News, events, tips and updates from Editors Canada
In this issue:
1. TRAIN ONLINE: Discover a new world of webinars
2. CLAUDETTE UPTON SCHOLARSHIP: $1,000 award for a promising student editor
3. EQUITY FELLOWSHIP: Supporting editors who have traditionally been excluded by the publishing and editing industries
4. PRESIDENT’S AWARD: Recognizing Editors Canada’s stellar volunteers
5. EDITING ESSENTIALS: Unlock your career
6. STUDENT RELATIONS: Editing Essentials study partners
7. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Mentorship
8. FEATURED VOLUNTEER: Berna Ozunal
9. MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS: Promoting the editing profession across the country
10. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
11. EXTERNAL LIAISON: News from The Indexing Society of Canada
12. NATIONAL OFFICE: Please welcome Sara Abdul!
13. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
1. TRAIN ONLINE: Discover a new world of webinars
Have you explored our winter/spring 2023 lineup of webinars yet? Don’t delay, or you might miss exciting new professional development opportunities! Upcoming sessions include:
- Friday, March 3: Sharing Your Editing Knowledge: How to Teach and Train Students and Clients (Suzanne Bowness)
- Wednesday, March 22: Descriptive Transcripts for Accessibility and More (Julie Kay-Wallace)
- Thursday, March 30: Creating Accessible Documents (Suzanne Schaan)
That said, if you do miss a live webinar, all is not lost! You can still purchase a recording to watch at your leisure. See the full selection on our webinars page.
2. CLAUDETTE UPTON SCHOLARSHIP: $1,000 award for a promising student editor
Calling all Editors Canada student affiliates! The application deadline for the Claudette Upton Scholarship is fast approaching.
This is a $1,000 scholarship to help support continuing professional development in editing. The recipient is encouraged to use the scholarship to attend our national conference, purchase Editors Canada publications, or attend association seminars and webinars.
How to apply
Visit the Claudette Upton Scholarship page for this year’s essay topic and other application requirements. The deadline for applications is Thursday, April 6.
Spread the word
If you know a student who is not an affiliate of Editors Canada and who would be interested in this opportunity, please pass along this message and encourage them to join us.
3. EQUITY FELLOWSHIP: Supporting editors who have traditionally been excluded by the publishing and editing industries
We are now accepting applications for the 2023 Equity Fellowship.
This annual fellowship is designed to support editors who have traditionally been excluded by the publishing and editing industries, including editors who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour), 2SLGBTQIA+, neurodiverse and disabled.
The Equity Fellowship provides the following to up to three successful applicants each year:
- membership in Editors Canada for one year;
- registration for the annual conference or the congrès des langagiers et langagières (in French only) of Editors Canada;
- three Editors Canada webinars;
- one copy of the book Editing Canadian English (and Editorial Niches);
- one copy of the ebook From Contact to Contract;
- one copy of each of the four Certification Test Preparation Guides; and
- a listing in the Editors Canada Online Directory of Editors for one year.
Each fellowship is valued at $1,250.
The deadline for applications is Thursday, April 6. For complete application instructions and other information about the fellowship, visit the Equity Fellowship page.
4. PRESIDENT’S AWARD: Recognizing Editors Canada’s stellar volunteers
Editors Canada does a lot of amazing work. We work on branch and twig activities, a national conference, publications, services, professional certification and so many other important things. And these are conceptualized, organized, coordinated and implemented by volunteers.
The Editors Canada President’s Award for Volunteer Service is one way we thank our volunteers for outstanding service to the association. Such service may include
- volunteering over a long period of time,
- identifying and solving a critical problem,
- meeting a specific need, or
- organizing an activity that advances our goals or inspires others to get involved.
Any member or student affiliate in good standing may be nominated for their contribution. From the nominations received, one outstanding volunteer will receive the Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award.
The deadline for nominations is Thursday, April 6. For complete nomination instructions and other information about the award, visit the President’s Award page.
5. EDITING ESSENTIALS: Unlock your career
Ready to launch your editing career? Wondering how to let employers know you’ve got what it takes?
Editors Canada Editing Essentials is an online test to assess knowledge of the basics of editing and to provide a qualification for entry-level editors. This test evaluates basic competence in the areas of structural editing, stylistic editing, copy editing and proofreading.
Unlike Editors Canada Professional Certification, which recognizes highly experienced editors who are already the masters of their craft, Editing Essentials is intended for editors at the beginning of their careers.
Editing Essentials is a timed, multiple-choice test that’s offered online. Take the test anywhere, anytime. There are no membership, education or experience prerequisites.
Pass the Editing Essentials test and you’ll receive an official letter from Editors Canada confirming you’ve earned the Editors Canada Editing Essentials qualification. It’s that simple!
Visit the Editors Canada Editing Essentials page to learn more or to register now.
6. STUDENT RELATIONS: Editing Essentials study partners
Are you planning to take the Editors Canada Editing Essentials test? Would you like an accountability partner to study with? The student relations committee invites you to sign up and connect with other student affiliates to prepare for the test.
Sign up on the committee’s Google Sheet now.
7. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Mentorship
The Editors Canada mentorship program offers two levels of mentorship.
