To market ourselves effectively to the clients we want to work with, we should

• understand what we can offer them and what makes that offering valuable
• have a clearly defined set of goals and to-do list of steps that will help us reach them.

These were key takeaways from our March 14th gathering, a follow-up to January’s marketing-focused evening.

We started the evening sharing overviews of our goals with one another: some of us wanted to develop websites and fluency with social media, while others hoped to attend more publishing-related events or print up-to-date business cards. The most frequently mentioned goal among the freelancers present was to achieve a greater level of income stability. Using Adrienne’s worksheets, we noted such things as who our ideal clients were, what types of editing we could offer them, in what areas of publishing (subject/genre) we desired to work, and what other qualities we had that would differentiate ourselves and our skills from other editors. We compiled notes for cold calling, elevator pitches, and to-do lists.

Who knew competitive marketing could be such a strenuous exercise of looking inward? Some of us might feel overwhelmed just by the idea of marketing ourselves competitively. We’re editors first, after all—our primary focus should be the quality of our editing, right? Nevertheless, good marketing needs to be one of an editor’s priorities.

At night’s end each of us trudged out into the cold from our gathering more confident and ready to do better marketing for our businesses.

Special thanks to Adrienne Montgomerie, who granted us permission to use several worksheets from her upcoming book on marketing a  freelance editorial business. (The book is currently available as handouts for Adrienne’s online course through Copyediting.com.)

Announcements

Elizabeth d’Anjou announced that registration was open for the Editors Canada national conference coming up May 25–27 in Saskatoon. The theme is Bridging Communities: Bringing Together Communications-Related Professions. Come party on the prairie with 150 editors! Hear the hilarious James Harbeck, in full tux, host the post-banquet Oops Awards! Stay at the (surprisingly affordable) Radisson Hotel in Saskatchewan’s City of Bridges!

She also mentioned the upcoming webinars, which include

• The Mighty Verb Under the Microscope (May 2)
• Starting a Freelance Editing Career (May 5 & 12)
• Manuscript Evaluation (May 14)
• Demystifying Permissions (June 5, 6, & 7)

Stephanie Stone reminded everyone that the twig’s new fee policy was now in effect: Editors Canada members continue to attend twig meetings free, and visitors are charged $5 per meeting (after the first).

Photo by Justin See (licensed under Creative Commons).

Given the large turnout and positive response to our January get-together, which focused on marketing yourself as an editor, we’re dedicating our March 14 evening to a follow-up session with a workshop format.

We’ll supply six worksheets from Adrienne Montgomerie’s book, Freelance Marketing Action Plan for Editors (enough copies to go around this time!). These worksheets will help you to

• describe your ideal client
• craft an “elevator pitch”
• present yourself to new clients (cold calling)
• decide what conferences to attend to meet clients and colleagues
• chart your path on social media
• create your own “To Do” list

We’ll spend some time working on our own, in small groups, and all together. Thanks to Adrienne for kindly giving Editors Kingston permission to use this material.

You’ll go home with a great start on developing a practical, doable, personalized plan for marketing your editing and related services.

This activity is not just for freelancers! People who have, or hope to have, full- or part-time jobs also benefit from doing ongoing marketing to reach their goals.

Note: Adrienne’s workbook is a work in progress and is not yet available for purchase as a stand-alone book. It is, however, included as part of Adrienne’s online course on marketing, available through Copyediting.com.

Join Us!

Anyone interested in editing or related careers is welcome. Bring a friend!

We meet at the usual place and time:

Ongwanada Resource Centre, 191 Portsmouth Avenue

7 to 9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

Light refreshments

Free for Editors Canada members

$5 for non-members (first meeting free)

by Beth Bedore

Considering that the latest meeting of Editors Kingston twig took place on Valentine’s Day, we had an impressive turnout of eight editors eager to indulge their love of language before any other possible indulgences! The discussions were so animated, at the inaugural meeting of the Editing Canadian English book club, that we nearly forgot to take a break, even though an ample supply of heart- and maple leaf-shaped sugar cookies and other goodies beckoned throughout.

The third edition of Editing Canadian English, published in hardcover by UBC Press in 2016, was also recently released as an ebook. Lee and Elizabeth d’Anjou kindly brought hardcover copies of the first and second editions to the gathering, providing a visual history of the evolution of this flagship publication of Editors Canada.

