Adding Value to the Guild: The Mentoring Program
One of the characteristics of our Guild that I appreciate is the generosity of our community in sharing knowledge and supporting one another. This happens in person, through the Guild’s online happy hours, and at Red Pencil. It also happens through our Mentoring Program.
Every year around 5% of Guild members receive mentoring from their Guild peers. This mentoring is making a difference in their lives and careers!
Gift Ideas for Editors and Other Literary Folk
Scrambling for gift ideas to wow the literary friends and family on your list this holiday season? We have a few suggestions for you! Disclaimer: Neither the author of this list nor the Northwest Editors Guild is being paid to advertise any of the companies below, and neither has any affiliation with them apart from the fact that several have received a lot of the author’s money over the years. Alas, she receives no discount for this privilege.
The Perils of Editing Horror
Horror fiction provides many possibilities for thrills and chills: the unexpected, the out of place, the unstoppable cosmic evil. It requires good pacing and an appropriate atmosphere, as well as something truly scary. The horror editor’s job is to make sure all those bits fit together into a writhing, squirming, terrifying mass.
We Need You!
The Northwest Editors Guild is led by a volunteer board of directors. Every year, editors just like you give freely of their time to keep the Guild running for all of us… and we need volunteers who will help the Guild move into 2024 and beyond!
Interested in serving on the Guild’s board, but not sure what it entails? Read on for answers to the most frequently asked questions about Guild leadership.
Editors Katherine Moore and Alex Crawley on the Seasons of Their Careers
Don’t forget, the Northwest Editors Guild’s Red Pencil Conference is May 6! In line with the theme of “Seasons of an Editing Career,” I spoke with Katherine Moore and Alex Crawley, students at the University of Washington’s Certificate in Editing program, about their thoughts on where they are in their professional journeys, what kind of resources they wish were available to them, and what’s the best part about where they are in their careers right now.
Whether you’re a seasoned editor or just starting out, Red Pencil has something to offer. There’s still time to sign up for virtual, in-person, or hybrid options through our registration page here. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other professionals in the editing industry! But hurry! Registration closes for good at 11:59 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, April 30.
Keynotes and Copyediting Fiction with Amy J. Schneider
Red Pencil is back after a four-year hiatus, and we’re pleased to announce that Amy J. Schneider, a veteran editor and author of the new book, The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s conference. If you haven’t registered yet, the deadline for the Early Bird registration has been extended to March 13, so don’t miss out! Read on to hear from Amy about her keynote, staying current in the publishing industry, and how her StetPet, “Alice the Land Shark,” helps her work.
2022 State of the Guild Address
The past three years have been fraught with uncertainty and stress.
I know, not the most positive way to begin. However, to appreciate our accomplishments means reflecting on the past.
At the start of the pandemic in 2020, we board members went into survival mode. We acted quickly to determine how to continue doing what we do while living in isolation and social distancing parameters. With Erin Cusick’s excellent leadership, and a board full of creative thinkers, we got through it with great success. In 2021, the world was still in the midst of a pandemic without a clear sign of relief. We continuously questioned whether we’d be able to have in-person member meetings again, or if we could plan a Red Pencil event. Under the inspirational leadership of Jesi Vega, we were encouraged to focus on the positive, to run virtual events, create new policies, and concentrate our efforts on keeping the Guild a well-oiled machine while providing engaging events for members far and wide.
The Guild’s Board of Directors Needs You!
The Northwest Editors Guild is led by a volunteer board of directors. Every year, editors just like you give freely of their time to keep the Guild running for all of us… and during the pandemic, several of our board members stayed on an extra year or two in order to help keep us running smoothly during all those “unprecedented times” we kept hearing about. We can’t thank them enough for the gift of their time… but now they need to take a break, and that means a higher percentage than usual of our board is stepping off this year. We need just a few more volunteers who will help the Guild move into 2023 and beyond!
Interested in serving on the Guild’s board, but not sure what it entails? Read on for answers to the most frequently asked questions about Guild leadership.
Editing Texts About, or For, Neurodivergent Kids and their Families
More writers than ever identify as neurodivergent (ND), and more writing than ever is about or for neurodivergent children and their families. The recent prominence of these texts is helping to build awareness of neurological differences in mainstream culture that is long overdue. Being ND means having a neurological difference like autism, ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia, or a combination of these diagnoses, as well as others. If you are asked to edit a book or piece about neurodivergence, you will be responsible for helping writers represent ND experiences as faithfully as possible to an audience with varying levels of knowledge and understanding. As an editor, you might wonder how you should approach this work, especially if you or your family are not neurodivergent (that you are aware of). Should you edit this work at all?
Presenting at Red Pencil with Joanie Eppinga
The deadline for submitting presentation proposals and ideas for Red Pencil 2023 has been extended to Sunday, October 16, so if you’ve got something you want to share with the editing community (or you have an idea you want to suggest someone else share, especially if they’re local!), please get in touch with our conference planning committee. In case you’re nervous about speaking in front of a large group, we want to assure you that Red Pencil is just about the friendliest group you could start with! I sat down with Guild member and past Red Pencil conference and ACES presenter Joanie Eppinga to chat with her about her experiences and advice about presenting.