West Coast Editorial Associates can write what you need, edit what you’ve written, or train you and your staff to write and edit more effectively. As experts in plain language and clear communication, we can help you reach your audience. We can look after the words in your life by managing your entire project or by handling a single aspect of it.

Editing

Whatever level of editing you need, we have the partner or the team to get the job done.

Writing

Whether your material is long or short, technical or general, we can research, write, or rewrite it.

Training

If your staff needs a refresher, we offer workshops and coaching in writing, editing, and plain language.

Plain Language

We can help make your material more accessible and easier for readers to understand and use.

Our partners

Amy Haagsma

Amy specializes in copy editing and proofreading non-fiction materials, with a focus on business and technical communication and academic writing. She also helps clients with graphic design, website development, and social media management.

Barbara Johnston

Barbara works at all stages of publishing, from research, writing, and rewriting to editing and publication management, for individual, corporate, and public sector clients.

Lucy Kenward

Lucy trains and coaches workplace writers, teaches proofreading and plain language, and edits a wide range of non-fiction materials, including highly illustrated books and reports.

Audrey McClellan

Audrey specializes in developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and indexing of trade and academic books.

Lana Okerlund

A Certified Professional Editor, Lana trains and coaches workplace writers and editors, writes corporate and personal history books, and edits a wide range of non-fiction materials.

Rowena Rae

Rowena edits books, magazine articles, reports, and educational materials. She also offers writing and editing workshops and coaches writers one on one or in small groups.

Merrie-Ellen Wilcox

A Certified Professional Editor, Merrie-Ellen writes, edits (substantive, stylistic, and copy), and proofreads materials ranging from books and manuals to websites and reports.

Ruth Wilson

Ruth, a Certified Professional Editor (Hon.), works at all stages of publication: writing, rewriting, and editing at all levels. She delivers workshops for editors, writers, and communicators.

Growing Up Trans

Dr. Lindsay Herriot / Kate Fry

The Bomb and America’s Missile Age

Christopher Gainor

Applied Marketing

Rochelle Grayson/ Daniel Padgett/ Andrew Loos

Appealing to the Crowd

Jeremy Snyder

Conservation Canines

Isabelle Groc

“The clear writing course was excellent, and is worth taking, either as an introduction or a refresher. The learning was expertly tailored and it was a pleasure to work with Lana from start to finish. The interactive sessions were a safe forum for all questions, no matter how small, and they answered the needs of all our participants, regardless of their level of experience.”

— Andrea Loken, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

“Amy, thank you so much for not only creating a lovely website but also being such a patient guide throughout this process. It’s been fun and I love the result.”

— Wiley Wei-Chiun Ho, Author, The Feral Children of Dunbar Street (forthcoming)

“The plain language course was enjoyable and exceptionally engaging and practical. I strongly recommend everyone takes this session at least once! Rowena creates a learning environment where individuals feel safe and encouraged to ask questions. Her extensive knowledge base is truly impressive, and I left the course with valuable tips and tricks that I can use every day!”

— Vanessa Maragh, Workshop Participant

“The corporate history book you produced for us is amazing, and so was your team. Thank you!”

— Randy Mowat, Senior Vice President, Marketing, MNP LLP

“Lana, I want to thank you for a great course. I think you do a great balancing act of delivering honest critique while staying respectful and kind. I have learned so much!”

— Proofreading student from Simon Fraser University

“I remember my first call asking for assistance in professionally editing and publishing a book. To see what has been accomplished is certainly beyond my expectations. A big thanks to Lucy for keeping us moving and truly, at times, pushing us to the finish line!”

— Beverly Collins, National Secretary-Treasurer, Canadian Union of Postal Workers

“Lana, we are so fortunate to have had you lead us through the process of producing our 125-year history book. Your thoughtful and detailed research, interview skills, and amazing writing led us to this great outcome. We sincerely appreciate your commitment to making our history come to life.”

— Jeff Musialek, President and Co-CEO, Smith Bros. & Wilson

“West Coast Editorial Associates conducted a workshop on proofreading and developed a proofreading manual for our division. They did an excellent job tailoring their products to our needs, and both services were well received by staff.”

— Public Involvement, Liquid Waste Services and Water Services, Metro Vancouver

“As ECEBC’s managing editor for many years, Barbara is always professional and detail-oriented, and she cares deeply about our work. She is a shining star.”

— Emily Gawlick, Executive Director, Early Childhood Educators of BC

“The copy editing and proofreading services provided by West Coast Editorial Associates are uniformly excellent, and their on-time performance is exceptional.”

— Jay Draper, Managing Editor, BC Medical Journal

“Thank you, Rowena, for your efficiency and eagle-eyed skill in editing this book. Having such a competent and reliable editor has been of great comfort to me.”