As soon as Ellie Barton had finished our introductory housekeeping, a thoughtful conversation began of where Editing Canadian English fit along the style-guide/reference-book continuum. Subtitled “A guide for editors, writers, and everyone who works with words,” the book is, we concluded, a great complementary reference to the mainstream style manuals, but does not supersede them by any stretch of the imagination.

The Canadian version of the English language certainly has its quirks and editorial niches, and it’s in the specifics of these that ECE3 really shines. Spelling is the most obvious example, but editors can find guidance in ECE3’s pages on specifically Canadian language issues from the use of the metric system in recipes to the capitalization of government organizations to the styling of parliamentary documents in a bibliography. A lively discussion revealed a range of opinions on how necessary the non-Canada-specific aspects of the book are and how many of its book’s topics warranted an entire chapter.

A lengthy exchange on the benefits and pitfalls of plain language launched our exploration of Chapter 2, “Inclusivity,” with some chuckling at the reference to “plain language evangelists.” The subsequent discussion ranged widely, and included concerns about the feasibility of reference and style guides keeping up with rapid changes to terminology showing linguistic sensitivity toward people with disabilities, individuals who identify as LGBTQ+, and other groups.

While the plan had been to discuss Chapter 4 (“Compounds and Hyphenation”) as well, Chapter 2 monopolized most of the evening, leaving only time for a quick exchange of opinions on the maddening issue of hyphenation. Several of us noted that they found the ECE3 chapter on the issue especially handy.

Ultimately, most participants agreed that ECE3 has done well with staying current and even anticipating future developments, and is a commendable addition to any Canadian editor’s toolbox.

*Photo credit: Beth Bedore

Announcements

National

Elizabeth d’Anjou reminded everyone about the Editors Canada webinar programme; upcoming titles include “How to Handle Digital Photos” and “Getting Your Self-Published Client to a Finished Product.” She also put in an early plug for the national Editors Canada conference, which will be held May 25–27 in Saskatoon. The theme is “Bridging Communities: Bringing Together Communications-Related Professions.” If you’ve been to a national conference, you know the experience is both invaluable professionally and a whole lot of fun. There is nothing quite like spending a long weekend with 200+ other people who get what you do!

Twig

Stephanie Stone announced that next month the twig would begin charging non-members $5 to attend meetings. The idea has been discussed for several months and found widespread support among both members and non-members. (All visitors will be welcome to attend their first meeting for free.)

Coming Up Next

Join Us!

We meet at the usual place and time:

Ongwanada Resource Centre, 191 Portsmouth Avenue

7 to 9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

Light refreshments

All welcome.

Editors Canada members: free

Non-members: $5 (visitors may attend one meeting for free)

What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than by indulging your love of language? Come to the monthly Editors Kingston twig gathering on February 14 for collegial company, networking, snacks—and the inaugural meeting of the Editing Canadian English book club.

The third edition of this flagship publication of Editors Canada was published in hardcover by UBC Press in 2016 and was recently released as an ebook, available in all major formats, at the bargain price of $9.99 (or less).

The suggestions in this chapter point to ways to avoid expressions that are insensitive of offensive and thus support bias. We have focused on four specific areas: ethnicity and race; gender; sexual orientation; and disability. In addition to these, the chapter looks at how plain language supports a style of writing that is more inclusive.

—Editing Canadian English 3, Chapter 2

ECE3 (as it is affectionately known) is subtitled “A guide for editors, writers, and everyone who works with words.” If that includes you, come join us! We’ll be exploring chapters 2 and 4: “Inclusivity” and “Compounds and Hyphenation,” respectively. (Reading the chapters in advance is encouraged but not required.) If you have a copy, bring it along. If not, that’s fine; there will be a few extras on hand, and we can project the ebook on our screen.

(But, really, at under ten bucks, why not pick one up? See the Editors Canada website for details & links.)

Hyphens are necessary evils. They should therefore be used only when necessary.

—Theodore M. Bernstein, as quoted in Editing Canadian English 3, Chapter 4

Update on Meeting Fees

After much discussion and with overwhelming support from the group, we’ve decided that, beginning with our March gathering, to ask nonmembers of Editors Canada to pay $5 each to help cover the costs of room rental, gift cards for speakers, and refreshments. Newcomers will be invited to attend their first meeting for free.

(The February get-together will be one last free-for-everyone meeting.)

Join Us!

