Editors British Columbia Monthly Meetings

Upcoming Monthly Meetings and Speaker Sessions

Stay tuned for more details regarding our May Editors BC General Meeting.

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Would you like to become more involved in the running of your branch? Are you interested in helping in other ways, big or small? For detailed information on these and other roles, visit our Get Involved page or email bcvolunteers@editors.ca.

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Past Presentations 2022–2023

Members can listen to audio files of many past presentations by going to our Editors BC audio files page. You must be logged in to the Editors Canada website to access these files. Recordings are only kept for 30 calendar days. 

April 19, 2023 — Boundaries and Consent: Say No to Burnout

What do YES and NO feel like? It's a simple question...but can you answer it? This session dived into the experience of consent/boundaries, including as physical sensations (which can help chronically busy people learn how to stop before they burn out) and what this means for editor-client relationships. It included exercises to help discern what YES and NO feel like and what questions to ask when assessing consent. The session also includes how to create space within interactions so you can ask for what you want—and refuse what you don't want—while protecting your well-being.

 
Kyra Nabeta learned at a young age to manage social awkwardness by just working harder. While it was great for her resumé, this also led to a life of perfectionism, overachieving, and caretaking. After a spectacular burnout in 2016, she started looking for a better way to manage social interactions without compromising her needs. She's now happy to use her vat of experience as a trauma-resilience instructor, mariner, academic, spinster, neurodivergent, athlete, masseuse, and recovering workaholic to help others avoid the same fate. (And yes, she's also an editor.)

March 15, 2023 — How to Make Specialized Writing More Engaging

How do editors help clients in specialized industries create material that's engaging and easy to understand? We'll explore ways to help your clients identify which topics are most interesting to their readers, and ways you can edit their writing to make it more accessible.

Heidi Turner, a freelance writer and editor since 2006, has helped numerous law firms and accounting practices produce engaging blog posts and marketing materials. She is also the head of content for Bizink—a marketing agency focused on accountants, bookkeepers, and financial planners—and an instructor in SFU's Editing Certificate program. In 2013, she won the Abbotsford Arts Council's Arty Award for Outstanding Artist in the Literary Arts. Heidi is a mentor in Locelle's mentoring program and was the BC Regional Director for the Professional Writers Association of Canada. Her dog remains unimpressed with her accomplishments.

Note: Editors BC will record this meeting. Editors Canada members can view the recording for 30 days by logging in to the Editors Canada website and going to the Editors BC Branch page.

February 15, 2023 —Editing Okanagan Women’s Voices: Syilx and Settler Writing and Relations

Okanagan Women’s Voices: Syilx and Settler Writing and Relations, 1870s–1960s is a new and unique history book that places together writings by both Indigenous and settler women of the Okanagan. This approach has led to “new perspectives and understanding” (Okanagan Women’s Voices, Introduction, p. vi). Join us in hearing from all three editors of this important book regarding their editing process and the decisions and discoveries they made.

Jeannette Armstrong, PhD, is an associate professor and Canada Research Chair at UBC Okanagan. She is a recipient of the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature as an award-winning writer, novelist, and poet. She has also received the Eco Trust USA Buffett Award and was named to the Class of 2021 as a Fellow in the Royal Society of Canada.

Lally Grauer, PhD, is an associate professor emerita at UBC Okanagan, where she taught both Canadian and Indigenous literatures and helped found an Indigenous Studies program. She has collaborated with Indigenous authors on papers and articles and co-edited Native Poetry in Canada: A Contemporary Anthology with Jeannette Armstrong in 2001.

Janet MacArthur, PhD, is an associate professor emerita at UBC Okanagan in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. She created and taught the first courses there on women’s literature, autobiography, and trauma studies. Recent conference presentations have been on relations among Syilx, mixed-heritage, and settler women in the Southern Interior, and on Holocaust film and fiction.

January 18, 2023—Being Edited: Two Authors Share Their Experiences

Two authors discuss their experiences working with editors. They share how they prepare for the editing process, what editors do that’s helpful, and what editors do that drives them crazy.

Esmeralda Cabral writes creative nonfiction and lives in Vancouver, BC, with her family. A graduate of The Writer’s Studio at SFU, she holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of King’s College, Halifax. Her work has been published in literary journals, anthologies, and online. Her first book, How to Clean a Fish and Other Adventures in Portugal, will be published by University of Alberta Press in spring 2023.

Rachel Hartman is the author of four young adult fantasy novels—including Seraphina, which won the William C. Morris YA Debut Award, and Tess of the Road. Rachel has been an adjunct teacher of creative writing at UBC. She lives in Vancouver, BC, with her family.

December 7, 2022—Holiday Social

We’re meeting two weeks early for an informal Zoom social. Join us, and don’t forget to BYO tea and cookies or wine and cheese!

Participate in a few fun poll questions to get to know other editors better, enjoy some editing humour, and play a Jeopardy-style editing game—we promise the categories will surprise, challenge, and delight.

November 16, 2022—From Editor to Author: A Journey in Several Parts

For three decades, Frances Peck was a successful behind-the-scenes wordsmith, working on other people’s publications as an editor, ghostwriter, and rewriter. She also taught over 10,000 people how to get better at editing and writing. Then she decided it was time to return to her youthful passion—writing fiction. At our November meeting, Frances will discuss her journey from hidden editor to published author, fielding questions on writing, editing, and publishing.

Frances Peck, CPE (Hon.), is the author of Peck’s English Pointers, an online collection of essays on language; a co-author of the HyperGrammar website; and a long-time member of Editors Canada. Her propulsive debut novel, The Broken Places, hailed by the Vancouver Sun as an “intense and absorbing drama,” explores how a major earthquake shakes up the lives and relationships of a group of Vancouverites.

October 19, 2022—What Science Says about How We Read

Words, words, and fewer words! 

Cheryl Stephens (she/her) is a leading international expert in plain language communications and will share how neuroscience helps us choose the best word. Short and simple words are not automatically the best choice; the best word is familiar to the reader and carries the most information. A reader judges material on a balance of ease of reading and information gain. Writers aim for this balance, and editors can help select the best word for the job. Editors will appreciate knowing which guidelines are supported by evidence. 

September 21, 2022—Show and Tell, Meet Your 2022–2023 Executive, and Upcoming Programs and Professional Development Schedule

Welcome back to the monthly Editors BC meetings. We’ll meet the 2022–2023 executive committee, hear about the upcoming programs and professional development plans, and have a chance to mingle. We’ll also feature an editing “Show and Tell.” That can mean sharing some editing-related humour, fun editing facts, or a one- to two-page sample of your own editing work and what it means to you.

Past Presentations 2021–2022

May 18, 2022—Annual General Meeting

We invite all members to join us to learn more about Editors BC activities and our plans going forward. Members will have an opportunity to ask questions and offer suggestions for activities, seminars, or presentations in the coming year. Members will also have an opportunity to nominate themselves for a position on the Editors BC executive and then vote for the new executive.

April 20, 2022—Trauma-Informed Editing with Iva Cheung

Trauma-informed practice began in mental health care as a way to acknowledge the role that trauma can play in a person’s decisions, reactions, and life course. The goal of trauma-informed practice is to create a safe environment that (a) avoids re-traumatizing people and (b) removes barriers that people who’ve experienced trauma might encounter. 

In this session, you’ll learn how editors can apply the principles of trauma-informed practice in their work—both when crafting communications for audiences who may have experienced trauma and when working with authors who may have trauma in their background.

Iva Cheung (she/her) is a Certified Professional Editor, indexer, publishing consultant, and health communication researcher. She teaches Plain Language in Health Literacy for Simon Fraser University’s Plain Language Certificate and has worked with historically silenced populations to create accessible health information. She has won Editors Canada’s Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence, President’s Award for Volunteer Service, and Karen Virag Award for promoting the editing profession. Check out her monthly editing cartoons at ivacheung.com/blog.

March 16, 2022—Cookbook Editing from a Proofreader’s Perspective with Merel Elsinga

Join us for a conversation about proofreading cookbooks led by Merel Elsinga. Merel Elsinga is a plain language editor, proofreader, indexer, and writer with a background in law and a lingering passion for sailing and cooking. In her presentation, Cookbook Editing from a Proofreader’s Perspective, Merel will share her tips and resources for editors looking to expand into editing or proofreading cookbooks. Attendees who would like to submit questions in advance can email her at melsinga@gmx.com.

February 16, 2022—Prize-Winning Editing with Shirarose Wilensky 

Meet Shirarose Wilensky (she/her) and hear about her prize-winning edit of Francesca Ekwuyasi’s Butter Honey Pig Bread, an intergenerational novel about three Nigerian women, with themes of food, family, and forgiveness. 

Shirarose Wilensky has more than a decade of in-house and freelance experience in manuscript development and substantive editing, line and copy editing, proofreading, and copy writing. After completing the Master of Publishing Program at Simon Fraser University, she worked at Tightrope Books, D&M Publishers, Greystone Books, and Arsenal Pulp Press. Other books she’s had the pleasure of working on include A Dream of a Woman by Casey Plett, Rebent Sinner by Ivan Coyote, Shut Up You’re Pretty by Téa Mutonji, and The Woo-Woo by Lindsay Wong. She is now an editor at House of Anansi, where she acquires and edits literary fiction and narrative non-fiction.

Read about the 2021 Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence: 
https://www.editors.ca/news/shirarose-wilensky-named-winner-2021-tom-fairley-award-editorial-excellence

January 19, 2022—Editing Academic Research Grant Proposals with Letitia Henville 

Join us for a conversation about editing research grant proposals led by Letitia Henville (she/her), an award-winning instructor and academic editor. Letitia will share some of her favourite tips and resources for editors looking to expand into this field. You can send questions ahead of time to Letitia on Twitter @shortishard or through her website at shortishard.com/contact.

