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March 15, 2017: Trends in Book Publishing

What: Editors BC monthly meeting
When: Wednesday, March 15, 2017, 7:00 pm (program begins at 7:30 pm)
Where: Welch Room, 4th floor, YWCA Health + Fitness Centre, 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver | map
Cost: Free for Editors Canada members and student affiliates, $10 for non-members, and $5 for non-member students with valid ID. Registration at the door.

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.

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Part of a calendar is shown with one pin lying on top of it, another pin stuck in the 26th of an unknown month, and a blue circle around the 24th.
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February 15, 2017: Infographics and Data Visualization

What: Editors BC monthly meeting
When: Wednesday, February 15, 2017, 7:00 pm (program begins at 7:30 pm)
Where: Welch Room, 4th floor, YWCA Health + Fitness Centre, 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver | map
Cost: Free for Editors Canada members and student affiliates, $10 for non-members, and $5 for non-member students with valid ID. Registration at the door.

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 Routley of Visual Capitalist addresses these and other questions.

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Rows of desks face a projection screen in a classroom-like environment.
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February 25, 2017: Editing Non-Fiction Book Proposals

What: Editors BC professional development seminar
When: Saturday, February 25, 2017, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Where: SFU Harbour Centre, Room 2200, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver | map
Cost: $105 for Editors Canada members ($85 early bird), $170 for non-members ($150 early bird), and $70 for student affiliates. Advance registration required. Registration closes February 17; early-bird rates are in effect through February 3.

A thorough book proposal is required for most non-fiction authors to land a deal with a publisher or representation by a literary agent. In this three-hour session, you will learn how to shape a non-fiction book proposal that will open doors. You’ll discover each of the elements required (from competitive title analysis to author bio, chapter summaries, and more) and how to make them stand out. You will learn about common editorial issues with non-fiction book proposals and how to help position a book for the marketplace. Visit the registration page for more details.

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Part of a calendar is shown with one pin lying on top of it, another pin stuck in the 26th of an unknown month, and a blue circle around the 24th.
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January 18, 2017: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Blue Pencil

What: Editors BC monthly meeting
When: Wednesday, January 18, 2017, 7:00 pm (program begins at 7:30 pm)
Where: Welch Room, 4th floor, YWCA Health + Fitness Centre, 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver | map
Cost: Free for Editors Canada members, $10 for non-members, and $5 for students with valid ID. Registration at the door.

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.

Rows of desks face a projection screen in a classroom-like environment.
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January 28, 2017: Business Planning Your Way to Success and Finding and Managing Good Clients with Heidi Turner

On January 28, Editors British Columbia presents two related half-day seminars for editors and writers. Heidi Turner will offer practical advice and tools for the business of freelancing from two different angles: using a business plan, and building and maintaining a client base.

Participants can register for each session individually or for both at a reduced rate.

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Rows of desks face a projection screen in a classroom-like environment.
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New Seminar Rates for Student Affiliates

Student affiliates of Editors BC now have even more to look forward to! The BC branch is proud to announce new student-affiliate rates for its professional development seminars.

During a review of the registration fees for 2017, the branch created a new category for student affiliates, who can now access full-day workshops for $100 and half-day workshops for $70. It’s one of many benefits available to you at Editors BC.

Join our great community through Editors Canada’s student affiliate program.

Part of a calendar is shown with one pin lying on top of it, another pin stuck in the 26th of an unknown month, and a blue circle around the 24th.
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November 16, 2016: The Art of Editing Poetry: A Conversation with Shazia Hafiz Ramji

What: Editors BC monthly meeting
When: Wednesday, November 16, 2016, 7:00 pm (program begins at 7:30 pm)
Where: Welch Room, 4th floor, YWCA Health + Fitness Centre, 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver | map
Cost: Free for Editors Canada members, $10 for non-members, and $5 for students with valid ID. Registration at the door.

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.

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Join the Editors BC Executive Team!

We’re looking for an Editors BC member to take on the role of programs chair. The programs chair plans and hosts Editors BC’s general meetings (eight per year, from September to November and from January to May), with support from other executive members. Volunteering is a rewarding experience and a great way to get involved with Editors BC!

Here’s what past programs chair Frances Peck had to say about her experience in this role:

It’s an excellent low-pressure way to meet authors, publishing people, and other language professionals, especially valuable for anyone who doesn’t network easily. I also really liked having a direct say in the topics presented each month. Thinking up new and interesting subjects and presenters was a creative exercise that I truly enjoyed.

And here are a few comments from Iva Cheung, who served on the programs committee:

We made things easy for ourselves early on by creating templates for introductory and follow-up emails to speakers, meeting agendas, consent forms, and the like. We put in place a lot of this kind of infrastructure that we hoped would make the job easier for our successors.

The committee met over coffee at the end of each summer to brainstorm possible topics and speakers, and we never had a problem coming up with ideas—the Lower Mainland is brimming with talent and people doing and discovering interesting things.

If you think this volunteer opportunity might be right for you, please contact branch chair Marianne Grier at bcchair@editors.ca.