Should You Join the CIEP or the Editorial Freelancers Association?

Professional Organizations: Which Should You Join?

Are you an editor considering joining a professional association? Confused about which you should join and whether they’re worth it at all?

I’m frequently asked about whether I’ve found my memberships helpful and which organization I’d recommend, and I have plenty of thoughts to share.

I currently belong to both the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), two of the most popular professional associations. (I previously belonged to ACES: The Society for Editing, but I don’t feel equipped to advise on it; honestly, back then, I joined primarily to get discounts on subscriptions, training, and reference works, and I didn’t use it to network.)

Why Join a Professional Association?

What I love most about professional organizations is the opportunity to network in person. Through my memberships, I’ve met countless people who are not only valuable professional connections—providing vital ideas, inspiration, opinions, answers, news, and referrals—but also fabulous friends. Freelancer life can be isolating (especially when you’re an expat, as I am), and the ability to connect with people and form real friendships is invaluable.

For that reason, the UK-based CIEP has been by far the more useful association for me, since the UK is where I’m located. When I lived in Edinburgh, I participated in the local CIEP group, which was terrific and highly active and through which I found my first lasting friendships in the UK. I attended my first in-person CIEP conference in Glasgow in 2023, and I’m still astonished by all the amazing editors I met through it and how many friends I gained. (You can also attend the conference online, which has opened it up to internationals and those who can’t travel for whatever reason.)

But if you’re in the US, the EFA (or any organization with networking opportunities near you) may be the better choice. The EFA seems to have fewer local networking opportunities, but it does have a yearly conference, as well as a Discord server (new as of May 2024) that’s shaping up to be a great place for casual, friendly networking. Check out smaller organizations around you; the EFA, CIEP, and ACES are the best known, but there are many more.

Does It Matter Whether I Work in UK or US English?

Interested in professional development and want to take courses through your organization? EFA courses may be more relevant to you if you work in US English, and CIEP courses if you work in UK English. I haven’t yet enrolled in any EFA courses (though I’ve heard great things about them), but as someone who works primarily in US English for US clients, the CIEP courses I’ve completed have occasionally felt frustrating. CIEP courses seem to focus more on core editorial skills (and can be extremely challenging!), while the EFA has an array of enticing niche courses that may be particularly valuable for midcareer editors, regardless of location or language.

Likewise, the EFA email discussion list is likely to feel more relevant to those working in US English, while the CIEP forums cater better to those working in UK English. (Nevertheless, I love seeing discussions in CIEP forums that I don’t see in any of the US-dominated editing groups I follow.)

Does It Matter Whether I’m a New or Established Editor?

No matter where you live or which English(es) you work with, if you're a more established editor, CIEP’s membership grades may be an advantage. Because you have to apply for upgrades and prove your knowledge, experience, and training, your membership grade in the CIEP can communicate to clients that you have verified experience and that you participate in ongoing professional development. It’s not easy to upgrade, either: the CIEP membership upgrade application is exhaustive enough that it took me months simply to find the time to finish the application. You also need to provide references—generally from publishers, not individual clients—and some editors may need to take an editing test.

It’s worth noting that although members of both EFA and CIEP can create directory entries where potential clients can find you, this isn’t available to entry-level (or even intermediate-level) CIEP members; only Professional Members and Advanced Professional Members can create a public CIEP directory entry. Meanwhile, any EFA member can create an entry.

I’ve gotten more clients via my CIEP profile than via my EFA profile, even though my EFA profile is older. I’ve loved the jobs I’ve gotten from both; most of my first book-length developmental editing projects came through either the CIEP or the EFA. It’s worth noting, though, that success with directory entries is variable: some phenomenal editors have no success at all, and there’s no clear reason why. And UK authors are more likely to use the CIEP directory, and US authors the EFA, so if this matters to you (e.g., if you primarily provide copyediting or proofreading in US English), you may want to choose your association accordingly.

I’ve also had success with the EFA Job List, but you have to be choosy about which jobs you apply for: they’re highly competitive. If you don’t think you’ll stand out among fifty or one hundred other applicants, it may not be worth your time to apply. (You also don’t want to apply for jobs you aren’t qualified for simply because this will diminish the reputation of the Job List, which hurts everyone involved.) It’s worth creating a form response you can quickly customize to respond to various types of job ads. (TextExpander forms are great for this!) Make sure you concisely communicate why you’re right for the job. I recommend also referring the potential client to your website or EFA profile for more information.

What’s the Bottom Line?

In general, the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. But whether you’re involved or not, many editors find their memberships essentially pay for themselves through job leads gained via directory entries or related means.

And if there’s any way you can get to a conference in person, do it!

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