If you are involved or interested in academic editing, the Academic Editing (AE) Chapter will allow you to build your professional network, share information, and discuss relevant topics. Our regular programming includes quarterly virtual informational meetings, hosted alternately by the EFA and Editors Canada, and more frequent, small-group meetings like the EFA / Editors Canada Joint Academic Editing Book Club (JAEBC) and our monthly Coffee Chats.

The chapter is a collaboration between the EFA and Editors Canada, which was formed in early summer 2022. After conducting focus groups in 2021, the EFA formed an academic editing working group that reached out to colleagues in Editors Canada to propose creating a partnership. The virtual launch event in September 2022 was attended by nearly 250 people from around the globe, and the chapter was born! We currently have over 900 members in the chapter.

The Chapter’s efforts are run by volunteers who are members of either organization, and both organizations market the chapter events and provide support. Presently, the EFA hosts the AE Chapter’s website and email, and the EFA has granted the chapter funds to support administrative costs and to provide honorariums for guest speakers. We invite anyone who performs academic editing in any capacity to participate in the activities and events free of charge, and you do not have to be a member to participate.

The AE Chapter is organized into working groups with a leadership team overseeing all efforts. The Organizational Chart is a living and changing document that shows the solid team of dedicated volunteers who are building and running chapter activities and events.

Interested in joining our mailing list and receiving our newsletter? Sign up for our mailing list here. And to read past issues, visit here.

Have questions or want to volunteer? Email the co-coordinators at chap_academic@the-efa.org. Our team at Editors Canada can be reached at academic.editing@editors.ca.

Upcoming Events

February Coffee Chat: Giving or Receiving Negative Feedback

Tuesday, February 18 | 4 p.m. PDT / 7 p.m. EDT | Register

Usually, giving makes us feel good. A well-chosen gift, an appreciative recipient: It’s all smiles, roses, and unicorns. Unless what you’re handing out—or being handed—is negative feedback. (Cue Law and Order dun-dun music.) As an editor, you probably feel bad no matter which side you’re on, giver or receiver. But there are ways to make the process feel better, and possibly even good. And no matter what, you can still have cake afterward.

Join us to discuss your tactics for handling negative feedback. Maybe you have a nifty acronym like THINK (Is it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Insightful/Inspiring? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind?), a metaphor (“critique sandwich”) or mantra (“collaborate”) that guides you. Maybe you employ deep breathing exercises, ask a friend to filter or edit your notes, or just hide in a blanket nest for a few hours. No matter what it is, share it with the group. In the end, negative feedback helps us all produce stronger writing, and isn’t that the goal? Let’s figure out how to get through it.

(Alt text: A computer screen showing four people in a video call is next to a stack of books, a coffee cup, and a plant. Copyright: pongsirionkham © 123RF.com)

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Academic Editing Book Club: Black Feminist Writing

Friday, February 21 | 10 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. EDT | Register

We look forward to hosting a Q&A with Dr. Stephanie Evans to discuss her book Black Feminist Writing. Our host will be Dana Johnson of yourwordsonlybetter.com. This meeting will include a discussion about the book among attendees and will not be recorded.

Use coupon code SAEB25 when buying directly from SUNY Press for 30 percent off.

(Alt text: Flyer featuring the cover of Stephanie Evans’s Black Feminist Writing and the text, “Academic Editing Book Club: Friday, Feb 21, 10am PT / 1pm ET.”)

Past Events

Recordings of past events are available to watch on our YouTube channel.

