Erin Brenner Wins Robinson Prize, ACES' Highest Honor

The 2024 Robinson Prize has been awarded to Erin Brenner, owner of Right Touch Editing and a member of ACES since 2016. 

The prize is named for Pam Robinson, a founder and past president of ACES: The Society for Editing, and is the highest honor ACES bestows. 

One of Robinson's goals was to make editors more visible in the workplace and encourage them to take a constructive role in the publishing process. Nominees are evaluated on a combination of elements, which can include editing, design, mentoring and training, fostering a sense of teamwork and pride among colleagues, and anything else that furthers the craft of professional editing.  

That describes Brenner perfectly, said Board Member Dilane Mitchell, who called Brenner "a superior editor who has generously devoted much of [her] time and attention to furthering the craft of editing and community building among editors." 

As chair of the Awards Committee, Mitchell announced the winner during the Awards Banquet at ACES 2024 San Diego, ACES' 28th national conference.

"What I have done and continue to do is share what I know," Brenner said. "I listen to other editors, in public and private networking groups, at conferences, and anywhere else I meet them. If I can help in some way, I do." 

In her introduction, Mitchell noted just some of Brenner's contributions to the field of editing: 

• Author, "The Chicago Guide for Freelance Editors," published this month by the University of Chicago Press.
• Frequent presenter at conferences and in webinars.
• Editor, "Copyediting's Grammar Tune-up Workbook."
• Editor and co-owner, the editing newsletter copyediting.com.
• Teacher of copyediting in the extension program of the University of California San Diego (and one of the ACES 2024 sponsors).
• Committee member, the Learning and Professional Development Committee for the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) in the UK, which means she's an expert in both American and British English.

"This is acknowledgment of the work I've put in," said Brenner, who received a standing ovation from her editing peers when her name was announced. 

ACES: The Society for Editing

ACES: The Society for Editing is the nation’s leading organization of editing professionals, educators, and students. Founded in 1997 by copy editors, ACES is dedicated to improving the quality of the written word and the working lives of editors. It sets standards of excellence and gives a voice to editors in journalism, government, business, publishing, and beyond through top-notch training, networking, and career opportunities. ACES hosts an annual in-person conference and, since 2022, an annual virtual conference. ACES Academy hosts monthly webinars. ACES also offers certificates in editing, which it co-hosts with The Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism.