News, events, tips and updates for members of the Editors’ Association of Canada
In this issue:
1. CERTIFICATION: Boost your career prospects
2. AGRÉMENT: French standards and certification update
3. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Aaron Dalton
4. PUBLICATIONS: Editing Canadian English update
5. PROMOTE YOURSELF: Tell the world about your achievements
6. TWIGS: Calling all Calgary members
7. TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT: Online editor training through EAC
8. EXTERNAL LIAISON: Registration for Humber College ebook editing course now open
1. CERTIFICATION: Boost your career prospects
Registration for the 2014 certification tests is now open. Looking for an edge over the competition? Make this the year you join the growing roster of certified editors.
The proofreading and structural editing tests will be written on Saturday, November 15, in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Halifax. Members enjoy a discount on the test fees.
Let certification give you a boost
Is certification right for you? Getting certified displays ongoing commitment to your work and demonstrates to employers and colleagues the depth of your professional abilities. If you have at least five years of experience, consider challenging yourself by earning official recognition through certification, and giving yourself a professional marketing advantage. Certification is bound to boost your career prospects, and your confidence.
Ready, set, go!
The Certification Study Guides are a great way to begin your preparations. Practise sample questions, gauge your abilities and enjoy challenging yourself.
Looking for more tips? See Preparing for certification.
Discover how certification can help your career. Register today.
2. AGRÉMENT: French standards and certification update
It’s been a busy summer for the Comité Agrément/Principes. The committee members were thrilled to learn their work updating the association’s French-language editing standards, Principes directeurs en révision professionnelle, received support from their peers when members approved the revised edition at the association’s 2014 annual general meeting. A pre-design version of this revised edition is available for download on the association website.
The committee is also pleased to announce that it has, with renewed vigour, begun to prepare for the first agrément (French-language certification) exam, planned for autumn 2015. The committee is also working on a candidate guide and accompanying material.
For more information or to collaborate on agrément, contact Sandra Gravel, chair of the Comité Agrément/Principes.
3. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Aaron Dalton
Aaron joined the Prairie Provinces branch in 2010 and served as IT chair from February 2011 to May 2014. He also volunteered as the typesetter for the branch newsletter, Latest Edition.
Aaron didn’t hesitate to put his skills into action when the branch needed help. “I’ve been really lucky,” he remarks, adding that he’s been fortunate to have gained experience in many different subjects. “I have lots of experience in computer science, and there was a need in the branch for some better ways to communicate. I volunteered to get the email aliases and branch mailing list set up. It’s also nice to be able to help people with random technical problems. I don’t know everything, but I have good Google-fu and feel good when I’m able to help somebody solve an irritating problem.”
“The best part about volunteering is getting to know fellow editors, even if remotely,” says Aaron, noting that most of the Prairie Provinces branch members are located in Edmonton, while he is based in Calgary. “I just feel like we all have different talents for a reason, and we need to share.”
The Volunteer of the Month highlights the dedicated people who keep EAC going. Volunteers are the backbone of EAC, a member-run organization. We are grateful for the many volunteers who answer the call when help is needed. Visit the Members’ Area for more information about volunteering for EAC.
4. PUBLICATIONS: Editing Canadian English update
Editing Canadian English—the online edition—is going live this fall!
We’re looking for a team of volunteers to put the new Editing Canadian English text into our content management system. Training will be provided and can be done remotely. The work itself, which will be done in mid-September, can be done remotely as well. If you’re interested, contact the publications committee.
5. PROMOTE YOURSELF: Tell the world about your achievements
EAC member news is where we share information about EACers who win awards, publish books and make their mark on the communications world in other important ways.
Do you have a recent achievement? Let EAC tell the world about it on EAC’s member news page. If you have member news to share, drop our member news coordinator a line.
6. TWIGS: Calling all Calgary members
Christine Beevis Trickett would like to hear from members in the Calgary area who are interested in getting together for informal meetings. Email Christine for more information.
Other members of the Prairie Provinces branch who are interested in meeting in this way are encouraged to contact Lesley Cameron, director of branches and twigs (west).
Wondering what’s happening in your neck of the woods? Visit your branch or twig page to find out about events in your area.
7. TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT: Online editor training through EAC
Online training? We want to make this happen, but we need your help! We’re looking for volunteers to join EAC’s training and development committee. Your writing, editing, interviewing, discussing and synthesizing abilities are needed. Tasks range from creating a questionnaire and interviewing our wonderful current EAC instructors to taking part in focused conversations and developing resources for the work plan. And if you have technical or specialized knowledge related to setting up and conducting web training, please let us know. Write today to Christine Hastie, incoming chair of training and development, to express your interest and for information on volunteer activities between August and October.
8. EXTERNAL LIAISON: Registration for Humber College ebook editing course now open
Ebook QA: Digital Literacy for Editors (CBPP 009)
Proofreading ebooks is a mysterious, technical process. The process even has its own name—QA, or quality assurance—which feels like another way to alienate editors from digital products. This online course will guide students with a beginner publishing and/or editorial background through the world of digital publishing. The basic structure of ebooks and formats will be reviewed, as well as what can go wrong in an ebook and why. Reflowable ePubs and mobi files, fixed-layout with and without audio, ePibs, enhanced ebooks, and iBooks author projects will be scrutinized.
Instructor Laura Brady is principal at Brady Type, a full-service book design studio specializing in ebook development, custom training, and general publishing problem-solving. She has worked extensively in the various reflowable and fixed-layout formats, and in supporting trade publishers with backlist conversions.
| Date: | Monday, September 15, 2014 – Monday, November 3, 2014 |
| Time: | N/A |
| Location: | Online |
| Room: | You will require a computer with Internet access. Visit the Humber website for more information. |
| Fee | $786.30 |
| Registration: | Register online |
For further information, please email Natalie St. Pierre.
The EAC national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.