News, events, tips and updates from Editors Canada
In this issue:
1. WEBINARS: Train online with Editors Canada
2. CONNECT: Growing the Editors’ Vine online meeting
3. RESOURCES: What can a professional editor do for you?
4. MEMBER BENEFITS: New resources for in-house editors
5. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION: Bring the exam to you
6. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Virginia St-Denis
7. NOMINATIONS: National executive council and committee chairs
8. MEMBER NEWS: Tell the world about your accomplishment
9. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
1. WEBINARS: Train online with Editors Canada
Are you looking for training opportunities online? Check out our Spring 2020 webinars.
Don’t forget: Editors Canada members and student affiliates register at discounted rates.
Upcoming webinars
April 30: Macros for Editors: Building on the Foundations with Paul Beverley
May 5: Why to Hire an Editor: And What to Expect When You Do with Lynne Melcombe
May 14: “With Your Consent”: The Unruly Realm of Copyright and Permissions with Dania Sheldon
Catch up on demand: Webinar recordings are available
Did you miss an Editors Canada webinar? Many of our webinars have been recorded and are now available for purchase (and some are even free). When you buy a webinar recording, you’ll receive a video file to watch at your leisure on your computer or mobile device. The file is yours to keep, so you can watch it again and again.
Visit our webinar recordings page to see what’s available now. We’re adding new recordings regularly so be sure to check often.
2. CONNECT: Growing the Editors’ Vine online meeting
Janine and Nicola, facilitators of the Editors’ Vine online meetings, and the improving access to member services task force are happy to report that the inaugural meetings were a resounding success. Approximately 40 people requested the meeting links: 19 attended on Thursday and 12 on Saturday. Most importantly, all the feedback was positive.
But we have learned some lessons:
- This is a member benefit. When you contact us to join the mailing list, please include your Editors Canada twig/branch.
- The consensus from both meetings was that attendees would like a combination of education/professional development and time for free-flowing conversation.
- The task force will be taking the feedback and plan accordingly. We’re open to ideas, so if there is a topic you would like to see, please let us know.
The next meetings are Thursday, May 7 (7 p.m., EDT), and Saturday, May 9 (1 p.m., EDT). If you are not yet on the mailing list and would like to receive the links to those meetings, please send an email to vine@editors.ca.
Looking for other ways to stay connected while physical distancing? Visit the Editors Canada website for a roundup of the virtual networking options available to members.
3. RESOURCES: What can a professional editor do for you?
We’ve created a new resource for editors to share with potential clients. What can a professional editor do for you? is a short brochure that describes the benefits of working with a professional editor and how to hire one.
The full text of the brochure is available on the Editors Canada website. You can also download web and print-ready PDFs to share.
Special thanks to the many volunteers involved in creating this long-awaited resource, from writing the text, to translation, copy editing, design and proofreading.
4. MEMBER BENEFITS: New resources for in-house editors
Hey in-house editors, we see you!
The members-only page for in-house editors has more resources than ever before, and they’re just for you. The in-house editor page is your place to find tools to help you navigate your work efficiently and with confidence. This includes:
- webinars on topics of particular interest to in-house editors, like editing software and creating in-house style guides;
- blog, newsletter and other articles on using checklists, managing client relationships and usability testing;
- a new style guide case study series; and
- an annotated bibliography of other editing resources.
Check out the new resources and share your favourite tools, tips and tricks by emailing the member services committee chair.
A huge thanks to the member services committee for putting these resources together.
5. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION: Bring the exam to you
The certification steering committee is keeping a close eye on developments relating to COVID-19, but as things currently stand, we’re working toward holding the Stylistic Editing professional certification exam as planned. The exam is scheduled for Saturday, November 21, 2020, in exam centres in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver (venues to be confirmed).
If you’re planning to take the exam, this might be the year you take us up on our “remote” option! If you’re an international candidate, live further than 300 km from one of the test centres, or will find it difficult to get to one, we’ll work with you to set up an exam location that is convenient for you.
