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Archive of previous dinner meetings
August 2011
Janet Mackenzie and The Editor's Companion
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
6:30 pm (for 7:00 pm)
CQ Functions, 113 Queen St (cnr Lt Collins), City
Publishing is being transformed by readers' new passion for e-books, tablet computers and even mobile phones: business models are adjusting to digital rights management, subscriptions and pay-per-view; marketers are adapting to social media; and editors are streamlining their processes with software tools for cleaning up manuscripts, managing references, repurposing documents and sharing files. Janet Mackenzie will be exploring this digital revolution in a new edition of The Editor's Companion.
At the conclusion of the evening, we'll also be presenting Certificates of Accreditation to the newest Accredited Editors (AE) of Victoria. Congratulations to them all!
Janet Mackenzie, Distinguished Editor (DE), edited her first book in 1969 and has been at it ever since. An Honorary Life Member and former committee member of the Society of Editors (Vic.), she has represented the society at the national level and also helped to develop the national accreditation scheme for the Institute of Professional Editors.
Publishing Perspectives
Facts about non-fiction publishing
Thursday, 28 July 2011, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
The Wheeler Centre, 176 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne
From cookbooks, history and travel books to biographies, memoirs and essays, guest publishers Denise O'Dea, Sharon Mullins and Kirsten Abbott have access to all areas of non-fiction writing. They will discuss current readership demand, how to get beyond the slush pile, and the process from manuscript submission to publication. This event will greatly inform non-fiction writers who are looking to get published.
This event is jointly hosted by the Society of Editors (Vic.) and the Victorian Writers' Centre.
Full info and bookings on the Victorian Writers' Centre website.
The Society of Editors (Vic) AGM
The Society of Editors (Vic) Annual General Meeting was held on Tuesday, 19 July 2011 at CQ Functions (113 Queen St, Melbourne 3000).
The AGM included the election of 2011–12 office-bearers for the society. Current committee members also reported on their areas of responsibility for the past year.
Publishing Perspectives
Facts about fiction publishing
Thursday, 30 June 2011, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
The Wheeler Centre, 176 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Join publishers Eva Mills, Maryann Ballantyne and Rebecca Starford as they discuss current market trends, the process of manuscript submission to publication, and the right (and wrong) way to approach a publisher. This is a must-see event for all fiction writers, whether they may be seeking publication for short fiction, essays, children's or adult fiction.
This event is jointly hosted by the Society of Editors (Vic.) and the Victorian Writers' Centre.
Full info and bookings on the Victorian Writers' Centre website.
June 2011
'A Sort of Gadfly': Reflections on Academic Humanities Publishing
Dr Nathan Hollier, Monash University Publishing
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
6:30 pm (for 7:00 pm)
CQ Functions, 113 Queen St (cnr Lt Collins), City
I am a sort of gadfly, given to the democracy by the gods, and the democracy is a large, noble horse who is sluggish in its motions, and requires to be stung into life.
– Socrates
Critical thinking serves a democratic purpose in our society that is increasingly overlooked, especially by policy makers. In this talk, Nathan Hollier will discuss the value of and trends within the underlying forces shaping the world of academic humanities publishing.
Dr Nathan Hollier is Manager of Monash University Publishing. He has worked in academia and academic publishing since the mid-1990s, including as editor of Overland magazine (2002-07), and is the founding President and a current board member of SPUNC, the representative body for small and independent publishers in Australia.
May 2011
Bernard Caleo, Cardigan Comics
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
CQ Functions, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
Ever since comics and graphic novels (also called 'sequential art') have emerged as a modern art form, they have been variously under-edited or over-edited – and often seem to be altogether editor-resistant. What exactly is sequential art, and why can't it simply be edited like prose?
A writer, editor and publisher of comic books for over 20 years, Bernard Caleo has edited and published 9 issues of Tango, the Australian romance comics anthology. In 2009, he edited a selection of stories from the first eight issues into The Tango Collection (Allen & Unwin). In 2011 he is hosting a series of shows at Readings Carlton entitled 'What It Is?', each examining the poetics of comics from a different angle, with a different collaborator.
April 2011
IPEd Exam Preparation Session
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
6:30 pm for 7:00 pm
CQ Functions, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
Preparing to sit the Institute for Professional Editors (IPEd) accreditation exam in May? Whether you've already registered or are still considering doing so, come along to this workshop dinner meeting, which will cover what the exam involves, how to prepare for it and how it will be marked.
