From the president
Looking ahead
By Glenine Hamlyn AE, President, Editors Queensland (edqld.president@iped-editors.org)
In early August this year, I donned the mantle of the president of EdsQ, succeeding Christine Atkinson, whom I sincerely thank for her service over several years, not just in EdsQ but in IPEd as a whole. Christine is now our vice-president.
I come from an eclectic background: teaching (English and German), educational publishing (editing and producing English books for German schools), international development and ecumenical leadership. I lived, studied and worked in Germany for 23 years until 2004. Along with freelance editing (I became an AE in 2014), I am a NAATI-certified (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) translator from German to English, and I am particularly interested in the interface between the two professions.
As president of Editors Queensland I would like to help encourage more of our members to become involved, so if that’s you, get in touch! You don’t have to have heaps of experience or be an “insider” to volunteer. It’s a great way to gain exposure to different aspects of editing and the work of IPEd.
Currently, we are looking for a new Events and Training team (two to three people) to put together a program of speaker events, social events and workshops for the coming year. If that sounds daunting, it’s not. You will work as a team and collaborate closely with the management committee, who support the team as much as possible.
Due to the accessibility of great events and training offered online these days by all branches of IPEd, and by the IPEd Standing Committee for Professional Development (SCPD), we have reduced the number of events we offer each year. We are encouraging editors to get together face-to-face now and then – not just in Brisbane – to foster the personal connections that took a back seat during COVID-19.
Voluntary involvement in the Events and Training team offers members the chance to network with a range of people in the fields of writing and publishing, and it offers helpful insights into the way IPEd works. You don’t have to be in Brisbane, by the way – it’s possible to fulfil this role online.
If you are affiliated with Editors Queensland, think about getting in touch to let us know what you value about IPEd and what you would like to see Editors Queensland doing – especially if you live outside Brisbane. And don’t worry, we won’t corrall you immediately for a role on the committee – on the other hand, if you are interested, let us know!
In other news, we welcome Janet Xiang-Yu Hou as our new Executive Member on our Management Committee and look forward to working together.