The schedule is subject to change at any time until the conference programming is finalized. Check back for updated schedules as they are available.
Please note all times noted are local to the event venue.
Presenters: Gerri Berendzen
Making sure the facts are correct is part of the job for most copy editors. But some types of fact checking can take much more time than you have when the deadline is tight. It helps to be able to recognize the fact-related red flags in all types of writing and to be able to find credible sources fast. This session will cover doing fact checking for all types of editing without falling down the information rabbit hole.
Presenter: Heather Saunders
A proofreader often serves as the final eyes on content before publication. This session presents the essentials of proofreading: we’ll discuss the differences between editing and proofreading, basics about the markup process, how to define the scope of a proofreading project, how to approach files that demand more revisions than a proofread might allow, and tips to expand your current proofreading skills.
Presenters: James Harbeck
Good structure is not like a building, with stone squarely on stone and rooms all in good order. It's like a suspension bridge, held together by the tension between the reader's desire and its fulfillment. Nonfiction readers start because they desire to know something, but they keep reading because it's an adventure, and they're the hero. They want to be toyed with, frustrated, and rewarded. And as the editor, it's your job to make sure this happens effectively. I'll talk about ways of doing this… with examples, of course.
Presenter: Joanie Eppinga
Increasingly, pressure is being brought to bear on people who are entering the freelance editing world. They are told that they “must” do this or “shouldn’t dream” of doing that. My presentation is intended to show editors at all levels that they can be creative and even idiosyncratic in how they run their businesses; that many of the “musts” are negotiable; that their ideas about running a business can be more open and expansive; and that they can run their freelance editing business in a way that leaves them feeling energized rather than worn down or intimidated.
Presenters: Katya Jenson and David Yontz
Remote work has opened vast opportunities to travel, from backpacking to living in a mobile office. David and Katya have a lot to say about full-time life on the road. Katya has edited in her tiny van on and off since 2018, and David recently spent a year traveling the country in an RV with his family while working. Learn about how they handled internet access, time zones, deadlines, making itineraries or wandering free, and practical life while on the road.
Yes, there will be a van tour.
Presenters: Kristy Gilbert
Editors know the ins and outs of written rhetoric. They can adjust emphasis, organization, and clarity by choosing a synonym with different connotations, shifting a clause, or trimming a paragraph. But when it comes to visual rhetoric, some editors feel out of their depth. Foundational principles of graphic design—contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity, and hierarchy—give editors the rhetorical tools they need to help organize, emphasize, and clarify texts. Understanding how to choose appropriate typefaces and how to typeset pages for optimal readability puts editor-designers in a great position to create elegant and effective reader-ready documents.
Presenter: Kristy Gilbert
Science fiction & fantasy present unique challenges for the thorough copy editor: invented languages; loads of author-created peoples, places, and things; and a set of well-worn usage conventions that don’t quite match The Chicago Manual of Style. Learn practical, down-to-earth ways of handling these fantastic elements, including how to spot linguistic inconsistencies, how to work with magic and invented technology systems, how to keep robust style sheets for series, and how to coach authors to more immersive worldbuilding at the word and sentence level.
Presenter: Lauren Filippini
New to #SocialMedia or ready to expand your skills as a #CopyEditor for social content? This session will explore best practices for writing and editing copy on several platforms. We will also dive into visuals, planning resources, and accessibility to improve your content's reach and enhance the experience for followers of your company, your client, or yourself.
