January is a time when many people reflect on the year that was and chart a course for the year ahead. In this edition of the e-news update, you’ll find achievable goals to set you on the right track in 2024. And you’ll learn how Editors Canada can help, every step of the way.
In this issue:
- DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS: Online learning, books and more
- STAY CONNECTED: Network with other editors
- BOOST YOUR RESUMÉ: Get involved
- GET NOTICED: Stand out from the crowd
- GET HIRED: Find work in 2024
- SAVE MONEY: Take advantage of Editors Canada discounts
- PROTECT YOURSELF: Affordable insurance and free mediation support for Editors Canada members
- BOOKMARK IT: Find Editors Canada benefits and services in one place
- NEC: Notes from your national executive council
1. DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS: Online learning, books and more
New year, new skills! Learn with Editors Canada webinars
Start off 2024 with professional development that will help you make the most of your year! Members and student affiliates get 40% off on all Editors Canada webinars and recordings, which you can find on our webinars page. We currently have recorded sessions available on:
- Editing with ChatGPT
- Working with other editors
- Editing specializations, such as cookbooks, fiction and spoken word
- And much more!
Take part in branch and twig training opportunities
Many of our branches and twigs offer training online. Visit your branch or twig page to learn more.
Get help launching your career with our Career Builder
Make launching your career a little easier. The Career Builder provides a roadmap for would-be editors, students and novice editors to improve their chances of successfully launching their editing careers.
Experienced editors created this four-page PDF to help guide new and would-be editors to create a personalized career-development action plan. It provides valuable information the creators wish they had when they started their careers.
Download the Career Builder for free now.
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.
Learn more about equity, diversity and inclusion in editing
Wondering how equity relates to our work with language? We have a web page for equity, diversity and inclusion resources, as well as a volunteer-compiled list of editing resources related to inclusivity.
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.
At its 2023 annual general meeting, Editors Canada members voted to adopt a revised edition of Professional Editorial Standards. The approved version is currently being edited and proofread for publication. We anticipate the final version will be ready and available this year.
An advance version of the revised Professional Editorial Standards is available to all members. Please visit the members’ area to download the PDF.
Please note: The advance version of the revised Professional Editorial Standards document cannot be copied, distributed, adapted or translated without written consent from Editors Canada.
Edit Like a Pro
Edit Like a Pro is a series of four workbooks published by Editors Canada to help editors assess and improve their skills through hands-on editing practice.
Edit Like a Pro: Proofreading, Third Edition, is now available for purchase. The newest editions of the other volumes (Structural Editing, Stylistic Editing, Copy Editing) will follow.
From Contact to Contract: How Editors Get Clients to Work With Them
From Contact to Contract: How Editors Get Clients to Work With Them offers pearls of wisdom from a group of respected editors who have over two centuries of experience between them. Whether you’re new to the editing business or have a solid client base, finding and contracting work is always of interest. This is one book you’ll refer to again and again.
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.
The ebook contains all of Editing Canadian English and the companion volume, Editorial Niches.
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.
Certification Test Preparation Guides
If you want to be ready for Editors Canada Professional Certification, 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.
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. Download Principes directeurs en révision professionnelle for free now.
2. STAY CONNECTED: Network with other editors
Connect with other editors
The Editors’ Vine and la Vigne des réviseurs
Members of Editors Canada who face barriers to attending branch or twig meetings have another option: a virtual meeting. We’ve named this group the Editors’ Vine because a vine grows in and among branches and twigs.
The Editors’ Vine meetings usually happen on the first Tuesday of the month. If you would like to join us, please email vine@editors.ca. The Zoom link will be sent out during the week of the meeting.
If you are interested in participating in our monthly French-language online meeting, la Vigne des réviseurs, please contact Badou Bousso.
Editors Canada Google Groups
We’re pleased to offer Google Groups exclusively for Editors Canada members and student affiliates to connect.
- Editors Canada Forum
- Food Editors
- Forum francophone de Réviseurs Canada
Subscribers participate in courteous and respectful discussion by email, a web interface, or both.