November 17, 2021—The Nuance of Poetry Editing: A Talk by Renée Sarojini Saklikar

Renée Sarojini Saklikar is an award-winning author, instructor, and editor who lives in Vancouver. By sharing examples from her own poetry, teaching, and editing, Saklikar will answer the question, “What qualities and skills are important for a poetry editor?” Each of Saklikar’s books has broken new ground in Canadian poetics: children of air india, about the bombing of Air India Flight 182, won the Canadian Authors Association Award for Poetry and was shortlisted for the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize, while Listening to the Bees, eco-poetics and essays co-authored with Dr. Mark L. Winston, won gold in the environment/ecology category at the 2019 Independent Publisher Book Awards. Saklikar is an instructor at Simon Fraser University and Vancouver Community College and was the poet laureate for the City of Surrey (2015–2018), as well as the 2017 UBC Okanagan Writer in Residence. Her latest book, Bramah and the Beggar Boy, is an innovative blend of fantasy fiction and epic verse, and it debuted as a BC bestseller. Find out more at thotjbap.com.

October 20, 2021—Indigenous Editing with Rhonda Kronyk

Join us for a conversation about working with Indigenous writers and editors led by Rhonda Kronyk, a Settler/Dene writing, editing, and grant-writing consultant. As an Indigenous editor (Tsay Keh Dene, northern BC), Rhonda helps publishers and authors bring manuscripts to the market in ways that respect Indigenous perspectives. Come learn more about how non-Indigenous editors can be strong allies to Indigenous writers and editors.

September 15, 2021—September Social

Welcome to a new season of Editors BC! Join us on Zoom at 7:30 pm PDT to meet the 2021–2022 Editors BC branch executive and learn about upcoming programming and professional development opportunities this year. We look forward to meeting you and sharing who we are, where we live, and what we enjoy about editing. Let’s celebrate the start of an exciting new season.

Past Presentations 2020–2021

May 19, 2021—May Social and Editors BC Executive Elections

Even as we continue to keep our physical distance, we can still come together with an online social to mingle and reflect on editing, work, and life during this eventful past year. Join Editors BC for a game of STET! Dreyer’s English and conversations in Zoom breakout rooms to get to know each other, bring forward any online offerings you would like to see in our 2021–22 season, and discuss what you’re looking forward to doing this summer.

In addition to the social activities at our meeting on Wednesday, we will be electing three new members to the Editors BC executive and inviting nominations for two other executive positions. If no one comes forward for either of the two open nominations, we’ll hold another election for those positions later in the year. 

The three positions for which we have candidates are:

• One professional development co-chair: plans and hosts the branch's professional development seminars
• One volunteer coordinator: oversees the branch’s volunteers and acts as the first point of contact for any new volunteers
• One co-secretary: attends meetings and take minutes, and acts as the branch archivist

The open positions are:

• Two programs co-chairs: plan and host monthly member meetings

All members are invited to participate in this election.

April 21, 2021—Writing and Publishing Children’s Books for a Niche Audience

Elspeth Rae and Rowena Rae are sisters who believe in a world where all children learn to read with confidence and have the chance to discover the pleasure of being lost in a good book. Yet for many kids, learning to read isn’t easy. Elspeth and Rowena, authors of the Meg and Greg series, will share their experiences developing and writing books for children with language-learning differences. Elspeth, a literacy teacher, will describe some of the quirks of English that can make reading and spelling a struggle, and Rowena, a children’s nonfiction author and freelance editor, will detail their journey from self-publishing to publishing their series with Orca Book Publishers. Join us to hear about language, spelling, and writing from a perspective that many readers and editors never encounter.

March 17, 2021—Make Word Work for You: Tips and Tricks, Macros, and Wildcards

Most editors work with Microsoft Word, but many of us still have not unlocked or discovered all of its tricks. Jack Lyon, founder of The Editorium and author and publisher of the invaluable Macro Cookbook for Microsoft Word and Wildcard Cookbook for Microsoft Word, will showcase some hidden gems, including Microsoft Word add-ins and the program’s powerful advanced search features. He will also offer advice on how to automate repetitive tasks using macros and wildcards instead of doing them manually. If you want to work smarter, not harder, join us!

February 17, 2021—Taking Care of Life Stories

Stories are the fabric of our lives that make us who we are. Caring for life stories—whether it is your own or one that you have been entrusted to help mould—is a delicate and important responsibility. University of Lethbridge professor, teacher, researcher, and writer, Erika Hasebe-Ludt is joined by Hali Heavy Shield / Nato’yi’kina’soyi (Holy Light that Shines Bright), a literacy educator, multidisciplinary artist, 2SLGBTQ+ activist, PhD student, and member of the Blood Tribe (Kainai) of southern Alberta. Together, they will speak about the process of taking care of life stories and their experiences in working with others to author, co-author, edit, and bring personal narratives to life.

January 20, 2021—Writing and Editing for the Web

Our language has changed over the years, and so has the way our audiences read. So much of what we write ends up on the web, and as editors and writers, there are ways we can make sure that our copy is suitable for an online audience. This month we welcome Natasha Netschay Davies, one of Canada’s first high-tech journalists and a leading trainer for the business, government, and non-profit sectors in digital, writing, and crisis communications, to share her expertise and her tips for writing and editing for the web.

December 16, 2020—Holiday Zoom Social

The holidays are fast approaching, and although we must keep our physical distance, we can still connect virtually for a year-end celebration. Editors BC will be hosting a holiday party on Zoom. Wear your most festive holiday sweater, pour your favourite beverage, and join us for some holiday-themed games and the opportunity to connect and have fun with our great community of editors.

November 26, 2020—Networking and Collaboration with Editors Edmonton and Editors Calgary

In the wake of COVID-19, making new connections in a socially distanced world can be challenging. Editors BC, in collaboration with Editors Edmonton and Editors Calgary, will be participating in a discussion about leveraging networking and collaboration to find and secure job opportunities. Join us for a panel discussion featuring editors from across Western Canada to learn tips for making the most of your connections. There will also be the opportunity to meet new editors, expand your professional network, and hear new perspectives from within the province and beyond.

November 18, 2020—Effective Document Design

Analyzing and editing documents for usability, clarity, and accessibility is an essential part of an editor’s job. Being familiar with plain language principles and understanding graphic design principles that affect readability will enhance your editing skills.

Join us in welcoming Flora Gordon, professionally certified member of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada and a specialist in technical publishing. Flora will highlight the essentials of effective communication design using plain language principles and key elements of design to create easy-to-understand documents.

October 21, 2020—Marketing Your Editing Business

Are you a new editor starting your freelance business? Or an experienced professional wanting to expand your client base? In either case, marketing your business is an essential factor in acquiring new clients and staying relevant.  Join us this month as we welcome Heidi Turner, expert content strategist, brand marketer, and freelance editor and writer. She’ll provide tools, tips, and ideas for staying connected with clients, reaching out to new ones, and how to get the most out of social media sites, such as LinkedIn.

September 16, 2020—September BYOB Wine and Cheese

Welcome back, members! 

Join us virtually on Zoom at 7:30 pm PDT, and don’t forget to BYOWAC (Bring Your Own Wine and Cheese). Meet our 2020–2021 executive and learn more about our plans for this fall’s programming and professional development as we adapt to today’s online reality. Mingle with other members in our Zoom breakout rooms and test your skills in an online game of STET! Dreyer’s English. 

We are looking forward to seeing you all soon to celebrate the start of an exciting new season.

Past Presentations 2019–2020

June 17, 2020—Season-End Editors BC Executive Elections

Join us in winding down the Editors BC 2019–2020 season with an online meeting to recognize our volunteers and to elect the 2020–2021 executive team. This is usually our wine and cheese event, so bring a beverage of your choice and get to know our incoming exec.

We will be electing members for up to eight vacant positions on the 2020–2021 executive. Co-chair roles share the duties of the position but count as one seat on the branch executive board. We welcome volunteers from all over the province to join the executive. These positions, with a brief description, are:

• Branch chair: leads executive meetings, liaises with the National Executive Council, and supports other executive members as needed
• Treasurer: manages the branch’s finances 
• Two programs co-chairs: plan and host monthly members meetings
• Two professional development co-chairs: plan and host the branch's professional development seminars 
• Publications chair and managing editor of West Coast Editor: manages Editors BC’s blog 
• Volunteer coordinator: oversees the BC branch’s volunteers and acts as the first point of contact for any new volunteers

If in-person meetings recommence in the fall, we will also be looking for volunteers to fill the following non-executive positions:

• Livestream volunteers: set up and monitor the livestream feed for our monthly meetings (volunteers do not have to be available for every meeting)
• Refreshments volunteers: help buy and set out refreshments for our monthly meetings (volunteers do not have to be available for every meeting)

May 20, 2020—Editing in the age of COVID-19

Join Editors BC for an online social, where we will discuss a variety of topics and issues related to editing during this unprecedented time. The meeting will be moderated and led by members of the Editors BC executive and will offer a chance for members to share their experiences and ask questions on topics such as:

• Has your editing practice and the way you work been affected by COVID-19?  
• Do you have children or other dependents at home? How do you manage your editing work/business while also supervising your children and their schooling?
• What are people’s long-term plans for editing in the time of coronavirus? How do we prepare for these upheavals, both economically and emotionally?
• Do any of the government relief programs apply to editors?
• What are we doing for fun these days?

