Getting the Message Across: Tips for Clear Writing

Workshop for Halton Region Health Department

Pandemic Spotlight

Ian Hanomansing

Manabu Ikeda: Flowers from the Wreckage

Audain Art Museum

Chemical World

Rowena Rae

You Got That Right! The Story of Wendy McDonald and BC Bearing Engineers

Lana Okerlund

Wild Horses

Linda L. Richards

Baking Day with Anna Olson

Anna Olson

Well Aged

Ralph Milton

Player-Coach

Val Markos/ Tammy Martin

The Three Spartans

James McCann

Victory Gardens for Bees

Lori Weidenhammer

A Spartan at Sea

James McCann

Last Flight to Stuttgart

Lisa Jean Russ

10 Days that Shaped Modern Canada

Aaron W. Hughes

A Matter of Confidence

Richard Zussman/ Rob Shaw

A Bartender’s Guide to the World

Lauren Mote/ James O. Fraioli

Fault Lines

Johanna Wagstaffe

Mirror Horse

Tamara Williamson

The Brideship Wife

Leslie Howard

British Columbia Early Learning Framework

BC Ministry of Education

This Place

Created by Christine M’Lot

Kah-Lan and the Stink-Ink

Karen Autio/ Emma Pedersen

Wisdom of the Elders

International Journal of Indigenous Health

Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls in the Workplace

WorkSafe BC

Code of Ethics

Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia

Canada and Colonialism

Jim Reynolds

Matters of Life and Death: Public Health Issues in Canada

André Picard

Journey After Midnight: India, Canada and the Road Beyond

Ujjal Dosanjh

Talk 2 More People

Tony Esteves

The Famous Five

Barbara Smith

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey

Author: Margriet Ruurs, Artist: Nizar Ali Badr

UBC: The Next Century

Tyee Bridge

Pulling Together: A Guide for Indigenization of Post-Secondary Institutions

BCcampus

Strengthening Understandings: Elder Knowledge and Early Childhood Research and Practice Project

BC Regional Innovation Chair for Aboriginal Early Childhood Development

SkyNews

Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please

Joseph Kimble

A Guide to Aboriginal Harvesting Rights

Legal Services Society

Hakai magazine

Tales from the Homestead

Sandra Rollings-Magnusson

Leading Meaningful Change

Beverley Patwell

Los Angeles Interiors

Corynne Pless/ Tim Hirschmann/ Ye Rin Mok

Mudflat Dreaming

Jean Walton

Wired for Music

Adriana Barton

Eat the Beetles

David Waltner-Toews

Hollywood in the Klondike

Michael Gates

Heart of the Coast

Tyee Bridge

Henry & Self

Kathryn Bridge

Navigating the Messy Middle

Ann Douglas

Partners for Climate Protection: National Measures Report

Federation of Canadian Municipalities

The Trylowsky Collection

Vanishing Fish

Daniel Pauly

Philosophers’ Walks

Barry Baugh

Everyday Mediterranean

Vanessa Perrone

Take the Torch

Ian Waddell

The Magic Boat

Kit Pearson/ Katherine Farris/ Gabrielle Grimard

New Capital

Nick Hannes

Pure Grit

Lily Collison/ Kara Buckley

Understanding Financial Accounting

Christopher D. Burnley

Upstream, Downstream

Rowena Rae

Powwow

Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane

Keeping Aboriginal Kids Safe

Legal Services Society

Plain Language Techniques for Clear, Targeted Writing

Workshop for Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC)

