National e-news update, September 29, 2021

Date Posted: Tuesday September 28, 2021 News type: Members-only news , National e-news update

News, events, tips and updates from Editors Canada

In this issue:

1. WEBINARS: Train online with Editors Canada
2. CONGRÈS DES LANGAGIERS ET LANGAGIÈRES: Decide how you would like to participate
3. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION: New auto-proctored exam process
4. BRANCH NEWS: Upcoming Editors Ottawa–Gatineau online seminar
5. STUDENT RELATIONS: Online events
6. MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS: Update
7. PHOTOS: Editors Canada albums are now on Google
8. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!
9. NEC: Notes from your national executive council

1. WEBINARS: Train online with Editors Canada

A grey laptop with the Editors Canada on the screen alongside an open book with a red ribbon bookmark.

Are you looking for training opportunities online? Check out our upcoming webinars.

Don’t forget: Editors Canada members and student affiliates register at discounted rates.

Upcoming webinars

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).

Recently added

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, so be sure to check often.

The word "Canada" with the Canadian flag over the last "a."

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.

2. CONGRÈS DES LANGAGIERS ET LANGAGIÈRES: Decide how you would like to participate

Register now to make sure you don’t miss out on anything related to the second Congrès des langagiers et langagières. There are two ways to virtually participate: live on November 6, 2021, or at a later date that’s convenient for you. Your registration gives you access to links to the recordings of every session, which will be valid until January 31, 2022.

Editors Canada has brought together experts who will present on the theme Une langue en constante (r)évolution. We’ll launch the debate with a roundtable about the role of language professionals in various ongoing linguistic changes. We will then explore issues related to standards and usage, gender inclusive and non-binary writing, web accessibility, as well as neurodiverse and culturally diverse vocabulary and terminology.

Jean-Benoît Nadeau, author of a dozen books and some 1,500 articles and the recipient of two dozen awards for journalism and literature, will give the closing keynote. He will conclude this enriching day on a high note, in the lively, colourful style for which he is known.

Follow all the information about the congrès by subscribing to our Facebook group. To discover the program and register, visit our website.

Please note that while everyone is welcome to attend the Congrès des langagiers et langagières, the event will be held entirely in French.

3. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION: New auto-proctored exam process

A yellow ribbon with the Editors Canada logo in the centre.

When the certification steering committee began its Refresh in 2019, one of the big dreams was to find a way to offer the professional certification exams on a fully remote basis, so that candidates could write the exams on their own computers, at home, from anywhere, without having to travel to an on-site exam centre. For obvious reasons, this dream ramped up significantly when the pandemic hit.

We’re pleased to announce that we’ve teamed up with Uxpertise, a Montreal-based company that provides educational technology solutions. Uxpertise has developed a platform that will allow us to run our exams online while maintaining security and integrity, through a combination of auto-proctoring and software-blocking.

What this means:

  • In November 2021, you’ll write the Proofreading and Structural Editing exams on your own computer, at home (unless you choose to apply for our traditional “remote testing” option—see below).
  • The exam will be auto-proctored: No human proctor will watch you while you’re taking the exam, but the session will be recorded (your computer desktop, webcam view and audio) and reviewed.
  • Before the exam begins, you’ll need to show photo ID and have your photo taken, and the room where you’re taking the exam will be scanned via webcam (walls, ceiling, floor, desk).
  • You’ll be allowed to access only certain pieces of software during the exam: Microsoft Word for the Structural Editing exam, or Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (or Standard or Pro DC, if you have subscriptions to these) for Proofreading. You’ll have to have this software installed on your own computer.

That said, because this process does require access to your own software, as well as a stable internet connection and a webcam, we recognize it may pose difficulty for some candidates. If preferred, please apply to write the exams via our traditional “remote testing” policy, where we ask you to find your own on-site location, computer and exam invigilator (see the Criteria for Remote Testing section of our website for details).

We hope that for most candidates, our partnership with Uxpertise will provide a convenient, safe and comfortable way to write the exam.

Register online now for one or both exams. The registration deadline is October 22, 2021. Visit the Professional Certification section of our website for additional details.

Questions? Please contact certification@editors.ca.

