Happy New Year!
2019 marks the 40th anniversary of Editors Canada.
Please help us celebrate this milestone online as we post anniversary-themed social media feeds on Thursdays throughout the year.
In February, you’ll also have access to an interactive timeline that highlights key moments in our organization’s history.
We hope you’ll also take advantage of opportunities to come together and celebrate in person through local branch and twig events, and at our annual conference in Halifax in June.
We are proud of how far we’ve come—as an organization and as a profession—and in 2019 we look forward to celebrating our progress, and planning our future, with you.
As for this edition of the e-news update, we want to help you tackle your New Year’s resolutions. Did you resolve to focus on your career in 2019? The key is to be realistic about your goals. And making the most of your Editors Canada membership will help you on your path to success.
In this issue:
1. DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS: Webinars, seminars, mentorship, books and more
2. GET HIRED: Find work in 2019
3. BOOST YOUR RESUMÉ: Get involved
4. EXPAND YOUR NETWORK: Connect with editors and people who hire editors
5. GET NOTICED: Stand out from the crowd
6. SAVE MONEY: Take advantage of Editors Canada discounts
7. BOOKMARK IT: Find Editors Canada benefits and services in one place
8. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
1. DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS: Webinars, seminars, mentorship, books and more
GOAL: Train online with Editors Canada
Want to get your training from the comfort of your own home? With Editors Canada webinars, you’ll find sessions on topics as varied as starting a freelance career, editing graphic novels and comic books, and pricing and estimating. Each session is presented by a top-notch instructor. Visit our webinars page to learn more about each session and to meet the instructors.
Don’t forget: Editors Canada members and student affiliates save 30% on the registration fee. Also, branches and twigs get a portion of the profit from webinars.
Upcoming webinars
- January 29–February 1: Gutenberg: The New WordPress Content Editor A to Z with Bud Kraus
- February 7, 14 and 21: Copyediting Live! with Elizabeth d’Anjou and Janice Weaver
- February 12 and 19: Getting Started in InDesign with James Harbeck
- February 25: Ten Graphic Design Tips for More Readable Documents – For Editors with Flora Gordon
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 and some are available for a limited time only, so be sure to check often.
GOAL: Attend branch and twig seminars
Give your skills a boost by taking part in branch and twig seminars and workshops. Expert instructors help new editors build foundational skills and experienced editors develop expertise. Want some insight into writing and editing memoirs, editing in Windows Microsoft Word, and writing and editing for the web? With Editors Canada workshops, there’s something for everyone.
For more information about workshops in your area, visit your branch or twig page.
GOAL: Take part in Editors Canada mentorship
The John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program offers a one-on-one mentor-mentee relationship available exclusively to Editors Canada members and student affiliates.
Mentorship is a method of offering professional development opportunities in a “community of sharing.” Mentors help other members of their profession to enhance their knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in a flexible, responsive and transformational environment. Coaching and confidence-building are important features of mentorship.
Learn more about the John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program.
GOAL: Hit the books
Whether you’re en route to becoming a certified editor or you’re brushing up on your skills, having the best resources is key. Editors Canada publications will help you on the path to excellence.
Professional Editorial Standards
What is editing? What do editors do? Professional Editorial Standards clarifies what is expected of Canadian editors and defines the criteria against which their knowledge, skills and practice can be measured.
- It sets out what editors should do when performing various stages of editing.
- It tells employers what to expect from the editors they hire.
- It shows new editors the range of skills and knowledge they should aspire to.
- It helps post-secondary institutions and other training providers to design material, seminars and courses on editing.
- And it’s the foundation on which Editors Canada’s Professional Certification of editors is built.
Download Professional Editorial Standards for free now.
Editing Canadian English and Editorial Niches
What do expert editors from Editors Canada and beyond say about Canadianization, spelling, the editor’s legal and ethical responsibilities, copyright, bilingual text and more? Find out in Editing Canadian English, 3rd edition. It’s a reference guide you can depend on.
Some of the common questions addressed by Editing Canadian English include these:
- What are the differences between proofreading, copy editing, stylistic editing and structural editing, and how do I know which role is required?