We need your feedback for future meetings

We also want to hear how we, as a branch, can best serve you during these times. Whether or not we are able to meet in person in the future, we’d like to bring you more online offerings. What topics and structure would you like to see for online meetings? We had thought of doing presentations and discussions, rotating hosts from different parts of the province, but we welcome everyone’s ideas!

February 19, 2020—Peer Group “Ant”-ics

Are you a solitary worker ant, dealing with professional isolation in your office, freelance business, or region? Do you want to discuss victories, challenges, and resources with others in your field? Would you like to create a colony of support and learning? Join us at our next monthly meeting for a panel discussion led by Editors BC member Lynn Slobogian on how peer groups can help you.
 
Bring your questions and be part of the conversation with Lynn and our guests Heather Ross, Ellen Michelle, Letitia Henville, and Wendy Barron. They’ll share their personal experience of creating and maintaining peer groups, including mastermind groups  using Skype and Facebook, an in-person editing book club, and an accountability group on Slack. They’ll also discuss their processes, the value peer groups have brought to their professional and personal lives, and some important tips they’ve learned along the way. Learn how to go from solo ant to particip-ant in your own colony!
 
Lynn Slobogian is an experienced editor and speaker. She has developed and delivered dozens of interactive presentations to diverse audiences across the country and is known for her relaxed and engaging presentation style. She was professional development chair/co-chair for Editors BC from 2015 to 2017 and co-chair of Editors Canada’s 2016 national conference in Vancouver. Lynn and three colleagues started a mastermind group in January 2017 and have never looked back.

December 11, 2019—Editors BC Holiday Bash

Calling all word lovers for some holiday cheer!

When: Wednesday, December 11, 6:30 pm

Where: Mosaic Grille in the Hyatt Hotel, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver (second floor)

What else: individual tabs for food & drink | door prizes | party games | casual dress | friends welcome!

Please RSVP, including any guests, by December 4 (click on “Register” on the Eventbrite page) so we can confirm our expected party size, and please arrive as near to 6:30 as you can. The restaurant will free up tables if we don’t fill out our reserved space.

November 20, 2019–Q&A Session with Eve Lazarus and Susan Safyan

Join us at our upcoming monthly meeting for a special presentation followed by a Q&A session with accomplished reporter, author, and blogger Eve Lazarus and expert editor and author Susan Safyan.

Susan has worked as an editor for 20 years. She was an in-house editor at Arsenal Pulp Press between 2008 and 2018, where she edited a range of fiction, graphica, poetry, history, LGBTQ+ studies, cookbooks, and more, working with both new and experienced authors. In 2012, Caitlin Press published her book All Roads Lead to Wells: Stories of the Hippie Days. Susan is now a freelance editor based in Vancouver. 

In addition to her many achievements, Eve hosts and produces a true crime podcast called Blood, Sweat, and Fear. Her passion for history and fascination with murder have led to six books, including the BC bestsellers Cold Case Vancouver; Blood, Sweat, and Fear: The Story of Inspector Vance; Sensational Vancouver; and her latest book, Murder by Milkshake: An Astonishing True Story of Adultery, Arsenic, and a Charismatic Killer.

Susan and Eve have worked together since 2014 and have collaborated on three books: Cold Case Vancouver; Blood, Sweat, and Fear; and Murder by Milkshake. All three were BC bestsellers and shortlisted for four awards.   

Please note that this meeting will not be livestreamed.

October 16, 2019—Rapid-Fire Marketing

Join us at our next monthly meeting for a special presentation by Moreno Perazzolo, owner of Vancouver Media Marketing, and learn how to increase your visibility as an editor by using the Rapid-Fire Marketing method!
 
Moreno is an expert video content marketing consultant and a live webcasting and broadcasting organizer. He will show how the Rapid-Fire Marketing method can help editors like you increase your visibility, exposure, and influence in order to increase your opportunities to secure more projects and clients alike.
 
Can’t make the meeting in person? Join us on Zoom. Members will receive the livestream info via email.

If you would like to attend this meeting and are not an Editors Canada member, email bccoordinator@editors.ca and ask to be added to our non-member distribution list. Please note that only those on either our member or non-member distribution list will be allowed admission to the meeting.

September 18, 2019—Season-Opening Social

Please join us as we kick off the 2019–20 Editors BC season with hors d’oeuvres, socializing, and a by-election.

Come ready to mingle with fellow editors, share your stories, and enjoy some curated snacks. We’re back at VPL, but in a new room on level 9 of the central branch.

Our returning and new executive members will be on hand to answer questions and listen to any suggestions you might have for the coming season. We’d also love to hear your thoughts on the Editors Canada Rethink document, which Editors Canada is currently seeking feedback on.

Some of our vacant positions also received volunteers over the summer. We’d like to ratify those with a by-election for the positions of chair and communications & social media chair (2 positions). There is still an open position for communications and social media (social media portion).

Announcing the Editors BC 2019–20 branch executive!

Elected positions:
Acting chair, Jesse Marchand
Past chair, Marianne Grier
Acting communications & social media (events), Kyle Hawke
Communications & social media (social media), vacant
Member services, Lucy Kenward
Professional development, Ellen Michelle
Professional development, Amber Riaz
Programs, Alexandra Bogdanovic
Secretary, Lynn Sackville
Treasurer, Tiffany Sloan
West Coast Editor, Maggie Clark
Volunteer coordinator, Barbara Johnston

Appointed positions:
Hotline coordinator, Eva van Emden
Webmaster, Amy Haagsma
Refreshments coordinator, Katie Beaton
Refreshments coordinator, Frank Cernik

 

Past Presentations 2018–2019

May 15, 2019—Season-end Ice Cream Social, Volunteer Recognition, and Executive Elections

Summer is coming! Join us in winding down the Editors BC 2018–2019 season with an ice-cream and refreshments social and volunteer recognition night.

We will be holding elections for four positions on the 2019–2020 executive:

• Branch chair: leads executive meetings, liaises with the National Executive Council, and supports other executive members as needed
• Professional development co-chair: plans and hosts the branch’s professional development seminars
• Member services chair: manages member relations and staffs the welcome desk at member meetings
• Programs co-chair: plans and hosts monthly members meetings

The election portion of the meeting will be livestreamed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrrN9qi6HeY, starting at 8 pm.

We’re also looking for volunteers to fill the following non-executive positions:

• Refreshments volunteers: help buy and set out refreshments for our monthly meetings (volunteers don’t have to be available for every meeting)
• Livestream volunteers: set up and monitor the livestream feed for our monthly meetings (volunteers don’t have to be available for every meeting)

Want to become more involved in the running of your branch, or interested in helping out in other ways, big or small? For detailed information on these and other roles, visit the Editors BC Get Involved page or email Roma Ilnyckyj at bcpastchair@editors.ca.

April 17, 2019—Editing in Another World

Our next meeting will feature a special presentation by fellow Editors BC executive member Ellen Michelle, a soon-to-be graduate of the Master of Publishing Program at Simon Fraser University. Ellen is specialized in editing and publishing speculative fiction genres, and aims to promote and support Canadian authors in everything she does. Ellen launched her own publishing company, Constellate Publishing, in 2018. 

Ellen will be speaking about specific editing considerations when working in worlds that differ from the real world as we know it. There are often additional things an editor needs to watch out for when editing genres such as science fiction and fantasy in which the story occurs in a world (or worlds) that an author has created. Join us at our next meeting to learn more about the ins and outs of editing in these genres.
 
Click on the following link to view the livestream: https://youtu.be/kL2rTZtuwpU.

March 20, 2019—English Language and Literature

Join us at our next monthly meeting for a fascinating presentation by research linguist Stefan Dollinger on his new book, Creating Canadian English: The Professor, the Mountaineer, and a National Variety of English (2019). Stefan will lead us through this lively account of the making of Canadian English which traces the variety’s conceptual, social and linguistic developments from the twentieth century to the present.

Stefan Dollinger is Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Department of English Language and Literatures, specializing in Canadian English and linguistic border studies. He is the author of New-Dialect Formation in Canada (2008), The Written Questionnaire in Social Dialectology (2015), and, of particular interest for the present talk, Chief Editor of the new edition of the Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles (2017), which is available in open access at www.dchp.ca/dchp2. 

February 20, 2019—Discovering New Inspirations!

Join us at our February meeting to learn more about the free technology, spaces, and events the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) has to offer you as an editor, writer, and/or content creator. 

After convening over light refreshments at 7:00 pm in the Alma VanDusen meeting room, we will begin our tour of the VPL Inspiration Lab at 7:15 pm. The lab offers space dedicated to digital creativity, collaboration, and storytelling—and it is FREE to VPL cardholders! 

Erin Ziegenfuss, Assistant Manager, Inspiration Lab, Programming and Learning, VPL, will lead us through all that the Inspiration Lab has to offer, including digital media editing, self-publishing tools, and much more! Check out the following links for more information:

www.vpl.ca/inspirationlab
guides.vpl.ca/writers

After the tour Erin will give a short presentation followed by a Q&A period in the Alma VanDusen meeting room.

January 16, 2019—How to Turn Secret Talents into Editing Super Powers!

Join us at our next meeting to learn how education, past careers, personal hobbies and passions—basically, transferrable skills acquired through experience unrelated to editing—have expanded the expertise of your editorial colleagues and contributed to making them better, more knowledgeable editors.

Join in on the conversational small group presentations and learn:

1. How several expert editors have recognized and molded their backgrounds and transferrable skills into unique super editing powers which have contributed to their successes in some truly interesting editing projects.
2. What experiences helped shape the choices they made to come into their own as successful editors.

Learn how you too can transform your distinct and acquired skills into a customized approach to your editing projects.

December 5, 2018—Editors BC Holiday Bash

individual tabs for food & drink | door prizes | party games | casual dress | friends welcome!

