News, events, tips and updates for members of the Editors’ Association of Canada
In this issue:
1. EAC CERTIFICATION: Stand out from the crowd
2. TWIG NEWS: A brand new twig and discounted Stratford tickets
3. MEMBER COMMUNICATION: 2012 member survey report now online
4. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
5. GET INVOLVED: Expand your network and boost your resumé
6. VOLUNTEER RESOURCES: Emergency response form now available
7. NATIONAL OFFICE: Staff news
1. EAC CERTIFICATION: Stand out from the crowd
Thinking about becoming certified?
Like the start of the new calendar year, September is the perfect time to set new goals and commit to professional development. Are you thinking about writing EAC’s Copy Editing or Stylistic Editing certification test? There’s no better time to hit the books and become certified.
Last chance until 2015 to take the Copy Editing and Stylistic Editing tests!
Registration is still open, but only until October 25. These tests won’t be offered again until 2015 (the Proofreading and Structural Editing tests will be offered in 2014), so don’t miss your chance to flex your editing muscles, test your skills and enhance your career.
The Copy Editing and Stylistic Editing tests will take place on Saturday, November 16, in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax.
Register today to see how EAC Certification can help your career.
2. TWIG NEWS: A brand new twig and discounted Stratford tickets
EAC welcomes the Newfoundland and Labrador Editors (NLE)
In the fall of 2012, Newfoundland editors Claire Wilkshire, Marnie Parson and Sandy Newton got together to talk about professional development possibilities for editors in the St. John’s region. They also shared thoughts about who was doing editorial work locally. They sent out an email to the resulting list to solicit feedback on their idea and received a lot of encouragement.
So they planned through the autumn, gathering more names at the “8-Step Editing” workshop held in St. John’s. In the winter and spring of 2013, they organized several “Editors Talk Shop” sessions. The final presentation, in June, was Claire’s overview of EAC’s 2013 conference.
Shortly thereafter, the EAC membership in Canada’s easternmost province grew to five, the number required to form a twig. In August, the five applied for twig status, and we are pleased to announce that the formation of EAC’s newest twig is now confirmed.
Anyone who has experience delivering professional development workshops to editors and who might be passing through Newfoundland is encouraged to contact the twig.
Claire Wilkshire (L) and Sandy Newton (R) celebrate the official notification of the creation of EAC’s newest twig in August 2013. Claire and Sandy will share the twig coordinator responsibilities. Photo: Alison Dyer
Learn more about the Newfoundland and Labrador Editors.
Join the KWG twig at the Stratford Festival
In the name of inspiration, camaraderie and enjoyment, EAC’s Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph (KWG) twig has reserved a block of tickets for The Three Musketeers at the internationally recognized Stratford Festival. You’re welcome to join us!
The Three Musketeers: Love, honour and swordfighting for our entertainment!
| Date: | Sunday, October 6 |
| Time: | 2 p.m. |
| Location: | Festival Theatre Stratford, ON |
| Cost: | $55/ticket, including taxesPurchase your tickets now. |
Bring some friends and find out for yourselves why Reader’s Digest named Stratford one of the “Top 10 Best Canadian Road Trips.” We look forward to seeing you at the theatre!
If you have any questions, please contact the KWG twig coordinators, Emily Dockrill Jones and Linda Sherwood.
Wondering what’s happening in your neck of the woods? Visit your branch or twig page to find out about events in your area.
3. MEMBER COMMUNICATION: 2012 member survey report now online
If you want current information about how much EAC members charge for their skills, the kinds of publications members work on and what members value most about belonging to EAC, we have some answers for you.
Check out the EAC Membership Survey Highlights Report, now available online in English and French.
English report
French report
(Just a reminder: You need to log in to access the survey report.)
A big thank you to all the following volunteers and staff who enthusiastically volunteered their skills and time to this survey project.
Gael Spivak for her guidance and wealth of wisdom
Annie Leung for drawing on her marketing skills to promote the survey and encourage members to participate in the survey
Mary McNeill and Ruth Chernia for their attention to detail while identifying and grouping open-ended comments into clearly discernible themes
EAC’s national executive council for taking the time to read through and provide detailed feedback on an early draft of the survey report
Brooke Burns for copy editing and formatting the report (any remaining errors are strictly a result of chair oversight)
Carolyn L Burke for technical assistance with Survey Monkey
Michelle Ou for coordinating and sending out requests for volunteers and e-blasts, arranging to get the report translated, and for her wealth of knowledge and resources
Susan Chambers
Chair, Member Communication Committee
4. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
Ruth Chernia, Toronto branch, was a member of the publications committee, production manager and one of 44 contributors to Tracing Our Roots, Telling Our Stories, published by the Jewish Genealogical Society (JGS) of Toronto. The commemorative book celebrates 25 years of the JGS of Toronto, and has been awarded Outstanding Publication by a Member Organization of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS).
Toronto branch member Marnie Lamb has had a short story nominated for this year’s Journey Prize. “Mrs. Fujimoto’s Wednesday Afternoons” was originally published in issue 91.3 of The Dalhousie Review. The Journey Prize winner will be announced in November. Further details are available on The Journey Prize’s Facebook page.
Nova Scotia twig member Virginia McGowan, PhD., has been published by Athabasca University Press. A Metaphoric Mind: Selected Writings of Joseph Couture, edited in partnership with Ruth Couture, was funded in part by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. More information can be found at www.aupress.ca.