- When is it appropriate to adapt Canadian words that an international audience might stumble over?
- What are the biases common in Canada and how do I correct for them?
- How do I settle on a Canadian spelling when even our dictionaries can’t agree?
- What punctuation issues are specific to Canada?
- How do I reconcile the metric versus imperial mix that characterizes Canadian usage?
- How do I work with French text in English documents?
Get Editing Canadian English and Editorial Niches in the same eBook
The eBook contains all of Editing Canadian English and the companion volume, Editorial Niches.
Explore key roles and requirements for editors today, such as the fundamentals of editing, Professional Editorial Standards for structural editing, stylistic editing, copy editing and proofreading, professional development, fact checking, indexing, email etiquette and software for editors.
Learn about a wide variety of editorial niches from editors who are experts in their field. Niches include online materials, corporations, not-for-profits, associations, government, educational materials, poetry, plays, screenplays, cookbooks, magazines, science, technology, medicine and more.
How to buy the eBook
The eBook comes in .epub and .mobi formats and is available for purchase on Kindles, Kobos and Nooks, and on Amazon, Indigo, Barnes & Noble and many other places eBooks are sold.
Print edition
Looking for print copies of Editing Canadian English and Editorial Niches? Purchase your copies now from UBC Press. You can also order them from your favourite bookseller.
Certification Test Preparation Guides
If you want to be certification-ready, you’ll need the most current prep tools available. Editors Canada’s Test Preparation Guides are the go-to resources for anyone who wants to become a certified editor.
Each volume of the test preparation guides contains useful information to help you get ready for professional certification. You’ll also get a practice test (Microsoft Word format), an answer key, a marking sheet, and two sample tests—a passing test and a failing test—so you can compare your answers and see how you do.
The Test Preparation Guides are available for purchase directly from Editors Canada.
Principes directeurs en révision professionnelle
These French-language editorial standards are a tool for anyone just starting in the field and for established editors. They’re also a reference for anyone who hires editors. Available as a free download.
2. GET HIRED: Find work in 2019
GOAL: Get serious about your job search
Looking for work? Editors Canada offers members and affiliates a number of services that can help with your job search.
Online Directory of Editors (ODE)
The ODE is one of the most popular services Editors Canada offers. A listing in the ODE is a benefit available only to Editors Canada members for an annual fee of $80. Many members with an ODE listing generate enough income from their listing to pay for their membership and the listing itself many times over. Learn more about listing in the ODE.
Write a profile that gets noticed
What’s the secret to writing an online profile that attracts clients? Watch our free webinar Getting work with the Online Directory of Editors on YouTube now.
Tell the world about findaneditor.ca
Telling clients and employers about the ODE is a cinch thanks to our snappy URL. If you know someone who’s looking for an editor, send them to findaneditor.ca.
National Job Board
The National Job Board is where you’ll find notices of full-time, part-time, contract and freelance opportunities.
Posting on the National Job Board is free!
If you know someone who’s hiring an editor, invite them to post their job ad on our National Job Board and reach editors across Canada. It’s free!
Networking
Networking is one of the greatest benefits of membership. Editors will often subcontract work to or recommend a colleague if they can’t take a job. Get involved in the association and get to know your fellow members: attend online meetings, volunteer, and sign up for the email forum and association Facebook groups. The bigger your network, the better your chances of finding job opportunities.
GOAL: Get more resources for in-house editors
Don’t forget, networking isn’t just for freelancers. In-house editors need to network to stay on top of their game, too. Learn more about Editors Canada benefits for in-house editors.
Stay tuned for Gael Spivak’s post on “Client Relationships for the In-house Editor” in The Editors’ Weekly in early February. Our new series by and for in-house editors appears in The Editors’ Weekly every other month.
A new in-house series will also be launched in the next issue of our national magazine, Active Voice. If you’re interested in writing a post or an article about your experiences as an in-house editor, best practices, or new skills and tools, please contact Sara Promislow.
