From the committee
By Elisabeth Thomas
The Editors NSW committee held its latest meeting on Tuesday 13 October 2026.
The previous week, the speaker presentation by Dr Iain Giblin on “Syntax and style: how structure drives thought” was well-received. You can read the report in this issue of Gatherings. Our next presentation in November on getting government editing work has required a change of date and will now be held on Tuesday 24 November 2026. Presentations for 2027 are under development.
We welcomed Sally Asnicar who has rejoined the New South Wales committee (after some years away), this time as our networking coordinator. She has hit the ground running, as “as the new keeper of our busy events calendar” … (sentence cut off in Elisabeth’s file. Waiting for response.)
On the social side of things, a popular editors’ lunch was held in Gosford on the Central Coast on 11 September, and another, in northern Sydney, was held on 29 October. Details of the December dinner will also be out soon.
Some other roles have become vacant on the committee. Emails will come to NSW members soon. Working on the committee can be a great way to learn more about IPEd and an opportunity to expand your professional skills.
There was little to discuss on fiscal matters, as we are relatively early in the budget year regarding the planning of events and presentations for 2027.
Director Justine Dixon Cooper AE recently took part in a successful “in conversation” event with Writing NSW, as the branch looks to strengthen ties with others who work with words. The event was well-timed to align with IPEd’s new membership campaign, reaching out to editors and editing-adjacent professionals.
The Accreditation Board has been working hard on the new format accreditation exam, with the first part on Language fast approaching – on 7 December. Good luck to all NSW members taking the exam.
Event report: Syntax and style: how structure drives thought
By Penny Carroll
On 6 October 2026, Editors NSW hosted Dr Iain Giblin from Macquarie University for a fascinating presentation titled “Syntax and style: how structure drives thought”.
Iain is a lecturer and course director in linguistics at Macquarie University. His research explores how people learn and use complex systems of linguistic knowledge. As he explained, he’s less concerned with “correct” grammar usage and more interested in the structures that form around language. Iain showed us a picture of a linguistic hierarchical “tree” and shared how seeing diagrams like these early in his studies sparked a lightbulb moment: “I fell in love with them straight away,” he said, “I thought, I need to be able to draw those trees.”
While Iain’s work is academic, he had plenty of practical insights for editors. Iain cheerfully warned us that he would be highlighting the positives to the much-maligned passive voice, acknowledging that this is challenging for many writers and editors who have been taught to avoid it at all costs! It was certainly an intriguing hook.
Iain’s talk began with a brief introduction to linguistic structures and a demonstration of how simply changing the order of words in a sentence can create an entirely different sentence. This movement is considered a revolutionary concept in linguistics, he explained, but it’s something we learn intuitively as small children.
With the help of a series of examples, Iain went on to explain how word movement can change an active sentence to a passive one and vice versa and demonstrated the difference between short passive sentences and long passive sentences. This was important background information for the main event, which explored why we might want to use passive structures, even though it goes against standard (and revered!) writing advice.
We learned how the passive voice can be useful for both concealing the subject (using a short passive sentence) or spotlighting the subject (using a long passive sentence). And yes, Iain acknowledged that the passive voice can be exploited by those in power to shirk responsibility for their actions.
But perhaps the most overlooked benefit of passive voice is its role in creating a sense of momentum and flow that enhances coherence. Iain explained how broad preferences for the order of information help us understand sentences at first glance. Messing with this hierarchy by diligently removing the passive voice can result in writing that is clunky and hard to follow: exactly what so much writing advice implores us to avoid.
The presentation came to a close with some interesting questions from the audience. Iain generously shared further reading recommendations, such as The sense of style by Steven Pinker, and discussed how generative AI is influencing syntax. He wrapped up the conversation by encouraging editors to use their judgement in deciding when to deploy the passive voice.
A recording of this presentation will be available for purchase via the IPEd shop, with discounted prices for members and concession holders.
Event report: Editors’ lunch, Gosford
By Sally Asnicar
[IMAGE: Editors NSW Gosford lunch photo]
On Friday 11 September 2026, 11 editors gathered on a beautiful spring afternoon to enjoy lunch at Earl’s Kitchen, Hotel Gosford on the NSW Central Coast.
The warm weather and delicious food encouraged lively conversations around editing, AI and numerous other topics.
It was wonderful to catch up with local Central Coast edibuddies, as well as some who travelled a little further, including from Brunkerville, Newcastle and Sydney. Thank you to all who attended.
If you would like to organise an editors’ lunch in your area (or further afield), please get in touch with Editors NSW Networking Officer Sally Asnicar. Simply book a venue, and Sally and Jean, the IPEd events officer, will do the rest.
Meanwhile, we can’t wait to connect with the NSW membership at future networking events and our annual December dinner. Keep an eye out for more information coming soon.