Christina Vasilevski

In September I wrote a blog post about my experience with Ryerson’s publishing program. At the end of the post, I said I would provide more info for people who want to learn more about editing or who want to be editors. So here’s a huge list of resources for editors!

These links aren’t organized in any particular order. Some links may be repeated as they apply to multiple sections.

Please note that these links focus on freelance editing. If you’re an in-house editor, or if you’re a designer, bookseller, or marketer, I would love to hear about your recommended resources in the comments.

What does it take to be an editor?

Many people think that editing involves primly marking up errors in red pen. However, it requires more than that. You have to be curious, thoughtful, and aware of your own biases. Here are some excellent pages about what it means to be a good editor.

• So you want to be an editor — Editors’ Association of Canada
• Are you editor material? — James Harbeck, Sesquiotica
• Are you an editor or a writer? Part II: The editors — The Open Notebook

Professional associations for editors

Joining a professional association will allow you to connect with other editors, and that is extremely important. Depending on the organization, you can also benefit from mediation services, group insurance plans, group discounts, and more. Some organizations also offer discounted membership if you’re still a student.

• Editors’ Association of Canada
• American Copy Editors Society
• Editorial Freelancers Association
• Society for Editors and Proofreaders — This is a UK organization
• Indexing Society of Canada
• Council of Science Editors
• National Association of Independent Writers and Editors
• Institute of Professional Editors — This is an Australian organization

Mailing lists for editors

• Copyediting-L
• Freelance Mailing List — Note: According to Katharine O’Moore-Klopf, this list’s traffic has declined over the years

Individual editors who tell it like it is

Sometimes you need to hear that other editors are going through the same thing as you. These people offer great info and advice.

• Adrienne Montgomerie – science editor
• Arlene Prunkl – PenUltimate Editorial Services — She’s got lots of experience working with self-published authors
• Louise Harnby
• The Subversive Copy Editor
• Dameditors
• Katharine O’Moore Klopf
• LibroEditing – Liz Dexter
• An American Editor
• Apoplectic Apostrophes
• Doorway Between Worlds
• Iva Cheung — Her comics are painfully funny

Business resources for editors

• Business Planning for Editorial Freelancers — Louise Harnby
• Getting Work with the Federal Government: a guide to figuring out the procurement puzzle — Marion Soubliere [Note: this book is about the Canadian government]
• EFA publications for the professional freelancer — A series of eBooks from the EFA
• SfEP online shop — A series of eBooks about editorial practice and business advice from the Society for Editors and Proofreaders in the UK
• The Freelancery
• Communication Central
• The Creative Penn — This site focuses on the business of self-publishing

Tools and technology

• PerfectIt — I mentioned this software in my EAC 2014 roundup
• The Editorium — MS Word macros galore
• wordsnSync — Even more MS Word macros
• Red and black proofreading stamps — These are zip downloads

Learning about and loving the language

Editing involves more than knowing grammar. You also have to understand the ways that language changes. These people provide varying perspectives on this process.

• Sesquiotica — James Harbeck
• You Don’t Say — John McIntyre, The Baltimore Sun
• Language Log
• A Word A Day — Run by Anu Garg
• Copyediting — this organization offers a monthly newsletter as well as online training and free blog posts
• A Phrase a Week

All-in-one resources for editors

Short on time? These sites provide a concentrated dose of helpful info.

• Copyeditors’ Knowledge Base — Run by Katharine O’Moore Klopf
• Tools and resource centres for editors and proofreaders — Run by Louise Harnby
• Copyediting-L resources

Are there any websites that you think I should add? Let me know in the comments.