Emily Distefano: What’s on My Desk?

Welcome to our new series where we snoop through the workspaces of our fellow editors. This week, Emily Distefano, the newest member of our proofreading team at The Editors’ Weekly, tells us all about her desk essentials.

Tools of the trade

First, the basics: computer, glasses, office supplies. My current laptop is a sturdy Lenovo ThinkPad. Every AI feature I can find is deactivated. I type “-ai” before any online search to avoid the suddenly-ubiquitous AI summary; I don’t want to be influenced by information that has no guarantee of accuracy when I’m fact-checking. Multi-coloured pens, scissors, stapler, paper clips, USB flash drives and various cords all have their place on my desk. I keep a vintage pica ruler — a souvenir from my time working at the now-defunct Carman Valley Leader newspaper — on hand for scanning lines while proofreading. I prefer an open concept workspace where everything I need is organized, but visible. Drawers are where items go to be forgotten, so I avoid using them for anything other than long-term storage.

Paper for the win 

Sometimes I genuinely marvel at the technology available to us today, but my first love is and always will be paper. A steady supply of notebooks, Post-it notes and scrap paper is essential. I rotate between regular spiral Hilroys and large sketchbooks for the copious notes I take on every aspect of my work (and life). Lined pages are great for keeping my thoughts in order, and the unstructured page of a sketchbook is perfect for brainstorming sessions. 

One of my favourite lessons from Adrienne Montgomery’s excellent proofreading course at Toronto Metropolitan University is that checklists are an absolute must, and for me a physical checklist beats any digital version. I keep master checklist files for copy editing and proofreading on my laptop so I can customize the appropriate list for each project or school assignment before printing.

Mandatory pile(s) of books

Besides standard reference tomes including The Canadian Oxford Dictionary, The Chicago Manual of Style and The Copyeditor’s Handbook, I keep a revolving stack of books in the corner of my desk. Some of them I’m planning to read and some I just love. When I need a literary palate cleanser or a moment to remember the power and beauty of language, I reach for my favourite poetry by Adrienne Rich or a passage from E.M. Forster’s A Room with a View. My current read, The Book-Makers by Adam Smyth, is at the top of the pile at the moment.

Dopamine boosters

Snacks, music and sunlight help keep my brain on track while working from home. Snacks are obviously non-negotiable. Right now, my stock includes a jar of walnuts, an almost-empty container of candied ginger and some marzipan. For most of December, I fuelled up with plates of holiday cookies.

My earbuds live on top of my seven-tier paper organizer. I prefer the wireless kind with the loop around the ear so I don’t need to worry about them falling out and disappearing under the baseboard heater. I usually use only one earbud at a time so when it needs a recharge I can easily switch. When I’m working with words I prefer to avoid lyrics so I stick with classical music. Beethoven, Philip Glass and Max Richter are some of my go-tos. The melodies keep my mind engaged and hone my hyperfocus.

I’m not normally fussy about furniture placement, but if at all possible, no matter where I am, I try to work in sunlight. My desk is currently tucked right next to a south-facing window. The natural light helps my eyes and my mood, and Manitoba’s snowy fields stretching out in the distance offer a picturesque and calming presence. If all else fails, a walk and a quick weighted workout help to banish the brain fog.

What’s on your desk, fellow editors? We would love your contribution to this series! Send us an email at blog@editors.ca or send a message via the website to learn more.

___

The Editors’ Weekly is the official blog of Editors Canada. Contact us.