3. BOOST YOUR RESUMÉ: Get involved
GOAL: Add work experience and achievements to your resumé
Want to stand above other contenders? Consider volunteering for Editors Canada. Volunteering has many benefits for the association, but it can be beneficial to your career as well. Engaged members and affiliates work with influential members of the publishing and communication industries, learn new skills (at any experience level), expand their portfolios and enhance their career options.
Here are some of the opportunities that are currently available.
Make 2019 a year to learn new and valuable skills to bring to your editorial career
The training and development committee is in search of dedicated, energetic volunteers who can bring new thinking and go-getter initiative to the team.
The committee solicits, programs, and delivers top-quality educational content for editors and other communication professionals across the country.
We need volunteers to help with programming, to work as webinar hosts, and to spearhead or lead new initiatives.
We are looking for a diverse group of editors to join our committee to help us deliver the most relevant training to our membership. We are particularly seeking francophone editors to help us build a more bilingual webinar program.
The benefits of volunteering are numerous. Here are a few:
- Gain new knowledge and skills
- Step outside your safety zone and see what you can do
- Expand your network, personally and professionally
- Enhance your resumé and possibly gain valuable references
- Contribute to the success of an organization that is dedicated to helping you advance in your career
If you are interested and would like to know more, please email the training and development director.
Join the communications and marketing committee
Would you like an opportunity to network with editors across the country? Are you interested in learning more about agrément, awards, professional certification, conference, francophone affairs, membership, student relations, and training and development?
The communications and marketing committee is looking for volunteer members who can take the lead on developing and implementing one or two marketing and communications strategies for a year. Quarterly teleconferences will discuss project updates and how best to coordinate our efforts.
For more information, email Virginia St-Denis.
Join the translation team
Are you a French-to-English or English-to-French translator? We have an excellent opportunity to hone your skills and network with fellow members from coast to coast.
Editors Canada wants to create a team of translators and comparative editors who are willing to volunteer their services to committees and the national executive council. Interested members can send an email to Nancy Foran, translation team coordinator.
Meet Editors Canada’s Volunteer of the Month: Sheila Eskenazi
Sheila Eskenazi is our volunteer of the month for January. Her work has consisted of translating Editors Québec documents, seminar descriptions, and emails from French to English. With the great increase in French activities in the branch, Sheila found that there were many more things that needed translation, giving her the opportunity to hone her skills and provide a service to the organization.
“A volunteer-run group needs volunteers to run it, and when you value something, you support it in any way you can,” she says.
Sheila has been a member of Editors Québec since joining Editors Canada in 2008. Providing volunteer translation allows her to participate actively with the Editors Canada community and other not-for-profit and cultural organizations without being physically present. Her experience working with everyone she has connected with at Editors Canada has been pleasurable.
“I feel appreciated and get great satisfaction from the chance to contribute, and from the feedback I get on the translations I submit.”
Sheila has been an editor since 1984. Most of her work was done as a sideline and through volunteer work, as she owned and operated another small business with her husband. Once the business was sold, she devoted herself to building her editing career, and has since edited magazines, newspaper articles, websites, books and even phone menu messages.
Sheila’s career provides her with a varied and stimulating range of freelance work, which allows her to work from her “comfortable little nest at home.” Much of her work has been the result of her raising awareness of the needs of the English-speaking population in the Laurentians and encouraging groups to provide services in the language of the minority community. Coming from a long line devoted to community support, she hopes to carry on with her various involvements for many more years.
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.
4. EXPAND YOUR NETWORK: Connect with editors and people who hire editors
Making connections is essential for building and maintaining a successful career and for keeping up on industry news. Editors Canada is a national hub where members come together to support and assist one another, and to share professional insights and opportunities. Whether you work in-house or freelance, and whether you’re a student or a veteran editor, your community is here.
GOAL: Attend the Editors Canada 40th anniversary conference in Halifax (June 7–9)
Come celebrate with us in Halifax!
Connect with fellow editors and other communication professionals at the 40th-anniversary conference, taking place June 7–9, 2019, at the Westin Nova Scotian hotel.