Visit the Editors Canada Google Groups page to learn more about each forum and to join today.
National, branch and twig events
Editors Barrie update
Editors Barrie participated in the Local Author Book Fair at the Painswick Public Library on Saturday, December 9, 2023. Over 40 local authors attended this in-person event. It was exciting to meet people, real people, and share in their enthusiasm. Many authors spoke publicly about their work. Some read excepts, others told jokes. It was a wonderful event where we managed to talk to most authors in person and generate some significant interest in Editors Canada. Writers were keen to learn how to navigate the online database and wannabe editors were interested in coursework leading to professional certification. Volunteers garnered two future speaking engagements from this event and we all came home with a stack of new books for the holidays. Best of all, we’ve built a wonderful new relationship with our local public library and their outstanding staff.
What is your local group up to? Check with your branch or twig to find out about professional development opportunities and social events. And be sure to check our national calendar for events across the association.
Our members-only Facebook groups are private places 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.
Are you an in-house editor? Join the Editors Canada in-house editors Facebook group today.
Of course, you can also like and follow the official Editors Canada Facebook page.
X (Twitter)
Get the latest Editors Canada news by following us on X @EditorsCanada.
Many of our branches and twigs and our national conference have their own accounts on X as well. You’ll find all of these accounts on our Editors Canada groups list.
Looking for Editors Canada on LinkedIn? Follow our company page.
We’re on Instagram, too! Follow @EditorsCanada.
Mastodon
We’re also on Mastodon. Find us @EditorsCanada@mastodon.world.
Attend the national conference
Have you ever attended an editing conference? If not, 2024 is the year to check off that goal on your list!
The 2024 Editors Canada conference will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, from June 21–23, at the Harbour Centre campus of Simon Fraser University. Join us for a weekend of networking, learning and fun! Registration opens in February.
3. BOOST YOUR RESUMÉ: Get involved
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, and 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.
Get involved: Become a webinar host!
We’re looking for volunteers to host upcoming Editors Canada webinars in French and/or English. This is a great way to learn from fellow editors, as volunteers get free access to any webinars they host, including any handouts and the session recording afterward. Email webinars@editors.ca if you’re interested!
Translators needed
The translation and editing group is searching for volunteers to translate communications related to the association’s annual awards and annual general meeting. Ideal candidates will have knowledge of English-to-French translation, but support can be provided in terms of comparative editing and terminology related to the association and its governance. Do you have a background in English-to-French translation and an interest in learning more about your association, how it’s run, and how you can contribute? The translation and editing group is a friendly team of fellow member volunteers offering many opportunities to learn and network. Members and student affiliates who are interested in joining the group or would like more information are invited to email Nancy Foran, the group’s coordinator.
Looking for more volunteer opportunities?
Check out VolunteerConnect, our resource for matching volunteers to tasks. If you want to volunteer for Editors Canada, you can use this searchable tool to
- find opportunities of interest to you, or
- list yourself as a potential volunteer.
Listing yourself as a volunteer will showcase your skills, identify skills you would like to learn and provide other relevant information to people searching for volunteers.
4. GET NOTICED: Stand out from the crowd
Get certified
Make 2024 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.
Visit the Professional Certification section of our website for more information on preparing for the exams.
Get your Editors Canada Editing Essentials qualification
Are you a recent graduate or new editor ready to launch your editing career? Wondering how to let employers know you’ve got what it takes?
Editors Canada Editing Essentials is a test to assess knowledge of the basics of editing and to provide a qualification for entry-level editors.
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!
Learn more about Editing Essentials, including how to take the test now.
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 600 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 X (Twitter) accounts. You do the writing, and Editors Canada will do the promoting through its social media channels.
Interested? Submit your proposal to Laura Bontje, the blog’s managing editor.
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.
What have our accomplished members and student affiliates been up to lately?