Working in small groups facilitated by Accredited Editors who passed the 2008 or 2009 exam, you'll be able to discuss insights and strategies for preparation with other candiates. To get the most out of the evening, you should take at least one of the sample exams available on the IPEd website (www.iped-editors.org) under exam conditions.
The evening will be hosted by Julie-Anne Justus, the Society of Editors (Victoria) delegate to and current Chair of the Accreditation Board.
Publishing Perspectives
With Jenny Darling, Antoni Jach & Sonia Orchard, hosted by Ali Lemer
Thursday, 31 March 2011, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
The Wheeler Centre, 176 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Join Literary Agent Jenny Darling, author-mentor Antoni Jach and published writer, Sonia Orchard, as they discuss the process of manuscript development, the road to publication and outline the author, agent and publisher relationship and what proceeds to make a successful author.
This event is jointly hosted by the Society of Editors (Vic.) and the Victorian Writers' Centre.
Full info and bookings on the Victorian Writers' Centre website.
March 2011
Stephen Banham on Typography
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
CQ Functions, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
We all see and work with different fonts every day, but how much do we really know about them? Designer Stephen Banham will be looking at the big picture of typography, of letterforms as a cultural and social expression of our times. Going beyond the printed page, what do letters say about us and the world we live in?
Stephen Banham is founder of the typographic studio Letterbox, based in Melbourne. Banham's designs have appeared in countless international works; he has spoken at international design events from Barcelona to Beirut and has written and produced 15 publications on typography. A lecturer in typography since 1991, he holds a Masters in Design Research and is currently writing a book on the social and cultural significance of typography, due out this September.
Booking details:
Please note: Admission costs for dinner meetings have increased slightly due to the rise of meal prices at the venue. The society will, however, be subsiding some of the cost to ensure that our dinner meetings remain affordable to all. We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.
· Book with Lu Sexton at by 5.00 pm on Monday, 14 March. Please let her know if you’d like to pay online in advance and she’ll forward instructions.
· Cost: $28 members, $22 students, $33 non-members
· Pay cash or cheque on the night, or online using a credit card by Tuesday, 15 March. Credit cards are not accepted at the door.
· Tell us if you are a member of the Society of Editors (Vic.), VWC, ASTC, ANZSI or APA
· Tell is if you are a student (please bring your student ID to the dinner)
· Tell is if you would like to have a vegetarian meal (available only if you book in advance)
· If you need to cancel, please contact as soon as possible
· If you cancel after 7.00 pm on Tuesday, 15 March, you will be asked to pay for the meal,
as they are ordered in advance
· Those who arrive on the night without a booking will unfortunately be unable to attend
February 2011
Jenny Lee on the University of Melbourne Book Industry Study
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
CQ Functions, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
In a follow-up to her very popular appearance here last year, editor and university lecturer Jenny Lee will discuss the results of the second round of the University of Melbourne Book Industry Study, which focuses on the implications of digital technologies for the Australian book industry. The study, which is soon to be published, focuses not only on the rising popularity of ebooks but also on the digital delivery of printed works.
Jenny Lee is a historian who became an editor by accident in 1982, when she began working on a critical history of Australia (A People's History of Australia, 4 vols, McPhee Gribble/Penguin, 1988). She edited the cultural quarterly Meanjin from 1987 to 1994, then spent six years working as a freelance editor and writer. She taught in the university system from 2000 to 2008, first as a lecturer at Deakin University, then as the founding co-ordinator of the Publishing program at the University of Melbourne, where she is now a senior research associate. Her little book Making Modern Melbourne was published by Arcade Publications in July 2008, and a slightly larger book, Australian Book Publishers 2009, by Thorpe-Bowker in 2009. In 2010, she completed a research study on digital technologies in the book supply chain for the federal Book Industry Strategy Group.
November 2010
Brave New World: Publishing and the Digital Revolution
Wednesday, 17 November 2010, 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
From Kindles and iPads to eInk and DRMs, the digital revolution has finally hit the publishing industry head on. What are publishers doing today to leverage new technologies? What does the future hold for the industry? Three speakers from this new frontier – Dr Susan Hawthorn, Jane Nethercote and Kate Kendall – will speak about digital publishing today, and what tomorrow might bring. Moderated by George Dunford.
