Writing informational prose, training others how to write and edit, and working with other people’s words is a great way to make a living, as most writers and editors will agree. But for some of us, like our recently “retired”…
One of our responsibilities as editors is to be on the lookout for discriminatory language, hidden bias, and stereotypes in the text we’re editing. We want to use words and phrases that promote inclusivity, respect, and justice. But this process…
Despite these challenging times, we’re all celebrating (at an appropriate distance) our partner Rowena Rae’s publication of not one but two children’s books this spring. Rachel Carson and Ecology for Kids: Her Life and Ideas was released by Chicago Review…
Some months ago, an unexpected and flattering invitation came my way: to be the keynote speaker at the Association of Canadian Publishers’ 2020 Mid-Winter Meeting, January 28–29, in Toronto. The ACP organizers asked me to talk about the value of…
We at West Coast Editorial Associates regularly edit and proofread books created in Canada. And, yes, some of us write them too. Immersed as we are, it’s easy to assume that everyone reads Canadian books. But a 2018 report by…
As we start the new year and decade, we are delighted to announce that we have a new partner joining our team of editors, writers, and trainers. As of January 1, 2020, Lucy Kenward is a partner of West Coast…
As I get older (and I’m feeling rather “senior” these days), I’m increasingly fascinated by serendipity—the way a chance encounter can lead to happy discoveries both small and large, from a great book to a great life adventure. For us…
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre announced the winners of seven awards for children’s literature at a gala event in Toronto last night. Our congratulations to all the winners, including Heather Smith, who won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award for…
How thrilling to see WCEA partner Merrie-Ellen Wilcox’s book After Life: Ways We Think About Death nominated for not just one, but two major awards: the $50,000 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award and the $10,000 Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s…
At the beginning of May, I donned my children’s book author hat and attended the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ Marvellous Midwest conference in Chicago. I attended many informative sessions, but particularly thought-provoking was a panel discussion titled…