor's life is looking it up. (A "canter" is a speed less than a gallop; a "cantor" is a leader of religious songs or chants.) #amediting #spellcheckcannotsaveyou
May 23, 2024 at 8:15 PM
Reposted by Barbie Halaby
I just wanted to thank everyone who came out for the Freelancers Happy Hour in San Diego ahead of the #ACES2024 conference. We had a great time! If anyone has any questions about prizes, please feel free to reach out to me!
April 13, 2024 at 9:42 PM
Hey #ACES2024 attendees! You still have time to give feedback on how the conference and individual sessions went. Please respond as much as you are able. It really guides how future events are handled. Check your email. Thank you! @acesediting.bsky.social
April 18, 2024 at 6:52 PM
“Editors want more en dashes but readers don’t [long pause] like them.” —Russell Harper
#ACES2024 #ThatWordChat
April 5, 2024 at 8:57 PM
“Let’s tackle sustainability one squiggly line at a time.” —Laura Standley in The Granmar of Greenwashing at #ACES2024
April 5, 2024 at 4:55 PM