November 21, 2018—Niche Editing: Seeing the Opportunities

If it can be written, it can also be improved on with editing and proofreading. The abundance of written material that surrounds us—signs, labels, notices, directions, instructions, blurbs, forms—provides often-overlooked opportunities for editors. On Wednesday, November 21, join us as four editors each describe a specialized editing niche they have developed. Learn about the issues particular to niche editing, the general and specific skills required, liaising with writers, keeping the audience in mind, and how to create your own niche opportunities by uncovering demand for the work. This moderated panel aims to open your mind to previously hidden editing possibilities!

Susan Fitzgerald is a freelance editor, researcher, and writer. For more than two decades, she has helped fiction and non-fiction writers, academics, and organizations with their writing projects. She has worked extensively with wine writers and wine companies.

Sharon McInnis spent over 20 years in marketing, account services, and print production before becoming the ProofingQueen 17 years ago. She has proofread and fact-checked materials for a wide range of services and products, including children’s menus and activity books.

Heather Ross transitioned from project management to editing five years ago after completing the SFU editing certificate. She provides editing services to a variety of clients, including engineering firms, health care organizations, and publishers. A lifelong knitter, she also specializes in technical editing of knitting patterns.

Lynn Sackville has worked as an in-house editor for over 30 years, first with a community newspaper and then for a major accounting firm. In addition to general editing of business-related documents, she specializes in technical editing of financial statements.

October 17, 2018—Demystifying Metadata and E-books for Editors

What exactly is metadata, and why should editors care? Why can’t an e-book just be a fixed-format copy of the print book? How can you leverage metadata to improve book sales? Learn about these topics in digital publishing and tips on how best to present your titles for online retailers. Covering topics such as what metadata and e-book files actually are, what to keep in mind when formatting a print book to e-book, metadata fields that drive discovery and sales, and common pitfalls of metadata, this session aims to demystify e-book production and metadata for editors from a production and retail perspective.

Kelsea O’Connor is a subject matter expert in ONIX and worked in global e-book retail for 4.5 years. She has previously worked at Rakuten Kobo Inc., Random House Canada, Geist, Canadian Literature, and Black Bond Books. She currently works in the marketing software industry.

September 19, 2018—Season-Opening Wine and Cheese

Please join us as we kick off the 2018–19 Editors BC season with a wine and cheese social! Come ready to mingle with fellow editors, share your stories, and enjoy wine and snacks. Our returning and new executive members will be on hand to answer questions and listen to any suggestions you might have for the coming season.

Announcing the Editors BC 2018–19 branch executive:

• Chair, Marianne Grier
• Past chair, Roma Ilnyckyj
• Communications and social media, Jesse Marchand
• Hotline coordinator, Eva van Emden
• Member services, Heather Ross
• Professional development, Ellen Michelle
• Professional development, Ritu Guglani
• Programs, vacant
• Secretary, Lynn Sackville
• Treasurer, Tiffany Sloan
• West Coast Editor, Maggie Clark
• Volunteer coordinator, Barb Johnston
• Webmaster, Amy Haagsma

Past Presentations 2017–2018

May 16, 2018—Season-End Wine and Cheese + Volunteer Recognition + Executive Elections

Summer is coming! Join us in winding down the Editors BC 2017–2018 season with a wine and cheese social and volunteer recognition night. We’ll also be electing members of next year’s executive. Want to become more involved in the running of your branch, or interested in helping out in other ways, big or small? For detailed information, visit the Get Involved page or email Roma Ilnyckyj or Jesse Marchand.

April 18, 2018—Editing and Writing in the Video Game Industry

Branching dialogue, visual novels, role-playing games, narrative design, and game localization: welcome to the world of writing and editing for video games. Tonight’s meeting will reveal the ups and downs of working in a media niche most of us know only as consumers. Get the inside scoop on the unique process of game development, the roles that writers and editors can play, and the opportunities and challenges related to breaking into this competitive sector.

Our speaker, Michelle Clough, is a Vancouver-based freelance writer, editor, narrative designer, localization specialist, QA playtester, closed-caption timer, and professional fangirl. She has been working in the game industry for seven years and is a regular speaker at the Game Developers Conference and PAX West.

March 21, 2018—Abuzz with Networking 

Do you feel bees in your belly at the word networking? Ever wonder how, when, where, or why to network? Does going to events alone fill you with dread? Are you biting your nails at the very idea you’ll be talking to new people in this interactive workshop? Well, this March session aims to take the sting out of networking for you! 

Lynn Slobogian is a freelance editor whose work includes fiction, manga, training manuals, blogs, and annual reports. She was professional development co-chair for Editors BC from 2015 to 2017 and co-chair of Editors Canada’s 2016 national conference in Vancouver. In her previous work life, Lynn managed public engagement programs, international projects, fundraising events, and a non-profit organization.

February 21, 2018—Editors BC Behind the Scenes 

Our February meeting offers a chance to learn more about how Editors BC works. Come out and meet the current BC branch executive as they explain the inner workings of Editors Canada’s westernmost branch. Find out how the branch is run and decisions are made. Get a preview of some exciting initiatives and programming and share your ideas. Learn how to maximize the benefits of membership and reap the rewards of being involved.

January 17, 2018—Editing for Accessibility

Almost 14% of Canadians report being limited in their daily activities by a disability, and 10% of Canadians have print disabilities that affect how they are able to interact with and understand text. If you edit anything for the general public, you are editing for people with disabilities. In this reprise of her session at Editors Canada’s 2017 conference, Iva Cheung will offer concrete steps you can take to make the communications you work on as accessible as possible. 

Iva Cheung is a Certified Professional Editor and a winner of the Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence. She is working on her PhD in knowledge translation in mental health.

December 7, 2017—Editors BC Holiday Bash

November 15, 2017—A Tribute to Nancy Flight and the Builders of Editors BC

This evening we will honour longtime Editors BC member and editor extraordinaire Nancy Flight, who retired from her full-time role as associate publisher of Greystone Books on October 16, 2017—forty-five years to the day after she started her first job in book publishing in San Francisco. Throughout her career as a highly respected and award-winning editor, Nancy made significant contributions to the editing profession and to our national association and local branch. We’re delighted she will be with us on November 15 so we can thank her in person.

As part of the evening’s program, a panel of other longtime members—Peter Colenbrander, Ann-Marie Metten, Peter Moskos, and Ruth Wilson—will share stories about the founding and development of Editors BC, the professionalization of editing, and the strong leadership and spirit of volunteerism exemplified by people like Nancy. The evening is sure to inspire and invigorate all of us to do our best work as we lead the editing profession and Editors BC into the future.

October 18, 2017—Scary Editing Stories—Surviving and Learning from Difficult Situations

Unlike Halloween, editing isn’t meant to be a scary experience. But not all projects are treats. We’ve likely all experienced tricky situations when a client, employer, or author has been difficult to work with, processes have gone awry, or the project has felt like a fiasco from start to finish. In every such experience, however, there can be a lesson and an opportunity for professional growth. Tonight’s panel—Frances Peck, Eve Rickert, and Eva van Emden—will share their scariest editing stories, how they handled them, and, most importantly, what they learned.

A partner with West Coast Editorial Associates and a Certified Professional Editor (Honorary), Frances Peck works on a wide range of material, from websites and brochures to reports and books. She also teaches editing and writing at UBC and Douglas College and delivers workshops for a variety of organizations.

Eve Rickert is a Certified Professional Editor and the founder of Talk Science to Me, a science communications firm that works with non-profit organizations, government agencies, universities, and consultants to explain and deliver science-based information through a variety of channels. She is also a published author and the co-founder of Thorntree Press.

Eva van Emden, a Certified Proofreader and a Certified Copy Editor, edits trade books and magazines, self-published books, corporate reports, and scientific and technical materials.

September 20, 2017—Season-Opening Wine and Cheese + Book Swap

Another summer come and gone! Join us in welcoming the 2017–18 Editors BC season with a wine and cheese social. We’ll also have another book swap! Bring along any books you’re finished with (maybe that awesome summer read you can’t stop talking about) and exchange them for others at the book exchange table.

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Past Presentations 2016–2017

May 17, 2017—Season-Ending Wine and Cheese, Executive Elections, and Book Swap

Summer is coming! Join us in winding down the Editors BC 2016–2017 season with a wine and cheese social. We’ll also be electing members of next year’s executive and having a book swap! Bring along any books you’re finished with and exchange them for others at the book exchange table. Summer reading, here we come!

April 19, 2017—Revitalizing Indigenous Languages

Our April meeting promises to be fascinating as Nicki Benson of Kwi Awt Stelmexw presents an overview of Indigenous languages of British Columbia, current language revitalization initiatives and challenges, and the work of Kwi Awt Stelmexw regarding language education and place-name reclamation. ​

Nicki Benson is an education initiatives manager with Kwi Awt Stelmexw, a not-for-profit organization founded in 2015 to advance Squamish cultural and linguistic identity. For more than ten years, she has worked in language education as a teacher, researcher, and consultant. She is the founder of Esperanza Education, an organization that promotes progressive approaches to language education, and has worked with international organizations on projects to support Indigenous language learning in several countries.

March 15, 2017—Trends in Book Publishing

It has been almost four years since Editors BC hosted a panel discussion about the latest developments in book publishing. Since then, self-publishing, digital publishing, and other forces have continued to reshape this publishing sector. At our March meeting, industry expert Trena White will offer insights into the latest trends in book publishing and the prospects for making a living in this field. Trena White is a co-founder of Page Two, a full-service publishing agency specializing in nonfiction books based in Vancouver, and an associate agent of Transatlantic Agency. Before launching Page Two, Trena was publisher of Douglas & McIntyre and Greystone Books and a nonfiction editor at McClelland & Stewart. She is an adjunct professor in publishing at SFU.