We’re very excited that Linden MacIntyre and Sheree Fitch will be joining us as our keynote speakers! We’ve already posted travel and accommodation info, and will begin posting speaker bios and sessions descriptions shortly, so keep checking the website for updates. You can also follow us on Twitter (or search for #Editors19) and join our dedicated conference group on Facebook to stay in the loop.
The conference committee is looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Halifax. Registration will open soon and members will be notified by email when it happens, so watch your inbox!
GOAL: Attend our one-day mini conference for francophone editors (September)
Grande primeur et grande première! A French mini conference in September 2019 in Quebec City!
Yes, you read correctly! This year, Editors Canada is hosting a one-day conference for its francophone members and for Canada’s print communication professionals.
This enriching enrichment day proposes to
- celebrate the French language and its use in various forms of written communication;
- feature discussions, workshops and presentations on topics that are useful and inspiring for participants; and
- provide opportunities for structured and informal networking.
Sandra Gravel, our director of francophone affairs, has generously offered to lead the organizing committee for this event.
Details on the program, volunteer positions and registration details will be provided in the coming months. If you’d like to join the coordinating team, please email Sandra.
GOAL: Connect with other editors online
Our members-only Facebook group is a private place where we can talk, share information, and ask and answer questions about editing and whatever else people want to discuss.
We also have a student affiliates Facebook group to support the next generation of editors.
Join the conversation in the Editors Canada in-house-editors Facebook group! Follow weekly updates and engage in discussions about issues we encounter in our daily practice.
Of course, you can also “like” the official Editors Canada Facebook page.
Get the latest Editors Canada news and other lively information and discussion by following us on Twitter. Find us @editorscanada.
Many of our branches and twigs, our national conference and even Editing Canadian English have their own accounts on Twitter as well. You’ll find all of these accounts on our Editors Canada groups list.
Looking for Editors Canada on LinkedIn? Join the Editors Canada LinkedIn group and follow our company page.
Flickr
Who says editors are just about words? Pics from recent conferences and national executive council meeting photos can be found on the Editors Canada Flickr page.
We’ve dipped our toe into insta waters, too! Follow Editors Canada on Instagram.
Editors Canada email list
Many freelancers and in-house editors think of our email list as a fast and convenient way to learn from others, and as a virtual water cooler.
Editors Canada membership list
Trying to get in touch with a fellow member? Want your fellow editors to be able to find you? Stay connected with the Editors Canada membership list (in the members’ area of the association website).
Not listed in this opt-in service yet? Why wait? Visit your Online Profile to list yourself in the membership list for free today (select the option to “Update my ODE profile”). The more of us who opt in, the more valuable this list becomes.
GOAL: Attend more regional meetings and social events
If you resolved to get out and do more face-to-face networking, commit to attending more of the regular meetings and socials hosted by your branch or twig. Each branch and twig offers a variety of local programs for members and non-members alike.
5. GET NOTICED: Stand out from the crowd
GOAL: Get certified
Make 2019 the year you join the ranks of editors certified by our landmark professional certification program. Certified editors benefit from official recognition of their high level of knowledge and skill, and a marketing advantage.
For more information visit the certification website.
GOAL: Become a réviseur(e) agréé(e)
Are you interested in becoming a réviseur(e) agréé(e)? The next examen d’agrément général administration will take place in the fall. Registration opens in May. Stay tuned!
For more information about Programme d’agrément en révision linguistique – Réviseurs Canada (PARL), Canada’s first French editing proficiency program, visit the PARL website.
GOAL: Get a national byline
Are you looking for a byline on a national platform and published pieces for your portfolio?
The Editors’ Weekly, the official blog of Editors Canada, has room for new authors. Blog articles are typically 300 to 500 words, but they can be longer or shorter. We welcome one-off opinions, mini-series or regular (monthly or bimonthly) series. If you have your own blog you can cross-post to it, and you can link to your own website and Twitter accounts. You do the writing, and Editors Canada will do the promoting through its social media channels.
Interested? Submit your proposal to the blog’s managing editor.
GOAL: Tell the world about your accomplishments
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.
GOAL: Be nominated for an Editors Canada award
Each year, Editors Canada presents several awards recognizing excellence in editing and service to the organization.
