News, events, tips and updates for members of the Editors’ Association of Canada
In this issue:
1. CONFERENCE: Advanced-rate discounts now in effect
2. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Anne-Marie Deraspe
3. GET INVOLVED: Volunteer opportunities to boost your resumé
4. PRESIDENT’S AWARD: Recognizing EAC’s stellar volunteers
5. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
6. ASSOCIATION: NEC votes to stop asking about gender
7. EDITING CANADIAN ENGLISH: The online edition is here!
8. FRENCH CERTIFICATION: Soon a reality
9. CERTIFICATION: Two (or more) eds are better than one when it comes to studying
10. EXTERNAL LIAISON: Your invitation to participate in two more editing conferences
1. CONFERENCE: Advanced-rate discounts now in effect
Looking for discounts for Editing Goes Global, the first international conference of editors? We’re pleased to announce that advanced-rate pricing is now in effect. Register by April 30 to save up to $100. Visit www.EditingGoesGlobal.ca to register and to learn about travel and accommodation deals.
Registration options for everyone
Can’t commit to three full days of networking, learning and fun? We offer one- and two-day registrations as well. Check out the conference schedule to start planning your Editing Goes Global experience.
If there’s one EAC conference every editor or writer should attend, it’s Editing Goes Global. There may never be a better networking opportunity than this.
2. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Anne-Marie Deraspe
A member of the Quebec/Atlantic Canada branch since 2002, Anne-Marie Deraspe is being recognized for her translation services and for being a valuable team member, says EAC’s director of francophone affairs, Marie-Christine Payette. Anne-Marie has translated material for monthly branch events as well as EAC’s 2013–14 Annual Report, and she has volunteered her translation services for the 2015 conference.
Anne-Marie began writing and editing after teaching French at a private school. She has a master’s degree in history and more than 15 years’ experience in research, copywriting, editing and translation for a variety of organizations. She is awaiting certification from the Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ).
“I have very eclectic tastes and it shows in my work and projects I choose,” says Anne-Marie. “I had an in-house position for five years, but have worked freelance since 1998. I love my job and have no regrets. I would not change anything.”
She enjoys volunteering for EAC because she has made contact with so many wonderful and dedicated people. “The fact that EAC is a member-run association means that everyone is working hard and is so generous with their time. It’s just normal to try to give back to the association.”
The Volunteer of the Month highlights the dedicated people who keep EAC going. Volunteers are the backbone of EAC. We are grateful for the many members and affiliates who answer the call when help is needed. Visit the Members’ Area for more information about actively participating in EAC.
3. GET INVOLVED: Volunteer opportunities to boost your resumé
Are you looking for valuable experience and accomplishments to highlight on your CV? Here are some EAC opportunities that are available.
Annual Report team
Our annual general meeting (AGM) is less than three months away and we’re looking for a team to coordinate our 2014–15 Annual Report. This team will collate reports written by the national executive council, national committee chairs, branch chairs and twig coordinators to produce a streamlined, cohesive publication that is available to members and affiliates and, once approved at the AGM, is publicly available on the association website as well.
We’re looking for a coordinator or two to oversee the project, as well as copy editors, proofreaders and translators. The bulk of the work will take place in April. If you’re interested in being part of this team, email Anne Louise Mahoney.
Editing Goes Global
This year, EAC is welcoming editors from around the world as we host our first international conference, Editing Goes Global. We know that travelling can be expensive, so EAC would like to offer home-stay beds to out-of-town attendees. We hope this will attract more registrants, give EAC members a chance to get to know other editors, and allow visitors to see Toronto from a resident’s point of view.
If you live in Toronto, please consider opening your home to a guest—it’s a great way to help out a fellow editor and meet fascinating new people. Guests are carefully matched with their hosts to make everyone’s experience as comfortable and rewarding as possible.
Would you like to host a conference attendee? Please email Una Verdandi for further information.
Francophone affairs, promoting editing and the association
Our francophone volunteers are currently creating French-language promotional products.
- Brochure focused on the editing profession
Objective: to raise the profile of the editing profession with potential employers and donors - Poster featuring linguistic tips
Objective: to offer clients and colleagues a visual reminder of the work editors do (and to remind them of our existence!) - Distribution list of businesses, employers and potential clients across Canada
Objective: to publicize the association
Want to give a hand? Have a few hours to offer? The francophone affairs committee will welcome your assistance. Contact Sandra Gravel.
Rebranding rollout task force
Earlier this year, members voted to proceed with association rebranding. We’re now recruiting a task force to execute the rollout of the Editors/Réviseurs Canada rebrand in 2015, to ensure that communication about the rollout is open, and to make certain the process is shared with members and affiliates. We’re looking for task managers, copywriters and spokespeople. We’re also looking for people with knowledge of regional needs to support our branches and twigs. To take part in this exciting initiative, email Anne Louise Mahoney.
4. PRESIDENT’S AWARD: Recognizing EAC’s stellar volunteers
EAC accomplishes amazing results, thanks in large part to our dedicated volunteers. Among other things, we publish standards and books on editing, administer a professional certification program and host an annual conference. From chairing committees to staffing registration desks, our volunteers keep things running from start to finish.
The EAC President’s Award for Volunteer Service is one way we thank our volunteers for keeping this organization functioning. We’re really proud that volunteers help run this association—many of the services we provide exist because our volunteers pitch in to do the work.
We’re now accepting nominations for the President’s Award. From the nominations received, one outstanding volunteer will receive the Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award.