February 15, 2017—Infographics and Data Visualization

Infographics are an increasingly popular way to communicate in this social-media age. Smart and creative infographics can catch the eye and convey an incredible amount of information, and they can be easily shared. But they can also be poorly done and end up confusing more than communicating. What makes a good infographic? What does the creative and editorial process look like? Where is the infographics trend headed, and how can editors stay abreast of best practices? Join us as Nick Routleyof Visual Capitalist addresses these and other questions.

Nick Routley is creative director at Visual Capitalist, a Vancouver-based company that combines art, data, and storytelling to make complex issues and processes more digestible and whose client list features major brands around the world. He is also the co-founder of Popcorn, a social media marketing and PR agency. A graduate of Emily Carr University and BCIT, Nick has been nominated for multiple Information Is Beautiful awards for excellence in data visualization.

January 18, 2017—A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Blue Pencil

Since 2015, Editors BC has partnered with the Vancouver Public Library to offer Blue Pencil consults, in which volunteer editors meet briefly with writers to offer feedback on writing samples. A Blue Pencil session is a valuable experience for editor and writer alike, but it can also be intimidating to those unfamiliar with the process or unsure about how to approach it. A panel of experienced Blue Pencil editors will share their experience, offer tips, and help demystify this unique opportunity to engage with authors one-on-one and develop your editing skills while providing a valuable service to the local writing community.

December 7, 2016—Editors BC Holiday Bash.

November 16, 2016—The Art of Editing Poetry: A Conversation with Shazia Hafiz Ramji

All editors must consider the needs of the writer, the reader, and the publisher or client when working on material, but this can be a particularly delicate balancing act for the poetry editor. What is considered? How does the editor navigate issues of poetic licence or the idiosyncratic use of writing mechanics? What are the desirable characteristics of a poetry editor, and what is happening in this publishing sector? Join us for a stimulating conversation about these and other topics as Talonbooks poetry editor and poet Shazia Hafiz Ramji speaks to moderator Lana Okerlund.

Shazia Hafiz Ramji is the poetry editor at Talonbooks and an interviews editor at Canadian Women in the Literary Arts, and she co-edited the "Intersections" issue of Poetry Is Dead magazine. Her poetry has been nominated for the 2016 National Magazine Awards and is forthcoming in The Capilano Review and the "Augmented Reality" special issue of Letters to the Editors. Shazia's chapbook of poetry will be published by Anstruther Press in 2017, and her first book of poems will be out with Talonbooks in 2018.

October 19, 2016—So You Want to Be a Cookbook Editor

Join seasoned cookbook editors Jesse Marchand and Lana Okerlund and local cookbook author Denise Marchessault for a panel on the tasty art of editing cookbooks. Denise, Jesse, and Lana will guide us through the flavourful world of cookbook writing and editing, sharing first-hand tips and tricks for those interested in the field. Come and participate in a lively discussion, and learn more about this editorial niche from both the editor’s and author’s perspectives.

Denise Marchessault is a classically trained cook with a particular fondness for French cooking techniques. A firm believer in cooking from scratch, Denise creates her soups and sauces with fresh, local ingredients. She is the co-author of British Columbia from Scratch, a cookbook devoted to making delicious meals with an emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and twin daughters.

Jesse Marchand has been working as an editor in publishing and journalism for over 12 years. She is currently the managing editor of WorkSafe magazine, and teaches editing classes through SFU’s Editing Certificate program. She is the former associate publisher of Whitecap Books in Vancouver, where she spent many hours working with cookbook authors to get their books to press. She has worked in book publishing at nearly every stage of the process, including acquisition, substantive editing, photo editing, design, copy editing and proofreading, creating press files, and creating and designing ebooks. She holds a bachelor of arts from UBC.

Lana Okerlund is a Certified Copy Editor and Certified Proofreader and a partner of West Coast Editorial Associates. She specializes in non-fiction books and publications, including cookbooks. She has copy edited, proofread, or indexed over 40 cookbook titles for clients such as Appetite by Random House, Figure 1 Publishing, TouchWood Editions, and Whitecap Books. She is also an editing instructor at SFU and is currently the member services chair for Editors BC.

September 21, 2016—Welcome Back Wine & Cheese

It’s September (already!), and time to kick off our 2016–17 season. Come ready to mingle with fellow editors, share your stories, and enjoy wine and snacks. Announcing the 2016–17 Editors BC executive: Marianne Grier, chair; Roma Ilnyckyj, past chair; Wendy Barron, communications & social media; Lana Okerlund, member services; Lynn Slobogian, professional development; Erin Parker, professional development; TBA, programs; Eric Damer, secretary; Tiffany Sloan, treasurer; Amy Haagsma, West Coast Editor; Eva van Emden, hotline coordinator and webmaster.

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Past Presentations 2015–2016

May 18, 2016—Season-End Wine and Cheese, Executive Elections, and Conference Preview

Summer is coming! Join us in winding down the Editors BC 2015–2016 season with a wine and cheese social. We’ll also be electing members of next year’s executive. And as an extra bonus, Wendy Barron, Lynn Slobogian, and Amy Haagsma will be leading an informal discussion about the Editors Canada 2016 conference. Come get a sneak peek at what you can expect from the conference, and learn some tips for getting the most out of an editing conference.

April 20, 2016—The Editor as Advocate: Plain Language and Social Justice

As editors, we know we are proxies for the readers. Do we naturally have an obligation to advocate for them as well? This talk will look at clear communication as fundamental to a participatory democracy and functional society, drawing examples from legal and medical case studies. We’ll discuss the role of plain language editing in social justice issues and how best to uphold your audience’s rights.

Iva Cheung is a Certified Professional Editor and a winner of Editors Canada’s Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence. She blogs about editing and publishing at www.ivacheung.com and is working on her PhD in knowledge translation.

March 16, 2016—So You Want to Be an Expat Editor

Explore the pleasures and pitfalls of expatriate life as Daniel Gawthrop recalls his experiences as an overseas sub-editor at daily newspapers in Thailand and Burma/Myanmar. Drawing from two tours of duty a decade apart, Gawthrop offers insight into the challenges of navigating cultural differences, wading through butchered syntax in bad translation, and resisting newsroom censorship in a land still recovering from half a century of military rule.

Daniel Gawthrop is the author of five non-fiction books, including The Trial of Pope Benedict (Arsenal Pulp Press). A former freelance journalist, he now works as a communications representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

February 17, 2016—An Evening of Show and Tell

Join us for an exciting evening of presentations from some of our very own Editors BC members. Discover what your fellow editors have been up to as they share their experiences from memorable projects both big and small.

January 20, 2016—The Tyranny of the Copy-Text: The Trials and Tribulations of Textual Editing

A description of classical textual editing can make it seem arcane and dull, but taken in conjunction with the history of printing and textual transmission, it’s a fascinating discipline that can arouse strong feelings among its practitioners. Herbert Rosengarten will share some examples from his own experience to illustrate the challenges facing an editor whose task is the seemingly simple one of reproducing what an author wanted the reader to see.

Herbert Rosengarten is a professor emeritus and former Head of the English Department at the University of British Columbia. He was a member of the editorial team that produced the Clarendon edition of the novels of the Brontës, a contributor to The Oxford Companion to the Brontës, and (with Christine Alexander) a compiler of the entry on the Brontës in The Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature, 3rd ed. He worked with writer and editor Eric Damer on a history of UBC, where he is currently executive director of the president’s office.

December 5, 2015—Editors BC Holiday Bash

November 18, 2015—Panel Discussion: Editing Global English

A discussion on the role of editors in the increasingly globalized context of English. As editors, how can we edit with a sensitivity toward non-native-speaking authors? How does the author-editor relationship change when a second (or third) language is involved? What are the cultural and ethical implications of this relationship? Our three guest speakers have diverse linguistic and professional backgrounds that will help inform this relevant and much-needed discussion.

Glauce Fleury is a Vancouver-based freelance journalist and communications specialist. After working for 15 years in Brazil, her Portuguese-speaking home country, she challenged herself to write professionally in Canadian English. Her work has appeared in publications from organizations such as the David Suzuki Foundation and Douglas College.

Joel Heng Hartse is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University with a PhD in language and literacy education. His work in the areas of sociolinguistics, academic writing and publishing, and education has appeared or is forthcoming in the Journal of Second Language Writing, Asian Englishes, English Today, and Composition Studies.

Carol Zhong has been an editor for over 17 years, specializing in academic work. She has a BA in French and an MA in TESL. In her previous lives she was an instructor of ESL, EFL, and English, in Canada and abroad. In the UK, she was a lexicographer with Longman.

October 21, 2015—Editors Canada: Update on National Happenings

One of our local members, Margaret Shaw, is on the national executive this year. She’s the director of branches and twigs for western Canada, meaning the BC, Prairie Provinces, and Saskatchewan branches and the Calgary twig. Margaret will talk about some of the highlights from the first national executive meeting of the 2015–2016 year, which took place in Montreal on September 19–20. She’ll tell us about the overall priorities the executive intends to address in the coming year, and also provide specifics about some exciting new projects and undertakings. Margaret Shaw is a freelance writer, editor, and trainer with a science background. She works mainly with technical material in the corporate and government sectors. In her previous career, she was an environmental consultant. Margaret has a diploma in professional writing from Douglas College and is certified in structural, stylistic, and copy editing. When not at her desk, she likes to be outdoors.