• Jan. 28, 2025 | Coffee Chat: Establishing Rates & Project Scope
• Jan. 22, 2025 | Call for Volunteers
• Dec. 20, 2024 | December Coffee Chat: Continuing Education & Professional Development
• Nov. 15, 2024 | EFA / Editors Canada Joint Academic Editing Book Club (JAEBC) | a discussion of Scott L. Montgomery’s The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science
• Nov. 7, 2024 | November Coffee Chat: Research Grant Editing
• Oct. 17, 2024 | October Coffee Chat: Cold Emails and Letters of Introduction
• Sep. 20, 2024 | JAEBC | a discussion with author Karen Yin about The Conscious Style Guide: A Flexible Approach to Language That Includes, Respects, and Empowers
• Sep. 11, 2024 | September Coffee Chat: Author Queries
• Aug. 15, 2024 | August Coffee Chat: The Joys of Editing
• Jul. 16, 2024 | July Coffee Chat: AI for Academic Editors
• Jun. 11, 2024 | June Coffee Chat: Macros and Productivity Tools
• Jun. 10, 2024 | Let’s Talk About . . . Indexing | a talk by Jolanta N. Komornicka and Alex Peace
• Jun. 7, 2024 | JAEBC | a discussion with authors Cara M. Jordan and Leslie Castro-Woodhouse about The Art of Academic Editing
• May 7, 2024 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Conferences
• Apr. 12, 2024 | JAEBC | a discussion with author Amitava Kumar about Every Day I Write the Book
• Apr. 9, 2024 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Style Sheets
• Mar. 12, 2024 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Taxes
• Feb. 29, 2024 | Webinar: Introduction to Coaching Academic Writers with Kate Vacek
• Feb. 14, 2024 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Editor–Client Relationships
• Feb. 2, 2024 | JAEBC | a discussion with authors Katelyn E. Knox and Allison Van Deventer about The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook: Exercises for Developing and Revising Your Book Manuscript
• Jan. 18, 2024 | From Academia into Academic Editing: A Panel for Prospective Editors
• Jan. 17, 2024 | Call for Volunteers
• Jan. 11, 2024 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Setting Rates
• Dec. 14, 2023 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Mulled W(h)ine!
• Nov. 30, 2023 | Let’s Talk About . . . Creating a Successful Network | a talk by Linda Ruggeri and Brittany Dowdle | event recording available here
• Nov. 16, 2023 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Billing
• Nov. 10, 2023 | JAEBC | a discussion of Patricia Matthew’s Written/Unwritten: Diversity and the Hidden Truths of Tenure
• Oct. 30, 2023 | Academic Editing Co-Working Session
• Oct. 19, 2023 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Marketing
• Sep. 21, 2023 | Let’s Talk About . . . Communicating Science through Comedy | a talk by Kasha Patel
• Sep. 12, 2023 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Working with Students
• Sep. 8, 2023 | JAEBC | a discussion of Rachael Cayley’s Thriving as a Graduate Writer | event recording available here
• Aug. 23, 2023 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Agreements and Contracts
• Jul. 13, 2023 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat: Taking Vacations as a Freelancer
• Jun. 22, 2023 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat
• May 5, 2023 | JAEBC | a discussion of Linda Ruggeri and Brittany Dowdle’s Networking for Freelance Editors: Practical Strategies for Networking Success
• Apr. 28, 2023 | Let’s Talk About . . . AI and Automation for Editorial Project Management | a talk by Dr. Cathy Hannabach
• Apr. 17, 2023 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat
• Apr. 3, 2023 | JAEBC | a discussion with author Laura Portwood-Stacer about The Book Proposal Book
• Mar. 23, 2023 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat
• Mar. 10, 2023 | JAEBC | a discussion of Anne E. Greene’s Writing Science in Plain English
• Feb. 3, 2023 | JAEBC | a discussion of Marcus Weaver-Hightower’s How to Write Qualitative Research
• Jan. 27, 2023 | Let’s Talk About . . . Working with ESL/EFL/Multilingual Authors | a talk by Katharine O’Moore-Klopf
• Jan. 12, 2023 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat
• Jan. 6, 2023 | JAEBC | a discussion of Ellen Bryant Voigt’s The Art of Syntax
• Dec. 15, 2022 | Academic Editing Coffee Chat
• Dec. 2, 2022 | JAEBC | a discussion of Pamela Haag’s Revise
• Nov. 4, 2022 | JAEBC | a discussion of Helen Sword’s Stylish Academic Writing
• Sep. 23, 2022 | Academic Editing chapter launch | Summary Report—Academic Editing Chapter Launch Event

Applicable Harassment Policies

• EFA’s Anti-Harassment Policy
• Editors Canada’s Workplace Harassment Policy