From the vice-president
by Jane Fitzpatrick AE
Greetings all
In a parallel, pandemic-free universe, members of Editors Victoria are going out this month for a swanky dinner to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our formation! In this world, however, we have postponed our anniversary dinner until we can meet in person. Maybe we can each raise a toast at home in recognition of all the energy and activity undertaken by Editors Victoria volunteers to benefit our profession over those years.
I regret to announce that last month our president, Susan Keogh, resigned from the presidency and the committee after an extended period of dealing with an oversupply of demands. Many of you know Susan and the huge amount of work she has done for Editors Victoria and IPEd over the years. We thank her for her contributions and wish her the best.
With the COVID-19 limitations on our activities, we are working to bring modified events to you all. Our series of free Zoom networking morning and afternoon teas kicked off on 24 April. We hope these will fill a networking need for some members. Our two student advisors are planning to put together online events that will suit both students and early-career editors. We would welcome suggestions for other online events or themed Zoom catch-ups.
I hope you have been taking advantage of the online events offered by other branches. These online activities have certainly made me feel a bit closer to our interstate and Kiwi colleagues, and I hope this beneficial change in operations will continue even when face-to-face events resume.
In July we will be holding our Annual Branch Meeting (ABM) and the term of the current committee will end. If you have ideas and energy to contribute, please think about volunteering. It is immensely rewarding and there are great opportunities to influence what your professional organisation provides to its members. Also, time on committee counts towards reaccreditation!
Stay well. Jane
edvic.vicepres@iped-editors.org.
New members
We are pleased to welcome the following associate members who have joined or upgraded since our last report: Josephine Hong, Jessica Radl, Natalie Deane, Jacinta Sanders, Casey Luxford and Georgia Coldebella.
We look forward to seeing you at our workshops and events and encourage you to make the most of IPEd’s networks for news and support.
New member profile: Casey Luxford
Photo credit: Casey Luxford
Q: How long have you been an editor and how did your career begin?
A: I have been a professional editor for two and a half years. Before that, I would edit documents at work and for my fellow students. My professional career began after I had my second child and realised, as much as I love being a mum, I needed to do something for me. I went to RMIT and, upon graduating, started my business The Humble Quill.
Q: What type of editing makes up the majority of your work?
A: Developmental editing for larger novels makes up most of my work. So far, I have worked on nine full-length novels. I love it and cannot wait for more to come.
Q: What aspect of the profession do you find most challenging?
A: Going up against people who believe editors are just in it for the money or are not worth it. We study every element of our craft and spend years building up our skills and reputation, and it is challenging when someone just dismisses it for spell check.
Q: How would you like to build your skills as an editor?
A: I would love to tackle the genres I haven’t yet, as well as branch out into different fields outside of novels. I would also like to go back to school for another degree at some point.
Q: What do you like about being a member?
A: I am only a week-old member, but I am loving the resources and the sense of connection and community that comes from being a member.
New member profile: Josephine Hong
Photo credit:Josephine Hong
Q: How long have you been an editor and how did your career begin?
A: I have been an editor for more than two years now. I was doing a bit of soul-searching about what I wanted to do with my life and finally settled on this career path when I did an editing internship to explore my love of reading and helping people with their work.
Q: What type of editing makes up the majority of your work?
A: I am currently editing macroeconomics and industry reports full-time for a research house, and, whenever time permits, I also edit nonfiction writing for an independent publishing house.
Q: What aspect of the profession do you find most challenging?
A: Sometimes deciphering what the writer wants to convey from the words in front of you can be quite a challenge. It is like trying to figure out the picture of the puzzle without jumbling up the pieces. However, it is a great pay-off if the writer appreciates the changes made.
Q: How would you like to build your skills as an editor?
A: I would like to gain more exposure to the different industries of editing. As a relative newcomer into the field of editing, gaining experience in the different genres of writing and different markets would be beneficial to build a well-rounded portfolio and eventually a niche I can be passionate about.
Q: What do you like about being a member?
A: It is a great opportunity to network with other editors, sharing best practices and experiences. Editing can be a lonely process at times, so it is a great way to find people who understand the process and can provide support for each other.
