President’s report
by Margaret Trudgeon AE
It’s been quite an eventful month for the committee. On Sunday 8 September, four of us – Kylie Howard, Sophie Chan, Amanda Holder and myself – spent an enjoyable day at the Emerging Writers Festival, held at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne. We were there to represent Editors Victoria/IPEd and to raise awareness of our presence and services. Many writers didn’t seem to be aware of IPEd, so it was great to fill them in on our offerings and hand out some bookmarks. It seems that writers suffer from many of the same issues as editors when it comes to finding work and making ends meet. Kylie has written a short report, and there are some photos too. This week I’m heading back to the Wheeler Centre to meet with the CEO and marketing manager of Writers Victoria, to discuss other ways in which our two organisations can support one another.
Steph Huddleston has just finished up a productive year in her role as our student advisor. Many thanks to Steph for all the work she’s done, including organising two “Ask an editor” sessions. These led to her sending out a survey to students who attended, from which some useful knowledge has been gathered to assist IPEd in offering relevant services and membership to students and recent graduates. Congratulations to Emily Maunder, who won a copy of The Australian editing handbook for attending a session and filling in the survey! Steph has written a piece on her time as student advisor, which you can read below.
Now that Sophie Chan has eased into her new role as our professional development (PD) officer, she has begun organising some PD workshops. First off, we’re re-running Linda Nix’s “Grammar refresher” workshop across three sessions from 9 October (see the events listing and events bulletin for more details). We’ll also be running a popular Hilary Cadman workshop on “Editing tools to boost your productivity” in November. Keep an eye out for that one, to be advertised soon.
Meanwhile, Kylie Howard, our events officer, has been working hard behind the scenes to organise our in-person Christmas event, to be held at The Moat on Wednesday 4 December, including dinner. I’m pleased to announce that we will be joined by author Graeme Simsion, who will tell us about his latest book, The glass house, written with his wife, Anne Buist. Make sure you put the date in your diary!
On 18 September, there was an eastern suburbs freelancers’ lunch at the Mitcham pub, which was attended by eight members. I wasn’t able to make it, but it sounds like a pleasant way to while away an afternoon! For those in the Oakleigh area, there is a coffee morning coming up on 16 October organised by Kim Smith. Sounds like it’s time for me to organise another lunch in the inner suburbs! If anyone out there is keen to run a lunch in another area of Melbourne or a regional area, please get in touch with me or Kylie. It’s a great way for editors to meet each other to chat and blast away a few cobwebs after spending too much time working on one’s own at home.
I hope everyone manages to get out in a bit of sunshine. Daylight savings is just around the corner, so enjoy those longer days!
New members
Welcome to last month’s new members.
- Antonietta Anello – Associate Member
- Anna Bilbrough – Associate Member
- Rachel Chopping – Student and Graduate Member
Editors Victoria networking lunch
By Imelda Cribbin
On Wednesday 18 September 2024, eight editors attended the Editors Victoria eastern suburbs inaugural networking lunch at the Mitcham Hotel, with the location seeing IPEd members travelling from Camberwell, Warrandyte, Glen Waverley, Upwey and closer by to attend. The Mitcham Hotel catered for dietary requirements and provided the group with a quiet area where the conversation flowed without the difficulty of background noise interfering. The opportunity to meet up with fellow editors – some not seen for several years and others brand new – provided an interesting and insightful look into the experiences of both freelance and employed editors. Laughs were had, television shows and pets were talked about, and business cards were exchanged. Those present agreed that meeting up in person was a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow colleagues, and it is hoped the event will continue on a quarterly basis.
Clockwise: Janine Wilson, Lee Ellwood, Maryanne Park, Sara Kitaoji, Julia Bourne, Imelda Cribbin, Jacinta Sanders, Sally McInnes. Photo supplied by Sara Kitaoji.
Reflections from the outgoing 2024 student advisor
By Steph Huddleston
It has been a great pleasure to serve as the 2024–25 student advisor on the Editors Victoria Committee. The experience has been one that has given me insight into the organisation. I want to give special thanks to Ann Philpott and Margaret Trudgeon AE, who assisted greatly in overseeing my position and offering suggestions as to how I might help the committee. Margaret especially goes above and beyond to support the committee members, myself included. I thank her for her assistance in organising events, as well as speaking as a panellist on our most recent “Ask an editor” cuppa session.
Particular highlights of my term included organising and moderating two “Ask an editor” cuppas held on Zoom – the first in May of 2024, and the second in August of 2024. These events were well attended by students, who were able to ask all their burning questions to the professional editors on our panels.
Of particular interest to students were the panellists’ discussions around gaining employment, navigating the industry, and their specialisations. These events included panellists who have worked in an in-house and freelance capacity, and across different editing specialisations: magazine, fiction and nonfiction, academic, communications and government work. This gave students a broad view of the many different areas where editors may choose to work. In an environment where the prospect of entering the industry can feel daunting, these events offer valuable insight and encouragement to those considering or studying a career in editing.
Many thanks to our panellists who generously gave their time and advice to students at the cuppas in 2024: Cecile Shanahan, Bridget Blair, Matt Holden, Margaret Trudgeon, Justine McNamara and Sharon Mullins.
As a part of my position, I have run surveys following these sessions, in order to provide a broader perspective of current student attitudes towards IPEd and Editors Victoria. The hope is that this information will equip the committee and the next student advisor in their planning of how to engage well with editing students across Australia and New Zealand. These surveys have provided another opportunity to engage with students and participate in our community of editors.
As I look towards my graduation from the University of Melbourne (only a few weeks away!) I know that my studies as well as the time spent on the IPEd committee will serve me well as I enter the industry more formally. The work of IPEd is valuable, and the Editors Victoria committee members have impressed me with their dedication to deliver high-quality events and professional development to a range of people, including students.
Although my time on the committee has come to an end for now, I look forward to continuing to participate in the IPEd and Editors Victoria community at events.
I wish all the very best to the incoming student advisor, and the rest of the Editors Victoria committee.