Tony Myres, NCR branch, recently won first prize in the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction and Essay contest. Read his story, “Searching for Father—A Tale of Repentance, Redemption and Resurrection.”
Do you have a recent achievement? Let EAC help tell the world about it on EAC’s Member News page. If you have member news to share, contact the member news coordinator, Kerri Niblett.
5. GET INVOLVED: Expand your network and boost your resumé
Want to give your career a lift? Volunteer for EAC. Volunteering has many benefits for the association, but it can be a professional advantage for you as well. EAC member volunteers work with influential members of the publishing and communications industries, learn new skills, expand their portfolios and boost their career options.
Here are just some of the positions that are currently available.
L’Agrément de l’ACR
The Comité Agrément/Principes, chaired by Sandra Gravel (EAC’s 2012–13 director of francophone affairs), has recruited member volunteers and will soon begin creating the first program on certification of editing in the French language. Are you are an experienced professional who wants to take part in this unique project? Contact committee chair Sandra Gravel by October 7 to get involved.
Conference 2014
Planning for Conference 2014—Tracking Change: e-Merging Methods and Markets is underway. The conference committee is looking forward to seeing everyone at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute in Toronto from June 7 to 9. Most of the committee roles have been filled, but we still need a sponsorship coordinator. This is a vital role for the success of our conference and must be filled ASAP!
Conference sponsorship coordinator
The sponsorship coordinator is responsible for:
- reviewing the current sponsorship package and suggesting revisions to improve and tailor it for the Toronto conference;
- leading and coordinating the brainstorming of possible sponsors; and
- contacting possible sponsors and tracking their responses.
No experience is required, just enthusiasm and an ability to promote the benefits of sponsorship to new and returning sponsors.
We are also looking for volunteers to fill sub-committee roles and help the conference committee make Conference 2014 a success. Volunteering is a great way to get to know some of your fellow editors and add skills and experience to your resumé. Are you great at organization? Do you love to write? Are you active on social media? If any of these apply, we want to hear from you!
Anyone interested in volunteering for Conference 2014 should contact the volunteer coordinator, Breanne MacDonald.
Francophone affairs
Would you like to see an increase in the number of French-language services offered by EAC? Do you want to earn some valuable national-level volunteer experience? Here’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss!
Francophone affairs committee chair
We’re looking for a volunteer chair to engage the francophone membership and develop promotional tools in French. This is an investment of time that will result in a rewarding experience. If you’re interested, contact director of francophone affairs, Marie-Christine Payette.
Marketing and public relations
The Marketing and Public Relations Committee is looking for a volunteer creative copywriter to promote the benefits of volunteering as professional development. There are many professional benefits to volunteering, and we need help getting the word out about this valuable opportunity! The copywriter will work with the volunteer management committee to help create a slogan and other marketing materials. This is a fun, exciting project that will help you build your portfolio, and let everyone know how valuable volunteering is. Contact Tina Dealwis, marketing and public relations chair, for more information.
Member services
Not only is volunteering a great way to give back to your organization, but it’s also a fantastic way to gain experience and build your professional network. The member services committee is looking for creative, enthusiastic volunteers to help develop and implement new services for members. Who better to do that than you? We each bring a unique perspective to this organization—make your voice count! Contact committee chair Suzanne Purkis to take part in this exciting opportunity.
Social media
Are you social media savvy? Do you have good communications skills? Want to expand your volunteer experience with new challenges? We’re looking for volunteers to increase our overall reach and build brand awareness by implementing and supporting social media strategies for the following projects/campaigns.
- Editing Canadian English
- The Editors’ Weekly Blog
- Other campaigns
Experience with social media required. Personal experience using social media outlets and ability to use online tools would be an asset.
This is a great opportunity for those who are interested in building their communication skills and looking for experience using social media. If interested, please contact EAC social media manager Emily Chau.
6. VOLUNTEER RESOURCES: Emergency Response Form now available
Have you ever dealt with an emergency? If so, you’ll know that people forget the simplest of things when their hearts are pounding and their bodies are full of adrenalin. Things like their phone number. Or even their own name.
But that’s the kind of information you need when handling an emergency.
To help EAC volunteers who run meetings or events, we’ve created an Emergency Response Form. You can use it to collect information about your meeting and your venue, so that you can have it on hand if you need it. Not having to look up phone numbers or addresses can save time, something that is extremely valuable in emergencies.
The form has instructions on how to fill it out and what to consider as you do so. While designing the form, we consulted with an expert in emergency preparedness and emergency response to verify that it covers all our volunteers’ needs.
Like all emergency preparedness tools, we hope we never need to use it. But we’ll be glad to have it if we do.
Visit EAC’s volunteer resources page in the members’ area to download the Emergency Response Form.
7. NATIONAL OFFICE: Staff news
We’re pleased (and a little embarrassed) to announce (belatedly) the addition of a new member of EAC’s national office team. Anita Princl joined the staff at the end of July as EAC’s member relations coordinator.
July! Oops.
Anita will provide national staff support for the annual conference, member services, and EAC’s branches and twigs. She enjoys contributing to non-profits and also volunteers her time coordinating an annual outdoor folk festival. We’re thrilled Anita has joined EAC’s staff…even if we forgot to mention it earlier. Welcome, Anita!
The EAC national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.