From the President
by Stephanie Holt
July’s Gatherings is coming to an editing community still abuzz from the IPEd conference. I’m writing this before the conference starts, but I’ve had an exciting sneak preview doing Zoom rehearsals for some sessions.
It’s shaping up well. I’ll hazard a pretty safe guess there’s been a lot of food for thought, some laughs and lightbulb moments along the way, and perhaps even a little frisson of controversy. And though we missed the casual catch-ups and conversations of in-person conferences, there were plenty of chances to rub virtual shoulders. So congratulations to all the Victorian presenters and a big thank you to the organisers at EdTas and IPEd.
As we return to some in-person offerings, the EdVic committee has been working on protocols to keep everyone as safe as possible. We have a (regularly updated) COVIDsafe plan, choose venues carefully and manage numbers and contact details through event registration. Rest assured, if you’re contemplating coming along to an EdVic event, your health is uppermost in our planning.
July also means it’s almost time for our Annual Branch Meeting (ABM). It will be held via Zoom on Thursday 15 July. Members have been emailed information, including reports of the past year’s activity and nomination forms for the committee. You’ll hear a brief summary of the year from the committee and can join our trivia night when the formalities are over to compete for an always-welcome bookshop voucher.
Planning for a new committee term is an opportunity to review our structure to make sure we’re well placed to deliver what members want and need. With Susan Pierotti opting to step down from Freelance Affairs (while continuing as our Accreditation Board rep), we canvassed various options.
We’ve decided it’s time to retire the Freelance Affairs portfolio. Not that freelancers aren’t important to us — they’re the majority of our members, after all. But many members work in-house or move between freelance and in-house work, and some work outside the publishing industry without editor workmates; our networking and support activities may suit them too. Zoom cuppas and networking lunches will continue, but they’ll be looked after by our Vice-President, while IPEd continues to do the vital work of managing the Editors Directory.
We now have a new committee role to fill: Projects and Outreach Officer. This executive role will complement existing work through a focus on special projects, innovation in service delivery and outreach to members, particularly new members. If that sounds interesting, check out the role description (emailed with ABM papers), and feel free to contact me for more information.
We’re also looking for subcommittee volunteers. You don’t need to be a longstanding member or an experienced editor — if you’re keen to be more involved and excited by being part of the EdVic community, this is a great way to contribute.
Finally, I’m delighted to announce our next Student Adviser: Tim Loveday. Our Student Adviser offers a student perspective in committee discussions and planning, supporting our work with students and new editors. Tim is an experienced editor, poet and writer, with strong links to the Melbourne literary scene. A current student of Professional Writing and Editing at RMIT, he’s passionate about student advocacy and supporting editors working in emergent spaces.
Have a good July and see you at the ABM.
Stephanie Holt AE
edvic.president@iped-editors.org
New members
EdVic is pleased to welcome members who have joined or upgraded over the past month.
Professional member: John O’Meara.
Associate members: Kirrallee Grace and Michelle Frances Sadler.
Student members: Liam Callaghan; Damien Kinney and Lauren Taylor.
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.
May speaker event report: Print on demand and global distribution made easy, with Michaela Skelly
by Bridget Blair AE, edvic.communication@iped-editors.org
I imagine most editors reading this will have been asked at some time by a friend or client how to go about self-publishing a book. On Wednesday 26 May, Michaela Skelly from IngramSpark gave us all the answers.
Fifty-five members and non-members from Victoria, interstate and New Zealand assembled via Zoom to hear Michaela’s words of advice.
Michaela is a long-time IPEd member who has served on EdVic’s committee and on the board of the Small Press Network. She has worked in-house and freelance in production and editorial for 20 years, most recently running her own publishing consultancy business before starting her current role as IngramSpark’s Key Account Manager.
First, she introduced us to IngramSpark, a print on demand (POD) platform that allows the author to act as publisher. It also offers access to the world’s largest book distribution network of 40,000 wholesalers, retailers, booksellers and libraries.
The key difference between traditional publishing and self-publishing is that a self-published author bears all the costs and risks, but retains complete control and earns the whole profit per sale. The author’s files remain the author’s property.
Michaela also explained the process of POD, which is a cost-effective and eco-friendly way to manage print runs by only printing what you need, when you need it. Depending on the place of purchase, books can be printed in the US, UK or Australia, or via partner print facilities across the world. Customers can order an author’s print book or ebook through online or physical bookstores.
Authors are responsible for marketing their book to retailers, libraries and, most importantly, to their target audience.
Michaela was keen to point out how editors fit into this process and the opportunity it presents for us. IngramSpark’s role only begins when the author uploads a print-ready file. Besides the actual editing, freelance editors have the opportunity to expand their businesses by offering quality control, project management of the design and formatting phases and assistance navigating the requirements, jargon and maths of self-publishing: i.e., becoming an author service-provider.
Michaela suggests becoming familiar with IngramSpark’s offerings (through the copious resources available on the website) and setting yourself up as an expert. Take advantage of the current huge interest in self-publishing and share in the impressive growth that IngramSpark is experiencing. It’s free to set up an account and explore: see www.ingramspark.com.
Unfortunately, we encountered a technical difficulty during the presentation when Michaela’s computer crashed; however, the time was spent gainfully as some attendees shared their experience of self-publishing and POD. Those who had used IngramSpark agreed on the high quality of the finished product.
As part of her new role, Michaela hopes to build a stronger relationship between her company and IPEd. She has organised a promo code for IPEd members to share with their clients (or use if they are authors themselves) for free set-up of a title (see member discounts in the member portal).
Michaela is happy to answer any queries at michaela.skelly@ingramcontent.com.
Professional development news
We hope that all who attended the 2021 IPEd conference found it interesting and useful. The PD team took a break in June, but we’re back in July with a new course. Editing for plain English, with Caitlin Whiteman AE, will run via Zoom on 24 and 31 July. If places remain, you can book on the IPEd event page.
This month, we’re also preparing for the EdVic ABM and hope to see as many of you there as possible.
A full list of upcoming IPEd offerings, and some recordings, can be found on the IPEd Events page.
The Professional Development subcommittee
edvic.profdev@iped-editors.org