September 16, 2015—Welcome Back Wine & Cheese: Getting to Know Each Other Better

Come on out to get to know your Editors Canada/Editors BC colleagues better! We’re all editors, but our backgrounds are diverse. Did you know that we have published authors, engineers, trained historians, and world travellers among us? Come ready to share your stories, and enjoy wine and snacks as we kick off our 2015–2016 season.

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Past Presentations 2014–2015

May 20, 2015—Year-End Wine and Cheese—and Elections Our 2014–2015 season is drawing to a close, and it’s time to celebrate summer! Join us for wine, Murchie’s Editors’ Blend tea, snacks, and good conversation with fellow editors. We’ll also be choosing our new executive council for the 2015–16 season.

April 15, 2015—Transcription, Captioning, and Subtitling: An Introduction for Editors Transcription, captioning, and subtitling are challenging and interesting areas of work for editors, from both process and service-delivery perspectives. To do this work, an editor needs responsive thinking skills, a full editor’s toolkit, and the ability to break down a job into its constituent parts . . . and then to recombine the parts to best represent how the text is performed. Kelly Maxwell is a co-founder (in 1994) of Line 21 Media Services, a Vancouver-based boutique service company specializing in transcription, captioning, and subtitling. Every day in her work brings new challenges, new stories, and new material.

March 18, 2015—Writers on Editors: An Evening of Eavesdropping What do writers really think of editors? Do they love all that well-intentioned advice and criticism, or do they sometimes, just sometimes, resist it? Which editorial strategies work best for writers, and which are doomed to fail? Do self-published authors have different needs than the traditionally published? Our March author panel is your chance to eavesdrop and learn as three accomplished writers tell all about their editors. Margo Bates, author of P.S. Don't Tell Your Mother, The Queen of a Gated Community, and The Funeral Follower (in progress), uses humour to bring fiction to life. She is president of the Vancouver branch of the Canadian Authors Association and does public speaking, workshops, publicity, and photography. Daniel Francis is the author of two dozen books, mostly about Canadian history, and is a columnist for Geist magazine. His books, which have won several awards, cover a diverse range of subjects, from prostitution in Vancouver to the history of whaling. Jenny Lee (moderator) has worked on both sides of the author–editor partnership. A writer, editor, and digital journalist, she’s been with the Vancouver Sun for nearly 30 years.

February 18, 2015—Language Detectives: Part II Join in as Dr. Lorna Fadden takes us on a journey into the world of forensic linguistics. How do we know if someone understands their rights after they’re arrested? Can we demonstrate an escalation of threat in a series of letters? What does it mean to have a questionable confession? The intricacies of word choice and sentence structure, among other language features, can give us insightful clues into answering these questions. Dr. Lorna Fadden teaches at Simon Fraser University, where she is also the First Nations languages coordinator. Her research is in the area of forensic discourse analysis, and she consults on criminal and civil cases involving language evidence.

January 21, 2015—Editing for the Ear: A Speech Writer’s Perspective Join well-known Vancouver speech writer Colin Moorhouse for a one-hour workshop on writing and editing speeches. He will discuss the six key elements of writing an engaging speech and cover issues such as the nature of the event; the oratorical skills of the speaker; and matters of story, language, humour, and interest. He will also provide insight on where the editor can play a crucial role in polishing a keynote speech for final delivery to the client. Colin Moorhouse has been a freelance speech writer for over twenty years. He has written hundreds of speeches for senior levels of government, businesses, and international NGOs. His speeches have been delivered by senior executives at venues all over the world. He teaches a two-day speechwriting course at SFU Harbour Centre, provides similar instructional courses to the corporate sector, and runs a six-week online program. He has spoken at speech-related events for Toastmasters and the International Association of Business Communicators, and at the Ragan Speechwriters Conference in Washington, DC.

December 6, 2014—EAC-BC Holiday Bash

November 19, 2014—Access to Information: The Role of Editors As editors, our job is to make sure that the material we’re editing is as accessible as possible for its intended audience. But what do we do if we’re editing for an audience we’re not familiar with? What challenges do different groups of readers face, and what can editors do to make reading material more accessible to all audiences? Join us for a panel discussion with three speakers representing a wide range of readers. Panel speakers: William Booth, Downtown Eastside Literacy Outreach Coordinator; Sheryl Gray, editor and advocate for children with Down syndrome; Heidi Nygard, Alternate Format Collections Coordinator, Crane Library. Panel moderator: Shana Johnstone, principal of Uncover Editorial + Design.

October 15, 2014—Forks in the Road: Dictionaries and the Radically Changing English-Language Ecosystem By at least one objective measure of use, English is set apart from all other languages today. UBC’s Stefan Dollinger will look at recent geopolitical changes influencing the language and the use of English as a lingua franca among non-native speakers, which raises questions of ownership and discrimination between “errors” and linguistic innovations. Stefan will focus on whether these novel uses have been, or should be, addressed in the Oxford English Dictionary and the Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles. Stefan Dollinger, Assistant Professor of English at UBC Vancouver, specializes in historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, and the lexicography and lexicology of varieties of English. He has published over 40 scholarly papers and is the author of New-Dialect Formation in Canada (2008) and The Written Questionnaire in Social Dialectology (just sent to press). As editor-in-chief of A Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles, Stefan oversaw the digitization of DCHP-1, now available in open access. The second edition, with about 800 new terms and meanings, is expected in early 2016.

September 17, 2014—Hitting-the-Books Wine & Cheese: Professional Development Tips It’s back-to-school season, and we’re celebrating with wine and cheese—why not?—and an exchange of professional development tips. How do you build your editing skills and knowledge? How do you stay on top of changes in language and technology? Who are your grammar gurus? What are your go-to books, blogs, LinkedIn or Facebook groups, newsletters, webinars, podcasts, Twitter feeds? Bring in your well-thumbed publications, show us your online faves (laptop and projector provided), or simply tell us where and how you like to learn.

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Past Presentations 2013–2014

May 21, 2014—Election of the 2014–2015 Executive and Wine and Cheese Social May is election month for BC editors, so come out and choose your 2014–2015 BC Branch executive. Want to get more involved? Stand for an executive position yourself or join one of our committees.

April 16, 2014—Not Only in Canada, Eh? International Editing There’s a whole world out there in need of editors. Curious? Three panellists, moderated by Anne Brennan, will share their experiences of working for international clients, hiring international team members, grappling with editorial styles, marketing their services, and—of course—getting paid.

• Theresa Best has over 15 years of publishing experience. She spent several years as an editor at the UK’s statutory body for education. Also, she worked as a commissioning editor at Routledge Education and an editor at Guardian News & Media, publisher of the Guardian newspaper. She teaches editing at SFU.
• Anne Brennan, CPE, worked in-house for 25 years, mostly as a managing editor for magazines, websites, and distance learning materials, before going freelance in 2008. Now she edits educational, technical, and corporate material; develops websites; and manages projects.
• Eva van Emden is a freelance editor with a background in biology and computer science. She has worked for clients in the United States, Europe, and Asia, editing magazines, academic papers, grant proposals, and self-published books, as well as doing the occasional translation.
• Carol Zhong edits journal articles for academics in Hong Kong and Europe, and manuscripts for a university press in Hong Kong. Before becoming an editor, she taught ESL and English in Canada and China, was a lexicographer for Longman in the UK, and edited in-house at the Open University of Hong Kong.

March 19, 2014—Behind the Scenes at the Library: Libraries in an evolving landscape The publishing landscape is changing fast, and it’s a challenge for libraries to meet the evolving needs of all parties—content producers and consumers alike. How do libraries select books and other materials in this new environment? What role do bricks-and-mortar libraries and bookstores play? What are recent borrowing and buying trends? How do e-books and self-published authors fit in? Christine Middlemass shares her experiences and suggests some directions for the future. Christine Middlemass, Manager of Collections and Technical Services, Vancouver Public Library, has been at VPL since 1978. She developed a number of collections and managed the historical photographs archival collection. More recently, she led a project to create a centralized team of librarians to select material for VPL’s collections. She has also worked on integrating selection, acquisition, interlibrary loan, and purchase-on-demand functions at VPL. Chris is an avid reader of science fiction.

February 19, 2014—Posture for Editors Are you achy or in pain after hours at your desk? Your posture may be playing a role. Bad posture, which causes muscles to fatigue quickly, is a repetitive cycle, but it can be broken. Training can help you maintain good posture and minimize pain. Registered massage therapist Luca Pellanda will speak to us about resting and sleeping posture, seated posture, and standing posture, and will give us simple tips for integrating better posture, strength, and activity building into our daily lives. Luca Pellanda, RMT, is a graduate of Utopia Academy of Massage Therapy in Vancouver and is trained in a wide range of therapeutic techniques. He focuses on identifying conditions that respond to treatment by myofascial techniques, therapeutic exercises, and life/work ergonomic changes, with the goal of improving clients’ sustainable mobility and strength.

January 15, 2014—A Tour through the World of Map Editing Editing maps without too much editorializing presents many challenges: How do you show boundaries that are in dispute? Name places where the Latin alphabet isn’t used? Portray sites using symbols without offending anyone? Produce a pleasing, detailed, accurate map without overcrowding it? Creating a map is an editorial responsibility as much as it is a graphic compilation. What to include and what to omit, how to spell place names, how to show such items as hotels without being overtly commercial, how to overcome opposition that can become quite heated, and how to work with production facilities in different parts of the world and with differing cultural backgrounds—these are key editorial considerations in the world of map publishing. Explore the world of map editing and you could go home with freebies from our bonus map giveaway. Jack Joyce is founder and president of International Travel Maps and Books (ITMB Publishing). As a retailer of maps from Asia, Europe, and the U.S., Jack discovered that maps of Latin America were almost impossible to find. Responding to customer demand, he partnered with Kevin Healey, an Australian cartographer, to form ITMB and began publishing original maps. Today ITMB is the largest publisher of travel maps in the world.