Dr Susan Hawthorne is a publisher and the co-founder (with Renate Klein) of Spinifex Press, which has published more than 200 titles in almost two decades; in 2006 Spinifex began publishing eBooks. Susan has also been a member of the Digital Publishing Steering Group of the APA and is currently a member of its Independent Publishers Committee.
Jane Nethercote did an arts/law degree at the University of Melbourne, which she decided to try and convert into a media career. She started out as an editorial assistant for The Reader and then moved on to Crikey, where she held the roles of Managing Editor, Web Editor and Business Development Manager. Jane is now Senior Digital Editor at Lonely Planet.
Kate Kendall was formerly the Digital Director for the magazine publishing company Niche Media, where she started off as the online editor of Marketingmag.com.au. Kate has also worked at Universal and ACP Magazines. Kate founded the Social Media Melbourne community and is currently the Marketing and Communications Director at Adioso, a travel search site.
George Dunford has worked on websites for some of Australia's biggest web presences including Lonely Planet, Seek and ABC. As a freelance writer he's written for Australian Bookseller & Publisher, Meanjin, The Big Issue and The Age Good Food Guide. George recently wrote an iPhone app called Essential Melbourne, and is currently Online Content Manager at the Wheeler Centre.
October 2010
All About Educational Publishing
Wednesday, 20 October 2010, 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
CQ Functions, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
Guest panellists: Caroline Williams (Pearson), Ben Haskin (Cambridge Univ Press), Katharine Day (Cengage); Moderator: Sharon Lapkin (Macmillan)
Melbourne is the Australian home of educational publishing. A panel of speakers from local educational publishing companies will discuss the 'ins and outs' of this industry from an editorial standpoint, and what its future might be in the wake of new technologies.
Caroline Williams is the Project Management & Special Projects Manager for the Schools Division of Pearson Australia. She has also worked as an author, researcher, trade marketing assistant, publishing assistant, permissions co-ordinator, editor, project editor, managing project editor, and editorial and production manager. Caroline has a PhD in Australian History from the University of Melbourne.
Ben Haskin has worked in educational publishing for the past five years at various companies including Cengage Learning, Harcourt and Insight Publications. He has increasingly focused on primary literacy and maths texts, and is interested in the use of technology to improve the publishing process. He is currently Primary Editor at Cambridge University Press.
Katharine Day has worked as an editor in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom for a range of publishers, including CCH Law Publishers, Routledge and Lonely Planet. She is currently employed as Managing Editor for the Secondary Division at Cengage Learning.
Sharon Lapkin is a senior editor in the Secondary Department at Macmillan Education. Previously she worked on groundbreaking e-learning technologies for a Danish educational publisher in conjunction with McGraw-Hill (US). She has a Masters degree in Editing & Communications from the University of Melbourne, as well as a Masters in Education.
September 2010
Never Black & White: The Applied Art of Crossword Proofing
Wednesday, 22 September 2010, 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
CQ Functions, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
Guest Speaker: David Astle
Combing over prose or fine-tuning non-fiction is one thing, but the challenge of checking crosswords – let alone cryptic ones – is a different mountain to climb. After years of compiling puzzles for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald, cruciverbalist David Astle (alias DA) will be sharing a swag of proofsheet catastrophes (and triumphs), as well as passing on plenty of insights in how to read and solve cryptic clues.
Besides his crossword compiling, David Astle has written two novels, Marzipan Plan and Book of Miles, as well as three non-fiction works: One Down, One Missing; Offbeat Australia and the recently published Puzzled – Secrets & Clues from a Life Lost in Words. He is also a freelance writer, reviews books for Radio National, writes a weekly column in Spectrum called 'Wordplay' and tutors at RMIT. He can currently be seen as one of the hosts of the SBS quiz show Letters and Numbers.
July 2010
2010 Annual General Meeting
Wednesday, 14 July
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
English Speaking Union, 146 Toorak Road West (between Walsh and Marne Streets), South Yarra (Melway 21 4E)
Come along and enjoy a two-course dinner (including a vegetarian option) catered by Alex Catering. There is no cost to Victorian Society of Editors members ($20 for students, $35 for other non-members). Drinks served at bar prices. Join us at 6.30 pm for pre-dinner drinks in the lounge, followed by dinner in the ballroom.
The AGM includes the election of 2010-11 office-bearers for the Society. Current committee members will report on their areas of responsibility for the past year. This is a great opportunity to come along and support your hard-working office-bearers, as well as enjoying the company of other editors and celebrating the Society’s achievements over the 12 months.