Editors Victoria Zoom networking
by Jane Fitzpatrick AE and Susan Pierotti AE
The first in our new series of Zoom networking ‘cuppas’ took place on Friday 24 April. Seven members enjoyed each other’s online company and shared many useful and encouraging tips. Topics of conversation ranged from how to get a toehold in new areas of work (such as corporate); how to expand your skill set while in lockdown (infographics are a growth area); the perennial challenge of marketing your business; applying for a Jobkeeper grant; and loads of suggestions for professional development and member meetings. On the personal front, we discussed the importance of structuring your day, exercising and keeping connected and engaged. Thanks to everyone who attended and demonstrated once again that a members’ gathering is always greater than the sum of its parts.
If you are thinking of signing up for one of our free events, we would love to see you! We will be continuing this series as long as there is a demand. Further dates will be released soon.
Tuesday 12 May 10am: Working with fiction/nonfiction/memoir authors during lockdown
Moderator Susan Pierotti, Editors Victoria Freelance Affairs Officer edvic.freelanceaffairs@iped-editors.org.
Editors Victoria Zoom networking
by Jane Fitzpatrick AE and Susan Pierotti AE
The first in our new series of Zoom networking ‘cuppas’ took place on Friday 24 April. Seven members enjoyed each other’s online company and shared many useful and encouraging tips. Topics of conversation ranged from how to get a toehold in new areas of work (such as corporate); how to expand your skill set while in lockdown (infographics are a growth area); the perennial challenge of marketing your business; applying for a Jobkeeper grant; and loads of suggestions for professional development and member meetings. On the personal front, we discussed the importance of structuring your day, exercising and keeping connected and engaged. Thanks to everyone who attended and demonstrated once again that a members’ gathering is always greater than the sum of its parts.
If you are thinking of signing up for one of our free events, we would love to see you! We will be continuing this series as long as there is a demand. Further dates will be released soon.
Tuesday 12 May 10am: Working with fiction/nonfiction/memoir authors during lockdown
Moderator Susan Pierotti, Editors Victoria Freelance Affairs Officer edvic.freelanceaffairs@iped-editors.org.
Student editors networking events
by Rebecca Fletcher
Stop press: This event is now booked out! Keep your eyes open for more student-focused events later in the year.
Hi all! Clare Millar and I – the Editors Victoria student advisors – are hosting chats for all student and would-be editors on Thursday 7 May and Thursday 14 May and we would like to invite anyone who identifies as such!
In 2019, we were brought on to the Editors Victoria committee to help provide a voice for student editors. We have sat in on a number of committee meetings now, and, after some discussion with the professional development subcommittee here in Victoria, we have decided to host some online networking events.
We plan to encourage a discussion between people who are very early in their editing careers and talk about the experiences and opportunities we have had or would like to see and the frustrations of being new or aspiring editors in this climate. It will be a friendly, informal chat, and we look forward to hearing from as many people as possible.
The events will be open to students currently studying editing, as well as people interested in the profession or just beginning to edit. The hope is that they will provide:
- an opportunity for editing students in Victoria to talk to each other (given that cross-university events are rare) – obviously, editors from other states are also more than welcome
- a space for people considering returning to study to talk about the experiences current students have had in their course/internships
- a space to talk about the opportunities and frustrations students are facing with the current publishing and social climate
- a means for budding editors to say what opportunities they would like to see made available and what kinds of support IPEd could provide.
- We would love to create a stronger student editing community and help people meet new editing buddies early in their career.
Places still available for 14 May.
Rebecca Fletcher edvic.studentadvisor1@iped-editors.org
Clare Millar edvic.studentadvisor@iped-editors.org
Etymology: curfew
by Giovanna D’Abaco
Curfew (n), a regulation requiring outdoor activity to cease by a certain time.
Our life in isolation and discussions about when restrictions may be relaxed evokes memories of my youth and my ongoing discussions about parental-imposed curfews. According to Merriam-Webster online (https://www.merriam-webster.com/), the origin of ‘curfew’ dates back to the Middle Ages when the sounding of a bell signalled to households to extinguish their hearth fires. The term stems from the word coverfeu, an early French term derived from covrir (to cover) and feu (fire). This evolved into its current use, a regulation requiring people to be off the streets by a given time.
Giovanna D’Abaco PhD is a member of Editors Victoria and member of the Communications subcommittee. She is a freelance life science editor focusing on postgraduate work such as thesis editing and academic referencing and can be contacted on edvic.communication@iped-editors.org.