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The newsletter for members of the Edition Editors’ Association of Canada, Toronto branch June 2006 Program Report Magazines and the Web by Grace Cherian; editing by Renée Mina In This Issue Magazines and the Web .......... 1 Letter from the Editor ............. 2 EAC Toronto Executive Presenters from left to right: Noel Hulsman, Kathy Bergen, Derek Chezzi (2005–2006) ......................... 2 n April 24, 2006, I listened to three online editors—Kathy Bergen EAC Toronto Meeting Schedule ............................... 4 of Today’s Parent magazine, Noel Hulsman, a reporter with Small Business Magazine of the Globe and Mail, and Derek Chezzi, pres- Seminar Registration Tops O ently news editor at Yahoo Canada but formerly of Maclean’s—discuss the 400 ...................................... 5 topic “Magazines and the Web” at the EAC monthly meeting, held at the How to Get Published .............. 6 Women’s Art Association. Welcome! New Members ......... 7 Listening to Kathy, Noel, and Derek was a real eye-opener. They taught me that online editing is different from print editing in many, many ways. Here’s Industry Briefs—Book Ninja ..... 8 how. Networking ...........................10 Noel said that his experience was considerably less than that of his Toronto Executive 2006–2007 ..16 colleagues: “…it’s very much a living example of taking content from a magazine and bringing it to the Web.” Hotline Registration ...............18 Newspapers are not the best forum for reporting on small business; their Edition Staff June 2006 ..........18 focus is storytelling. A Web site, on the other hand, aims to be the dominant continued on page 3 Edition June 2006 1 EAC TORONTO EXECUTIVE 2005–2006 Letter from the Editor Branch Chair Jennie Worden 416 465-3547 [email protected] This issue marks the end of my three-year run with Edition. After a year as layout editor and two years as editor, it’s time to pass the reins to Annie and Vice-Chair Gillian Faulkner Karlene, next year’s co-editors. 416 489-2677 [email protected] As rewarding as the experience was for me, my primary goal was always to Secretary provide members with as many growth opportunities as possible. For the Janice Dyer experienced writers, photographers, and editors who volunteered, I offered 905 823-3724 [email protected] an opportunity to showcase their talents. Treasurer Before joining the EAC in 2003, I had very limited experience with Mary Anne Carswell 416 469-6784 professional editors. But after being at the controls of Edition, I’ve seen [email protected] firsthand what a talented bunch of people work in this industry, and what Membership Chair great things they can accomplish when they pool their efforts. Karen E. Black 416 686-8126 To all the people who have given their time, energy, and talent to work on [email protected] Edition, I thank you for helping to make this a strong and successful branch. Program Chair You have much to be proud of. I’ve enjoyed working with all of you very Craig Saunders 416 699-4874 much. [email protected] - Ken Weinberg Professional Development Co-Chairs Martin Townsend 416 967-5994 [email protected] Alan Yoshioka 416 531-1857 [email protected] Public Relations Chair Monica Plant 416 533-4879 [email protected] Newsletter Chair Ken Weinberg 416 907-6677 [email protected] Past Co-Chairs Elizabeth d’Anjou 416 465-8455 [email protected] Andy Carroll 416 929-4402 [email protected] 27 Carlton Street, Suite 507 Toronto ON M5B 1L2 Branch Administrator: Brian Cardie Tel. 416 975-5528 Fax 416 975-5596 E-mail [email protected] Web site http://www.editors.ca Hours: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to Thursday 2 Edition June 2006 Magazines from page 1 hub for small businesses in Canada while providing reader to visit the site frequently to enable Maclean’s content generated from magazines, columns, and to post business promotions. Daily as well as weekly photo essays. There is a strong threefold service orien- updates were necessary, but creating them was pro- tation: to provide small businesses with tools, content, moting only 35 per cent of the content. Derek realized and a community environment. Small businesses can that a more focused approach was necessary. For go to a Web site and play games, determine their cash instance, in January 2006, the entire home page con- flow, and evaluate their businesses. centrated on the Federal elections. He worked with theglobeandmail.com provides a community for 680 News to make Maclean’s the hub for the elections businesses through advertising, marketing, live discus- within Rogers. An online survey that would be mean- sions, and interaction. People can ask questions and ingful to readers was included. Guerrilla marketing receive answers