Details of the nomination requirements for the election of the next Society President and committee have been sent to members via the e-list. Please contact President Melanie Dankel if you wish to discuss becoming part of the next committee.
June 2010
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Editing Literary Journals in the Digital Age
Guest speaker: Sophie Cunningham (Meanjin)
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
(car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Sophie Cunningham has worked in publishing for more than twenty years, as an editor and publisher at companies such as McPhee Gribble, Penguin Books, Allen & Unwin and Lonely Planet. Her first novel, Geography (Text) was published in Australia and the UK in 2004; her second novel, Bird, was published in 2008. Her forthcoming third novel, This Devastating Fever, is about Leonard Woolf’s time as a colonial administrator and the first years of his marriage to Virginia; she’s also writing a book about Melbourne for University of NSW Press, which is due out in early 2011, and occasional journalistic pieces. She is currently the editor of Melbourne’s oldest literary magazine, Meanjin. Join us as she speaks about her experiences editing this prestigious publication, and how it will adapt for a future of digital content.
May 2010
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Small-Press and Independent Publishing
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
CQ Functions/Lanai Bar, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
(car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Australia has over 100 small-press and independent publishers, who produce everything from fiction and poetry to children's titles and academic works. Join us as we present a panel discussion of notable figures in the industry: Dale Campisi of Arcade Publications, Emmett Stinson of the Small Press Underground Networking Community (SPUNC) and Zoe Dattner of SPUNC and Sleepers Publishing.
Dale Campisi has been a writer, editor and teacher of all sorts of stuff for ten years. He is currently a publisher with Arcade, producing short reads and events about Australian history. You can find him online at www.arcadepublications.com and www.twitter.com/arcadegazette. Zoe Dattner is the co-founder and creative director of Sleepers Publishing and also the General Manager of the Small Press Underground Networking Community (SPUNC). Emmett Stinson has worked in the publishing industry in the U.S. and Australia for over a decade. He is currently a Lecturer in Publishing and Communications at the University of Melbourne, and is also the President of the Board of the Small Press Underground Networking Community (SPUNC) and a panel member on the Book Industry Study Group recently established by Senator Kim Carr.
April 2010
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Finance for Freelancers
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
(car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
If you’re self-employed, it’s important to understand all of the ways that financial know-how can benefit the freelance editor. Presenters from Media Super, Heffernan Crawford Partners and Aon will be covering a range of topics, including:
- Professional indemnity insurance and risk management
- Superannuation contributions and consolidation
- Tax deductions for freelancers
- Those mysterious acronyms ABN, BAS and GST
Neil Crawford is a partner of Heffernan Crawford and has been a practising accountant for 34 years. He is responsible for advising clients in relation to establishing tax effective structures, tax planning, estate planning, negotiating with the ATO and general business advice, and has also assisted the ATO with identifying current issues for specific occupations
Mark Dwyer has been a Chartered Accountant since 2004. In 2009 Mark was appointed as a Senior Accountant with Heffernan Crawford in their Business Services Division, where he is responsible for advising clients on business growth, structures, tax planning, GST, estate planning, negotiating with the ATO and compliance issues
Scott LaFerlita is a Superannuation Relationship Manager with Media Super and has worked in the super industry for 6 years. Prior to his current role, he held positions with CONNECT Super and Australian Administration Services as an Administrative Manager. He has also worked as a specialist secondary-school teacher in the area of commerce and business studies.
Chris Ristevski has been with Aon for nearly 12 years, during which time he has specialised in providing Professional Indemnity Insurance for various occupations and industries, especially to large-cluster groups in the finance and consulting sectors. Chris has also presented at seminars advising risk management techniques in order to mitigate loss.
March 2010
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Mark Dapin on his 20 years in publishing, from typesetter to editor-in-chief
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
(car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Mark Dapin is an author, journalist, lecturer, editor and former subeditor. His 2008 book, Strange Country, was a travel bestseller, and his recent first novel, King of the Cross, has been critically acclaimed. He writes a weekly column in Good Weekend magazine.
February 2010
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Jenny Lee, University of Melbourne Book Industry Study
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
(car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Noted editor and university lecturer Jenny Lee will discuss the results of the first round of the University of Melbourne Book Industry Study (a three-year research project), and what insights they offer about the book industry in Australia - where it’s currently placed and where it might be headed.
