Editing / Editor/writer / Event / Office Happenings / Social Media & Community

The recent heat wave provided ample opportunity to enjoy a frosty beverage or two either on a patio or within the confines of one’s air-conditioned home. In fact, every year the summer months provide opportunities for, so-called “new” cocktails to appear on the scene, enjoy a burst of popularity, and then fade from the memories of all but a dedicated few. However, I say “so-called” because these tasty...

Event

Cottages, cabins, camps—they have many names, but they all serve the same basic purpose. More than simply convenient vacation spots, these properties tend to occupy very special places in their stewards’ hearts. For instance, my family cottage was built the year I was born, and, even though it’s undeniably rough around the edges, it’s hard to think of a place that I would rather get away to.    Of...

Event / Language & Editing

In 2015, family history website Ancestry. ca surveyed 1,000 people across Canada, finding that 36% of respondents had no idea why the country celebrates May 24. In fact, another 12% thought it was meant to correspond with Memorial Day in the United States. (It’s not. )   Many of us have probably heard the holiday referred to as “May Two-Four”—slang for a case of twenty-four beers (a “two-four”)—and some breweries have...

Publishing / Event / Books & Libraries / Books And Reading

For the past two years, many writers, editors, and indexers have had to rely exclusively on attending virtual events to develop their editorial skills and networks. Whether unable to attend in-person professional development events because of lockdowns, restrictions, or simply an abundance of caution, editorial professionals once again have some opportunities on the horizon to meet, discuss their profession, and make connections. And, in an industry that relies...

Event

Temperatures are steadily climbing, days are getting longer, and nights are getting shorter. After another long winter, spring is finally here again, and a host of holidays and festivals mark its arrival. Saint Patrick’s Day and the vernal equinox have both come and gone. The Hindu festival of Holi is well underway, and dedicated disciples of the ancient Roman cult of Cybele-Attis are presumably enjoying Hilaria, or...

Event / Language & Editing

If you haven't looked at a calendar yet today, you might not know that today, March 15, is actually the Ides of March. I'm sure you've heard of it before, but what exactly is this special day all about?     History of the Ides of March   In the old Roman tradition, the “Ides” was simply the name given to the first full moon of a given month, which usually fell between the...

Event

It’s the holiday season, and nothing gets party guests feeling as festive as a delicious cocktail! In this quick blog, we’ll share some great recipes for you to try.     First up, TEC blogger Michael shares two of his picks for seasonal cocktails, both using ingredients you might not have tried before: advocaat (an eggy Dutch liqueur) and Lillet (a wine-based aperitif).   “Despite Jack Torrance's appreciation of bourbon and advocaat in The Shining, I recommend...

Event / Language & Editing

As the world grows dark and cold in the Northern Hemisphere, cultures across the globe would normally gather together to drive away the gloom. However, this year, things are a little different. Just because we cannot gather together as we normally would though, doesn't mean the holidays have to be dark and gloomy. Lights can shine even in the darkest of spaces.   There are dozens of holidays celebrated around...

Event

The holidays are here again and, of course, with this special time of year comes memories of holidays past, spent with friends and family. I’m willing to bet that a lot of those memories involve food in some way, shape, or form – baking Christmas cookies with your grandmother, making potato latkes with your mom or dad, sharing a holiday beverage with friends, or preparing a special dish that...

Event / Office Happenings / Social Media & Community

The air is getting colder, the nights are getting darker, and the spookiest season of the year is upon us! For many people, that means watching their favourite Halloween movies. Whether you’re more of a family-friendly Hocus Pocus gal or a gore-loving Halloween guy, there truly is something for everyone. However, if you’re looking for something fresh to watch this Halloween, why not try some classic Canadian content?...

Event / Book Reviews

Tomorrow, September 30, 2021, marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. At TEC, one way we can pay tribute to the day is to talk about ways we in the publishing and editing spheres can promote and honour Indigenous voices. So, we are pleased to  repost former TEC Editor Jonathan’s book review on Elements of Indigenous Style. Our ways of thinking and knowing...

Business / Event / Language & Editing

The Editing Company is celebrating its 14th year of editorial excellence, and, to mark this milestone, I’m investigating the cultural, numerological, linguistic, and mathematical significance of the number 14.   “Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. ” -Henri Poincaré   Mathematics was never my best subject, so I’ll keep this section brief and, I hope, relatively simple. Unlike the numbers two, three, five, and seven, 14 is...

