Does editing still matter? Of course it does, and the 50 or so attendees at the ACES regional conference in Columbia, Mo., gave up a Saturday — albeit a dreary one — to prove it. The workshop was Oct. 3 at the University of Missouri’s new, state-of-the-art Reynolds Journalism Institute and drew a mix of students and working editors.
The morning opened with a welcome from the dean and a short video presentation by MU faculty members Maggie Walter and Jake Sherlock displaying real-life examples of why editing still matters (the video is on copydesk.org). Other presenters included Doug Ward of the University of Kansas on bias and unintentional errors, Sherlock on social media, ACES secretary Lisa McLendon of the Wichita Eagle on math for copy editors and MU journalism professor Marty Steffens on editing business stories.
ACES board member Teresa Schmedding of the Daily Herald and Brian Brooks, associate dean for undergraduate studies at the MU School of Journalism, conducted a forum for students that included tips on resumes and cover letters as well as recommendations for courses to take.
During the lunch break, many of the participants toured the Missourian offices and other parts of the new journalism building.
Students in particular came away with enthusiasm.
“I thought going was an awesome experience, a lot fun and a great way to network with professionals and other students in the region,” said Marcy Pursell, vice president of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln ACES chapter. “The sessions kept me entertained and made me think about the issues copy editors have. I can’t wait to see what the national conference has to offer!”