The evening will also include the presentation of certificates to several Accredited Editors (AE) who successfully passed last year’s IPEd exam.
Jenny Lee is a historians who became an editor by accident in 1982, when she began working on a critical history of Australia for release during the bicentenary (A People’s History of Australia, 4 vols, McPhee Gribble/Penguin, 1988). From 1987 to 1994, she edited the literary and cultural quarterly Meanjin. She then spent six years working as a freelance editor and writer before taking a lectureship in Professional Writing at Deakin University, where she taught editing and publishing from 2000 to 2002. Between 2003 and 2008, she established the postgraduate Publishing program at the University of Melbourne. She is now a senior research associate at the university. Her little book Making Modern Melbourne was published by Arcade Publications in July 2008, and a slightly larger book, Australian Book Publishers 2009, by Thorpe-Bowker in 2009.
December 2009
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
December (Silly Season) Dinner Meeting
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
(car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Come along for some fun and merriment with fellow Society of Editors members, with a buffet dinner and complementary wine. Back by popular demand – our literature-themed trivia quiz!
November 2009
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Bel Monypenny, Editor, Voiceworks magazine
Editors in Conversation 2 launch
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar, 113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St), City
(car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Bel Monypenny is the editor of Voiceworks magazine, which publishes Australian writers under 25. In previous incarnations, she worked as a development editor at Thomson Learning (now Cengage Learning), a freelance editor for Allen and Unwin and an intern at Sleepers Publishing, and has written reviews for The Big Issue, Readings Monthly and Overland. This year she was on the Write in Your Face Grant selection panel, and has also sat on panels at the Melbourne Writers Festival and National Young Writers Festival. She has almost worked in some very exciting publishing houses, and is now undertaking a Postgraduate Diploma in Editing and Publishing at RMIT to make sure she doesn’t miss out again.
The evening will also include the Victorian launch of Editors in Conversation 2, the second volume of this series put together by the Occasional Series on Australian Editors (OSAE) working group. This volume recognises eight of the Society of Editors' Honorary Life Members, and also covers the evolution of the project Mao's Last Dancer from inspirational story to book to film.
September 2009
Wednesday, 16 September
Michael Williams on the Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar – Duke of Edinburgh Room
113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St) City
(car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Along with our new selection as an official UNESCO City of Literature, Melbourne’s literature and publishing community is also set to celebrate a new arts initiative: the Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas. Soon to open as part of the State Library of Victoria, the Centre will be a hub for literary activity throughout the region, as well as home base for literary organisations such as the Victorian Writers Centre, the Melbourne Writers Festival, the Emerging Writers Festival and the Australian Poetry Centre. Join us as Michael Williams, the Head of Programming, discusses the Centre’s aims for the present and its plans for the future.
Michael Williams has worked as a writer, editor and broadcaster. After several years at Text Publishing, he spent six months in 2007 in New York working in the office of literary scout Maria Campbell. Since returning to Melbourne he has worked freelance for Random House, Scribe Publications, Affirm Press and others, and has just completed 18 months as one-third of the breakfast radio team on Melbourne’s 3RRR. His reviews can be read in The Age, Australian and Sydney Morning Herald, as well as in Australian Book Review, Meanjin and The Monthly. He is also a member of the Judging Advisory Panel for the Melbourne Prize for Literature 2009.
August 2009
Wednesday, 12 August
Accreditation exam preparation workshop
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar – Duke of Edinburgh Room
113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St) City
(car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Cost: $25 members, $20 students, $30 non-members. (Pay cash or cheque on the night; no credit card facilities available.)
Are you registered for the accreditation exam in September, or thinking about it? Join us for dinner and a discussion about the exam. With some preparation, you can pass the exam and be part of the second group of accredited editors in Australia!
The meeting will include a comprehensive overview of the sample exam (see the IPEd website). Experienced senior editors will discuss the exam's format, the questions and the types of answers required. An outline of preparation techniques and the exam format will be on the menu. If you are still thinking about whether to sit the exam, come along and find out more – you may be surprised at how ready you are to take up the challenge. We'll mix the serious business of the exam with great food, lots of fun activities and spot prizes.
If you can, come to this meeting prepared by bringing your worked copy of the sample exam (together with suggested answers). We will also have copies of the sample exam available.
Don't miss this opportunity to test your skills in a fun, friendly and supportive atmosphere. Encourage your peers to take up the challenge and be part of the national push to improve our professional status and remuneration.
