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| The prize is named for Pam Robinson, a co-founder and past president of ACES. |
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THE RULES AND AN APPLICATION
The
Dec. 1 deadline to apply for this year's Robinson Prize is fast approaching. The
Robinson Prize, to be awarded for the first time at next year's national ACES conference,
is a $3,000 annual award for substantial contributions to the craft of copy editing.
While there are contests that recognize aspects of the copy editor’s role, such as
headline writing or design, the Robinson Prize will focus on excellence over the
whole range of skills and contributions in editing.
“Our intention in ACES from its founding has been to hold up the work of our colleagues
so that they get the recognition they deserve,” said John McIntyre, former president
of ACES. “The Robinson Prize will be a means to uphold editing and editors.”
Nominees will be evaluated on a combination of elements, which can include editing,
design, mentoring and training, fostering a sense of teamwork and pride among colleagues,
and anything else that furthers the role of the copy editing profession.
“This award isn’t designed to applaud the best speller in the newsroom or the best
grammarian,” said Teresa Schmedding, one of the drafters of the award. “Being a good
wordsmith isn’t enough. Today’s copy editors need to be skilled in conflict resolution,
show excellent news judgment, demonstrate initiative and be able to find creative
solutions to help their papers succeed in this era filled with increased competition.”
The prize is named for Pam Robinson, news editor of the Los Angeles Times-Washington
Post News Service in suburban New York. Robinson was a co-founder of ACES in 1997
and the society’s first president. One of her goals was to make copy editors more
visible and to encourage them to take on a more constructive role.
“I can’t think of anyone it would be more fitting to name this award after than Pam,
who has given her heart and soul to the development of ACES,” Schmedding said.
An elite panel of judges will evaluate work samples and recommendations from newsroom
supervisors for each nominee.
The winner will be announced at the ACES annual national conference.
For additional information, contact Teresa Schmedding, ACES executive committee member,
at tschmedding@dailyherald.com
or (847) 427-4574. Information is also available
on the ACES Web site, www.copydesk.org.
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THE RULES AND AN APPLICATION
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