We meet at the usual place and time:

Ongwanada Resource Centre, 191 Portsmouth Avenue

7 to 9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

Light refreshments

Both Editors Canada members and non-members welcome

Our meeting on January 10 kicked off the new year with a night of brainstorming, advice, and networking with fellow editors.

Ellie Barton shared her 2018 marketing to-do list, which was developed with guidance from Adrienne Montgomerie using her workbook, Freelance Marketing Action Plan for Editors. Ellie’s list included her big goal for the year—to get editing work from trade publishers—as well as twenty additional goals, with the aim of strengthening not only her marketing strategies but her editing skills as well.

Highlights of Ellie’s list include updating her Online Directory of Editors profile, enrolling in workshops to target specific skills or topics, develop “cold call” messages tailored to specific contacts, registering for a conference (ACES in April and Editors Canada in May are two options), creating an elevator pitch, and requesting testimonials after each editing job.

Ellie has also decided to designate two hours a week to focus on marketing, commenting that in order to make change in your work you must make time to market yourself. She suggested setting priorities beforehand to guide and structure your dedicated time effectively and to achieve those weekly marketing goals successfully.

The topic that perhaps generated the most discussion for the group was social media and how to cultivate a manageable online presence. On this subject, Ellie raised the important point that you can be selective about social media if it isn’t your thing! The great thing about social media is that it offers so many platforms and therefore a wide range of choices about where to be active. During the discussion, it was noted that being selective about social media involvement can be a strength, since focusing on the platforms that work best for you can ensure your social media activity isn’t spread too thin. For Ellie, once she decides where to be on social media, she has committed to posting once a week to maintain a consistent presence and keep things up to date.

Some of Ellie’s other social media goals included improvements to her website such as refreshing the theme, employing keywords, planning a topical series of blog posts, and engaging in other blogs by commenting once per week. Participating in other people’s blogs is a great way to make some online connections and may even lead to opportunities to guest post, thereby providing further exposure for your editing work.

Another effective marketing strategy is networking with other editors! This method was put into practice as we connected with each other over coffee and cookies during the break to discuss our work and experiences with each other. Networking with fellow editors over coffee or lunch, or at events is not only enjoyable but helpful for fostering working relationships and gathering resources. Ellie noted that volunteering can also be both an effective marketing and networking strategy. For example, volunteering at the Editors Canada conference connects you with other editors; Ellie specifically suggested introducing speakers, which gets you in front of people without having to give a talk yourself if you are unable to.

Ellie’s many suggestions prompted others to share their insights, experiences, and suggestions for marketing as an editor, demonstrating that we might just be each other’s best sources for ideas. What’s on your to-do list for this year?

Coming Up Next

Join Us!

We meet at the usual place and time:

Ongwanada Resource Centre, 191 Portsmouth Avenue

7 to 9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

Light refreshments

Both Editors Canada members and non-members welcome

The New Year is a time for resolutions, fresh starts and reboots—a good time to think about your editing business goals for 2018.

Join Us!

We meet at the usual place and time:

Ongwanada Resource Centre, 191 Portsmouth Avenue

7 to 9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

Light refreshments

Both Editors Canada members and non-members welcome

Rick Revelle began his talk at the November 8 Editors Kingston gathering with a welcome song to the accompaniment of a cedar-strip drum, setting a lively tone that continued throughout the evening.

A natural storyteller, Rick shared many tales of his life and work, starting with the story that led to his career as a writer: his discovery as an adult, based on an offhand discussion with a cousin about deer-hunting licences, that his family was Anishnabe. (For more on Rick’s background and books, see our last blog post, and this interview in the Miramichi Reader.) This late-life reconsideration of his identity inspired Rick to research his Indigenous heritage, and he soon became fascinated by the history he learned and wanted to share it—in story form. His YA books (I Am Algonquin, Algonquin Spring, and Algonquin Sunset) have been compared to the Little House books for the way they bring a historical period to life through a wealth of accurate, practical detail.

Rick also graciously answered many questions about his writing from a professional point of view, especially as it related to the editing process.

He expressed admiration for and gratitude to editors in general, and reported having an excellent relationship with most he had worked with. “If you’re a serious writer and you want to get published, pay an editor to help you,” he said (earning a round of applause). He cheerfully leaves copy-editing decisions to the professionals. “I don’t even bother looking at all the little tracked changes. I just read the comments. If there’s anything important, the editor asks about it there.” He was grateful to an editor who fact-checked a description of the Richelieu River and corrected it so the flow was in the correct direction.