July 2009
Wednesday, 22 July
2009 Annual General Meeting
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
English Speaking Union, 146 Toorak Road West (between Walsh and Marne Streets), South Yarra (Melway 2L 4E)
Come along and enjoy a two-course dinner (including a vegetarian option) catered by Alex Catering. There is no cost to Victorian Society of Editors members ($35 for all non-members). Drinks served at bar prices. Join us at 6.30 pm for pre-dinner drinks in the lounge, followed by dinner in the ballroom.
The AGM includes the election of 2009-2010 office-bearers for the Society. Current committee members will report on their areas of responsibility for the past year. This is a great opportunity to come along and support your hard-working office-bearers, as well as enjoying the company of other editors and celebrating the Society’s achievements over the 12 months.
Details of the nomination requirements for the election of the next Society President and committee will be sent to members via the e-list by the end of June. Please contact the President, Liz Steele, if you wish to discuss becoming part of the next committee.
June 2009
Wednesday 3 June
Achieving editorial nirvana against the relentless march of "progress"
Lan Wang
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar – Duke of Edinburgh Room
113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St) City
(Car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Technology advances inexorably and with sometimes frightening speed. So what is an editor to do? Whether you're a hardy expert of many years' standing or a beginner starting out on your first manuscript, it is essential for your professional health to at least be familiar with existing technologies and to keep up with new developments as they arise. And, of course, it is downright crucial to become intimately acquainted with the particular software, hardware and communications technologies that are the life blood of our line of work.
Lan Wang will expound on the principle of grasping technology with both hands and squeezing everything you can get out of it in order to make your professional life more productive, efficient and (potentially) lucrative. The audience is invited to bring along questions about their own professional technological needs and discussion will be encouraged.
Lan, a stalwart of the Society of Editors and an IPEd Accredited Editor, has been both a freelance and inhouse editor for many years. To keep her work life spiced up, she has also ventured into related fields such as typesetting, design, and website and database creation, all of which have involved learning a wide variety of software programs and working with a range of computers and other hardware. She is a self-professed nerd and lover of Macs (but tries not to be too much of a bore about it).
May 2009
Wednesday 6 May
The writer and the shop-soiled manuscript
Catherine Cole
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar - Duke of Edinburgh Room
113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St) City
(Car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Catherine Cole is a Professor of Creative Writing at RMIT University, and also a novelist, non-fiction writer, essayist, reviewer and literary judge. She has published three novels – Dry Dock, Skin Deep and The Grave at Thu Le, and the non-fiction books, The Poet Who Forgot and Private Dicks and Feisty Chicks: An Interrogation of Crime Fiction. She co-edited Fashion in Fiction: Text and Clothing in Literature, Film, & Television and The Road to Dien Bien Phu. She is currently editing an anthology of writing about Vietnam, and has just completed her latest novel, Sleep, a novel set in Sydney, Paris and London.
Catherine will discuss her experience of writing and editing from the writer's perspective, including the various levels of editorial involvement before the work goes to an outside editor. 'There is sometimes so much editing that the manuscript can become a bit grubby before it even leaves the writer’s house'. Catherine also has strong views about writing and editing non-fiction, and what can be learnt from fiction writing. How do we 'shake the academic out of the academy'?
April 2009
Wednesday, 1 April
Research and permissions: How to stay out of trouble and find the perfect figure
Wednesday 1 April, 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar - Duke of Edinburgh Room 113 Queen Street (cnr Little Collins St), City
(Car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Pixelation, resolution, fair usage, budgets, Wikipedia, dodgy Internet sites, versioning newspaper articles for books and websites... What are they? And how do they impact on acquiring permission to use an item?
As editors, how should we present the information about the images and text we require to photo researchers and permissions editors? If we need to do the research ourselves, how do we access images and work through the processes required to use them again? Three permissions editors will tell us about their own in-house or freelance role, and discuss any curly questions you may have about book or online publishing.
Jessica Boland is a Permissions Coordinator with Lonely Planet Publications. Her role deals with permission requests from people wanting to reproduce Lonely Planet material in their publications, as well as negotiating licensing rights and external purchasing of material for use in LP print, digital, online, custom‑print and foreign‑language publications. Jessica is also the go-to person for copyright advice for Lonely Planet editors, publishing managers and production managers.
