Karen Steinmann

I attribute my success to making my career my passion. They always talk about how to make your career your passion, and then it doesn't feel like work. That's always been true for me. I've always wanted to do it. I've never felt like it's work, because it's really who I am. I don't think I'd ever stop or ever retire from this. My purpose is to help people tell their stories, whether it's about their faith and how God has transformed their lives, or how their struggles have transformed their lives so they can help other people. If I can just be a small part of helping them do that, or helping them leave that legacy to their family and friends, that's what gives my life meaning. That's what people are talking about when they say do what gives you joy, and that's your job. That's what I feel like I have.

The best career advice I've ever received is to make your career your passion, and then it doesn't feel like work. That's always been true for me. I've always wanted to do it. I've never felt like it's work, because it's really who I am. I don't think I'd ever stop or ever retire from this, even with ChatGPT and people saying editing is going to change. I'm working with ChatGPT and understanding how it fits into the dynamic of editors, how to use AI to augment my editing and help my clients. The landscape is changing so fast, and maybe AI will change things faster than I can imagine, but in some way, I'm going to keep helping people with editing or helping them tell their story of their lives, getting the word out about their faith and how they've been transformed. I think that's what people are talking about when they say do what gives you joy, and that's your job. If I can be helping others, that's just what life is about, and that's what I hope to be doing for years to come.

It's a very rich industry. It gives you so much satisfaction working closely with people and helping them, no matter what you're doing for them in the world of editing. People entering this industry really have to know social media and the digital landscape. They really have to know all about AI and ChatGPT. That's huge, and they're going to have to know all that to help people, especially older people who don't know about that, and to help them understand how they can use it to their benefit. The landscape is changing so fast, and I think young people are able to keep up with it. I've kind of come into it maybe kind of late, but I'm catching up. If they feel empowered to do that, if they feel a passion to do that, I think it can be something that can really work for them, and especially if they want to have a family at the same time.

The biggest challenge is learning and staying current with technology in the editing world. I'm working with ChatGPT and understanding how it fits into the dynamic of editors, how to use AI to augment my editing itself, and how to help my clients with AI. The landscape is changing faster than I can imagine, and people are saying all editors' jobs are going to be obsolete in the next couple years. I don't know if that's true, but in some way, I'm going to have to be able to keep helping people with editing or helping them tell their story of their lives. The opportunity is that maybe AI is never going to do away with helping people, especially older people, tell their stories and leave that legacy to their family and friends. Hopefully I can always be a part of doing that for other people.

The values that guide me in both my work and personal life are honesty and authenticity. I believe in being transparent and sincere in every interaction, whether I am collaborating with clients, editing a manuscript, or nurturing personal relationships. These values ensure that my work is not only technically precise but also meaningful, genuine, and aligned with the true voice of the people I serve. Living and working with honesty and authenticity allows me to build trust, foster deep connections, and create work that resonates on a personal and professional level.