He did recount problems with one editor who asked him to cut material that Rick felt was crucial to a book. This included some violent episodes and some supernatural aspects, both of which had been included with careful intent. “It would have gutted my story” to remove these elements, Rick said. “Luckily, it was my second book; I knew what I was writing about. I had done my research.” He felt confident enough to push back firmly, and the material stayed.

The level of research Rick puts in impressed even this audience of professionals, who deal in accuracy for a living: the table filled with approving nods as he described reading Champlain’s original chronicles, and there were a few gasps when he mentioned the five hours he’d spent investigating how twelfth-century Algonquins would have kept away mosquitoes. (Of course, there were also cries of “So, how did they?” The answer turns out to be burning sage and smearing themselves with an ointment containing golden seal.)

(Photo credit: Adrienne Montgomerie)

Also of great interest to editors was Rick’s discussion of the Indigenous attitude to story ownership. Whenever someone tells him something he thought might be a good inclusion in a book, he always asks if he can use it. Usually the answer is “yes,” but if it’s not, he says, there’s no question of betraying the teller’s wishes. “It’s not my story to tell.” Rick advised the editors in attendance to keep this aspect of Indigenous culture in mind.

Another piece of advice he had for editors working on Indigenous publications: “Ask whether the text has been vetted by elders.” Not knowing any better himself at first, he said, he didn’t think to include this step for his first book (and, as a result, nearly missed out on a distribution opportunity for Indigenous-focused books that has proved valuable for his novels). Now, he wouldn’t think of skipping that step, and even proudly includes printed comments from several elders at the end of each book.

There was some lively discussion of language tools. All three of Rick’s books feature glossaries of Anishnabe (Algonquin) terms, and the latest includes a pronunciation guide. When Rick mentioned the Mi’kmaq “talking” online dictionary, the group didn’t hesitate to try it out (with a little help from the Ongwanada Resource Centre’s Wi-Fi and Adrienne Montgomerie’s iPhone).

The evening was a success, both as a Twig gathering (a good turnout of some 13 people, including a visitor who attended as a long-time fan of Rick’s writing) and as an educational opportunity for Kingston editors.

Coming Up Next

Join Us!

We meet at the usual place and time:

Ongwanada Resource Centre, 191 Portsmouth Avenue

7 to 9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

Light refreshments

Both Editors Canada members and non-members welcome

Rick Revelle is the author of three YA novels—I Am Algonquin (2013), Algonquin Spring (2015), and Algonquin Sunset (2017). Published by Dundurn Press, the books recount the adventures of a fourteenth-century young Algonquin man named Mahningan.

Revelle didn’t even know he had native heritage until he was in his thirties, when a relative’s off-hand remark startled him with the news, he told the Whig-Standard in 2015. The discovery sent him on a research quest to find out all he could about Algonquin culture, both present and past. His books are a way of sharing that knowledge.

Rick will be our guest at Editors Kingston on November 8 to talk about his unique vision as a writer, his experiences of being edited, and what knowledge and skills editors need to work with Indigenous writers.

His visit coincides with a growing interest throughout the Canadian publishing community in editing Indigenous writing. Editors Canada’s 2017 conference featured a keynote adress by Cherie Dimaline and a panel discussion of Indigenous writers and editors; Humber College’s Indigenous Editors Circle workshop sold out all 50 spots; and Greg Younging’s The Elements of Indigenous Style, due out this winter from Brush Education, is generating media buzz already. (A recent workshop at Editors BC previewed Younging’s book; member Iva Cheung has posted an excellent summary on her blog.)

“Working with indigenous manuscripts,” Cherie Dimaline told her Editors Canada audience, said, “requires craft, skill, and respect.” We’re looking forward to taking more steps toward acquiring these on November 8!

Rick will also bring books for sale (remember to bring cash so you can shop).

Join Us!

We meet at the usual place and time:

Ongwanada Resource Centre, 191 Portsmouth Avenue

7 to 9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

Light refreshments

Both Editors Canada members and non-members welcome

Free

Make Word Work for YOU: Hands-on Workshop November 18

“I just love Microsoft Word!” said nobody, ever. But after taking Adrienne’s workshop, you might end up liking Word (just a little bit).