Michelle Jellett began her career in Permissions two years ago when she moved from Penguin Books to become Pearson Education's Copyright & Pictures Editor. After working for several years as a sales rep, Michelle yearned to be at the forefront of book production. Permissions offered the diversity, creativity and team-based environment that would fuel Michelle's interest in educational publishing. Within 12 months, Michelle became a senior team member and has never looked back.
Freelancer Dan Nicholls works with a number of Australia- and US-based educational publishers. Having worked with The Image Bank for a number of years in commercial image and video production, he now relishes the challenge of offering services that extend beyond simply photo research and permissions to producing commercial quality photography and more recently video and multimedia productions within educational publishing budgets.
March 2009
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Accreditation certificate presentations
and
Chapter and verse – 35 years of bookselling
Graham Davey and Richard Bennett
Wednesday 4 March, 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar – Duke of Edinburgh Room
113 Queen St (cnr Little Collins St) City
(Car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
At this meeting, our Australian Accredited Editors will also be presented with their certificates.
Join Graham Davey and Richard Bennett as they reflect on a combined total of nearly 70 years of bookselling in Melbourne. These long-time friends and colleagues are passionate about books – especially books for kids and young adults – and have seen many changes over their long careers at the retail end of the publishing process. You’ll hear about what sells and what never has, about change and continuity, absurdities and really good ideas, globalisation and specialisation – and there could very well be a bit of a story as well.
Graham Davey worked in the children’s book industry from 1971 till 1999. He created the Schools Division at Robinson’s Bookshop in Frankston, and for many years managed book fairs for Oldmeadow Booksellers, Scholastic Australia and Pan Macmillan. Since 1999 Graham has worked as a performance storyteller, entertainer and a champion of the promotion of Australian children’s literature through organisations such as YABBA (Young Australian’s Best Book Award).
Richard Bennett spent 18 years at Oldmeadow Booksellers, starting as a trainee book buyer in 1973, and moving up to be general manager. In 1991 Richard joined the Dominie Group to manage their Mt Waverley store, and then moved to the Landmark School Supplies store in Fairfield. These days, Richard is involved part-time with JP Books in East Hawthorn, and is also enjoying his new role as a Grandpa.
December 2008
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
Christmas festivities, games and a marvellous meal
Join us at our special south-of-the-Yarra venue to celebrate another busy and eventful year, with marvellous food, free glass of bubbly on arrival, and drinks at bar prices.
The evening will also include the Second Annual Society of Editors Spicks and SBooks quiz tournament, with games such as Match the Book Titles, But What Did His Mum Call Him? and Cover Art. Lots of laughs and plenty of opportunities to be word-savvy and share your book knowledge.
(Special thanks to Aunty ABC, Adam Hills et al. Spicks and SBooks takes its inspiration from the much less exclusive but certainly more musical quiz show Spicks and Specks.)
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
English Speaking Union, 146 Toorak Road West (between Walsh and Marne Streets)
South Yarra (Melway 2L 4E)
November 2008
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Fishing boats, the First Fleet, and animal architects
Author / Illustrator John Nicholson and his editor Sarah Brenan talk about the process of creating illustrated non-fiction for children.
Wednesday, 12 November, 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
Lanai Bar – Duke of Edinburgh Room, 113 Queen Street (cnr Little Collins Street), Melbourne (Car parking on site, kerbside, or near Queen Victoria Market)
Cost: $25 members, $20 students, $30 non-members. (Pay cash or cheque on the night; no credit card facilities available.)
John Nicholson is an award-winning author with a passion for the built and natural environment and its impact on human society and history. Born in Singapore, educated in New Zealand and Australia, John worked as an architect for twenty years before starting to write and illustrate children’s books full-time.
John lives with his partner and their daughter in a solar-powered house they built themselves in the bush near Melbourne. He relishes the detailed research that goes into his books and is renowned for his attractive and accurate illustration of the world around us. Many of John’s books have been short-listed in the Children’s Book Council’s Eve Pownall Award for Information Books, and four of them – The First Fleet, A Home among the Gum Trees, Fishing for Islands and Animal Architects – have won the award.
Sarah Brenan has been an editor for over 35 years, initially in academic books (OUP) and most recently in children’s books (at Allen & Unwin). Her work has encompassed a great variety of genres, from Noxious Weeds of Eastern New South Wales to a Frank Moorhouse novel, to the centenary history of the ALP, board books for babies, and even a book of dog horoscopes.
September 2008
Preparing for the accreditation exam
Wednesday, 10 September from 6.30 p.m.
