professional development

Meet (and Join!) Your Professional Development Committee

Hello! I’m Lynn Slobogian (left), and this is Erin Parker (right) *waving in spirit*. We’re the 2016–17 co-chairs of Editors British Columbia’s professional development committee. I ran the committee last year as chair, while Erin joined last fall as a committee member. This year we’re working together to continue building our knowledge of members’ needs for professional development and finding new subjects and speakers to tantalize you!

Have you wondered what our committee does? Well, we plan, arrange, and follow up on the eight workshops we run each year, which are based on participant feedback. We also think of new ways to offer professional development that will serve a wider audience, create connections between peers, and broaden the branch’s financial base.

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Event Review: Introduction to Applying Proofreading Markup to PDFs

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Written by Ellen Michelle Koehler; copy edited by Emma Caplan

Review of the workshop Introduction to Applying Proofreading Markup to PDFs with Barbara Tomlin (offered by Editors BC on March 19, 2016)

Although Barbara Tomlin’s workshop on applying PDF markup was directed toward new editors like myself, there were quite a few more experienced editors and proofreaders who attended, showing that with new technologies (and upgrades to programs) come new ways to mark up text. Even the experienced editors had questions and followed along closely as Barbara told us all about the best practices of applying proofreading markup to PDFs.

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Event Review: The Art of the Query

Written by Susan Grant; copy edited by Emma Caplan

Review of the workshop The Art of the Query with Ruth Wilson (offered by Editors BC on March 19, 2016)

Ruth Wilson, who recently retired from teaching copy editing and substantive editing in SFU’s Editing Certificate program, was inspired to create her seminar, The Art of the Query, by the struggles of her students to query effectively. But as Ruth noted throughout her presentation, even more experienced editors can make beginners’ mistakes, to the detriment of their relationships with authors and publishers. Drawing on her own experiences and her observations of students’ struggles, Ruth developed this comprehensive seminar on the underrated and oft-neglected skill of the effective query.

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Meet the Instructor: Ruth Wilson

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by Erin Parker

Ruth WilsonOn March 19, Editors BC will present Ruth Wilson and her half-day workshop The Art of the Query, which teaches participants how to set the tone for fruitful author–editor relationships through effective and efficient querying.

Ruth has more than 30 years’ experience as an editor. She worked for many years with Vancouver publisher Self-Counsel Press, and since 1998 she has offered a wide range of editorial and training services as a partner in West Coast Editorial Associates (one of her colleagues, Barbara Tomlin, will also be presenting a half-day seminar on March 19, Introduction to Applying Proofreading Markup to PDFs Using Adobe Acrobat Reader). Ruth is also a respected instructor at SFU, where she has taught many courses in editorial skills for more than 15 years.

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Meet the Instructor: Peter Moskos

by Connie Behl

Peter Moskos_CROPPEDEditors BC is pleased to present Peter Moskos and his workshop Plain Language: The Basics, which explores the purpose and key techniques of plain language. The workshop will be held in Vancouver on February 24 and in Victoria on May 14, with the Victoria workshop put on in conjunction with the Professional Editors Association of Vancouver Island.

Peter is a writer and editor who specializes in plain language. He has a passion for simplifying complex documents and making them clear and easy to follow. He has written and edited reports to Parliament, technical reports, manuals, student handbooks, training materials, speeches, legislation, marketing materials, and advertising brochures. Now based in Vancouver, Peter is retired but continues to offer courses in plain language and in how to build a writing and editing business.

Peter played a formative role in the development of Editors Canada’s certification program and for his contribution was designated an Honorary Certified Professional Editor. In the past, Peter taught in Douglas College’s Print Futures program and was an online instructor for Ryerson University’s Diploma in Publishing.

Connie Behl, a member of Editors BC’s professional development committee, recently interviewed Peter about his journey from teacher to editor, his perspectives on plain language, and challenging plain language work he’s faced.

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Event Review: A Matter of Style

Written by Eric Damer; copy edited by Karen Barry

Review of seminar Stylistic Editing: Beyond the Basics with Nancy Flight (offered by Editors BC on October 31, 2015)

When the manuscript you’re editing has sound structure, good grammar, and perfect punctuation, is there anything left to fix? If the manuscript remains awkward, dull, or confusing, then perhaps it is time for some stylistic editing. Our “Halloween” workshop on October 31 with Nancy Flight explored ways to “clarify meaning, improve flow, and smooth language.”

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Meet the Instructor: Barb Adamski

Written by Lynn Slobogian; copy edited by Erin Parker

Barb AdamskiBarb Adamski, a freelance writer and editor for over a decade, will be teaching Editors BC’s November seminar, Freelance Editing 101. The seminar will cover what to consider before setting up shop; how to find and keep good clients; and the benefits, pitfalls, and not-so-fun (yet necessary!) aspects of freelancing.

Lynn Slobogian, Editors BC’s professional development chair, recently chatted with Barb about her path into freelance editing, how the profession might evolve over the next 10 years, and overcoming some of the challenges new freelance editors face. Continue reading →

Meet the Instructor: Nancy Flight

by Lynn Slobogian

Nancy Flight is associate publisher of Greystone Books. She has been editing books for more than 40 years, both as an in-house editor and as a freelancer, in Canada and the United States. She has worked with such authors as David Suzuki, Evelyn Lau, and Wade Davis, among many others. She received the 1988 Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence for her work on Genethics: The Art of Engineering Life, by David Suzuki and Peter Knudtson.

In addition, she has taught in the SFU Master of Publishing program, the Banff Book Editing Workshop, the SFU Book Editing Workshop, and the SFU Book Publishing Workshop, and has taught writing at SFU.

Nancy is also a past president of Editors Canada and of the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia, and has served on the executive council of the Association of Canadian Book Publishers. She was responsible for revising the standards for stylistic editing during Editors Canada’s review of professional standards in 2009. She currently sits on the Langara College Publishing Advisory Committee.

Nancy will be teaching Editors BC’s October seminar, Stylistic Editing: Beyond the Basics, on October 31. Lynn Slobogian, professional development chair, chatted with Nancy about her extensive editing career, her predictions for the future of publishing, and choosing one’s battles while editing. Read on.

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Rows of desks face a projection screen in a classroom-like environment.
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September 26, 2015: Creating Compelling Web Content with Lisa Manfield

What: Editors BC professional development seminar
When: Saturday, September 26, 2015, 9:00 am–4:00 pm
Where: Segal Building, SFU, 500 Granville Street, Vancouver | map

As Web readers become more and more difficult to attract — and keep — on your website, how can today’s Web editors ensure that their digital content engages online audiences? Effective Web editing comes down to three key strategies — understanding Web readers, knowing enough about search optimization to ensure copy is found, and making the most of social media sharing.

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PubPro 2015: Session Summaries (Part 2)

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On April 25, EAC-BC co-hosted PubPro 2015, an unconference for managing editors and publication production specialists. We previously featured a recap of the event and part 1 of the session summaries. Part 2 of the session summaries follows.

Written by Amy Haagsma; copy edited by Meagan Kus

Change management: A guided discussion led by Chantal Moore

Chantal Moore is communications manager at the BC Council for International Education, a Crown corporation that facilitates international student exchanges. She was interested in discussing best practices for managing change.

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