December 7, 2013—Annual Christmas Party Here’s your chance to mix it up with EAC members and friends at the season’s best bash.

November 20, 2013—What the Heck Is Happening in Book Publishing? Is book publishing an archaic industry in decline or an expanding field of unprecedented opportunity? Do book editors need new skills to remain relevant? Will the editorial role shrink, or will editors step into higher-profile positions as part of a publisher’s quality or curatorial “brand”? And what about self-publishing—is there an editorial living to be made there? Join a panel of eminent book editors and publishers—Laraine Coates, Nancy Flight, and Barbara Pulling—for a discussion of the latest developments in this ever-changing industry. Lana Okerlund will moderate.

• Laraine Coates joined UBC Press as a production editor in 2009 and became marketing manager in 2011. She also manages the press’s digital program. She started her life in book publishing in 2000 and has worked in editorial, administration, sales, and marketing.
• Nancy Flight is associate publisher of Greystone Books, a past-president of EAC, and the 1988 recipient of the Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence. She has taught editing for SFU's Master of Publishing and Continuing Studies programs, and for the SFU and Banff summer publishing workshops.
• Lana Okerlund is a freelance editor, writer, and indexer, specializing in non-fiction books. She is a graduate of SFU’s Certificate in Editing program and is certified as a copy editor and a proofreader by EAC.
• Barbara Pulling is a freelance editor, literary consultant, and publishing specialist. Winner of the 2000 Tom Fairley Award, she has worked with some of Canada’s best book authors since 1983. She has taught at SFU in Continuing Studies, the book and fiction editing workshops, and the Master of Publishing program.

October 16, 2013—EAC Gets a Structural Edit There’s new legislation in store for national not-for-profits in Canada, and it spells change for EAC. This fall members across Canada are being asked how the association should revise its structure to comply. Former EAC president Maureen Nicholson will run through the new legal requirements and guide us in a discussion of the best options for the association and our branch. Whether you’ve been a member for years or are new to the scene, you’ll learn a lot about how EAC is run plus get a chance to have your say. If you’d like to prepare for the discussion, check out this short, readable backgrounder. Maureen Nicholson, long-time editor and coordinator of the professional writing program at Douglas College, is a past-president and honorary life member of the Editors’ Association of Canada. She spent a year as chair of the EAC task force on governance issues.

September 18, 2013—Wine & Cheese, Editors’ Show and Tell: Timesaving Tools, Tips, and Tricks Efficient, productive, savvy—we all want to be that editor. What better way to learn than from each other? Come out for an informal exchange of shortcuts, apps, databases, programs, references, and general wisdom on how to do it faster and better. Show your faves on the laptop and projector (provided) or tell us your tricks of the trade. Get a list of the main tips here.

Past Presentations 2012–2013

May 15, 2013—Election of the 2013–14 Executive, Book Exchange, and Wine and Cheese Social

April 17, 2013—The Good, the Bad, and the “That Could Have Gone Better” about Subcontracting Subcontracting is a great way to farm out work when you’ve got too much due at the same time. For new editors, it’s a chance to get started in the business. How do you venture into subcontracting, and what pleasures and pitfalls might you encounter along the way? Join three editors—Patricia Anderson, Amelia Gilliland, and Eve Rickert—for a lively panel discussion of what works and what doesn’t, no matter which side of the subcontract you’re on. Moderated by Frances Peck, EAC-BC programs co-chair, the panel will end with general Q&A, so bring along those questions you’ve always meant to ask.

• Patricia Anderson, PhD, is a cultural history and publishing studies scholar, book author, and editor of fiction and nonfiction. Her editing and literary consulting business, Helping You Get Published, has been online for 14 years, during which time she has hired a number of editorial subcontractors. She is writing a guide to successful publication for conventional and self-publishing book authors that will include a chapter on the importance of professional editing. 
• Amelia Gilliland has been editing fiction and nonfiction books for seven years. She has an editing certificate from SFU’s Writing and Publishing Program, worked in-house at Douglas & McIntyre and Arsenal Pulp Press, and subcontracts for West Coast Editorial Associates. An experienced substantive editor, copy editor, and proofreader, she has focused on editing fiction for the past few years. She frequently works with self-publishing authors. 
• A certified professional editor with 10 years of experience, Eve Rickert owns Talk Science to Me Communications Inc. Her firm provides à la carte services such as writing, editing, indexing, illustration, design, and web development, as well as teams to complete projects from start to finish. The firm relies on freelance associates to provide clients with the skills they need at a price they can afford.

March 20, 2013—Plain Language Certification. Katherine McManus, Director of the SFU Writing and Communications Program, will discuss SFU’s role in the new international project to launch certification in plain language.

February 20, 2013—Editing Books in Translation Whether you’re a current (or would-be) editor of translations, or are simply curious about this intriguing niche, you won’t want to miss our February presentation. Join Iva Cheung, winner of Canada’s most coveted editing award for Cow: A Bovine Biography (translated from German), for an insider’s look at the pleasures and pitfalls of editing books in translation. Iva will cover some big-picture issues, such as copyright and the all-important editor–translator relationship, as well as the nuts and bolts of working with a translated manuscript, including special problems you may encounter. She’ll also offer tips for finding work as an editor of translations.

January 16, 2013—The Making of a Profession: Why Do Editors Need a National Association? David Harrison, an experienced business and academic editor, asks what it means and what it takes to be a professional in your field—in fact, any field. Are editors there yet? Or is there still a way for us to go before being accepted (and paid!) as professionals? David will bring you first-hand some fresh impressions of what EAC is currently up to at the national level to support editors and help advance the profession. He’ll talk about topics of member interest that are being addressed nationally and ask what you really want your national representatives to be doing on your behalf.

 

November 21, 2012—Language Detectives What do syntax and CSI have in common? Find out in this fascinating glimpse into the world of forensic linguistics. Did a series of text messages sent before a fatal car crash constitute legitimate suicide notes? Can we tell if a 911 call transcript has been altered? In a series of letters, where does the author go from creep to stalker? Dr. Lorna Fadden, linguistics professor at Simon Fraser University and a consultant in the field of forensic linguistics, will tell us about these and other cases she has worked on. She’ll also discuss what she and her colleagues look for in their work, and how she came to be a language detective. Dr. Fadden is also SFU’s First Nations Languages Coordinator and a regular moderator for SFU’s Philosophers’ Cafés.

October 17, 2012—E-Books: What Exactly Goes into Making an E-Book, and What Do Editors Need to Know?
Speaker Lara Smith, print and digital coordinator at D&M Publishers, will go over different e-book formats and the kinds of content best suited to each, discuss different conversion methods, and compare in-house and conversion-service workflows. She will also take us through a typical conversion and explain what kind of work is required after export, particularly to accommodate various e-reading devices. We'll look at the inside of an EPUB file, metadata requirements, and digital rights management options. Finally, we'll see how deciding to produce an e-book can affect the editing process.

September 19, 2012—#LFMF(Learn From My Fail) Evening at EAC-BC Read the 

(article by Frances Peck). “When signing off with ‘Regards’ in a memo to an author, keep in mind that the G and T keys are in close proximity. #LFMF” The theme of this first meeting of the 2012–2013 season will be Learn from My Fail (yes, we know it’s bad grammar!): live-tweet your editing lessons learned—your most memorable, not-to-be-repeated moments—to @EditorsBC using the hashtag #LFMF, and we’ll display EAC-BC’s Twitter feed for everyone to see. The evening is an opportunity for all editors to gain some light-hearted wisdom by learning from each other’s (sometimes mortifying) mistakes.

Past Presentations 2011–2012

May 16, 2012—It’s time again for EAC-BC’s branch elections. Enjoy yourself at the complimentary wine & cheese reception and lull yourself into a volunteering frame of mind.

April 18, 2012—“Yes, You Can!” Dispelling the Myths of Certification Too often beliefs, based in fact or not, become truths. That’s especially true of EAC/ACR’s professional certification program. Certified editors Lana Okerlund, Anne Brennan, and Ann-Marie Metten will dispel the top myths about certification, and provide good reasons for getting official recognition of your editing knowledge.

March 21, 2012—Style Sheets with Substance! Want to spend less time and exert less effort when preparing your next style sheet? Join speaker Ruth Wilson for an informal presentation about the basics of building an effective style sheet. Learn what’s necessary for a style sheet to be truly useful. Ruth will provide examples of style sheets for projects ranging from cookbooks to corporate publications.

February 15, 2012—Academic Editing: It’s Not about the Typos Speaker David Harrison shares some ideas, experiences, and tips for editing scholarly articles, books, courses, and other materials for fussy clients in a wide range of academic contexts.

January 18, 2012—Tweeting Your Way to Job Leads Freelance editor Pamela Findling will discuss how posting and following tweets using Twitter can result in some interesting job leads!

November 16, 2011—How to Sell Your Writing and Editing Services to the Government of Canada Did you know there is a market for selling writing and editing services to the federal government? Walker Pautz, from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises with Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), will describe how you can register to sell your services to the government, and how to navigate government websites to conduct market research, find key marketing contacts, and bid on opportunities.

October 19, 2011—The Author/Editor/Publisher Relationship—Battleground or Peace Conference? A presentation by R. David Stephens, senior editor for Tradewind Books and an associate editor for Granville Island Publishing. David currently teaches courses in fiction editing at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia. His children’s book My Animal Friends was chosen by the BC Ministry of Education to be given to 40,000 preschool children as part of their Ready, Set, Learn program. He is a published poet and his plays have received productions at the UBC Summer Theatre Festival, the New Ideas Festival, the Ensemble Studio Theatre, and the Fringe of Toronto Festival.

