News, events, tips and updates from Editors Canada
In this issue:
1. GIVING BACK: Please support Editors Canada awards this #GivingTuesday
2. CONFERENCE 2019: Call for speaker proposals
3. CERTIFICATION: Pencils down! Red pens up!
4. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Mentorship
5. MEMBER SERVICES: In-house Facebook group
6. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: David Johansen
7. BOOST YOUR RESUMÉ: Get involved
8. INDUSTRY: Working on challenged publications
9. MEMBER DISCOUNT: Institute of Professional Editors national conference (Melbourne, Australia)
10. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
11. SHOP EDITORS CANADA: 2018–19 wall calendar nearly sold out
12. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
1. GIVING BACK: Please support Editors Canada awards this #GivingTuesday
Black Friday and Cyber Monday, those late-November days of deals, are just around the corner. Did you know they’re followed by GivingTuesday, the global day of giving back? On Tuesday, November 27, people around the world will join together to support their favourite causes.
In 2018, Editors Canada is partnering with GivingTuesday for the first time. We invite you to help us raise funds for our annual national awards:
- The Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence, first awarded in 1983, includes a cash award of $2,000 for the winner, and $500 each for two finalists. These prizes are made possible by donations from individuals and several publishers.
- The Claudette Upton Scholarship, established by West Coast Editorial Associates in 2009, recognizes a promising student editor. This $1,000 scholarship helps support continuing professional development in editing.
- The Karen Virag Award, created in 2016, acknowledges an individual or organization’s contribution to raising the profile of editors and editing. The award includes a cash prize of $400.
Editors Canada is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization that promotes excellence in editing and provides resources for editors at every stage of their careers. Your support during our GivingTuesday campaign will help us to keep our awards running so we can continue to raise the profile of the editing profession, shine a light on excellence in editing and support the future generation of editors.
No donation is too small. On GivingTuesday, give $5, $10 or whatever amount fits your budget. Every gift helps, and we are grateful for donations in any amount.
Please watch your inbox and social media feeds on November 27. Then answer and share our call to action to support Editors Canada awards on GivingTuesday. Thank you!
2. CONFERENCE 2019: Call for speaker proposals
The Editors Canada conference committee is inviting session proposals for our 40th-anniversary conference, to be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from June 7 to 9, 2019, at the Westin Nova Scotian hotel.
The 2019 conference theme is Editors Canada 2019: Celebrating 40 Years. In keeping with our theme, the committee invites you to consider how editing and Editors Canada have evolved over the last 40 years and how they might change in the future. Sessions can be offered in English, French, or both. Sessions will be one hour long, including time for introductions, breakout discussions or other activities, and Q&A.
If you have an idea for a session or would like to participate in a panel discussion, please complete and submit the Speaker Proposal Form by December 14, 2018. Proposals for additional panel topics are also welcome.
Registration for our 40th-anniversary conference will open in the New Year. Ready to start planning for the fun and festivities in Halifax? Visit the conference website now for travel and accommodation discounts.
3. CERTIFICATION: Pencils down! Red pens up!
We’re just kidding—those marking the Editors Canada certification exams don’t really use red pens. (Well, maybe some do.) But as the 2018 testing cycle wraps up—best of luck to this year’s candidates!—we thought we’d take a peek at what happens next: marking the exams and issuing results.
It’s important that the exams are marked objectively, and in light of that, the marking process is based on best practices for designing questions, preparing answer keys and training markers. Two people evaluate each completed exam, considering a range of answers for each question. If their assessments differ significantly (if one mark is a pass and the other is a fail, for example), the exam is sent to a third marker. A marking analyst then reviews all the results to ensure the marking is consistent and reliable.
Next, an Editors Canada staff member in the national office cross-references the candidate numbers on the exams with the names of the registrants. And finally, an external auditor from an accounting firm checks that the cross-referencing has been done correctly and that each candidate will receive the correct pass or fail letter, sent out by an Editors Canada staff member—usually in the spring of the year after the exam was written. It’s a many-hands-on-deck process!
If you’re interested in knowing more about the process, or you’re starting to consider sitting the Copy Editing or Stylistic Editing exams in 2019, visit the professional certification page on our website or contact the national office.
4. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Mentorship
There are countless examples of successful people who have been mentored by a trusted counsellor or guide. Indeed, mentorship can offer lasting life- and career- changing benefits to both mentors and mentees.
The mentorship program offered by Editors Canada, which started in the spring of 2017, now boasts an impressive list of some 25 mentors across Canada.
Basically the program works like this. Once the mentee makes an application, a committee matches them with a mentor. When they’re matched, the mentor and mentee meet informally for a free two-hour cafe session, sort of like a first date, to determine if they’re compatible. If so, they proceed to work together by phone, email or Skype over a period of two months, or longer if they wish.
To apply to be a mentor or a mentee, visit the John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program page.
5. MEMBER SERVICES: In-house Facebook group
Have you heard? There is a Facebook group for Editors Canada in-house editors. Join the group and share best practices, ask questions, brainstorm and network with members across Canada.
We are excited to announce a new series of case studies for in-house editors in the Editors’ Weekly. The case-study blog posts will be by, and for, in-house editors, and will focus on personal experiences of different things that in-house editors do (aside from editing). All posts will include:
- information about new skills that people can learn and/or tools they can use
- best practices and take-away messages
The series will appear every other month. The first post in the series by Wendy Barron will appear on December 4, 2018.
If you are interested in writing a post in the series, please contact Sara Promislow.
6. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: David Johansen
David Johansen has been a member of Editors Québec for 10 years. He first got involved by organizing the Editors Québec social events and went on to become the branch and national treasurer. He has also helped at the annual conferences, where he enjoyed working on the registration desk and being a session host.