Level 1
- designed primarily for student affiliates and those who have a small, clearly defined topic they want to discuss
- 4–5 hours over 1 month
Level 2
- designed for a more in-depth mentoring experience
- 10–20 hours over 2 months
- can be extended up to 6 months
Visit the John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program page for more details and to apply to be a mentor or a mentee.
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. Thank you so much to Editors Canada for making this possible.”
– 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
8. FEATURED VOLUNTEER: Berna Ozunal
When it comes to volunteering for Editors Canada, Berna Ozunal has been a one-person band. She started as vice-chair of Editors Toronto in 2012 and is currently chair of the national standards committee. She has also served on the national executive council as director of publications, director of training and development, and director of professional standards. She has contributed to the national and local blogs, led the launch of the Editors Canada webinars subsite, and is helping to create the “much awaited and needed first draft of a revised Professional Editorial Standards.” That draft is nearly ready to be shared with Editors Canada members for review.
Berna also supports new editors through her volunteer work. She has just completed her third stint as a mentor in Editors Canada’s John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program and has given presentations to editing classes about the benefits of membership in the association. “I can go on and on about the benefits, but luckily they limit me to 50 minutes,” she laughs.
For Berna, volunteering is about giving back and “working together to advance the profession of editing in Canada—a noble task.” In addition to volunteering, she teaches Structural and Stylistic Editing at George Brown College.
Berna developed her own impressive skills through education and experience. She began editing over 20 years ago as a legal research editor. In addition to her degree in philosophy and communication studies, she has a diploma in film editing and certificates in plain language and graphic design. She now works for clients in Toronto and Ottawa and edits a variety of materials. In 2018, Berna received her Certified Professional Editor credential from Editors Canada, crowning a truly comprehensive career.
In Editors Canada, Berna has enjoyed meeting “so many interesting people doing important work” more than anything. When she’s not editing, Berna enjoys going to art galleries, participating in outdoor activities, like biking and ice skating, and tending to her Puginese, Olive.
~S. Robin Larin
The featured volunteer recognizes the contributions of our dedicated people who keep Editors Canada going. Volunteers are the backbone of the association and we are grateful for the many members and affiliates who answer the call when help is needed.
9. MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS: Promoting the editing profession across the country
The marketing and communications committee’s ambassador program is well underway. Since November, Editors Canada ambassadors have given six presentations (online and in person) in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.
Many thanks to ambassadors Suzanne Bowness, Lesley Cameron, Merel Elsinga, Frances Peck, Gael Spivak and Lorna Stuber for their hard work on these presentations. Thanks also to the ambassadors who will be presenting this year. Editors Canada ambassadors are already scheduled to give presentations in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia in 2023.
Do you know someone who represents an educational institution, writers’ group or library that would benefit from a presentation about becoming an editor or what an editor can do for them? Want to become an ambassador yourself? Contact Lucy Payette. This is a fine opportunity to network and promote Editors Canada and the work that editors do.
10. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
A Tale of Two Florists, the debut novel of Editors Calgary member Brenna Bailey-Davies, will be released on Thursday, March 9. Pre-orders are available directly from Brenna or in most bookstores.
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.
11. EXTERNAL LIAISON: News from The Indexing Society of Canada
Call for Submissions: ISC/SCI Ewart-Daveluy Award for Excellence in Indexing 2023
Submissions are open! The application has never been easier.
The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, March 15. Please see the ISC/SCI website for guidelines, criteria, and the submission form.
12. NATIONAL OFFICE: Please welcome Sara Abdul!
We’re pleased to announce that Sara Abdul has joined the national office staff as our new training and development manager.
Sara comes to us with an honours double BA in English and Philosophy and a Master of Arts in Cinema and Media, with electives in writing and editing. In university she worked as an editor for her school paper and at the writing centre. Most recently she did a contract at the Toronto International Film Festival and has worked at the Afghan Association of Ontario. Sara is also an intermediate French speaker with a DELF level B2 French speaking certificate,
In addition to being the first point of contact in the national office, Sara will provide support for the national training and development portfolio, which includes managing our annual conference and webinars program. Welcome, Sara!
13. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
The national executive council (NEC) had its first meeting of 2023 on Sunday, January 29. Our directors, committees and task forces are off to a strong start in the new year. There are a few big projects underway, such as the website and the conference, and there are many ongoing projects that our committees are working hard on, such as webinars, publications, and equity, diversity and inclusion reviews and initiatives.
We were joined at the meeting by Lianne Fontaine from Editors Manitoba, who shared that Editors Manitoba members have found in-person gatherings and mastermind groups to be valuable. I always enjoy hearing from the visiting branches and twigs at NEC meetings and learning about how Editors Canada members are engaging with other local members in different areas of the country.
I’d like to share with you that Rachel Robinson has stepped down as director of marketing and communications for personal reasons. We appreciate all that Rachel contributed to the NEC and wish her well.
On behalf of the NEC, I would like to thank the outgoing training and development manager, Caitlin Stewart, for all the excellent work she has done for the organization. We wish her the best in all her future endeavours. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to Sara Abdul, Editors Canada’s new training and development manager. We look forward to meeting and working with Sara!
The next e-news update will include a summary of the Sunday, February 26, NEC meeting. The NEC will meet next on Sunday, March 19.
The national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.