THE EDITORS' WEEKLY
Official blog of Canada’s national editorial association
The Power of Affective Communities in Editing
At conferences, I sometimes wander into sessions without knowing the speaker or topic. This was the case during the 2025 Calgary Teacher’s Convention. (I wasn’t crashing the convention: I’m an educator as well as an editor.) I eschewed the session on my schedule and, by chance, ended up at a talk by Dr. Samra Zafar. […]
On Editing an Editor: Shannon Scott and Sam Keir (Morgan Klein) in Conversation
Editing an author calls for a blend of sharp-eyed clarity, cheerleading and hand-holding. What if the author is also an editor? As part of a series of blog posts featuring conversations between editor/writers and their editors, The Editors’ Weekly asked two editors to reflect on their experience of working together. Sam Keir (he/him) is a […]
Editing in the Age of AI
It’s March 2025, and in offering to write a piece about AI, I run the risk of becoming outdated as I type. From what I can tell, the response to generative AI’s influence on writing and editing ranges from gratitude for its time-saving measures to annoyance at its errors to outright panic at its potential […]
Read and Discuss: Elements of Indigenous Style, Second Edition
Next month, the academic editing book club will host Warren Cariou, the lead editor of the revised Elements of Indigenous Style, for a 60-minute Q&A. This book club is run by the Academic Editing Special Interest Group, a collaboration of Editors Canada and the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA). I was thrilled to have the opportunity […]
An Editor’s First Academic Conference
In the first week of 2025, historians swarmed Midtown Manhattan for the annual meeting of the American Historical Association (AHA), one of the largest associations of historians in the world. While I hold a master’s in modern European history, I’m a relatively new freelance proofreader and copyeditor. I attended the conference hoping to learn more […]
Plain Language Is Not “Dumbing Down” Writing
“I want a refresher on my writing.” “I want to improve my grammar.” “My company sent me here.” These are the consistently similar answers I get in every writing class I teach to professionals when I ask what brought them to the course. During some recent clear, concise writing sessions I delivered to a large […]
Up the Creek: Extreme Editing Solutions
Sometimes, we are editing “up the creek”: we have taken on too much work, neglected a deadline or otherwise wound up under pressure to produce a large amount of work in a very short time. When you’re way up that creek and your paddle is far behind you, you may have to forge a new […]
Literacy in Canada: What You Need to Know
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) tracks important statistics around the world. They assess literacy with a standardized measure called the Survey of Adult Skills, which is designed to be repeated every ten years. As advocates for the reader, editors should know as much about them as possible. The results of its first round were […]
Editors Need Emergency Plans
This post has been adapted from a presentation for the Editors’ Vine, a virtual group for Editors Canada members who face barriers to participation in face-to-face branch or twig meetings. Since everyone’s business needs are different, we recommend that you review your emergency plans with your financial and legal advisors. Most of us have at […]
Why Academic Editors Should Read Black Feminist Writing
Later this month, the academic editing book club will host Dr. Stephanie Y. Evans, the author of Black Feminist Writing, for a 60-minute Q&A. This book club is run by the Academic Editing Special Interest Group, a collaboration of Editors Canada and the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA). About the book Black Feminist Writing: A Practical […]
Essential WordPress Tips for Editors
A thoughtfully designed WordPress site can do wonders for your editing services. It can beautifully reflect your organizational skills, attention to detail and eagerness to collaborate with clients. And the best part? You don’t need to be a tech whiz or have a hefty budget to enhance your online presence. Just concentrate on a few […]