Any member or affiliate of the association can be nominated for the award. To nominate someone for the President’s Award, send a letter (100 to 300 words) describing the candidate’s volunteer service. The letter must be signed by at least three EAC members or affiliates. For complete guidelines, please visit the President’s Award page.
The deadline for nominations is April 10.
Send nominations to
EAC President’s Award for Volunteer Service
505–27 Carlton St.
Toronto, ON M5B 1L2
Fax: 416 975-1637
Email: president@editors.ca (subject line: Nomination, EAC President’s Award for Volunteer Service)
5. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
Congratulations to Paul Buckingham (Prairie Provinces branch), who has begun an editorial and production internship at the University of Toronto Press. Paul has relocated from Edmonton to Toronto for the opportunity, which runs to mid-May.
Do you have a recent achievement? Let EAC tell the world about it on the member news page. If you have member news to share, drop our member news coordinator a line.
6. ASSOCIATION: NEC votes to stop asking about gender
The national executive council (NEC) recently voted to stop asking members about their gender in an effort to make the association more inclusive. (Our membership forms and the member survey currently ask people whether they are male or female.)
The executive council sought input from some members and from allies of the transgendered community, as well as advice from the member communication chair. The NEC concluded that while the information EAC receives about gender is interesting (90% of EAC members report being female), the information does not affect how EAC delivers services to its members, nor is the information being used in any other useful way.
The desire to be an inclusive association outweighs the value of what the information on gender tells us, so the council voted to stop collecting the information.
You can view our Statement of Human Rights on the About EAC page.
7. EDITING CANADIAN ENGLISH: The online edition is here!
It’s here! Written by expert editors from across the country, the online edition of Editing Canadian English features new material and substantial updates, and is fully searchable. This new edition includes a discussion of editors’ roles, specialized advice for editorial niches, and guidance on the editor’s legal and ethical responsibilities. And, thanks to regular updates, everyone who writes and edits “in Canadian” can stay on top of changes in language usage.
Help us spread the word by tweeting. Here are some sample Tweets to get you started.
The 3rd ed. of Editing Canadian English—the essential reference for Canadian editors and writers—is here! http://editingcanadianenglish.ca/
Because there’s more to Canadian English style than meets the eh: http://editingcanadianenglish.ca/
Member/affiliate discount
The online edition of Editing Canadian English is available as an annual subscription for $35, but EAC members and affiliates pay just $25. To obtain the discount, visit EditingCanadianEnglish.ca and use the membership code MoreThanMeetsTheEh.
Free 30-day trial
Want to try Editing Canadian English before buying? If you haven’t already done so, visit EditingCanadianEnglish.ca to sign up for a free 30-day trial today.
8. FRENCH CERTIFICATION: Soon a reality
Registration for Programme d’agrément en révision linguistique – Réviseurs Canada (PARL) will open this May. This will be a historic occasion for the association and for francophone editors.
Promotion of PARL will begin in a few weeks. Watch your inbox, the Editors’ Weekly blog, Ampersand (the Quebec/Atlantic Canada blog) and Active Voice for more information. We’ll be talking about PARL in many forums!
For questions or comments, or to get involved, contact Sandra Gravel.
9. CERTIFICATION: Two (or more) eds are better than one when it comes to studying
Thinking of pursuing one of EAC’s professional credentials this year? Consider forming a study group to prepare.
Why study with others? Partners can keep each other motivated while sharing resources and test-taking strategies. The group can even hold a mock exam using the practice tests from the study guides, mirroring the real test as much as possible. Afterwards, partners can swap their work for marking and feedback.
How can you find study partners? Connect with editors in your area by posting a message to the EAC groups on LinkedIn and Facebook, or send out a message on the email list. Attend branch/twig events, or the national conference in Toronto, June 12–14. Monitor branch/twig communications. Someone in your area may have already started a study group you can join.
The copy editing and stylistic editing exams will be written this November. Registration opens in July. Proofreading and structural editing will be offered again in 2016.
The time you dedicate to studying is up to you—but certified editors agree that cramming is not the way to go, and it’s never too early to start. You can order your study guides online. Watch this space for more news about certification.
10. EXTERNAL LIAISON: Your invitation to participate in two more editing conferences
EAC discount for SfEP/SI joint conference
Booking is now open for “Collaborate and innovate,” the first joint conference of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) and the Society of Indexers, to be held at the University of York, September 5–7, 2015. The SfEP is pleased to invite EAC members to join them at a special discounted rate.
Highlights include John Thompson of Cambridge University as Whitcombe lecturer; workshops and seminars on a range of topics, from an introduction to Word to book art and its role in developing literacy, from indexing for editors to the use of corpora; and an after-dinner speech by the linguist, editor and indexer David Crystal.
EAC members are eligible for a £50 discount on the resident non-member rate of £485, or a £30 discount on the non-resident non-member rate of £290 (per day). If you book and pay in full by April 17, you will also receive the early-bird discount of £45 or £20, respectively. To find out more, go to sfep.org.uk/conf15, where you will find the provisional program, pre-booking information and other useful links. To claim your EAC member discount, book as a non-member and enter the discount code CONF15EACR (residents) or CONF15EACNR (non-residents) at the appropriate point.
PLAIN’s 2015 conference: Call for proposals
The Plain Language Association InterNational (PLAIN) has put out a call for proposals for their conference. They are looking for interesting, innovative and informative presentations from a variety of fields, including plain language, usability, user experience, technical communication and information design.
Do you have a case study, research or practical experience that will get plain language practitioners from around the world thinking? The deadline for submitting proposals was March 15, 2015, but this deadline may be extended.
Check out the call for participation and the PLAIN 2015 website for more information.
The EAC national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.