Feeling lost in the editing crowd? Join the student affiliates!

Soon after joining Editors Canada in 2019, I attended the annual conference in Halifax. I felt both excited and anxious to be spending the weekend meeting other editors. My fellow student affiliates were some of the first people I met and connected with at the conference. It was reassuring to meet others at a similar stage in their editing journey, and it gave me the confidence I needed to network with other conference attendees as well.

We all know what 2020 brought, and with it, students lost all opportunities to network in person.

Yet in the two years since that conference, I’ve continued to connect with student affiliates and others new to the profession. How? I joined the Editors Canada student affiliate Facebook group.

Volunteering on the student relations committee led me to the Facebook group. As a new editor, I had joined other, much larger Facebook groups for editors, but I often felt lost in the crowd. Those groups were great places to search for information or seek support from experienced editors, but I didn’t feel like I was connecting personally with anyone. One of my favourite things about the student affiliate Facebook group is that it’s a small crowd of my peers. I know when I post there that I am connecting with others who are also starting out in their editing careers and can relate to me.

The student affiliate Facebook group is a place where students interested in editing can interact, find and share resources, and enjoy the myriad benefits that come from networking with peers. Students will pop in to share a resource they’ve found or a work opportunity that someone might be interested in. Discussions about the pros and cons of different editing programs and the best ways to market your new business regularly enliven the forum.

The student relations committee has presented various series in the student affiliate group over the last year, sharing insights and resources that are helpful to students. The committee interviewed experienced editors in our first big series, using questions that new editors often ask as they start their studies and careers. We have also posted about the Editors Canada Career Builder and shared insights from Editors Canada award winners. The committee continues to work on new project ideas to support students in the group.

In a world turned upside down, it’s been a wonderful reprieve to be able to connect with other new editors in the student affiliate group. I am grateful for the opportunity to network in such friendly and lively company. The group is open to Editors Canada student affiliates, students in editing or editing-related programs, and full-time post-secondary students interested in editing. We also welcome all Editors Canada members to join and to contribute their expertise to the conversation. Hope to see you there!

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