Monthly meetings

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March 18, 2015: Writers on Editors: An Evening of Eavesdropping

What: EAC-BC monthly meeting
When: Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 7:00–9:00 pm
Where: Welch Room, 4th floor, YWCA Health + Fitness Centre, 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver | map
Cost: Free for EAC members; $10 for non-members; $5 for students with valid ID. Registration at the door.

Note: New members are invited to a special “welcome session” with our member services chair at 7:00 pm.

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.

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February 18, 2015: Language Detectives: Part II

What: EAC-BC monthly meeting
When: Wednesday, February 18, 2015, 7:00–9:00 pm
Where: Welch Room, 4th floor, YWCA Health + Fitness Centre, 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver | map
Cost: Free for EAC members, $10 for non-members, and $5 for students with valid ID. Registration at the door.

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.

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Event Review: Editing for the Ear

Written by Amy Haagsma; copy edited by Karen Barry

Recap of EAC-BC’s branch meeting on January 21, 2015.

To kick off 2015, EAC-BC hosted Colin Moorhouse at our branch meeting on January 21. Colin is a Vancouver-based speech writer; he also offers presentation training and speech-writing courses. He’s found it to be an interesting niche, as he gets to share in his clients’ passions and learn about a lot of different things.

Colin explained that one of the key considerations when writing a speech is that the end product will be read aloud. Therefore, a good speech writer must appeal to the ear rather than to the eye. Rhythm, pacing, and metre are very important, as is using a colloquial tone and plain language. Speeches also convey emotion more directly than the written word.

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Event Review: Access to Information: The Role of Editors

Written by Stephanie Warner; copy edited by Meagan Kus

Recap of EAC-BC’s branch meeting on November 19, 2014

How can we, as editors and writers, make information accessible for a diverse range of readers?

The learning topic of EAC-BC’s November monthly meeting was Access to information: The role of editors. The lively and engaging panel discussion—moderated by Shana Johnstone, principal of Uncover Editorial + Design—focused on how communicators deal with their audiences’ particular challenges.

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Rows of desks face a projection screen in a classroom-like environment.
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January 21, 2015: Editing for the Ear: A Speech Writer’s Perspective

What: EAC-BC monthly meeting
When: Wednesday, January 21, 2015, 7:00–9:00 pm
Where: Welch Room, 4th floor, YWCA Health + Fitness Centre, 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver | map
Cost: Free for EAC members; $10 for non-members; $5 for students with valid ID. Registration at the door.

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.

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Branch Meeting: November 19, 2014

What: EAC-BC November meeting
When: Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 7:00–9:00 pm
Where: Welch Room, 4th floor, YWCA Health + Fitness Centre, 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver
Cost: Free for EAC members; $10 for non-members; $5 for students with valid ID. Registration at the door.

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.

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Event review: Hitting-the-books wine and cheese

by Amy Haagsma

Recap of EAC-BC’s branch meeting on September 17, 2014

EAC-BC held its 2014­–2015 season opener on September 17, 2014. Before getting down to business, we drank wine, ate cheese, and reconnected with our peers after a summer away.

To kick off the evening, Roma Ilnyckyj, our new Programs chair, introduced the 2014–2015 executive and announced volunteer opportunities with the branch. We are particularly in need of two volunteers to organize refreshments for our branch meetings (update: Frances Peck and Connie Behl have graciously stepped forward to take on this role). The Communications and Social Media committee is always looking for volunteers as well, which allows us to participate in events like Word Vancouver and Communication Convergence. Writers and editors are also needed for West Coast Editor. Please contact Shelagh Jamieson for the Communications and Social Media committee, and Amy Haagsma regarding West Coast Editor.
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Branch meeting: October 15, 2014

What: EAC-BC October meeting
When: Wednesday, October 15, 2014, 7:00–9:00 pm
Where: Welch Room, 4th floor, YWCA Health + Fitness Centre, 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver
Cost: Free for EAC members; $10 for non-members; $5 for students with valid ID. Registration at the door.

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.

Word buffs and linguistics lovers, don’t miss this exciting discussion of dictionaries and the changing realities of English.
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Event review: International editing

by Amy Haagsma

Review of panel discussion on international editing at the EAC-BC branch meeting on April 16, 2014.

One very appealing aspect of a career in editing is its flexibility. Work can be done from almost anywhere and planned around a variety of schedules. After attending EAC-BC’s April meeting on international editing, I realized that another benefit is how vast your potential client base can be. Even if you have a niche specialty, a global market makes it easier to find clients who need your services.

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Branch meeting: May 21, 2014

What: EAC-BC May Meeting & News
When: 1900-2100, Wednesday May 21, 2014
Where: 535 Hornby Street, 4th floor, YWCA, Vancouver
Cost: Free for everyone

Come take part in our last monthly meeting until September. We’re celebrating with wine and cheese and great company! At 1930, put in your vote for the 2014-2015 BC branch executive election. (Note: No pre-meeting pub night this month. Pub nights will resume in the fall.)