4. BRANCH NEWS: Upcoming Editors Ottawa–Gatineau online seminar

Editors Ottawa–Gatineau has moved its professional development seminars to an online format, using Zoom. These are six-hour, real-time, instructor-led workshops with hands-on exercises, discussions and personal attention.

Copy Editing II with Moira White
Practice on a variety of documents and learn tips and tricks from an experienced copy editor. This seminar is delivered over Zoom on two consecutive Fridays between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., EST, on November 12 and November 19.

For more information, contact Editors Ottawa–Gatineau.

What is your local group up to? Check with your branch or twig to find out about virtual professional development opportunities and social events. And be sure to check our national calendar for events across the association.

5. STUDENT RELATIONS: Online events

We’re booking it into autumn! The student relations committee is helping to launch a student book club this autumn, and we hope you’ll join the discussion!

  • Our first meeting will be on Sunday, October 3, 2021, at 4 p.m., EDT / 1 p.m., PDT, via Zoom.
  • Our first book will be The Subversive Copy Editor, 2nd edition, by Carol Fisher Saller. Discussion will focus on part one of the book. The second meeting in November will cover part two.
  • We’ll meet monthly for one hour; attendance at every meeting is not mandatory, though, so drop in when you can! 
  • Find more information, updates and the Zoom link for the meeting closer to the date in the Editors Canada student affiliates Facebook group.

Hope to see you there!

6. MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS: Update

The marketing and communications committee is back to work after a summer break. The next meeting will be Thursday, October 28, 2021, at 8 p.m., EDT / 5 p.m., PDT, and we are always looking for new volunteers. To get involved, contact Suzanne Bowness.

We have also formally shortened the name of our committee to MarComm, so if you see the new moniker, you now know what it means!

We hope everyone had a wonderful summer!

7. PHOTOS: Editors Canada albums are now on Google

For many years we’ve shared photos from our conferences and other association events on our pro Flickr account. This summer, the national executive council made the decision to close the Flickr account and move the albums to Google Photos. The move saves the association money as Google Photos is included for free in the Google Workspace for Nonprofits account we’re already using for many other association services.

You can now find our photo albums linked on the association website. Please note that if you try to open an album in a browser where you’re currently logged into Google, you’ll be prompted by Google to verify your account. You will not run into this verification prompt if you open an album in a browser where you’re not logged into Google. Please also note we weren’t able to migrate photo captions and comments from Flickr to Google.

Thank you to the many volunteer photographers who have shared their photos with us over the years. Our Flickr account closes on November 14, 2021.

8. MEMBER NEWS: A round of applause!

Editors Calgary freelance editor, writer and ghostwriter Lorna Stuber just published her first book—The Fresh Freelancer. In this how-to book, she draws on her experience of starting her successful business and advises new freelance editors, or those thinking of venturing down that path, on how to set up their own editing business. This book suggests training and software options, helpful resources (print and online), and useful strategies that new editors can use to get their business up and running. Although some of the details in this book are specific to Canada, the general ideas around tax information, registering a trade name, etc. can be applied to other countries as well. The book can be found on Amazon. Other information can be found on her website, her Facebook page or LinkedIn profile.

Editors Canada Member News is where we share information about members and affiliates who win awards, publish books and make their marks 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.

9. NEC: Notes from your national executive council

In April 2019, the Editors Canada national executive council (NEC) shared the Rethink document with all members and asked for comments in several areas: developing and promoting standards, educating editors, evaluating editors, connecting editors, building communities and administering it all. We received dozens of comments, which helped us move forward with the Rethink.

The Rethink is now complete, although there are some ideas that are very complex and that the NEC will continue to work on over the coming years (e.g., the website task force is working on revising the Editors Canada website and the Online Directory of Editors). Many ideas put forward by members have been completed, including the following:

  • The training and development committee created new webinars to fill gaps and align with the Professional Editorial Standards.
  • The certification steering committee developed the Foundations exam (which will soon be open to test takers).
  • The publications committee is developing more handbooks.
  • The mentorship committee now offers two levels of mentorship.
  • The student relations committee created a video for student affiliates and is doing excellent engagement work in their Facebook group.
  • The NEC created a financial policy and procedures.

I want to give my heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who worked on these initiatives and all the members who submitted comments and ideas. Your time and effort have made Editors Canada better for all members.

Heather Buzila
President

The national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.

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