News, events, tips and updates from Editors Canada
In this issue:
1. CONFERENCE: Registration ends May 27
2. TRAINING: Editors Canada webinars are here!
3. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Meagan Dyer
4. GET INVOLVED: Volunteer opportunities to boost your resumé
5. CERTIFICATION: Pursuing certification this year? Consider studying in a group
6. PARL: French-language proficiency testing info sessions
7. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
8. EXTERNAL LIAISON: 2016/2017 Creative Earners salary survey
9. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
1. CONFERENCE: Registration ends May 27
Time is running out to register for Conference 2016! The final day to sign up is Friday, May 27. Visit the conference website today to register or for more information.
Speed mentoring
There are still spots available for conference attendees to be paired with a speed mentor. We have an exceptional group of mentors ready to impart their wisdom across a broad range of topics. Visit the speed mentoring page to learn more about these mentors, and email 2016conferencementors@editors.ca to sign up.
Book exchange
As part of the vendor fair, we will be hosting a book exchange for editing-related reference books. Just bought the new Garner’s Modern English Usage? Updated to the latest edition of Multidictionnaire de la langue française? Bring in your older editions and help other editors build their collections! Everyone who brings books will be entered into a prize draw.
Pre-conference seminars
In addition to our regular conference program, Editors British Columbia invites you to take advantage of further professional development opportunities with this year’s pre-conference seminars. The local branch is offering three half-day seminars and its annual PubPro unconference:
- PubPro 2016: Fourth Annual Unconference for Managing Editors and Publication Production Professionals, facilitated by Iva Cheung
- The Basics of Editing on PDF, with Laura Poole
- Creating a House Style: A Simple Tool for Producing Better Documents Faster, with Elizabeth Macfie
- Design and Prepress Basics for Editors, with Franklin Veaux and Eve Rickert
Visit the conference website for full details on each seminar and to register.
Experience Vancouver
The conference team has organized a number of exciting outings for conference attendees to better experience beautiful Vancouver. Events include a tour of historic Joy Kogawa House, a harbour cruise around Burrard Inlet, and two invigorating walking tours. Visit the tourism page to RSVP and for further details.
2. TRAINING: Editors Canada webinars are here!
Editors Association of Canada (Editors Canada) webinars are here and we’re kicking things off this spring with three first-rate webinars presented by experienced instructors.
Social Media for Professional Communicators
Sunday, May 29 and Sunday, June 5 (two-session webinar)
1 p.m., EDT / 10 a.m., PDT
Punctuation, Period!
Thursday, June 2
1 p.m., EDT / 10 a.m., PDT
Creating Compelling Web Content
Tuesday, June 21, and Thursday, June 23 (two-session webinar)
2 p.m., EDT / 11 a.m., PDT
Editors Canada members and student affiliates save 25%. Visit the webinars page to learn more and to register now.
Submit a webinar proposal
Editors Canada is known for delivering high-quality training for editors at every stage of their careers. The training and development committee invites webinar proposals from experienced speakers who want to share their knowledge with editors across Canada and around the world. If you’re interested in presenting a webinar in the future, download and complete the webinar proposal form (83.25 KB).
3. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Meagan Dyer
Meagan Dyer is May’s Volunteer of the Month for her work as a Conference 2016 communications coordinator. She and fellow coordinator Marianne Greer are responsible for creating, editing and disseminating all important conference details to Editors Canada members. Her colleagues state that Meagan has competently handled coordination with committee coordinators and members, volunteer translators, and the Editors Canada national office. Having volunteered in a communications capacity for other large-scale events, Meagan understood the amount of work involved and dedication required for the position, and she wanted to help in any way she could. Her favourite part of the experience has been sharing with the world the amazing efforts of the Conference 2016 team.
A member of Editors British Columbia for the past two years, Meagan has also participated in the branch’s Blue Pencil editing sessions, where an editor is paired with an aspiring author. She finds it rewarding to help authors become better acquainted with the editing and publishing processes.
Meagan has been an editor for the past 10 years, moving from newspaper and technical editing to books. She works at Ronsdale Press in Vancouver and also as a freelance editor and sports writer. She is currently writing a book about Canadian ice hockey leagues for players with disabilities.
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. Visit the Members’ Area for more information about actively participating in the association.
4. GET INVOLVED: Volunteer opportunities to boost your resumé
Are you looking for valuable experience and accomplishments to highlight on your CV? Here are some Editors Canada opportunities that are available today.
The Editors’ Weekly: Proofreader needed
Do you love blogs and all things blogging? Do you have experience with WordPress? If so, the Editors’ Weekly needs you! Editors Canada’s highly successful blog is in need of a proofreader to review articles and post them online through WordPress. This is an excellent opportunity to work on a well-respected, high-profile association product. Reporting to the managing editor, you will be responsible for proofing, formatting and publishing posts once a week. If you’re interested in this position, please contact managing editor Anna Williams.
Join the francophone affairs committee
The association wants to do more to support our francophone membership, but we only have two francophone affairs committee members now. We need more people in the committee to help come up with ideas and ultimately work on the projects we decide to execute. This is a great opportunity participate at the national level and to help improve services for members who work in French. If you’re interested in joining the committee, please contact Benoit Arsenault.
Join the publications committee
The publications committee will be tackling some great projects in the year ahead. It is looking for some enthusiastic members to join the team. To find out more, please contact donalee Moulton.
We will soon have an online volunteer directory to help you find opportunities that suit your interests and availability; in the meantime, please contact Patricia MacDonald for more information about volunteering.
Call for articles for the Language Portal of Canada
Would you like to see your name on a byline on a website with a national audience? We’re looking for pitches for articles of 500 words on the theme of editing.