The Cowkeeper’s Wish

Tracy Kasaboski/ Kristen den Hartog

Liminal

Jordan Mounteer

The State of Canada’s Forests: Annual Report

Natural Resources Canada

My New Table

Trish Magwood

The Unceasing Storm

Katherine Luo

Habitat Matters

North American Waterfowl Management Plan

Raymond the Buffalo

Lou Beauchesne/ Kate Chappell

Proud To Be Me

Polly Daktilly

Chasing Rivers

Tamar Glouberman

Heart Matters

Children’s Heart Network of BC Society

The Credit Game

Richard Moxley

Income Assistance on Reserve in British Columbia

Legal Services Society

Conserving the Legacy

G. Wayne Pepper

The Krause Berry Farms Cookbook

Sandee Krause

Let’s Talk about Suicide

BC Ministry of Advanced Education/ University of British Columbia/ BC Campus

Theatrum Mundi

Anthony Alan Shelton

Protecting Water Our Way

First Nations Fisheries Council of British Columbia

The Queen of the North Disaster: The Captain’s Story

Colin Henthorne

The National Parks of the United States

Andrew Thomas

The Fire Still Burns

Sam George

Bill Burns

Appealing to the Crowd

Jeremy Snyder

New Indian Basics

Preena Chauhan/ Arvinda Chauhan

Exploiting Hope

Jeremy Snyder

The Well Teacher

Wade Repta/ Andrée Repta

Speaking Our Truth

Monique Gray Smith

Wag

Zazie Todd

Finding Our Own Way: The Story of MNP’s First Sixty Years

Lana Okerlund

Why We Need Vaccines

Rowena Rae

Great Bear Rainforest

Ian McAllister/ Alex Van Tol

Ricardo

Karen Autio

Lisa Dawn Bolton

Orac Decor

George Paginton: Painting a Nation

Sharona Adamowicz-Clements and Darrin J. Martens

All the World’s a Mall

Rinny Grimaud

I Will See You Again

Allison Crawford/ Lisa Boivin

Picking Up the Pieces

Carey Newman/ Kirstie Hudson

Honouring

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

Hand Drawn Vancouver

Emma Fitzgerald

Understanding the Early Years

Martin Family Initiative

Pride: Celebrating Diversity and Community

Robin Stevenson

A Journey Back to Nature

Catherine Marie Gilbert

Sharks, Skates, Rays and Chimeras

Gordon McFarlane/

Jackie King

The Digital Matrix

Venkat Venkatraman

Calling Stones (Conversations)

Faye HeavyShield

A Year in the Woods

Torbjørn Ekelund

In Good Company

Corbin Tomaszeski

No Right Thing

Laura Langston

Starting a Conversation about Mental Health

BC Ministry of Advanced Education/ University of British Columbia / BC Campus

Bal Pawa

Adrian Forte

Deirdre Buryk

Arne Quinze et al./ with photography by Dave Bruel

Service on the Skeena

Geoff Mynett

Look, Look, Look, Look, Look Again

Kevin Thomas Townley, Jr.

Belgian Architects Today

Agata Toromanoff

Hakai Magazine

Blue + White

From the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Collection

Possessing Meares Island

Barry Gough

Capacity to Connect

Government of BC/ Vancouver Island University/ BCCampus

The BC Wine Lover’s Cookbook

Jennifer Schell

Flying to Extremes

Dominique Prinet

The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi

Keith Seifert

21 Things You May Not Know about the Indian Act

Bob Joseph

Métis Rising

Yvonne Boyer/ Larry Chartrand

Trevor Boddy

David A. Neel

Rosie Daykin

Liberal Arts and 55+ Brochure

Simon Fraser University

After Us the Deluge

Kadir van Lohuizen

Open Every Window

Jane Munro

Glasgow Museums: The Ship Models

Culture and Sport Glasgow

Aboriginal Peoples and the Law

Jim Reynolds

Fisheries Indigenous Knowledge

First Nations Fisheries Council of British Columbia

Kazuo Nakamura

John Hatch

The World’s Best Swimming Pools

Stefanie Waldek

Impressions

University of British Columbia, Faculty of Dentistry

Warriors and Heroes of a Different Kind

Priscilla Stanbury

See You in the Sky

Jeri Ross

The Valiant Nellie McClung

Barbara Smith/ Nellie McClung

Teacher Guide for Sugar Falls, A Residential School Story

Christine M’Lot

On the Rocks with Jack Knox

Jack Knox

A Girl Called Echo, Omnibus

Katharena Vermette/ Scott B. Henderson/ Donovan Yaciuk

Concrete Playground

Giulia Riva/ Tristan Manco/ Dries Van Melkebeke

Beyond Inclusion

SFU Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue

Rowena Rae

April Liu

K.L. Denman

Alice Ming Wai Jim/ Diana Freundl/ Howie Tsui

British Columbia in Flames

Claudia Cornwall

Moving from Within

Dianne L. Woodruff

The Good Lands

Victoria Dickenson et al.

Traces of Words

Fuyubi Nakamura

The Basics of Writing Effective Briefing Notes

Whose Chinatown?