Don’t miss this great opportunity to improve your mastery of the tool most editors use every day. Learn tips and tricks to work more efficiently and effectively from Kingston’s own editing tech guru Adrienne Montgomerie, take home a comprehensive handbook (including links to video tutorials), and enjoy the opportunity to network over a tasty lunch.

Check out the details in this post.

Then hurry up and register! Space is limited.

Merilyn Simonds and Wayne Grady (centre) answer questions and sign books after their presentation at the October 11 twig gathering.

by Greg Murphy

Sharing a room with Wayne and Merilyn, two of Canada’s top literary talents and guests at our October 11 meeting, I gladly opened my mind to learn how to be a better editor.

Kingston-based authors and life partners Wayne Grady and Merilyn Simonds have between them penned more than thirty fiction and non-fiction works for adults and young readers. Over the span of forty years, their writing has been published by giants Doubleday Canada, Macfarlane Walter & Ross, McClelland & Stewart, and others, and sold around the world. Wayne is also an award-winning translator. I would list their accumulated awards and accolades here—but they won’t all fit.

At the Editors Kingston October gathering, they offered us an intimate peek into their lives as writers, touching upon why they value good editors and what qualities they look for in them; they’ve worked with some of the best—Ellen Seligman, Jan Walter, and Nita Pronovost, to name a few. Merilyn’s opening remarks were well received by the company of sharp eyes and tuned ears: “To me, editors are essential. I rely on editors to pull me out of creating to remind me what I’m doing.”

Writers, she said, are so involved in the process of creating that they often don’t have room in their mind to be keenly aware of correctness, clarity, and consistency. Merilyn’s message served to remind that a writer has a starkly different job than an editor’s—writers are responsible for creation; editors, for editing. Merilyn said, “The best editors don’t have opinions but rather help a writer with her vision.” She added that every writer has different needs—that a good editor can still be the wrong one. (Indeed, she told one tale of trying to work with an editor who was so very wrong for the project at hand that many in the audience gasped audibly at some of the details.)

Merilyn values editors who’ll push her to write better, someone who’ll not only notice the holes and know how to help her fill them but also notice “the meat” and know how to help her expand upon it. “A good editor, to me, is someone who can explain the points of craft—and who is loyal. Loyalty is very important.”

Her description of the almost superhuman dedication and work ethic of Ellen Seligman, with whom she worked on several books, confirmed all the stories any follower of Canadian publishing has heard. “She wouldn’t even give me Christmas Day off,” Merilyn chuckled.

Wayne began his portion of the night by recounting his experience working with editors on his acclaimed debut novel, Emancipation Day, published in 2013 by Doubleday Canada. His inspiration for the novel arrived after learning the startling truth about his family: his father was black, and perhaps didn’t want his family to know. Having decided to fictionalize the story, Wayne, who until then had been a non-fiction writer, found himself unable to know where to draw the line. The novel’s first draft almost reached a thousand pages and encompassed a story told over a century. It even featured a cameo of “Victor Hugo in Vietnam.” Wayne knew he needed help to focus it. He finally found that help when Nita Pronovost read the manuscript and promptly ticked off three specific areas that needed his attention in order for it to work.

“The ability not only to see what is wrong with the book but also to tell you specifically what is wrong is worth an editor’s weight in gold,” Wayne said. “An editor also should be able to read a book five times but read it each time as though it were the first.”

Emancipation Day ended up a novel of 336 pages that focuses on the story of a complicated love between a black musician passing as white, his wife, and his father. It was long-listed for the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2013 and claimed the 2013 Amazon.ca First Novel Award.

Coming Up Next: Editing Indigenous Texts, with Rick Revelle

For our next gathering, on November 8, we’ll be hosting indigenous writer Rick Revelle, who authored the bestselling YA books I Am Algonquin (2013), Algonquin Spring (2015), and Algonquin Sunset (2017), published by Dundurn Press. He’ll be sharing with us his experiences, including working with non-indigenous editors.

Seminar November 18: Make MS Word Work for YOU!

On Saturday, November 8, Adrienne Montgomerie will be teaching our Fall Seminar, Make MS Word work for YOU. Bring a laptop and join in as she shows how editors can get the best out of Word so that they can focus on more meaningful tasks.

Register at www.editors.ca/twig/Kingston .

For more information, see this post or email Elizabeth: elizabeth@danjou.ca.