News, events, tips and updates for members of the Editors’ Association of Canada
In this issue:
1. EDITING EAC: Cast your ballot in February
2. CERTIFICATION: More than 90 tests written in 2010
3. TOM FAIRLEY AWARD: More than books!
4. CLAUDETTE UPTON SCHOLARSHIP: Submit your application
5. CONFERENCE 2011: Update
6. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
7. FRANCOPHONE AFFAIRS: Update
8. MARKETING: One great reason to join EAC
9. NATIONAL OFFICE: Holiday closure
1. EDITING EAC: Cast your ballot in February
Over the last seven months we’ve encouraged members to join the discussion on
Editing EAC (338.5 KB)at the national conference and annual general meeting, at the branch level and online. And we’ve received some terrific feedback from across the country!
So, what’s next?
Check your inbox!
In January 2011, the national office will send all members a national executive council proposal for how to move forward with “Editing EAC.” This email may look different than emails you regularly receive from EAC, so be sure to keep an eye out for anything from “Editors’ Association of Canada.”
Then vote!
Between February 1 and February 15, 2011, members with voting privileges will be asked to cast their ballot on the proposal.
In the meantime, if you would like to comment on the Editing EAC discussion paper, or make some interesting new suggestions, we continue to welcome your participation on Interactive Voice.
Michelle Boulton, president
Greg Ioannou, vice-president
2. CERTIFICATION: More than 90 tests written in 2010
Pioneering test takers
Congratulations to all of the test takers who wrote the 2010 certification tests. They are pioneers of a sort, being the first to write tests based on the Professional Editorial Standards that came into effect on January 1, 2010. On November 20, 42 people wrote proofreading and 49 wrote copy editing.
The number of candidates ranged widely from 2 in Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax and Montreal to 17 people writing in each of Toronto and Ottawa. Six wrote in Vancouver.
Ten volunteers also wrote the stylistic editing test. It will be the basis for the Stylistic Editing Study Guide: Editors’ Association of Canada Certification coming out in 2011.
Thank you to the test setters, test shepherds, pilot testers, test editors and proofreaders, and markers who make EAC Certification possible. And a big thanks to Helena Aalto, EAC’s professional development coordinator.
Opportunities on Certification Steering Committee
The Certification Steering Committee (CSC) is looking for three new members. Could one of them be you? As a member of the CSC, you’ll help develop EAC’s certification program, work with stimulating colleagues and enjoy many opportunities to grow professionally and personally. The CSC meets by phone and email, as well as in person twice a year in Toronto.
If you’re interested in joining a terrific group of colleagues to help enhance the status of editing as a profession in Canada, join us! Previous certification experience (taking tests or volunteering) is required. For more information, please contact the interim CSC chair at certification_chair@editors.ca.
3. TOM FAIRLEY AWARD: More than books!
Winning website editors wanted! Looking for magnificent magazine editors with moxie! Remarkable report revisers required! Desperately seeking dynamite doctorers of documentation!
Editors know that the fine art of editing extends beyond books and print media. While EAC’s Tom Fairley Award has been awarded to many outstanding book editors in the 26 years since it was created, we’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that we encourage nominations for a variety of written projects. Whether it’s a website, magazine, corporate report, software documentation or a book, we want to hear about it!
The winner of the 2010 Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence will receive a $2,000 cash prize and will be recognized at the banquet of EAC’s 2011 conference in Vancouver on May 28, 2011.
Deadlines:
1. Friday, January 14, 2011, for the letter of nomination
2. Friday, January 28, 2011, for the supporting documentation and administration fee
Self-nominations are encouraged.
For complete nomination instructions and other information about the award, see Tom Fairley Award page
4. CLAUDETTE UPTON SCHOLARSHIP: Submit your application
Calling all EAC student members! Submit your application now for EAC’s newest national award, the Claudette Upton Scholarship.
This is a $1,000 scholarship to help support continuing professional development in editing. The winner is encouraged to use the prize to attend EAC’s national conference, purchase EAC publications or attend association workshops. The winner will be recognized at the banquet of EAC’s 2011 conference in Vancouver on May 28, 2011
Visit Claudette Upton Scholarship for application instructions.
Deadline:
Your application package must reach the national office by Friday, January 28, 2011.
5. CONFERENCE 2011: Update
Season’s greetings from the conference committee! We’ve been busy planning next year’s conference in Vancouver. If you haven’t saved the dates yet, be sure to mark May 27-29, 2011, on your calendars, agendas or smart phones. You don’t want to miss Editing in the Age of e-Everything / La revision à l’ère du tout-électronique. Here’s an update on what we’ve been working on.
