by Maylon Gardner
If you’re tuned in to any of the Editors Canada social media channels, you’ll have heard about the new Discord platform launched in May last year – bonus points if you’ve already joined! But if you haven’t, or you’re unsure about what exactly this whole Discord thing entails, then this article is for you. Maylon Gardner explains what Discord is, its possibilities, limitations, and purpose for Editors Canada members.
What is a Discord server? Why does Editors Canada have one?
Discord is a social platform that uses instant messaging and Voice over Internet Protocol to connect people all over the world. It is a place where you can chat with friends and co-workers, share articles and memes, meet with like-minded enthusiasts and discover new communities. Groups can create a virtual office space, encouraging spontaneous conversation and fostering camaraderie between disparate parties. Discord is the town hall of the virtual world.
Why does Editors Canada have a Discord server? Well, a lot of us don’t have an office to work from, or one that offers other editor (or editor-adjacent) co-workers. Many of us already use Discord for other purposes, so it seemed a natural progression for Editors Canada to have a presence in this space – with a view to sharing information and facilitating access to support. Even those who do work in an office can make use of the Editors Canada Discord, as they’ll gain access to a larger group of people to laugh and commiserate with. They may even benefit from the hive-mind effect by receiving timely responses to questions or engaging in in-depth discussions about important issues.
If you’re not sure where to start, there are helpful how-tos on using Discord that have been reviewed by our admin team and users. You can find step-by-step instructions (often including pictures for reference) on key aspects of the platform. If you’re new to Discord, also consider reading the Beginner’s Guide before getting started. There’s a lot of information and help available, but we recognize that it can be overwhelming at first. If you’re struggling to connect, our admin team is always happy to help.
The reason I was so keen on creating an Editors Canada Discord server in the first place is that most networking and social platforms are entirely inaccessible to me. Intermittent speech loss and difficulty parsing speech in noisy environments mean most of Editors Canada’s networking and social spaces are difficult on my best days and impossible on my worst.
Discord is text-first, voice-optional, and asynchronous, which means any speech or hearing issues don’t matter and people can chime in to conversations that happened hours or even months ago. While Discord might not be perfect, it’s offering something that editors can use to network and socialize.
—Testimonial from Alex Elcombe, lead Editors Canada Discord moderator (definitely not a bot)
What can I use the Editors Canada Discord server for?
There are many similarities between social media sites like Facebook and Discord – think direct messaging, voice and video calls, and commenting on other people’s posts. However, Discord goes one step further by allowing organized conversations and information presented through threads and forum posting. The platform also has customizable self-expression for your profile picture, pronouns, and status updates. You can even create emotes to use on the server.
We’ve focused our server on fostering community, so our spaces and content reflect that. After joining, you’ll notice a list of channels on the left that let you know where different conversations are happening. You’ll see a section for your branch or twig that acts as a catch-all for meeting notifications, general chat, and region-specific questions. There are spaces for jokes and silly engagement, professional development, and, of course, sharing pictures of our pets.
As the server grows, so too will its offerings. Right now, we do regular social events that include fun games (like Jackbox Games and Gartic Phone), music, and chat. We also host good-natured competitions with prizes, such as an Editors Canada webinar. We hope to continue providing fun opportunities to engage with your peers on the server.
You can also join voice and video chats. Have a bunch of editing to get done on a deadline? Body doubling or “mirroring” is easily done via video chat. Or consider loading in for an editing sprint and seeing who joins. And don’t forget to post your questions! You never know who is online and could have some insight to share.
Sending files and media (such as online videos and movies) is another Discord feature. Sharing files and links is an excellent way to increase the editorial library and resources for fellow editors. If it’s a frequent topic, we can single it out in a thread or forum for easy look-up later. The server is searchable and offers many filter options, so you can quickly find what you need.
How can you share feedback?
It’s clear that Discord can provide a fun way to engage with each other – that said, it remains a professional space. You will generate a reputation from your engagement, just as you would in any workspace. People will come to respect your advice, enjoy your jokes, look forward to your responses, and friendships will form. Of course, bad actors will out themselves – just as they do in our social media groups. Please note that we have established a set of rules to adhere to so everyone can enjoy the Editors Canada Discord server.
The space is designed with accessibility and safety in mind, but we are aware that we will have gaps in effectiveness. Please send any feedback to our admin team – you can do this through Discord itself or by emailing the member services chair directly.
What are our final thoughts?
So, that’s what you can do on our Discord – with some limitations. The server is going to change over time, both from internal demand and outside factors, but will always move forward with the needs of Editors Canada members at heart. Our admin team is monitoring channels for good faith engagement and keeping abreast of the privacy concerns and challenges linked to operating an online community, as well as Discord itself.
Please check out the Discord server if you haven’t already! You can find access under the Resources tab through your membership on the Editors Canada website. Remember: you’ll need to share your Discord name with our admin team so they can check it against membership records and ensure that this community is truly private to us.
Time to set up your new Discord profile – have fun!
Maylon Gardner is a freelance editor working from Kelowna, British Columbia.
This article was copy edited by Ayla Hewitt, a writer and editor based in Toronto.