Lanai Bar - Duke of Edinburgh Room (CQ Functions)
113 Queen Street (cnr Little Collins Street, City)
(Car parking on site, at 200 Queen Street, or kerbside)
Cost: $25 members, $20 students, $30 non-members.
Are you registered for the accreditation exam in October or thinking about it? Join us for dinner and a discussion about the exam and how, with some preparation, you can pass the exam and be part of the first group of accredited editors in Australia!
The meeting will include a comprehensive overview of the revised sample exam (see the IPEd website www.iped-editors.org). Experienced senior editors will discuss the exam's format, the questions and the types of answers required. An outline of preparation techniques and the exam format will be on the menu. If you are still thinking about whether to sit the exam, come along and find out more - you may be surprised at how ready you are to take up the challenge.
We'll mix the serious business of the exam with great food, lots of fun activities and spot prizes.
If you can, come to this meeting prepared by bringing your worked copy of the sample exam (together with suggested answers). We will also have copies of the sample exam available.
Don't miss this opportunity to test your skills in a fun, friendly and supportive atmosphere. Encourage your peers to take up the challenge and be part of the national push to improve our professional status and remuneration.
Here are a few comments from some of our most experienced Victorian editors on why they are taking the exam in October:
I'm doing the exam because it offers several advantages, both to editors and to their prospective clients. With over 25 years' experience as an editor, it is gratifying to finally have the opportunity to claim proficiency in my craft as recognised by an objective body. As well, it gives prospective clients the knowledge that they will be hiring a competent professional rather than someone under qualified or amateur. I'm looking forward to being able to put AE in my postnominal.
Christine Nagel, BA, senior editor for 25+ years, in-house and freelance; proprietor of Christine Nagel Literary Services editorial consultancy. Teacher of professional writing and editing at Curtin University and Victoria University.For individuals, accreditation is an excellent way for freelance editors to 'rate' themselves and to promote their services. I successfully sat the BELS exam in 2005 and felt a renewed sense of confidence in doing so. In a collective sense, accreditation will help to establish and support fair remuneration for freelancers.
Sally Woollett, past Freelance Affairs Officer, Society of Editors (Vic.) and freelance editor for 11 yearsI'm doing the exam because I want to support professionalism in editing. I have been editing for nearly 20 years and I hold a Grad Dip in Ed & Pub from RMIT. But lifelong learning means you need to make the effort not just to get qualified, but to stay qualified. It's important for senior editors to show their support. I hope publishers will support this initiative and not only encourage their staff to become qualified, but make a point of asking for it in their selection processes. It should give qualified editors an edge.
Trischa Baker, BA, LLB, GradDipEdPub, GDMLO, freelance editor, indexer and publishing consultant (since 1990); former managing editor, Pearson Professional and Society of Editors (Vic) committee memberOn a personal level I am doing the exam because I want to be able to measure my skills against the standards for editing practice and use this when seeking other work. On another level, I believe this is a very important step forward for the visibility and credibility of Australian editors and other communications professionals.
Rosemary Noble, IPEd delegate for Victoria and editor for more than 25 yearsI am doing the exam because, although I have a lifetime's background in editing, I have no formal qualifications. To sit, and hopefully pass, will provide proof positive that I have the knowledge and skills to provide the service I promise my clients. IPEd accreditation will differentiate between those who can and those who merely say they can.
Tony Berry, ex-editing staff member The Age, Adelaide Advertiser, the Sun and Herald Sun; freelance corporate and book editor
July 2008
Annual General Meeting
Thursday 17 July
6.30 pm for 7.00 pm
The English Speaking Union
146 Toorak Road West (between Walsh and Marne Streets)
South Yarra (Melway 21 4E)
Two-course dinner (including vegetarian) catered by Alex catering. There is no cost to Victorian Society of Editors members ($35 for all non-members). Drinks served at bar prices.
The Society's 2008 Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday, 17 July, at the English Speaking Union. Please join us at 6.30 pm for pre-dinner drinks in the lounge, followed by a two-course dinner in the ballroom.
The AGM includes the election of 2008-09 office bearers for the Society. Current committee members will report on their areas of responsibility for the past year. This is a great opportunity to come along and support your hard-working office-bearers, as well as enjoying the company of other editors and the ambience of our fabulous venue.
For more information about the AGM and what happens at it, check out the agenda and minutes (PDF* 95 KB) from the last AGM.