Frances Peck, Editors British Columbia member, CPE (Hon.), and previous recipient of the President’s Award for Volunteer Service, made the 2023 Best Books of the Year list (fiction) at 49th Shelf with her second novel, Uncontrolled Flight (NeWest Press). This “absorbing, intense contemporary tale” (Winnipeg Free Press), told in “cinematic action sequences” (Vancouver Sun), is the story of a pilot who dies fighting wildfires in the BC Interior, leaving behind a traumatized colleague, a grieving widow, and a conflicted crash investigator to piece together what happened.
Michelle Waitzman, a member of Editors Toronto, was elected to the board of directors of PLAIN: Plain Language Association International in late November. She joins a truly global group of volunteer directors living in Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, Brazil, Canada, Australia and South Africa. PLAIN is a not-for-profit association dedicated to promoting and advancing plain language around the world. Michelle’s specific role as a director is still a work in progress, but she is excited to be part of the global movement in support of clear, useful information.
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.
In Memoriam: Peter Moskos
Peter Moskos, a long-time editor/writer and member of Editors Canada, died on September 28, 2023. His obituary appeared in late November in the Vancouver Sun and The Globe and Mail.
Peter lived and worked for many years in Ottawa. It was as a member of the Editors Ottawa–Gatineau branch that he got involved in designing and launching the professional certification program. To thank him for his efforts, Editors Canada awarded him one of six CPE (Hon.) designations. When Peter moved to Vancouver, in 2004, he became a reliable and indispensable member of the Editors British Columbia branch—indispensable because round about 2011–12, during a critical leadership gap, he stepped up as chair so that the branch could continue its operations. Peter’s tenure as chair—a duty he assumed reluctantly, but in typical Peter fashion discharged with increasing and infectious enthusiasm—revitalized the branch, setting it up for a years-long period of excellent leadership and programming.
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 for Editorial Excellence
It’s our time to shine!
Editing might be an invisible art, but that doesn’t mean great editors should hide in the shadows. Help us shine a spotlight on editing excellence by submitting a nomination for the 2024 Tom Fairley Award.
The $2,000 cash award will be presented to the winner at Editors Canada’s national conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday, June 22, 2024. We’re pleased to announce that in recognition of their outstanding editorial performance, the finalists will also receive cash awards of $500 each. These cash awards are made possible by Editors Canada and its generous donors.
The deadline to submit your completed nomination form is Friday, February 9, 2024.
Please spread this message far and wide. Nominees don’t have to be members of Editors Canada and self-nominations are encouraged.
For complete nomination instructions and other information about the award, visit the Tom Fairley Award page.
Karen Virag Award
We are now accepting nominations for the 2024 Karen Virag Award. This award was created in memory of long-time association member Karen Virag, and in recognition of Karen’s many contributions to the profession. The Karen Virag Award recognizes the efforts of an editor or an organization to raise the profile of editing in their community.
The recipient will be recognized on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at the banquet of Editors Canada’s national conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, and will receive a cash award of $400.
The deadline for nominations is Thursday, February 29, 2024. Visit the Karen Virag Award page for more information.
Claudette Upton Scholarship
The applications period for the 2024 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.
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.
Editors Canada will begin accepting applications soon. Visit the Equity Fellowship 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.
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.
5. GET HIRED: Find work in 2024
Use Editors Canada’s services and learn how to use them well
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 Online Directory of Editors 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. Visit our Findjoo member portal to purchase a listing and create or edit your profile today.
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 association Google Groups and Facebook groups. The bigger your network, the better your chances of finding job opportunities.
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.
6. SAVE MONEY: Take advantage of Editors Canada discounts
Did you know belonging to Editors Canada gives you access to discounts on many of the resources editors use most? And some are even free!
Get popular resources from The Canadian Press at no additional charge
Did you know that The Canadian Press Stylebook, Caps and Spelling and the Guide de rédaction en ligne are free for Editors Canada members and student affiliates?
Individual subscriptions to the Guide de rédaction en ligne and the Online Stylebook & Caps and Spelling Bundle cost more than $125/year, but these terrific Canadian Press resources are available to you at no additional charge through the Editors Canada website! All you need is your editors.ca member login.