Event / Usage / Language & Editing

October 2020 is drawing to a close, and pandemic-fatigued children and adults are turning to the warm embrace of holiday nostalgia to help ease their minds. With December still more than a month away, though, it’s anyone’s guess what kind of public health guidelines will be in place when Christmas and Hannukah arrive, so many are scaling back their festive celebrations in favour of online get-togethers.   Remembrance Day gatherings...

Event / Language & Editing

“Thirty days have November, April, June, and September. With 28 there is but one. All the rest have 31,” but not this year. This year, none of the months have but 28. Instead, February has 29 days, so it seems this handy rhyme is in need of some amendment. How about, “All the rest have 31 but in a leap year you will find that...

Event / Language & Editing

On January 25, 2020, the Chinese lunar calendar will turn over once again. In preparation for this year’s Spring Festival, I did some research, and prepared a brief history of this important annual event. The Chinese calendar is a complicated and storied institution with uncertain origins, but key points to remember are that years, months, days, and even hours are associated with animal and elemental symbols. These...

Event

It’s the holiday season, and nothing gets party guests feeling as festive as a delicious cocktail! In this quick blog, we’ll share some great recipes for you to try.   First up, TEC blogger Michael shares two of his picks for seasonal cocktails, both using ingredients you might not have tried before: advocaat (an eggy Dutch liqueur) and Lillet (a wine-based aperitif).   “Despite Jack Torrance's appreciation of bourbon and advocaat in The...

Event

The holidays are fast approaching, and recently we started talking about what would be on our “pie in the sky, dreaming big” editorial wish list — what we would ask for if money was no object! Check out what TEC editors are dreaming of this holiday season!     Molly’s Ideal Office Reno If I could ask for anything as an editor, it would be an all-expenses-paid office renovation. I’d have bookcases built into...

Event

Days get shorter, nights get longer, and festive winter holiday markets start popping up everywhere. Some holiday markets are understated, and others sprawl down streets, taking over entire city blocks. One doesn’t have to look hard to find holiday markets cropping up. In fact, on November 17th I attended the first one I’ve been to this year.     Christmas Market in the Creek   Christmas Market in the Creek, hosted...

Event / Editing & Marketing / Language & Editing

On June 18, 2019, we attended Book Summit 2019 at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre. It was a gorgeous day to be on the waterfront — breezy, warm, and not a cloud in the sky. At last, the first hint of summer weather. Such a great setting for this annual event celebrating Canadian book publishing. In this blog, we cover the key points (and more) about the sessions...

Publishing / Event / Language & Editing

On June 7, a perfect, sunny, 20 degree day, I arrived in Halifax. I breathed in the sea air after many months of life in Toronto, headed straight to the waterfront to say hello to my favourite ocean, and then prepared for the actual reason I’d arrived — the Editors Canada 40th Anniversary Conference.   Each year, the Editors’ Association of Canada (or Editors Canada, for short) hosts a conference...

Editing / Editor/writer / Event

Editors Canada’s website describes its mission statement thus, “Editors Canada promotes professional editing as a key in producing effective communication. ” This admirably concise mandate describes well the Association’s ongoing efforts to promote the fine art of editing. This 1,300-member professional editorial membership group didn’t spring up overnight, though.   What started in 1979 as a loosely knit but fiercely dedicated group of 50 or so Toronto-area editors has evolved...

Event / Books And Reading

Whether the instigating factor in a book-banning campaign is religion, sexual expression, “anti-establishment attitudes,” or some other vague concern, books may as well be picked at random for all of the consistency with which campaigns to ban them are approached.   Freedom to Read Week (February 24 to March 2, 2019) continues its 35-year fight against book-banning campaigns by reminding the book-buying public that the censors are still at work, even...

Event / Books & Libraries

Cities across Canada are celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth with film screenings, gallery exhibitions, dance parties, and galas. If you’re wondering what kind of events are happening in your city, we’ve helpfully compiled a list of some of the events you can attend this month.     VANCOUVER Vancouver offers a diverse array of events for all kinds of interests. Starting on February 5th, The Vancouver Film Festival is showcasing a series of...

Event

If you're looking for an intimate one-person show, a Mirvish-level musical, or a production somewhere between the two, Toronto is a great place to catch any kind of show. With a number of different venues and theatre companies to choose from, it can be difficult to see even half of the productions on offer each year.   The Big Names However, quality live theatre isn't confined by the boundaries of the...