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A graphic of a video game controller that resembles a controller for a PlayStation or Xbox console is shown over a light blue background.
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Event Review: Editing for the Video Game Industry

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Written by Jesse Marchand; copy edited by Holly Conklin

What does the term video game mean to you? For some, it may conjure up memories of childhood and playing Pac-Man or Mario. Others might be more familiar with tile-matching games like Candy Crush. More still may be deeply involved in the world of video games through multiplayer role-playing games like World of Warcraft or first-person shooters like Call of Duty.

The genres of games are as varied as the roles within game studios. So what does editing for the video game industry really look like? In a recent talk at the Editors BC’s monthly meeting for April, Michelle Clough discussed the role of writing and editing in video games and what the work entails. Clough is a freelance video game writer, editor, narrative designer, localization specialist, and quality assurance tester for both big-budget and indie games, and as she showed at the meeting, she’s a very engaging speaker too. Here’s a rundown of some of the things about editing for video games that she shared at that meeting.

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Event Review: Lynn Slobogian’s “Abuzz with Networking” Workshop

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Cartoon by Iva Cheung

Written by Amber Riaz; copy edited by Katie Beaton

Like the character in the cartoon by Iva Cheung, I actively avoid meetings—especially those labelled as networking meetings. The thought of engaging in awkward conversations to try to seem likeable enough for people to trust me with their work usually makes me want to run and hide under the covers!

The Editors BC monthly meeting for March, “Abuzz with Networking,” hosted by Lynn Slobogian, however, went a long way towards alleviating that anxiety. Drawing heavily on her experience with public engagement through her work for numerous non-profit organizations (before launching her freelance editing career), Lynn introduced the concept of networking to a room full of self-proclaimed introverts/editors. Not only did she put everyone at ease within minutes of starting her presentation, she also found a way to make networking a fun and engaging activity. Lynn led us all through the why and how of networking before asking us to actually network with each other.

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A partially seen red pen lies on top of a paper that has three red editing marks.
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Seven Mistakes Many First-Time Editors Make (and How to Avoid Them)

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Written by Lindsay Vermeulen; copy edited by Maggie Clark

So, you’ve decided to become an editor.

If you’re quitting a job to go freelance, the prospect of changing careers can be intimidating. And yes, there are plenty of opportunities to mess up. Never fear! They are all part of the learning process, and they will all make you better at what you do. But you don’t have to make all the mistakes on your own, because I’ve already made a bunch of them (or known others who have made them). Read on to learn how to avoid seven mistakes many new editors make.

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Event Review: Academic Editing with Lesley Erickson

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Written by Wendy Barron; copy edited by Katie Heffring

On Saturday, November 25, 2017, a group of 20 editors gathered at the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s downtown campus for Lesley Erickson’s seminar “Academic Editing: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Lesley has more than 20 years’ experience as an author and editor in scholarly publishing and is currently a senior production editor at UBC Press. Her session provided a glimpse into the cultures of both academia and scholarly publishing. Throughout it, she offered strategies to address challenges both common and unique to academic editing and practical tips and tools for editors to give and get the best from the editing budget.

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February 24, 2018: Crunching the Numbers: Using Performance Measures to Manage Your Editing Business

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What: Editors BC professional development seminar
When: Saturday, February 24, 2018, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Where: Room 420, 4th floor, BCIT Downtown Campus, 555 Seymour Street, Vancouver | map
Cost: $165 for Editors Canada members ($135 early bird), $230 for non-members ($200 early bird), and $100 for student affiliates. Advance registration required. Registration closes February 20; early-bird rates are in effect through February 6.

Is your editing business successful?

If you’re like a lot of editors, you may have a hard time answering this question with any specifics. You may have a vague sense of how your business is doing, and you might even feel comfortable with that level of uncertainty. But having real, hard data about how much you work, where your work comes from, and how much you earn for different types of projects or clients can empower you to take charge of your business and steer it in the direction that you want it to go.

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January 27, 2018: From Slush Pile to Newsstand: Workshopping the Magazine Workflow

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What: Editors BC professional development seminar
When: Saturday, January 27, 2018, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Where: Room 420, 4th floor, BCIT Downtown Campus, 555 Seymour Street, Vancouver | map
Cost: $165 for Editors Canada members ($135 early bird), $230 for non-members ($200 early bird), and $100 for student affiliates. Advance registration required. Registration closes January 23; early-bird rates are in effect through January 12.

Magazine production is deadline heavy, with tight turnarounds and last-minute changes. To stay on schedule, many contributors and editors need to work in sync, like the parts of a well-oiled machine. In this six-hour seminar, Jennifer Landels, managing editor of Pulp Literature magazine, will walk us through the typical workflow of a literary magazine, from submissions to final proofing.

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