Calling Bullsh*t on Busy

Andrew Mellen

The Science and Spirit of Seaweed

Amanda Swinimer

Saving Seeds

Dan Jason

Boone & Kurtz Contemporary Business

Michael H. Khan et al.

The Larder of the Wise

M. Anne Wyness

Me Tomorrow

Drew Hayden Taylor

No Place for the State

Christopher Dummitt/ Christabelle Sethna

Follow-up on the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry

Office of the Auditor General of BC

Voices from the Skeena

Roy Henry Vickers/ Robert Budd

Growing Up Trans

Dr. Lindsay Herriot / Kate Fry

The Side Gardener

Rosie Daykin

Kwanlin Dün

Kwanlin Dün First Nation

Leaving Abuse

Legal Services Society

BC Medical Journal

Doctors of BC

Little You

Richard Van Camp/ Julie Flett

Built to Last: Smith Bros. & Wilson at 125 Years

Lana Okerlund

Conservation Canines

Isabelle Groc

Wayi Wah!: Indigenous Pedagogies

Jo Chrona

Luschiim’s Plants

Dr. Luschiim Arvid Charlie/ Nancy J. Turner

Hawksworth, the Cookbook

Chef David Hawksworth

Alberta’s Cornerstone

Shari Peyerl

Atelier

Marc Lepine

Nanihtsulyaz ‘int’ en (Do things gently)

BC Campus

Plasticus Maritimus: An Invasive Species

Ana Pêgo/ Bernardo P. Carvalho/ Isabel Minhós Martins

Upholding Indigenous Economic Narratives

Shalene Wuttunee Jobin

Thierry Geerts

Susan D. Dion

Grant Lawrence

Wendy Wickwire

The York Factory Express

Nancy Marguerite Anderson

Mushrooms of British Columbia

Andy MacKinnon/ Kem Luther

Benchers’ Bulletin

The Law Society of British Columbia

Hamaka

The Curious Passage of Richard Blanshard

Barry Gough

Lobsters and Fruit Flies and Me, Oh My!

Ed Kravitz

Introduction to Clinical Psychology

John Hunsley/ Catherine M. Lee

What Young Children Need You to Know

Bridgett Miller

Onscreen Proofreading: Professional Standards, Tips, and Tools

Workshop for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Palm Tree Destinations

Skye Sherman

First Nations Planning Guide for Freshwater Fisheries Habitat Restoration Projects

First Nations Fisheries Council of BC

Cougar Companions

Judith Williams

Iron Road West

Derek Hayes

Spastic Diplegia

Lily Collison

An Architect’s Address Book

Robert Lemon

The Essential Guide to Intermittent Fasting for Women

Megan Ramos

My Paddle’s Keen and Bright

Rika Ruebsaat

The Bomb and America’s Missile Age

Christopher Gainor

The Heart Protection Kitchen

Tracy Severson/ Sergio Fazio

Spirit Magazine

St. Margaret’s School

Vile Spirits

John MacLachlan Gray

Nature Out of Balance

Merrie-Ellen Wilcox

Outside

Sean McCammon

East Bay Cooks

Carolyn Jung

Applied Marketing

Rochelle Grayson/ Daniel Padgett/ Andrew Loos

Hakai Magazine

Mushrooming

Diane Borsato/ Kelsey Oseid

Vignettes of Japan

Antonia Huber

When Women Rise

Dr. Michele Kambolis

Unravelling Canada

Sylvia Olsen

Bodies of Enchantment

Nicola Levell

Echo

Elisa De Wyngaert/ Lou Stoppard/ Ellen Sampson/ Charlie Porter

The Smallest Objective

Sharon Kirsch

The Preservatory

Lee Murphy

105 Hikes in Southwestern British Columbia

Stephen Hui

What Comes from Spirit

Richard Wagamese

Maenam

Angus An

On the Cusp of Contact

Jean Barman

The Early Childhood Educator

Early Childhood Educators of BC

River Mermaid

Christy Goerzen

Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder

Julia Zarankin

Asking for My First Legacy Gift

Tiny Frog Strategies

In Search of April Raintree

Beatrice Mosionier

British Columbia in the Balance, 1846–1871

Jean Barman

Secret Life of the City

Hanna Bjørgaas

Tall Tales, Long Lenses

John E. Marriott

Testimonials

“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.

“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

“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)

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

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

— Lionel Sandner, President, Edvantage Interactive

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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 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

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