From the committee
By Angela Damis and Justine Dixon Cooper
The EdNSW committee met on 14 November for its monthly meeting via Zoom, with one apology. Minutes of the October committee meeting were accepted and actions from previous meetings dealt with.
The end of the year is fast approaching, but committee members are still busy planning presentations and networking events.
Led by our Presentations Coordinator, Kai Jensen, we are putting together an enticing schedule of speaker presentations for 2024. These will fall into one of three categories: (1) nuts and bolts skills; (2) editing for access and inclusion; and (3) how to get work if you are a freelance editor. Six presentations are planned, with almost all confirmed to go ahead. Keep an eye on Gatherings and IPEd emails for details.
We are delighted that one of our confirmed 2024 presentations will be on neurodivergence in editing and publishing – a topic that many members have expressed interest in. We will also hold a separate networking session for neurodivergent editors. Both events will take place in the first half of next year. Again, watch this space.
Meanwhile, Networking Coordinator Ruth Power has been working hard to get our networking lunches up and running again – and indeed a lunch went ahead in Gosford in early November and another gathering to follow in the Blue Mountains later this month. Ruth has also taken on the big task of organising our end-of-year dinner at Foys Kirribilli on Tuesday, 5 December. It is shaping up to be a great night thanks to Ruth’s efforts.
The committee has been pleased to welcome two new Professional Development officers, Marita Smith and Anne Edwards, who will be jointly responsible for this role. If you have any ideas for PD that you would like to attend, please contact Marita and Anne at ednsw.profdev@iped-editors.org.
The committee wishes you a peaceful and relaxing break over the holiday season.
Gosford lunch
By Olivia Wroth
Five editors gathered for a pub lunch at the Hotel Gosford on Thursday 9 November. Sally Asnicar, Lindy Ferris and Susie Pilkington trekked up from Sydney, and locals Linda Vergnani and Olivia Wroth attended. It was wonderful that Susie, recently retired from her position with the EdNSW branch, was able to join us. We discussed many things including work and it was a refreshing break for all of us from the solo grind at home. We were so engrossed in conversation that we forgot to take a photo – better luck next time!
Leura lunch
By Margie Tubbs
A group of five editors, pictured below, gathered for lunch at the historic Alexandra Hotel at Leura on Thursday 23 November. Four Blue Mountains locals – Denise Holden, Juliet Richters, Liz Tasker and Margie Tubbs – together with Susie Pilkington who drove up from Sydney. We shared a mezze platter followed by woodfired pizzas, topped up by good company and stimulating conversation. We’d love to welcome more of you to the beautiful Blue Mountains in 2024.
2023 End-of-year dinner
By Angela Damis AE
Seventeen of us gathered for the EdNSW end-of-year dinner on Tuesday 5 December, at the Sydney harbourside venue Foys Kirribilli. This has been our traditional venue for the dinner for the past several years, due to its magical setting by the water in a serene, inner-north neighbourhood. We enjoyed a balmy evening with drinks on the balcony, connecting with editorial acquaintances old and new. Dinner was selected from a shared-plates menu: tasty modern Australian dishes that were appreciated by all. Conversation around the table – with stories about work, family, politics and holiday plans – engaged everyone there.
Thanks to branch president Julie Ganner for organising and running the raffle that saw each of us a winner, taking home a book from HarperCollins, a one-year free subscription to the Macquarie Dictionary online from Pan Macmillan, or a bag of chocolates. Good on Susie Pilkington, our former office manager, for joining us, and Russell Noakes, our branch budget officer, for bravely attending as the sole male. It was good to see several new and younger IPEd members there – these events provide lovely spaces for a newbie or shy editor to flex their networking skills. Final thanks go to Ruth Power, our networking coordinator, for her excellent organisation of the event.