Since 2011, Editors Canada has contributed four articles a year to the Language Portal of Canada, a federal government website that showcases Canadian expertise in the area of language. Articles submitted have included the role of the editor; editing, translating, and bilingualism; Cree language facts for editors of English and French; and editing measurements. Visit the Language Portal to see the Editors Canada submissions to date.
Have another idea for a Language Portal article? Please contact Lisa Ng.
5. CERTIFICATION: Pursuing certification this year? Consider studying in a group
It’s no secret—partners can keep each other motivated and share resources and test-taking strategies. Why not team up with others who are preparing to take the certification tests this year?
The proofreading and structural editing exams will be written this November in locations across Canada. Registration opens in July. Copy editing and stylistic editing will be offered again in 2017.
How do I find study partners?
Connect with editors in your area by posting to the Editors Canada groups on LinkedIn and Facebook, or send out a message on the email forum. Attend your local branch/twig events, or sign up for the national conference in Vancouver June 10–12 (certification steering committee co-chairs Anne Brennan and Jeanne McKane will host a session on how to prepare for the exams). Monitor branch/twig communications. Someone in your area may have already started a study group you can join.
Tip for study groups
Hold a mock exam using the practice tests from the study guides, emulating the conditions of the live exam as much as possible. Afterwards, swap your work with a study partner for marking and feedback.
The time you dedicate to studying is up to you—but certified editors agree that cramming is not the way to go. It’s never too early to get started. Order your study guides here.
6. PARL: French-language proficiency testing info sessions
In 2015, Editors Canada launched Programme d’agrément en révision linguistique – Réviseurs Canada (PARL). The program is composed of two tests that are administered in alternation each fall.
Each year the association offers information sessions to describe the basics of PARL and its benefits, and to provide an overview of the current year’s test. Sandra Gravel, chair of the comité agrément/principes, will lead the info sessions, guiding those in attendance through the PARL process and answering any questions.
2016 PARL info sessions
Québec City
Wednesday, May 25, 7 p.m.
Université Laval
Pavillon Charles-De Koninck DKN-1242
1030 Av des Sciences-Humaines
Montreal*
Thursday, June 16, 6 p.m.
Centre Saint-Pierre (Room 203)
1212, rue Panet
Webinar
July 2016
Stay tuned for exact date and registration info
*The Editors Canada certification program will also be presented on this occasion.
7. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
Editors Ottawa–Gatineau member Stacey D. Atkinson has published her second novel, Letters from Labrador. It’s based on a true story about a British nurse who moved to northern Labrador in the 1970s to be a midwife and who now struggles to keep her memories alive as she lives with Lewy body dementia. You can purchase the book directly from the shop button on Stacey’s Facebook page, and she will also be signing books at the vendor fair at the Vancouver conference, from June 11 to 12.
Karen Autio, an Editors British Columbia member who has already published several children’s books, participated in the National Reading Campaign’s Reading Town events in Sudbury on May 6. She also gave presentations in conjunction with the TD Canadian Children’s Book Week from May 7 to 14. Presentations took place in schools and libraries from Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie and points in between. For more information on Karen’s current and future projects, visit her website.
On May 19, Sue MacLeod (Editors Quebec/Atlantic Canada) launched her new poetry collection, Mood Swing, with Pear, published by Signature Editions (Winnipeg). Sue, who has recently moved from Toronto to Montreal, is the author of two other poetry collections and one YA novel. She is currently working on a second YA novel.
Do you have an achievement you’d like to share? Are you excited about a new project or opportunity that has come your way? We’d love to hear from you! Please send your stories to the member news coordinator. Each item will be posted on our website and will be included in the Editors Canada e-news updates.
8. EXTERNAL LIAISON: 2016/2017 Creative Earners salary survey
English and French versions of the National Survey of Creative Earners, produced by the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD), Creative Niche and the Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC) are now live at www.creativeearners.ca.
Providing insight into the financial trends facing Canada’s creative sector, Creative Earners offers a summary of how creative communicators are being compensated and valued.
RGD, GDC and Creative Niche are seeking participation from individuals across the country working in a wide variety of professions to contribute to this important national industry resource.
Eligible job titles include, but are not limited to: Graphic Designers; Account Executives; Copywriters; Developers; Firm Owners; Marketing Coordinators; Communications Managers; Brand Strategists; Art Directors; Design Managers and more.
Once you complete the survey, you’ll receive a DesignThinkers paper toy. Refer friends to unlock the rest of the toy collection. And share photos of your toy(s) on Twitter or Instagram for the chance to win prizes.
The survey, which closes on Friday, June 17, takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.
English and French versions of the survey results will be made freely available to all this November.
Editors Canada is a promotional supporter of the Creative Earners initiative.
9. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
As the NEC’s term winds down, I’ve been thinking about the many Editors Canada activities of this year: monthly branch and twig gatherings, seminars, the national conference, committee meetings, blog posts, certification, agrément, strategic planning and so much more.
Without all of you who volunteer your time and expertise, none of this would happen.
And so I would like to salute everyone who has volunteered during this term—your energy, your creativity and your passion for the field of editing make a difference to all of us.
Despite having many other responsibilities—from paid work to family to your larger community—you find time to advance the interests of Canadian editors in countless ways.
Many of you have volunteered for years; others have cheerfully joined the ranks since September. I hope that you have found this experience satisfying and I offer you my deepest thanks!
If you’ve been thinking about volunteering, but haven’t taken the plunge yet, I hope you’ll think about offering your time in the year ahead. You can offer as much or as little time as you like—there are lots of short-term tasks as well as ongoing ones.
Volunteering has many benefits: you can connect with new colleagues, learn new skills and make new friends. Or maybe just paying it forward is what makes volunteering worthwhile for you. Thanks again to all of you who give of your time so generously.
Anne Louise Mahoney
President
The national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.