In this series, editors share their experiences, insights, and tips on the practical aspects of working as an editor. In some of our previous “Editors Advise” instalments, our contributors have shared their thoughts on various topics, including advice for newer editors and professional development webinars. For this edition, three editors share new language and style updates that they are excited about.
From the 2nd edition of Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing by and about Indigenous Peoples by Dr. Gregory Younging (lead editor Warren Cariou) and a hard copy version of The Conscious Style Guide by Karen Yin to the recent 18th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) and the upcoming Canadian English Dictionary, language and style are undergoing updates and changes. Which recent updates and changes are you particularly interested in?
Alicia Chantal (she/her), non-fiction copy editor and proofreader
The update I’m looking forward to most is the upcoming publication of the Canadian English Dictionary. I am thrilled there will finally be an update to our country’s language resource, since the last update to a general Canadian dictionary came when I was still an undergraduate in university!
As I look for in all style guides now, I am hoping it will contain solid guidance and advice for conscious language. Our world and communities change so rapidly it’s impossible for any one publication to keep track of it all. Seeing these conscious language considerations come to life in so many different texts is incredibly heartening and provides our profession with a robust library of resources to consult as we make decisions and advise our clients. I believe having this breadth of knowledge is incredibly useful to us as editors when we’re working on any text, and for those of us who offer sensitivity reading services, this access is essential.
I use The Chicago Manual of Style’s 18th edition for most of my editing projects, so from a technical standpoint I am so happy they’ve updated their guidance so the place of publication is no longer needed in bibliography entries. It has made my editing life (and I’m sure the lives of authors, too!) so much easier.
Nicole Watkins Campbell, freelance editor and plain language consultant based in Nova Scotia, member of Editors Canada and three plain language organizations
Updates to Chicago I like:
I have checked my ideas against The Chicago Manual of Style throughout my editing career – so for more than 35 years. I have found it useful even though I’ve edited texts for the public rather than for academic or professional readers. My readers tend not to read for work – the most important driver of adult reading skill. So some changes in CMOS 18 have brought me special joy.
2.65: Editing Subheads: Sentence-case subheads are friendlier than title-case heads for most readers. Text that looks easier to read feels easier to read, and that’s important for all readers.
2.143: Checking for Accessibility: An important role for editors is to be a voice for the reader with the writer. Chicago’s advice to include people with print disabilities in checking electronic format texts reminds writers and editors to test with their audiences.
3.28: Alternative Text and Descriptions: This entry clarifies that alt text should describe an image as it is. It’s more helpful than the CMOS 17 advice to check the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for guidance.
5.266: Uses of Singular “They”: My favourite update. I’ve preferred the singular “they” for decades for so many reasons.
5.212: Omitting “That”: I have long found that writers interpreted the old rule as “never use that.” Now it’s clear that we keep it after most verbs for clarity, but we can safely omit it when the subordinate clause begins with a pronoun.
CMOS is increasingly useful beyond published and academic writing. I’m grateful for it nearly every week.
Matt Long, main editor and owner of What’s the Idea Professional Editing, chair of the Editors Canada publications committee
I look forward to the upcoming revision of the Canadian English Dictionary. The world has changed significantly in the 20+ years since the last edition was published, so we are lagging in supporting our national language experts by not having an up-to-date dictionary available.
If we can maintain our important language resources more effectively, it will only improve our work collectively by improving efficiency and increasing coherence. I hope the momentum and expertise gathered through this project will lead to more frequent updates and a great resource.
I’m also very interested in the updated material presented in the new edition of Elements of Indigenous Style. The first book is a treasured companion in understanding how to consider any projects that involve or are about Indigenous Peoples, so this second volume, with even more nuanced discussion points and guidance, is an important resource for most Canadian editors, regardless of their field of work. These books are relatively small in stature but contain important knowledge.
I will also take this chance to give a shout-out to Edit Like a Pro and the many volunteers devoting their time and sharing their expertise to produce these volumes of training exercises. Editors Canada recently published the Structural Editing volume, and we are hard at work on the Copy Editing volume.
This article was copy edited by Anne Marie Twiselton, a freelance copy editor residing in the Greater Toronto Area.
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