Apply in writing to the Editors Canada national office at certification@editors.ca for approval at least 10 weeks before the exam session (by Saturday, September 12, 2020). Once we’ve approved your application, we’ll send you the criteria for finding an exam invigilator and an appropriate location to write the test, with access to a PC or Mac computer. We’ll ask you to confirm your remote testing location by Saturday, October 24, 2020. More details are available on the Editors Canada professional certification page.
Registration for the Stylistic Editing professional certification exam will open in July, if all goes as planned. For more information, visit the professional certification exams page.
In the meantime, stay safe and healthy!
6. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Virginia St-Denis
Virginia St-Denis launched her freelance business three years ago, but she’s no newcomer to the field. Virginia began her career in 1991 as a reporter-photographer for newspapers and magazines in the Niagara Falls area after graduating from Humber College’s Journalism program. Moving to Ottawa in 2002, she became the communications editor at a national non-profit organization. When she launched the plain-language Journal of Aboriginal Health, the multi-skilled Virginia became what she calls “a one-woman production team,” covering the peer review process, desktop publishing and proofreading. Since then, she has been the managing editor of three medical journals.
Virginia joined Editors Canada in 2015 when she returned to magazine work. With her Social Media Certificate from Algonquin College in hand, she created a social media strategy for Editors Canada in 2017 and volunteered as the in-house editors’ networking organizer for Editors Ottawa–Gatineau.
Joining the national executive council in 2018, Virginia became the director of communications and the interim chair of the communications and marketing committee. There she earned her biggest reward volunteering so far: creating an integrated marketing and communications strategy for the webinar flash sale that raised more than $22,500. “That was about a quarter of the total webinar sales for 2018 and did not include any paid promotion, so that was straight profit,” she says proudly.
In her spare time, Virginia enjoys nature, architecture and abstract photography. This hobby has not only won her many awards from ViewBug, an online photography community, but also prompted her to volunteer as photographer at the 2017 and 2019 national conferences. “Being a volunteer photographer gave me an excuse to talk to different people and helped break me out of my shell,” Virginia notes. “I learned so much from the sessions, I met so many great people and I have the pictures to prove it!”
– S. Robin Larin
The volunteer of the month highlights the dedicated people who keep Editors Canada going. Volunteers are the backbone of the association. We are grateful for the many members and affiliates who answer the call when help is needed.
7. NOMINATIONS: National executive council and committee chairs
Would you like to help shape Editors Canada at the national level, develop new skills and broaden your professional network? The 2020 nominating committee of Editors Canada is looking for engaged, dedicated members to serve on the national executive council or chair national committees.
For more information or to submit a nomination, visit the Editors Canada website.
8. MEMBER NEWS: Tell the world about your accomplishment
Editors Canada Member News is where we share information about members and affiliates who win awards, publish books and make their mark in other important ways.
Do you have an achievement you’d like to share? Are you excited about a new project or opportunity that has come your way? Let us tell the world all about it! Please send your stories to the member news coordinator.
9. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
I’ve always considered myself an introvert with a dash of extrovert thrown in—I can act like an extrovert when the situation calls for it, but I much prefer being alone or with my family. However, during this time of physical distancing, I find I’m extremely thankful for the connections I’ve formed while volunteering for Editors Canada. My work for the association allows me to connect with others and lets me focus on giving back to people, even when it’s not safe to be around anyone.
If you are searching for a sense of connection, I encourage you to consider volunteering for Editors Canada. This doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment, and you don’t need to start off with volunteering at the national level. Contact your local branch or twig to see if they need help with running their next online meeting. Or if you’re ready for a bigger step, see what positions are available on your branch executive, or volunteer as your twig’s next co-coordinator. If you’d like to volunteer at the national level, considering being part of one of Editors Canada’s committees, or represent editors across the country by being on the national executive council. Email the chair of the volunteer management committee to get more information.
Heather Buzila
President
The national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.