President’s report
by Margaret Trudgeon AE
Here we are at the start of another term for the Editors Victoria committee! I’m looking forward to my third term as president – my final one. Firstly, thank you to the Victorian members who attended our ABM (Annual Branch Meeting) last month. I hope you enjoyed hearing our committee members report on what they’ve been up to in their respective roles over the past year. You can read a report by our secretary, Donald Ritchie, about the ABM later on this page. Thank you to Donald, who did a wonderful job of organising the event, and to Susan Keogh DE for acting as our electoral representative.
Thank you too to our Editors Victoria committee members, most of whom have stayed on from last term. They are a dedicated team who all work very hard in their roles. We also have 2 new members: Aidan Demming is our new professional development officer and Susan Keogh has put her hand up to be our projects and outreach officer. We also have 2 new subcommittee members starting with us – Carol Goudie (who has spent a few years on SCAP, the Awards and Prizes committee) and Freya Howarth. Welcome to all of you!
After the ABM we were joined by popular children’s book author Andy Griffiths and his wife, Jill, who spoke with our comms officer, Cecile Shanahan, about their creative partnership in writing and editing his many books. I got a big laugh out of Andy’s reflection on studying in-depth the story of Hansel and Gretal, which he apparently used as the basis for storylines in his early books – it speaks of the sort of commitment a writer makes to their craft! Kylie Howard, who did a magnificent job of organising the event, has written a report on the talk, which you can read in this issue of Gatherings.
Kylie is now busy organising some upcoming events. Her first one for the new term is on 14 October, featuring Liam Pieper on ghostwriting, a skill he clearly has in abundance, having ghostwritten some 28 books!
We were disappointed to have to cancel our upcoming in-person training event this month with Nadine Davidoff on point of view in narrative nonfiction; unfortunately we just didn’t manage to get enough takers in time. However, we are planning to run it as an online event at a date soon to be determined.
We will be having a networking lunch event coming up in either late September or early October. Keep an eye on the socials and the events bulletin for details.
In the meantime, stay warm. Hopefully spring is on the way soon!
Report on the 2025 Editors Victoria ABM
By Donald Ritchie, Editors Victoria Secretary
The Annual Branch Meeting of Editors Victoria was held on Wednesday 13 August, with 34 attendees. President Margaret Trudgeon reported on a busy and successful year supported by a dedicated committee.
Across 2024–25, the branch delivered 7 events, 5 professional development (PD) workshops, 2 student cuppas, and several social gatherings. Highlights included Graeme Simsion as guest speaker at the December 2024 dinner, and Debbie Lee’s session on self-publishing, which attracted a record 96 registrations. PD workshops covered grammar refreshers, productivity tools, narrative nonfiction and editing graphic novels, with strong attendance throughout.
Financially, the branch remained healthy. Expenses stayed under budget and events produced surpluses, while 14 members benefited from conference subsidies.
Membership stood at 387 by June 2025 – about a third of IPEd’s national total – with strong growth in student and graduate members. Communications and outreach were also expanded through social media and a renewed partnership with Writers Victoria.
Inclusion and student engagement were particular focuses. A diversity in publishing event drew strong participation, while a well-attended student information session highlighted demand for entry-level guidance. Two committee members, Sophia Chan and Thirangie Jayatilake, were also recognised as part of IPEd’s Emerging Leaders Program.
At the meeting, the following committee members were appointed for 2025–26:
- Margaret Trudgeon – President
- Jenn Zabinskas – Budget officer
- Donald Ritchie – Secretary
- Cecile Shanahan and Joyce Protacio – Communications co-officers
- Kylie Howard – Events officer
- Aidan Demmers – Professional development officer
A comprehensive program of PD activities, including workshops and presentations alongside social events, is planned for the year ahead – so watch this space!