Brittany Dowdle and Linda Ruggeri are award-winning editors, authors, and networking advocates who co-founded The Networking Studio to give freelance editorial professionals the connected community they deserve. Linda, a full-time freelance editor and solopreneur, brings years of leadership in the Editorial Freelancers Association and the Professional Editors Network, and her book Networking for Writers won the 2025 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal. Brittany co-authored Networking for Freelance Editors, which earned the 2022 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Medal. Together, they believe that intentional, relationship-driven networking is the foundation of any sustainable freelance career — and they built this community to prove it.