Until recently, David was the regional director of branches and twigs (east) and found this to be a very interesting and challenging responsibility. One of his memorable experiences was supporting the creation of the Editors Barrie twig. “It was very motivating to experience the enthusiasm of the founders and their vision for the future,” said David.
David has been a freelance editor for more than 25 years. He currently works on verifying French-to-English translations and localization from American English to UK English. When not editing, David spends his time singing for the Lakeshore Light Opera, where he serves on the board of directors. He is also member of the jury for the Montreal English Theatre Awards.
Having volunteered for most of his adult life for various organizations, David says that his volunteer experience has been entirely positive, and that any challenges he has faced have been manageable because he is part of a team that is always available to assist when needed. He tells us that all his projects have emerged from networking and word of mouth as a direct result of his involvement with Editors Canada. “This is a very positive result of volunteering and I wouldn’t change a thing,” he said.
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.
7. BOOST YOUR RESUMÉ: Get involved
Want to stand above other contenders? Consider volunteering for Editors Canada. Volunteering has many benefits for the association, as well as being beneficial to your career. Engaged members and affiliates work with influential members of the publishing and communications industries, learn new skills (at any experience level), expand their portfolios and enhance their career options.
Foundational skills testing
The committee responsible for developing Editors Canada’s new Test of Foundational Skills is looking for volunteers. Do you have experience with psychometrics or writing multiple-choice questions? Are you experienced or interested in developing online tests? Are you familiar with different testing platforms? Are you interested in working with a small but motivated group of volunteers to shepherd this test into reality? If so, contact Tania Cheffins or Janice Dyer for more information.
Marketing and communications
As an editor, have you ever wondered what an integrated marketing and communications (or MarComm) strategy is? Would you like to learn and gain experience in developing and implementing them for Editors Canada? Would you like to add project management and communications strategies to your marketable skills?
The communications and marketing committee is looking for volunteer members who can take the lead on one project each for a year. Quarterly teleconferences will discuss project updates for agrément, awards, professional certification, conference, francophone affairs, student relations, and training and development. Projects may include a refreshed membership survey, career builder, updated Guidelines for Ethical Editing of Theses and Undergraduate Papers and future membership benefits.
For more information, email communications director Virginia St-Denis.
8. INDUSTRY: Working on challenged publications
Authors, editors and publishers invest significant creativity and effort to bring compelling writing to readers. But what happens when the product of those efforts is challenged or banned from distribution? Editors Canada and the Book and Periodical Council need your help to find out.
Some Canadians have tried to remove books and magazines they deem offensive, or inappropriate for certain audiences, from public libraries and schools. In recognition of the 35th anniversary of Freedom to Read Week and the 40th anniversary of Editors Canada, we are jointly planning an author-editor seminar that addresses the experience of working on these types of challenged publications.
Do you have experience writing or editing works that have been subject to challenge? Would you be interested in participating in the discussion? If so, please contact us at anniversary@editors.ca by November 30, 2018. The proposed seminar would be scheduled during Freedom to Read Week (February 24–March 2, 2019), and may be made available as a webinar afterwards.
9. MEMBER DISCOUNT: Institute of Professional Editors national conference (Melbourne, Australia)
Our friends at the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) in Australia will host their ninth national conference May 8–10 in Melbourne. The conference theme is Beyond the Page, highlighting emerging trends in editing and publishing across platforms as well as across the range of professional roles and modes in which editors contribute to the publishing process.
We’re pleased to announce that members of Editors Canada are invited to register for the conference at the IPEd member rate. Register before the early-bird deadline on February 6, 2019, to enjoy additional savings. Visit the Beyond the Page website for more info.
10. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
Editors Toronto member Robin Marwick launched the @EdsofEarth rotation-curation Twitter account earlier this year. A different editor hosts the account each week and tweets about their background and what they do. New curators are always welcome. Learn more.
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. SHOP EDITORS CANADA: 2018–19 wall calendar nearly sold out
We’ve nearly sold out of our Editors Canada wall calendar! Do you have your copy yet? If not, be sure to order one today because they’re going quickly.
This 16-month (September 2018–December 2019) bilingual wall calendar makes a great gift. It’s full of advice from Editors Canada members and student affiliates.
Special dates for word lovers
Any calendar could tell you when New Year’s Day and Thanksgiving are, but a calendar for language enthusiasts by language enthusiasts? You know we went the extra mile. Wondering when Read a Book Day and Dictionary Day fall? You’ll find these and other dates for word lovers in our calendar.
Get your calendar now
Purchase your calendar online now. The cost per calendar is $25, which includes shipping* in Canada.
*Please note that delivery delays may occur as a result of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers rotating strikes that began in October.
12. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
In these monthly pieces, I usually give you an update on directors’ work. This month, I’d like to tell you a bit about the work of the staff at the national office.
The staff work very hard for all of us. They support all the committees and the directors, as well as every single member and affiliate of the association. You may not know who they are, or you may not interact with them often, but the work they do is vital to the association and to editing in Canada.
These are the main areas that the staff focus:
- certification
- communications
- conference
- membership
- training
There are also lots of tasks that are essential to keeping the organization going: keeping the books, paying the bills, answering emails, and processing and updating hundreds of pieces of information each year.
The staff tend to prefer to keep a low profile, so I won’t name them all here. You can always look in the annual reports to read more about what they do.
We’re really lucky to have these talented, smart, dedicated people working on our behalf. So the national executive council would like to say thank you to all the staff for your hard work, as well as your loyalty to the well-being of Editors Canada.
Gael Spivak
President
The national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.