Conference Twitter
All the latest conference news is now only a tweet away. Follow us @eacconference today because we’ll be making an exciting Twitter-related announcement in the New Year. You don’t want to miss it!
Giving thanks
Holiday cookies and peppermint lattes definitely help to bolster us during the conference planning process, but it’s the volunteers who really keep us going. Whether it’s helping to secure speakers, research contacts or draft content (or take photos of committee members), we’d like to thank you for being amazing volunteers.
We’re still looking for conference volunteers, including on-site help with conference set-up and registration. If you’re interested, please contact our volunteer coordinator, Chantal Moore at chantal.moore@ubc.ca.
Wishing you and yours safe and happy holidays. See you in Vancouver in 2011!
6. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
Quebec/Atlantic Canada branch member Wendy Helfenbaum, and Montreal author Marijke Vroomen-Durning, recently launched a new international essay anthology, Fits, Starts & Matters of the Heart. The book is a collection of 28 stories demonstrating “the enduring power of relationships to drive, haunt, empower and enrich us.” It is available online from Amazon.ca.
Prairie Provinces branch member Roberta Laurie recently edited the non-fiction anthology Christmas Chaos, published by Prairie Dog Publishing. Christmas Chaos features tales of Christmases gone awry from across Canada. After two weeks on McNally Robinson Winnipeg’s bestseller list this month, it has now reached the bestseller list at McNally Robinson Saskatoon.
BC branch member Frances Peck recently published an e-book titled Peck’s English Pointers. The book takes “a thorough yet entertaining look at some of the most common errors, weaknesses and uncertainties that plague writers of English.” It is available online from the Translation Bureau of Canada.
Kudos to National Capital Region branch member Marion Soublière, whose book, Getting Work with the Federal Government: A guide to figuring out the procurement puzzle (Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, 2010), is now available through Chapters.ca and Amazon.ca. The book shows independent professionals of all stripes how to get contract work with the $20 billion per year federal market.
Member news is a new component of the EAC website and is designed to not only applaud EAC members’ successes but also let visitors to the website know that EAC members win awards, publish books and make their mark on the communications world in other important ways.
If you have member news to share, contact member news coordinator, Marguerite Watson.
7. FRANCOPHONE AFFAIRS: Update
Marketing
The Marketing and Public Relations Committee is seeking a collaborator to produce or edit the French copy in a new membership brochure that will promote “15 Reasons to Join EAC.” If this project interests you, please send an email to dir.affaires.franco@reviseurs.ca.
Panel discussion
EAC’s director of Francophone Affairs, Carolyne Roy, was part of a panel discussion on the appreciation and enrichment of the language occupations, held at Université de Montréal on December 3. The discussion focused on the recognition of language professional skills and the difference between an association and an order. Thirty people—members, students and/or professionals—were in attendance.
National Capital Region
A group of francophone members from the NCR branch has met three times recently at the University of Ottawa. This group will soon decide whether it sees itself as a collective or a twig. To help clarify the question for members, a veteran member of the group will write a report on the history of NCR’s francophone membership.
Beatrice Verley will host the “L’écriture et la révision de textes pour le web” workshop in spring 2011, while teacher and linguist Pierre Cardinal will talk about his latest book, Vocabulaide on January 27. In addition, the group has established contacts to arrange a briefing on the Canadian General Standards Board’s new standards in translation. If there is enough material and interest, the group may hold a symposium on the issue. Finally, the group decided to take part in Salon du livre de l’Outaouais.
8. MARKETING: One great reason to join EAC
Thanks to everyone who provided quotes for the Marketing and Public Relations Committee’s new membership brochure, “15 Reasons to Join EAC.” Everyone gave great reasons, but congratulations to NCR member Kevin Burns, who offered the best English-language anecdote to encourage people to join EAC:
“I receive more calls or emails that begin with ‘I saw your profile on the EAC website’ than any other opening line.”
For his ringing endorsement, Kevin will receive one of EAC’s popular “You write it, we right it” mugs.
The winner of the best French-language quote will be announced in January.
Marketing and PR Committee members Denise Barnard and Tammy Burns are continuing to narrow down the selection and will soon contact those whose quotes will also be used in the brochure.
9. NATIONAL OFFICE: Holiday closure
It’s that time of year again! The national office will close for the holidays at 5:00 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, December 23, and reopen at 9:00 a.m. (EST) on Tuesday, January 4.
Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season! See you in 2011!
The EAC national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.