September 21, 2011—Editing Portfolio Showcase Ever wonder how other editors present their portfolios?Or what exactly they include? And how they use those portfolios to showcase themselves and their editorial skills with potential clients? Join us at the YWCA on Hornby Street for a show-and-tell session with three Vancouver-area editors as they provide a look at some of their work.

Past Presentations 2010–2011

June 2011—EAC-BC Elections of the Executive Join us and vote for your new executive members, or step up and volunteer for one of several committees. We will also hold a book exchange, so bring in your less-used tomes to share with your collegues.

April 2011—E-Books Are Changing the World (Or Are They?) What is the impact of e-books on publishing today? And, in particular, what is the impact on editors? Join us for a panel discussion on how new technologies are changing the publishing landscape. Kathleen Fraser is a Master of Publishing student whose research has focused on the intersection of technological development and editorial practices. Kathleen is the editor at Hur Publishing and works at Caitlin Press. Robert Mackwood has spent almost 30 years in the book industry. As the owner and principal agent of Seventh Avenue Literary Agency—one of Canada’s only non-fiction agencies—he represents over 40 authors with sales to English language publishers and translations rights to over 15 countries for some works. The agency developed Mackwood Publishing Consultants in 2009 to work with self-published authors early in the publishing process providing guidance and insight for their projects.

March 2011—Wearing Two Hats—With Style: Author as Editor One of the skills of a good editor is being able to wear the author’s shoes. Finding a way to nudge, cajole and encourage authors to write their best can be easier once you’ve appreciated the view from both sides of the fence. Author and editor Rhea Tregebov will give her perspective as author and editor. Rhea has worked with authors at the substantive level on numerous projects in a variety of genres, from YA novels to cookbooks, and from academic articles to literary fiction. As an author, she’s also been edited by some of the best, and is grateful for it. She now leads poetry and literary translation workshops for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in the creative writing program at UBC, where she finds her editing skills central to teaching. Her website is www.rheatregebov.ca and her debut novel, released in 2009, is The Knife Sharpener’s Bell. For a client’s view of Rhea’s editing, see best-selling author Lilian Nattel’s blog post.

February 2011—Self-Serving Sources What do you do when an important source insists on seeing the text of your story or makes other similar requests? This session looks at ways to say no that keep a source feeding you information forever. Other source-related predicaments will be discussed, such as, “This is just background” and “I’ve got to see the questions first.” Elizabeth Rains has a master of journalism degree from Carleton University, along with a certificate in graphic design from Selkirk College, and certificates in journalism and web publishing from Langara College. She has worked on many publications and freelanced as a book and corporate editor. She currently publishes Pacific Rim magazine, is a partner in Ocean Cove Media, which develops business plans, book proposals, and marketing materials, and teaches editing at Langara College, Capilano University, and Simon Fraser University.

January 2011—What Are You Worth? How to Price Your Editing Services Putting a dollar value on your skills, abilities, and experience can be daunting for many of us. Cerina Wheatland joined us in January to help make sense of this puzzle in a practical and entertaining way. As a seminar speaker, writer, editor, and advisor, Cerina is passionate about guiding entrepreneurs through the exciting and challenging process of creating, growing, and succeeding in their business. Her website is www.cerinawheatland.com and you can read her blog posts for Small Business BC.

November 2010—Editors’ Show and Tell (or these are a few of my favorite things . . .) Come out and show off your favourite must-haves when you work. See what other editors can’t do without. How have changes in technology affected your toolkit and resources? This will be an evening of discussion and discovery, and hopefully a few surprises along the way!

October 2010—Michelle Boulton, EAC president, met with our membership to discuss proposed changes to the structure of the EAC. The document Editing EAC was circulated a few months ago for members to contemplate, and National strongly encourages your input. It can be found on the members section of our website. You can also find a discussion of our strategic plan on the members section of the website. We’re particularly looking for member feedback on these issues. How do you respond to the issues raised in Editing EAC? How would you like your interests to be represented within the organization? (There is a discussion forum for these issues on the EAC bulletin board.)

September 2010—Terrence Little talked about meeting the challenges of writing and editing for an online audience in the age of fast-developing communications technology.

Past Presentations 2009–2010

April 2010: Melva McLean introduced the craft of screenplay editing focusing on clear and concise principles of formatting, structure, and style. Melva edits books, writes screenplays, and works as a script supervisor in the film industry.

January 2010: Christopher Hatherly, MBA, joined us to discuss the options that editors have when deciding how to structure their small business to suit their needs.

November 2009: Melva McLean presented “The TRIUMF Five-Year Plan 2010–2015: Building a Vision for the Future.”

October 2009: Barbara Tomlin presented “Changes Ahead: How the Revised Professional Editorial Standards Will Affect Certification.” 
Also, read the minutes of the September EAC-BC executive meeting.

September 2009: 20th Anniversary Celebration

Past Presentations 2008–2009

October 2008 through March 2009: We have posted audio files from these meetings to the audio page: October (trade magazines), November (from inspiration to publication), January (professional editorial standards), February (photo research), and March (editing for children).

September 2008: Audio from the September panel on what publishers look for in an editor is available from the audio page.

Past Presentations 2007–2008

May 2008: Annette Lorek’s presentation on indexing appears on the audio page.

March 2008: Derek K. Miller’s presentation “Life, Death, and the Blog” is also available as an enhanced audio download from his website.

February 2008: Randall Orser spoke to EAC-BC members about bookkeeping and accounting for editors.

Past Presentations 2006–2007

May 2007: Monique Trottier talked about working collaboratively using various online tools.

April 2007: Frances Peck covered the copy editing business.

January 2007: Linguist Carrie Gillon compared English and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish Salish), in which no grammatical article behaves like “the.”

November 2006: Christine Laurin spoke about finding and working with European clients. She drew on her 12 years of experience living and working in Spain as a freelance academic editor and translator. Audio is available (about an hour long).

October 2006: EAC-BC webmaster Derek K. Miller spoke about writing and editing for the web and other online and electronic media. Audio is available (about an hour long).

September 2006: Ruth Wilson talked and answered questions about EAC’s inaugural certification exams, coming in November 2006. More detailed information about certification is available on the main EAC certification page and the certification FAQ.

Past Presentations 2005–2006

May 2006: National Chair Maureen Nicholson took us for a fast and informal overview of the national association and its operations. What exactly is the mythic “National”? Who are our members? How are branches funded? Isn’t the Toronto branch just huge? Why bother becoming a voting member? What’s the link between certification and membership? What are those membership benefits? And more.

April 2006: On April 19, Sam Corea, manager of editorial services for VANOC, talked about what it’s like to manage the communications, media relations, and editorial services for an event such as the Winter Games. He described his experiences in Torino and his role in the Torino Main Press Centre.

March 2006: Peter Moskos led an informative session on learning and meeting EAC’s editorial standards, in part as preparation for the upcoming certification process. Audio is now available (see above).

February 2006: EAC-BC webmaster, communications manager for Navarik Corp., and Vancouver blogger Derek K. Miller told us how to build a website in 15 minutes or less (actually, he managed it in 11 minutes). He has posted:

1. The websites we started with Blogger and with WordPress.

You can also read about what a blog, a podcast or a web feed are.

January 2006: Freelance speechwriter Colin Moorhouse of Fearless Freelancing gave a funny and wide-ranging talk about getting new clients (focus on the ones that have money!), figuring out what to charge (more than you do now!), and presenting your skills (you help alleviate people’s frustrations!). Audio has been removed to save space, but contact us if you want a copy.

November 2005: Ruth Wilson, an experienced editor and chair of EAC’s certification steering committee, gave an overview of EAC’s plans to administer tests to certify editors. She covered background information, as well as specifics about the tests, the way they will be administered, and when they will be offered—plus suggestions for test preparation.

October 2005: Do you ever wonder if what you’re doing is legal? Our October presentation on media law revealed how the law affects our work as editors. Lawyer David Sutherland responded to questions about access to information, libel, and defamation, and identified the four available defenses against defamation suits in British Columbia.

September 2005: The September meeting welcomed members back from the summer by introducing the new EAC-BC executive and holding a “show and tell” and networking session where members discussed the work they do.

Past Presentations 2004–2005

May 2005: The May meeting was our last before the summer break, and included our annual elections for the EAC-BC executive, which took place at the very beginning of the general meeting, at 7:30. Then Denise Dale and Sandie Bradley of Streamline Information and Organizing Services talked about their handy office and home information management system. The method is detailed in their two books, At Your Fingertips in the Office: Information Management for the Small Business and At Your Fingertips: A Household Filing System that Works for You.

April 2005: Gail Franklin described a top-down, modular approach for “engineering” technical documents, first developed at Hughes Aircraft in the 1960s, but still not well known among editors generally. She showed how it produces very readable proposals and manuals—on budget and schedule.

March 2005: Peter Moskos described his simple rules for estimating editing jobs, and had the audience try them out by preparing quotes for editing sample manuscripts. Technical difficulties prevented us from recording his talk, but an article about it will appear in West Coast Editor.

February 2005: Cathy Stonehouse discussed the joys and challenges of editing an established literary journal. She talked about what the job actually entails and illustrated an assessment of obstacles and opportunities looming in the field of small magazine publishing.

January 2005: At our January 19 meeting, writer, editor, and EAC member Leigh MacKay presented his insights into corporate documentation, single-source documentation, working with Microsoft Word templates, establishing a company style guide and word list, training casual Microsoft Word users in the office how to get more out of the program, and document quality control through an effective editing process.