Tom Fairley Award
Do you know an exceptional editor? There’s still time to submit a nomination for the 2019 Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence. This $2,000 award is for an editor’s outstanding contribution to a work published in Canada in English or French in 2018. Finalists receive $500.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, February 15. Self-nominations are encouraged! Visit the Tom Fairley Award page for details.
Claudette Upton Scholarship
The applications period for the Claudette Upton Scholarship will open soon. This annual national award of $1,000 recognizes a promising student affiliate from Editors Canada. If you’re a student affiliate, or if you know someone who should be, visit the Claudette Upton Scholarship page for more information.
Karen Virag Award
The association’s newest award was created in memory of long-time association member Karen Virag, and Karen’s many contributions to the profession. This award recognizes the efforts of an editor or an organization to raise the profile of editing in their community. Nominations open soon. Visit the Karen Virag Award page for more information.
President’s Award for Volunteer Service
The President’s Award recognizes outstanding service by member and affiliate volunteers to the organization, at the branch, twig or national level. From among the nominations received for the President’s Award, one volunteer is selected to receive the Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award. Nominations open soon. Visit the President’s Award page for more information.
GOAL: Get a free editors.ca email address and helpdesk support
Do you want an email address that will not change no matter how many times you switch Internet Service Providers? Show people what you do with an editors.ca email address, available exclusively to Editors Canada members.
An editors.ca email address is a free benefit of membership. Sign up now for your own branded email address and dedicated helpdesk support at no charge.
GOAL: Get your own Editors Canada logo
Want to promote yourself as a member or affiliate of the association? Download the Editors Canada member logo or student affiliate logo for your website, business card and other promotional material.
GOAL: Get an “I’m not obsessed. I’m an editor!” magnet
You’re not obsessed. You’re an editor! Our most popular graphic is now available as a magnet.
6. SAVE MONEY: Take advantage of Editors Canada discounts
GOAL: Save money on products and services
Looking for savings on office supplies, resources and training opportunities? Editors Canada is pleased to offer great discounts to members and affiliates.
Visit the Members’ Area to take advantage of these discounts.
7. BOOKMARK IT: Find Editors Canada benefits and services in one place
GOAL: Remember where to find all these benefits and services
We can’t blame you if you’ve ever asked yourself “how does Editors Canada benefit me?” Our member volunteers are always working so hard on products and services that sometimes we forget to toot our own horn. Fortunately, we’ve launched a couple of new resources that organize our benefits and services in useful ways to help you get all the info you’re looking for quickly.
Pathways to Success
Once you’ve plotted yourself on our bilingual Pathways to Success infographic, you’ll see what Editors Canada benefits and services are available at your career level so you can continue on the path to the next level.
Download Pathways to Success now. (1.33 MB)
New Members Welcome Kit
The welcome kit is a great guide for new and existing members to our services and resources, with links to the relevant pages on our website.
If you haven’t seen it yet, download it now. (1.3 MB)
The French version of the Welcome Kit will be available shortly!
8. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
Brrr, it’s cold out. And dark (so dark!). But we have a lot to look forward to this January.
Firstly, it’s our 40th anniversary! I feel incredibly lucky to be the president this year, one where we will celebrate the vision of our founding members, as well as many accomplishments over the past four decades.
You’ll be seeing a lot of 40th anniversary communications in 2019. Please participate in the celebrations because, after all, this organization is all about us, its members.
Secondly, I’d like to list some of the things the NEC accomplished for members in 2018:
- revised the freelance editorial agreement
- updated the definitions of editorial skills
- launched a new slate of webinars for the year
We supported these projects:
- a task force to look into improving access to member services
- an equity statement for the association
- foundations testing
We started these projects:
- a task force to examine all the options for insurance for members
- a task force to look at quantifying the nomination criteria in the Honorary Lifetime Membership documents
We also did some important administrative tasks that contribute to the long-term stability of the association:
- developed a communications template to more effectively harness volunteer time and skills
- created reprint and print permission forms that all volunteers and staff can use for our publications
And you will be seeing more good things as 2019 unfolds.
Happy new year!
Gael Spivak, president
The national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.