John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program

The John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program offers editors the opportunity to participate in one-on-one mentoring relationships. Mentorship is available to Editors Canada members and student affiliates. 

What is mentorship?

Mentorship is a relationship where an experienced or knowledgeable person provides advice or guides another person. 

Our mentoring program is aimed at all levels of editors:

• Editors who are new to the profession
• Editors who want to brush up on their skills
• Editors who want to move into a new area of editing
• Editors who are returning to the profession after time away

What will I get out of being mentored?

• Provides a safe place for you to make mistakes and ask naïve questions without judgment 
• Helps you learn new editing skills and knowledge
• Exposes you to new ideas and ways of thinking
• Provides an opportunity to clarify your thoughts and get feedback
• Helps you develop your strengths and overcome your weaknesses
• Increases your confidence through advice, support and encouragement
• Provides an important networking contact

What will I get by being a mentor?

• Allows you to pay it forward and give back to the association and the editing community
• Develops your personal leadership, communication and coaching styles
• Provides an opportunity to reflect on your goals and practices
• Extends your knowledge and expertise
• Exposes you to new perspectives, ideas and approaches
• Expands your professional network
• Enhances your professional development record

What are some possible mentorship topics?

• Is editing right for me?
• Should I take on this job even though I’m not a subject matter expert?
• What skills do I need to edit specific genres or types of material (e.g., fiction, non-fiction, educational or scientific material, website content, etc.)?
• How do I establish a career as a freelance editor (e.g., finding work, estimating, invoicing, running a business, etc.)?
• How do I know when to stop editing a project?
• How do I deal with challenging clients?
• How do I find an in-house editing job?
• How can I use social media to boost my career?
• How do I build a website for my business?
• How do I prepare for an accreditation or certification exam?
• How do I prepare a project style sheet?
• How do I get Word to do what I want it to do?

How does it work?

1. A committee matches a mentee with a mentor. 
2. The mentee meets with their appointed mentor for a free two-hour session before establishing a mentoring relationship.
3. Mentoring can take place either face to face or at a distance using video conferencing such as Skype, phone or email.
4. The mentor and mentee negotiate their meeting schedule, number of hours, and the preferred communication method for meetings and for smaller questions that may come up between meetings.

How long does the mentorship last?

There are two options:

Level 1:

• Designed primarily for student affiliates; also available for editors who have a small, clearly defined topic they want to discuss  
• 4–5 hours over one month

Level 2:

• Designed for a more in-depth mentoring experience
• 10–20 hours over two months
• Can be extended up to 6 months

How much does the mentorship program cost?

Mentees pay a fee of $125 for Level 1 mentorship and $250 for Level 2 mentorship. This fee covers the cost of administering the program and a modest honorarium for the mentor.

Eligibility

Mentors: 

• Are members of Editors Canada
• Are willing to share their knowledge and experience
• Have expertise in a particular aspect of editing
• Want to give back to their community

Mentees:

• Are members or student affiliates of Editors Canada
• Have a minimum level of editing experience (have completed/are in the process of completing an editing course or workshop or have worked for three months as an editor, either for an employer or as a freelancer)
• Can demonstrate to the selection committee that they’re committed to the process and sincerely interested in completing a mentorship

Testimonials

“My first mentorship term was a wonderful experience! My mentor was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and inspiring. She tailored our conversations to my needs and was very generous when answering questions and recommending resources. Working with her over these last two months has given me many different perspectives on my editing career.”
—Sarah Jefferies, PhD

“What a great opportunity to learn collegially and to benefit from the experience of a senior editor: we’re lucky to have a program like this. Thanks so much for this opportunity!”
—Claire Wilkshire

About John Eerkes-Medrano

Long-time Editors Canada member John Eerkes-Medrano, who died in June 2015 at the age of 64, won the respect and loyalty of the authors he worked with. He was a two-time recipient of the Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence, and was also a teacher and a mentor.