In this piece, the West Coast Editor interviews three outgoing executives of Editors BC, Lynn Sackville, Tania Cheffins, and Hope Masten.

WCE:  Thank you, Lynn, Tania, and Hope for chatting with the West Coast Editor today. First, we’d like to thank you for your service with Editors BC. Can you tell us how long you’ve been an executive and what motivated you to become a volunteer?

Lynn: Six years ago, I was recruited to join the executive in the secretary role. Prior to that, I had been regularly attending meetings, which was taken as an indication that I might be interested in getting more involved! I was approached at an opportune time, as my children had graduated; I was no longer volunteering with their schools, and I was ready to put that energy elsewhere. 

Tania: I’ve been volunteering with Editors Canada since 2014, first with the Certification Steering Committee, then as the Director of Professional Standards on the National Executive Committee, and finally as treasurer for Editors BC since 2020. After working with the association at the national level, I wanted to volunteer locally so that I could make connections with editors closer to home.

Hope: I served for one year as an executive member (for the 2022–2023 term). Prior to that, I was a volunteer with the professional development committee for two years. I first reached out to the committee because I was new to the editing world, and I had no idea where to start. I thought volunteering was a good start and that I would get the most experience helping that committee specifically. Letitia Henville and Barbara Johnston were the co-chairs at the time, and they really helped me in that first year. They carefully chose webinars they thought would be most beneficial for me to sit in while I helped with the behind-the-scenes logistics.

WCE: Reflecting on your volunteer experience, what are some key achievements or memorable moments that stand out to you? 

Hope: I think the key achievements of the professional development committee this year were the diverse webinar topics. We really worked as a team to come up with a variety of interesting topics for our members. I also loved being a part of the “Meet Your Future Self” event for the second time. I helped plan the event in 2021, so it was great to be able to plan it again, keeping in mind the feedback we received for the first one. The editing field can be daunting and difficult to navigate for newer editors, and I love that Editors BC offers this event to help bridge that gap. I believe that creating this opportunity to talk to experienced editors and take in their advice is a great place for them to start, and I’m happy to be a part of that.

Lynn: Having been secretary for so many years, I have had the pleasure of working with a changing roster of executive volunteers. With each newly elected executive, I have been impressed by the ongoing commitment, diligence, creativity, hard work, and care. I’ve been proud to be part of what each team has accomplished. Also, over time, I have become one of the members with a longer connection to the background and history of the work of the executive.

WCE: Did you make any interesting discovery about editing or editors through your volunteer experience? 

Lynn: Just how smart, capable, collaborative, and fun I have found the editors I’ve worked with. But maybe that isn’t a surprise! One truly unexpected discovery was how going virtual because of the pandemic enhanced our service to members. Everyone in the province now has the chance to participate in meetings to the same degree and to contribute to the same level, no matter where they live. 

Hope: I love talking to editors and hearing their “origin” story, and I often hear one of two kinds of stories. The first is that some sort of fell into the field by chance. They were good at editing or maybe just passionate about grammar and punctuation, so a friend or colleague asked them to edit for them. They then received more and more work via word-of-mouth. The second is that they got professional training and certification. They did internships at publishing houses which then launched them into their career. There’s really not one way, one straight path, to becoming an editor, but I often hear a variation of these two stories. Another interesting thing I learned is that many editors are freelance, and many receive their work via word-of-mouth and networking—which is a bit ironic considering a lot of editors I’ve met are more introverted and would rather not spend their time networking if possible.

WCE: How have you grown personally or professionally during your time as a volunteer? Are there any specific skills or knowledge you’ve acquired or developed?

Tania: Although I had plenty of experience editing accounting and finance material, I had never overseen an organization’s budget before becoming treasurer, so that was a new skill for me. I also learned a lot about bookkeeping in my first year as treasurer (the bookkeeping function has now been taken over by National, so it’s no longer part of the role).

Lynn: Before Editors BC, I had volunteered as secretary for other organizations, but I’d never had my minutes edited by multiple professional editors! The Editors BC secretary sends the minutes out to the executive for review after they’ve been written up. I learned a lot by seeing the edits other editors made to my work!

Hope: I’ve definitely refined my time management skills. There’s a lot of work that goes into planning the webinars. A lot of coordinating, waiting, advertising, and admin work. You have to really plan ahead of time—months ahead of time—to stay on top of it. I have a lot of respect for every executive member and how much of their time they put into creating these opportunities for our members. I would say I’ve also become more confident in my abilities as an editor. It’s easy to have a sense of imposter syndrome, but, through this work, I’ve realized that I’m much more capable and I have a lot more knowledge than I realize.

WCE: How has your editing network grown since you became a volunteer? Has this impacted your work and professional development in any way?  

Tania: Volunteering definitely helped grow my editing network. Those connections were invaluable when I was freelancing, both in helping me find work and in helping me feel like I was part of a community. 

Lynn: My network has grown hugely. I remember a time when I went to in-person meetings not knowing anyone, but over the years, I’ve built up relationships and am now surrounded by a familiar group of colleagues. As far as professional development, I have been able to take advantage of the free seminar a year offered to executive volunteers—that’s provided an opportunity for professional growth. 

Hope: It has grown a bit, but not substantially. This is mainly because of my schedule. I was often unable to attend the monthly members’ meeting, and this is the best time to network with fellow editors. If not for my schedule overlapping with the meetings, I would have gone more.

WCE: What’s next for you? Any career or personal goals you’re willing to share? 🙂

Lynn: One long-term goal is to expand the types of documents I work on and broaden my scope as an editor. I’ve been working primarily in one niche for a long time. 

Tania: I started a full-time job last year after freelancing for six years. I’m happy with the move, but I’m still getting used to being on a regular schedule, and I’m taking a break from volunteering while I adjust to working a full-time schedule. Beyond editing, I’m excited to be able to travel again, and this summer, I’m going on a road trip down the Oregon coast.

Hope: I’ve been working with more and more Indigenous clients and Indigenous work in general. I’m hoping to be editing more work like this. This is close to my heart as I am from the Yurok Tribe and one of my main goals—even before I was in university—was to circle back and connect my career to Indigenous communities somehow. As an editor you have to sort of try different kinds of work to see what you like, and this is something that I feel more connected to. I hope to continue to work with more Indigenous businesses and help them refine their work and amplify their stories. I’ve always loved being a background character—helping others with their goals—and with my skill set, editing is where I can do that best.

WCE: What advice would you give to new volunteers joining our organization? Are there any specific strategies or approaches you found helpful during your time as a volunteer?

Tania: I encourage everyone to volunteer so that they can learn more about the association and how it runs. Volunteering can also help you gain experience in a variety of areas and can build up your resume. And of course, it’s a great way to meet people and have fun!

Lynn: Attend meetings; participate in seminars; talk to people; get the most out of your professional association by contributing your ideas, suggestions, time, and skills; join editing sites and learn from the questions posed for discussion by other editors.

Hope: I only worked in the professional development committee, so my advice is more specific to that. If you’re a co-chair, write a big picture schedule for yourself and stay on top of it. It’ll make your job a million times easier. There are a lot of little deadlines along the way, and balancing your volunteer time with your work time can be difficult if you don’t make a schedule. Other than that, my only other advice is don’t be afraid to ask questions. Nobody expects you to know everything, and they’re all very willing to help.

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