about any number of business issues. tactics combined with a little media coverage by the The Web can thus provide Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, more in-depth coverage of a Small businesses can go to a and the Toronto Sun doubled topic than a magazine. With traffic to the Web site. Because budget requirements being Web site and play games … the content was re-packaged with minimal, it’s also possible to and evaluate their businesses. a more meaningful focus, it was update and edit the material The Web can thus provide successful in reaching a wide instantly. more in-depth coverage of audience. Five years ago, Kathy The Web site also enabled Bergen and her team were a topic than a magazine. Maclean’s to use multimedia, charged with editing the conduct reader polls, and interact Today’s Parent Web site. They learned a lot through with its readers in a way it could not do in print. Even trial and error. The primary task of the Web editor is to though the magazine conducted a weekly recap, no serve the audience, which is comprised of people who one was reading it—it was ten days old. surf, do Google searches, research, etc. The Web allows content to remain alive a little longer The integration of the Web and print formats has than in magazines. Sometimes material becomes extended Today’s Parent magazine from a monthly popular at a later time. For example, during the magazine to a digital medium. Its Web site has become 2005 Toronto Film Festival, photographers took pic- the gateway to what the magazine can offer. Today it tures of galleries, snapped photos of celebrities, and boasts about 150 different newsletters, and 40,000 Web even made videos of their subjects. It was the “coolest site members who discuss a spectrum of issues both thing” Derek had ever seen. Even though the Film Fes- related and not related to parenting. tival took place in September, Web traffic was higher The magazine itself is a promotional tool for the Web in October. It is expected that this year’s traffic will be site. For instance, it directs readers to the Web site for even higher. more information on breastfeeding. You can do different things — and do things differ- Derek Chezzi spoke about his five years of online ently — online than you can in print. For instance, the editing at Maclean’s. “Magazines must have a Web topic of “Smoking Pot with your Kids” was very suc- presence to engage their audience,” he said. Maclean’s cessful online. Traffic increased by a multiple of ten. had content, but the question was, where would it Listening to Kathy, Noel, and Derek about magazines work best? and the Web was a terrific learning experience. E The Maclean’s Web site was launched in 1995. The challenge? To create a compelling presence online. Grace Cherian is the branch’s Program Co-chair elect. Her e-mail address is [email protected]. The Web site’s team needed to attract the more casual discuss online Edition June 2006 3 EAC TORONTO MEETING SCHEDULE Executive Meeting Monday, June 12 6:30 p.m. EAC Office, 27 Carlton Street, Suite 502 All members welcome RSVP: Janice Dyer, PARTY! 905 823–3724 [email protected] Monday, June 26 7:30–11:00 p.m. Women’s Art Association of Canada 23 Prince Arthur Avenue Live music, refreshments, EAC Party hors d’oeuvres Please note: No Q&A session is scheduled. 4 Edition June 2006 Seminar Registration Tops 400 This season’s seminars brought in a record-breaking 413 registrations. Seminars earn the bulk of the Toronto branch’s income and introduce many members of the broader community to EAC for the first time, so this is good news indeed. Eight-Step Editing with Jim Taylor and Substantive Editing with Rosemary Shipton continued their well-deserved popularity, while Frances Peck’s grammar seminar filled up so rapidly, we offered it a second time. We continue too to offer smaller-drawing seminars such as Editing Books for Children and Networking with Integrity to serve more specialized needs. Many thanks to our instructors, volunteers, branch staff, and fellow exec members, all of whom worked diligently and cheerfully to keep the seminars running smoothly. As we PD Co-Chairs move on to other pursuits, passing the baton to John Green (and possibly a second person still to be confirmed), we are proud to have led such a terrific team for the past two years. Alan Yoshioka and Martin Townsend, Professional Development Co-Chairs, EAC Toronto Edition June 2006 5 How to Get Published by Lily Quan riting may be a craft, but getting published According to Cooke, the best way to approach a liter- is a business. That is the conclusion I have ary agent is with what he terms a “smart” query letter. W reached after researching the topic of how Smart query letters are not gimmicky, fluorescent, or to get a book published.