— Geoff Mynett, Author, Service on the Skeena

“Rowena presents tools and techniques for plain writing in an accessible and concise manner. The course is engaging and interactive, providing multiple opportunities to apply the tools and build knowledge. I appreciated that the course covered both vocabulary and formatting options to foster clear communication. Throughout the course, I reflected on examples of my own work that could be improved by using plain language and was able to apply the best practices immediately.”

— Jennifer Sainz, Workshop Participant

“The thorough and diplomatic work of West Coast Editorial Associates allowed us to turn our attention away from concerns about content and focus on design and production.”

— Susan Mavor, Principal, Metaform Communication Design

“It is grand to have the backup support that Audrey’s [blog] notice has given to my Churchill and Fisher. You professionals do so much of the heavy lifting in my line of work, essential to the productivity and quality of good historical writing.”

— Barry Gough, Author, Churchill and Fisher

“I had used other proofreaders and thought my book copy was clean and ready to go. Ruth returned a proof that showed what everyone else had missed. Now my professional readers have a professional book. I am thrilled with Ruth’s work and recommend her completely.”

— Louise Karch, Author, Word Glue: Find Your Million-Dollar Brand Name

“If you’re an employer looking to improve your team’s effective communication for internal or external purposes, we wholeheartedly recommend Rowena Rae and the West Coast Editorial Team as facilitators and subject matter experts. Their courses offer invaluable tools and knowledge, helping to enhance the skills of your workforce and ensuring your organization’s success.”

— Caroline Gores, Employer

“Thank you for the great webinar on tone. Your approach is engaging, and it was great to see participants thinking about the concepts and where they can improve. They loved it!”

— Sherilyn Danis, Foundation of Administrative Justice

“The team at West Coast Editorial Associates provided a tailored writing course that helped our staff truly understand how they can get their message across more concisely and confidently. Whenever someone asks me to recommend a writing workshop, I always provide WCEA’s name.”

— Manager, federal government department

“Thank you for leading ICBC’s office of strategy management through 4 hours of plain language instruction. The pace and level of content was just right for our team, and the practice exercises and discussion time helped cement the concepts.”

— Workshop participant from Insurance Corporation of British Columbia

“West Coast Editorial Associates has always delivered high-quality services. The partners we’ve hired have impeccable work ethics, are extremely reliable, possess an exemplary style of writing, and always offer invaluable suggestions.”

— Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada

“Thank you, Rowena, for developing and delivering such a practical, informative, and engaging writing workshop for my policy team. I have already recommended you to several government colleagues and look forward to working with you again in the future.”

— Jenny Inkpen, BC Liquor Distribution Branch

“I knew we were in good hands. You certainly have been excellent to work with, and I will recommend you to anyone without hesitation.”

— Monika MacNeill, Manager, Corporate Identity, humanworks consulting group inc.

“[Ruth Wilson] is both rigorous and respectful, plus smart. Grapple her to your heart with hoops of steel—you probably already have.”

— Ann Finkbeiner, science writer, to her publisher Hakai Magazine

“Thank you to Barbara, for not only her exceptional writing and editing work but also her professionalism when working on complex projects with tight timelines and with a variety of stakeholders involved. Barbara has become a person we all know we can count on for delivering high-quality work.”

— Robynne Devine, Senior Projects Manager, Collaborative Projects, BCcampus

“Thanks, Lana, for your work on Peace, Love & Fibre. I was so happy with the copyedit, and Mairlyn Smith [the author] told me she just felt so lucky to have someone asking these questions now rather than after publication! We were both really pleased at how thoroughly you’d researched her style, making notes and choices based on her previous books. It was pretty much the perfect author/ editor/ copyeditor connection.”

— Zoe Maslow, Senior Editor, Appetite by Random House

“We can’t thank you enough for helping us turn our family history into such a beautiful book. From interviews to writing to photos and design, we enjoyed working with you from start to finish—you totally exceeded our expectations. Our family will treasure this book for generations.”

— Weymark family

“The expertise West Coast Editorial Associates brings to any project is invaluable and required in today’s business environment.”

— Lionel Sandner, President, Edvantage Interactive

“Lucy was a phenomenal instructor. She clearly is passionate about not only editing, but about creating future editors. She was knowledgeable and friendly, and I loved that she always participated in group discussions.”

— Proofreading student from Simon Fraser University

News and views

Santa Claus sits in a rocking chair looking at a list on a long piece of paper rolled up at the bottom.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas: Some festive trivia from Santa

December 9, 2025

Have you ever wondered why we kiss under mistletoe? Hang candy canes on the tree? Or how the poinsettia—a tropical plant—became a symbol of Christmas? To satisfy those inquisitive editorial minds out there, we asked Santa and his elves to research some holiday trivia on Christmas decorations and ornaments before they get too busy with their double shifts in the North Pole workshop.

Let West Coast Editorial Associates look after the words in your life.