Visit the members’ area of our website to start using these Canadian Press resources for free now.
Stop paying for that CMOS subscription because you get it free with your membership
We’re proud to offer The Chicago Manual of Style Online (CMOS Online) as a free benefit of membership. CMOS Online features the 17th and 16th editions of the Manual. It is completely searchable and easy to use.
Ready to check out this reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers and publishers? Visit the members’ area of our website to start using CMOS Online now.
Explore the history of the English language at no charge
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Online is free for Editors Canada members and student affiliates.
A personal subscription to the OED Online costs US$100/year, but you can now access it free of charge via the Editors Canada website.
The OED is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, history and pronunciation of more than 600,000 words, past and present, from across the English-speaking world.
Ready to start using this renowned resource? All you need is your editors.ca member login. Visit the members’ area of our website to start using the OED Online for free now.
Access over 500 Oxford titles for free
The Oxford Reference Online Premium Collection is also free for members and student affiliates.
Oxford Reference Online is one of the world’s most trusted reference products, featuring the contents of Oxford University Press’s Dictionaries, Companions and Encyclopedias.
Visit the members’ area of our website to access over 500 Oxford titles for free through editors.ca.
Save money on products, services and training opportunities
Looking for savings on products like PerfectIt, University of Chicago Press titles, scholarly journals and registration for partner conferences? Editors Canada is pleased to offer many great discounts to members and affiliates.
Visit the member services section of our website to take advantage of these discounts.
7. PROTECT YOURSELF: Affordable insurance and free mediation support for Editors Canada members
Protect your business
Protect your business
Did you know that Editors Canada members have access to affordable professional liability through APOLLO Insurance? Through APOLLO, you will have access to the best rates for your business insurance, including coverage for:
- Errors and Omissions (E&O) up to $2 million
- Privacy Breach up to $2 million
- Optional Commercial General Liability (CGL) up to $5 million
- Contents coverage up to $100,000
- Free legal advice
Download the product flyer to learn more.
Purchase your business policy today through our easy-to-use online platform and get coverage in minutes. It’s professional liability insurance made effortless!
Visit APOLLO’s site for Editors Canada members to get a free custom quote.
This product is available in all Canadian provinces and territories, except Quebec. Editors Canada will continue to look for a product for members in Quebec.
Resolve conflicts
Are you having a conflict with a client over your services? Experiencing difficulty resolving a dispute with another member?
Free mediation support is available to members of Editors Canada and their clients who wish to resolve an issue with the help of a neutral third-party mediator. Free coaching support is also available for Editors Canada members who simply wish to discuss how best to move forward to resolve the situation on their own.
Please email Jane Kidner, certified mediator and coach, to schedule a time to chat by phone.
8. BOOKMARK IT: Find Editors Canada benefits and services in one place
Remember where to find all these benefits and services
Your Editors Canada membership comes with so many benefits that it can be difficult to keep track. Fortunately, we have resources that organize our benefits and services in useful ways to help you get all the info you’re looking for quickly.
Welcome Kit
The Welcome Kit is available for download.
The Welcome Kit provides a brief overview of our services and resources, with links to the relevant pages on our website. It is a useful guide for existing members as well, and can be used as a quick reference for information on the website.
Pathways to Success with Editors Canada
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.
9. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
I hope you had all a restorative and rejuvenating holiday season and are ready for a fabulous 2024!
The NEC had its first meeting of 2024 on Sunday, January 21. A summary of the meeting will be included in the February e-news update.
The NEC will be meeting via Zoom on the following dates in 2024:
- Sunday, February 18, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (EST)
- Sunday, March 24, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (EDT)
- Sunday, April 21, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (EDT)
- Sunday, May 19, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (EDT)
- Sunday, June 9, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (EDT)
Meeting dates for September, October, and November will be determined in the summer. Zoom links will be posted along with the agenda for members before each meeting. All Editors Canada members are welcome to attend any NEC meeting.
I look forward to another exciting year at Editors Canada!
Maria Frank
President
The national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.