=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= EDline Vol. 5, no. 6 (13 February 2000) Editorial mailing list Published by the Electric Editors =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Contents: FYI [3fe] Buzzwords [3ff] Freelance directory Business matters---new posting [4cw] Instructors needed: Toronto [6] Just for fun [8] Administration =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ---[3] FYI ----------------------------------------------------- ** [3fe] Buzzwords Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 From: Judyth Mermelstein, espresso@e-scape.net Nancy Holland of the Editors' Association of Canada shared this item with our mailing list, and I thought it might be of interest to editors elsewhere. A BUZZ SAW FOR BUZZWORDS For most of us, buzzwords are simply a sign of vapid writing. But it seems that some reporters are so annoyed by words like "mission-critical," "value-added," and "monetize" that they are using the Buzz Saw Filter to automatically delete e-mail with those words. To drive the point home, offending correspondents automatically get a nasty note about their shabby writing. The service, rude as it may be, is available at: < http://buzzkiller.net > It was created by an associate editor at Forbes and by a writer at Fortune. +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ ** [3ff] Freelance directory Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 From: Jane Kerr, bywater@zetnet.co.uk [Forwarded message] The Source has launched the Freelance Directory, an online database of freelance journalists in the hi-tech sector. Go to: < http://www.sourcewire.com/cgi/FrameSet/frames/ journalist_directory.html > Freelancers can input and edit their details online - they have complete control over what information is included. Editors can search and view basic information about freelancers and send messages to them via a web form, keeping the journalists' email address secure. The service is free for both freelancers and editors and was designed by working journalists. The Journalist Directory also puts the freelancer back in control over information that is held about them by PR people. Special fields are included for information relevant to PRs. This includes preferred contact methods, biographical information and whether the writing or media training services for PR companies are offered. This information will only be viewed by subscribing PR people. The PR interface will be launched in the next few months. Go to < http://www.sourcewire.com/cgi/FrameSet/frames/ journalist_directory.html > or go to < http://sourcewire.com > and click on the Freelance Directory button on the left-hand navigation bar. The new service compliments the other popular services on the site. These include the famous Response Source journalist enquiry system which allows journalists to send editorial enquiries to hi-tech PR people, the contacts directories and SourceWire press release wire. If you have any questions or comments about the service please don't hesitate to contact us on +44 20 7720 1222 or admin@dwpub.com. ---[4] Business matters --------------------------------------- ** [4cw] Instructors needed: Toronto Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 From: Denyse O'Leary, oleary@interlog.com Instructors are needed for the George Brown College Editing Certificate Course in Toronto, which will run on Tuesday nights for twelve weeks, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., from April 18 to July 4, 2000. GBC pays around $30-$35 per hour. I have taught this course since the winter term of 1998 at the St. James Campus in downtown Toronto (King and Jarvis). Because a credit course on the business of freelancing is apparently viable in Canada, I would like to open up the idea of teaching it to a broader segment of the freelance editing community. Facts you need to know if you live anywhere in the vicinity and think you might like to teach a session of this course: Developing a Business as a Freelance Editor is one of the electives in George Brown's Editing Certificate Course. It attracts two groups, mainly: Students who are taking the certificate course, and current freelance editors who wish to improve their business skills. Students are usually adults over thirty; many are in the midst of a career change. Inspired by the example of Rica Night's excellent Saturday course with Editors' Association of Canada, I sought to provide a full credit course, aimed specifically at those who want to make sure that their business skills match their editing skills, if they expect freelance editing to support them. The course's current content is registered with the Ministry of Education. It is fairly general and consists of items that no one who designed such a course would willingly omit. Teachers are free to use my materials or design their own, as long as the basic course content related to the Ministry funding is covered. Facts about me: I have been an editor in Toronto since 1971. I started the course because, owing to the time I spent editing business books, I began to notice a significant lack of fit between the traditional principles of successful business and the business behaviour of some (of course, not all!) freelance editors. Good editors were sometimes skirting financial disaster, and the reasons were typically business-related. (For example, signing on for rates that are too low to sustain a business, due to fear of failure - thus making failure inevitable.) I have had a lot of fun helping editors learn better business skills, and I hope that, if you get on board, you will too! This is long enough for an e-mail. If you are interested in being a part of this course, or have questions you would like me to address before you decide, please reply to me at the address below ASAP, by any of the suggested means. Denyse O'Leary Writer O'Leary Editorial Services 14 Latimer Avenue Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M5N 2L8 Tel: 416 485-2392 Fax: 416 485-9665 Cell: 416 697-5067 Eml: oleary@interlog.com or oleary@canada.com ---[6] Just for fun -------------------------------------------- Facts about the English Language, no. 4 "Underground" is the only word in the English language that begins and ends with the letters "und." ---[8] Administration ------------------------------------------ EDline provides the opportunity for a weekly online discussion of matters editorial and editorial business. * POSTING MESSAGES TO THE LIST All messages to be posted to the list should be sent to Jane Kerr, at: bywater@zetnet.co.uk Include as the subject line, "EDline [topic]", where [topic] is the subject under discussion. Topics might include areas such as Grammar, Spelling, American English or Punctuation. Messages should be pertinent to the basic premise of the list; they may be withheld, or redirected if more pertinent to one of the other mailing lists. The spelling and grammar of messages will *not* be corrected, but some editing of length may be undertaken. Quoting from previous messages: quote as much as you need to make the context of your reply clear, but no more. The sections of EDline are as follows: [2] Q & A -- questions and answers [3] FYI -- items of general interest [4] Business matters -- items of a business nature [5] Bookmarks -- useful Web pages [6] Just for fun -- time for letting hair down! [7] Miscellaneous -- odds and sods * Administration All messages of a subscription or administrative nature should be directed to Iain Brown, at: iain.brown@ucl.ac.uk with "EDline ADMIN" in the subject line. * To subscribe to Grapevine To subscribe to Grapevine, the automated discussion list concerned with matters computing, please send a blank email to: ee_grapevine-subscribe@listbot.com If you would prefer to read Grapevine as a weekly digest, send an e-mail to ElectricEds@bigfoot.com with "Subscribe [Grapevine digest]" as the subject line. * To subscribe to LANGline To subscribe to LANGline, the automated discussion list concerned with modern languages, translation and editing in non-English languages, please send a blank email to: ee_lline-subscribe@listbot.com If you would prefer to read LANGline as a weekly digest, send an email to ElectricEds@bigfoot.com with "Subscribe [LANGline digest]" as the subject line. * Homepage and back issues: Visit the Electric Editors at: < http://www.ikingston.demon.co.uk/ee/ > Back issues of all three mailing lists are available on the Mailing Lists archive page. --------- ** The views expressed in this mailing list are strictly those of the individual contributors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the moderators or of the Electric Editors. ** Articles (c) 2000, by individual contributors Design (c) 1996, 1997, Iain Brown Compilation (c) 2000, The Electric Editors =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= END OF EDline 5.6 Next issue: 20 February 2000 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=