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.

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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 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 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

“[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

“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

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

— Lionel Sandner, President, Edvantage Interactive

“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

“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

“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

“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 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

“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

“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)

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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.

“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

“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

Some of our clients

Businesses, associations, and institutions

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Boston University
College of Registered Nurses of BC
Commonwealth of Learning
Community Living Victoria
Doctors of BC
Early Childhood Educators of BC
Foundation of Administrative Justice
Klohn Crippen Berger
Ledcor
Legal Aid BC
Medical Council of Canada
MNP
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver
Royal BC Museum
Royal Roads University
Simon Fraser University
Smith Bros. & Wilson
Special Olympics Canada
University of Victoria
Vancouver Island University
World Bank
YWCA

Government and agencies

BC Ministry of Children and Family Development
BC Ministry of Education
BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy
BC Pension Corporation
BC Utilities Commission
BCcampus
eCampus Ontario
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Financial Institutions Commission of BC
First Nations Fisheries Council of BC
Halton Region
Metro Vancouver
Office of the Auditor General of BC
Office of the Ombudsperson of BC
Open School BC
WorkSafeBC

Publishers and language groups

BC Medical Journal
Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education
Crwth Press
Douglas & McIntyre
Echo Storytelling Agency
Editors Canada
Figure 1 Publishing
Greystone Books
Hakai magazine
Harbour Publishing
Heritage Group of Publishers
Kids Can Press
New Star Books
Orca Book Publishers
Page Two Strategies
Portage & Main Press
Professional Editors Association of Vancouver Island
Random House Canada
SkyNews magazine
Stanton Atkins & Dosil
UBC Press
Wiley