News, events, tips and updates from Editors Canada
In this issue:
- CONFERENCE: Virtual options
- WEBINARS: Training for editors at every stage—including a free webinar on preparing for the professional certification exams!
- PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Thinking of taking the Editors Canada Editing Essentials test?
- MEMBER DISCOUNTS: Save 30% on PerfectIt
- BOOST YOUR RESUMÉ: Get involved
- MEMBER NEWS: Tell the world about your accomplishment
- NEC: Notes from your national executive council
1. CONFERENCE: Virtual options
Did you miss our conference in Vancouver this past weekend? We’ve got you covered. Starting in early July, sessions from Canada’s leading editing conference will be available for streaming for 10 weeks.
We’ll have purchasing options for individual sessions and all-sessions packages. As usual, Editors Canada members will receive virtual conference materials at a discounted rate.
Individual sessions
Members: $42
Non-members: $70
All-sessions package
Members: $250
Non-members: $350
Students: $150
We’ll announce early next month when you can begin purchasing your streaming option. Keep an eye on your inbox for the details!
2. WEBINARS: Training for editors at every stage—including a free webinar on preparing for the professional certification exams!
Whatever your career goals are, you’re sure to find useful professional development resources in our diverse collection of webinar recordings. Now is also a good time to consider furthering your career with professional certification through Editors Canada, because we’re offering a FREE webinar to help: How to Prepare for the 2024 Copy Editing and Stylistic Editing Certification Exams on July 3 with Robyn So and Roma Ilnyckyj. Visit our webinars page to sign up.
Plus, check out the new Public Relations Certificate at SFU
Interested in expanding your communication skills into the world of PR? Our friends at SFU Continuing Studies have launched a new fully online program. The Public Relations Certificate features in-depth courses on timely topics ranging from content creation and media relations to reputation management. Learn more at the Public Relations Certificate Online Info Session on Tuesday, July 23, at 12 p.m., PDT: RSVP for Zoom access.
3. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Thinking of taking the Editors Canada Editing Essentials test?
The Editors Canada Editing Essentials test is designed to provide an entry-level qualification for editors by evaluating basic competence in the areas of structural editing, stylistic editing, copy editing and proofreading. Successful completion of the test proves your ability to work as an editor based on your knowledge of the basics of editing. If you’re considering taking the test, you may be wondering how to prepare.
The first and most important resource is Editors Canada’s Professional Editorial Standards (2016). The Editing Essentials test is based on a selection of these standards, so the best way to prepare is to study them closely and consider their practical applications.
We’ve assembled a list of additional resources you may find helpful as you prepare:
Study resources
- Editors Canada Professional Certification preparation resources
- The certification test preparation guides (available for purchase) contain sample versions of the professional certification exams, but are also good practice for any editing test.
- The website also contains lists of useful books and courses, style guides and dictionaries and other relevant publications, including the Edit Like a Pro series.
- Editors Canada webinars
- The Australian Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) provides links to several helpful resources:
- Study resources for its accreditation exam, including style guides and handbooks useful for editors worldwide
- Recorded webinars
- The US Board of Editing in the Life Sciences (BELS) offers a free study guide.
- The American Medical Writers Association has a study guide and resource list for its Essential Skills certificate and other exams.
- The UK Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading offers a suite of courses in proofreading, copy editing and editorial skills, at levels ranging from beginner to experienced.
- The Editorial Freelancers Association provides many resources for editors, from business tips to editing education.
- Taking online quizzes and tests is a great way to practise! Try these:
- The Chicago Manual of Style has quizzes to test your knowledge of editing and proofreading.
- If you’re interested in medical or scientific editing, try the American Medical Association Manual of Style quizzes.
- The New York Times offers some free copy editing quizzes online.
- ProEdit offers the “Ultimate Editing Test.”
Unlock your editing career
Ready to launch your editing career? Wondering how to let employers know you’ve got what it takes? Visit the Editing Essentials page to learn more and to register today.
4. MEMBER DISCOUNTS: Save 30% on PerfectIt
An annual subscription to PerfectIt, one of the most popular professional editing tools in use today, is available to Editors Canada members and student affiliates for 30% off the regular price for a single licence.
PerfectIt checks for:
- Consistent hyphenation and capitalization
- Abbreviation definitions
- Capitalization of headings
- List/bullet capitalization and punctuation
- International spelling variations.
To claim your discount, purchase using this custom link from Intelligent Editing.
Note: CMOS for PerfectIt is not available through our website
In August 2021, The University of Chicago Press (UCP) and Intelligent Editing launched The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) for PerfectIt. Although access to The Chicago Manual of Style Online is included with Editors Canada membership, we are unable to offer CMOS for PerfectIt through our website because of the nature of the collaboration between UCP and Intelligent Editing. Members will need individual subscriptions to both products if they’d like to use the add-in.Get 20% off an individual subscription to CMOS Online.
Looking for more Editors Canada discounts? Visit the member services section of our website today.
5. BOOST YOUR RESUMÉ: Get involved
Hebdomadaire des réviseurs managing editor
Parlez-vous français? We’re looking for a managing editor for l’Hebdomadaire des réviseurs, the French-language companion site to The Editors’ Weekly. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact Laura Bontje or read the role description in English or en français.
John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship program
Call for volunteers
The mentorship committee is looking for volunteers with an interest in arts programming, marketing and content creation to help with upcoming committee initiatives. This is a great opportunity to strengthen your skill set and get involved with your peers. Please fill out this form if you’re interested.
Call for mentors
Are you a mid- to late-career editor interested in sharing your industry insights with a student or emerging editor? Mentor with us! We offer honorariums of up to $200 to our mentors. Please fill out this form if you’re interested in becoming a mentor with Editors Canada.
Looking for more volunteer opportunities?
If you want to volunteer for Editors Canada, check out VolunteerConnect, our resource for matching volunteers to tasks. You can use this searchable tool to
- find opportunities of interest to you
- list yourself as a potential volunteer
Volunteering lets you give back to your organization, but you also receive so much in return: experience, skills, contacts, friendships and a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Volunteer today!
6. 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.
7. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
The national executive council (NEC) met on Sunday, May 19, 2024. Work is ongoing across all the committees. Notably, the conference committee was hard at work putting the finishing touches on planning the June conference.
We were also joined briefly by Lianne Fontaine of Editors Manitoba, who gave us an update on the goings-on in the twig. Twig members often get together to study using the Edit Like a Pro workbooks, so we were happy to provide an update on ELAP: Structural, which is nearing publication.
I hope those of you who were able to attend the conference enjoyed some fantastic, informative sessions. I hope many of you will also be able to attend the AGM on Thursday, June 27, 2024.
The NEC met on Sunday, June 9, 2024, for the last time before breaking for the summer. A summary of the meeting topics will be shared in the July e-news. As usual, there will be no NEC meetings in July or August, and the fall 2024 meeting schedule will be determined in July based on director availability.
On behalf of the NEC, I wish you all a safe, happy summer!
Maria Frank
President
The national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.