Twice a month, on Wednesdays from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern, editors and other people interested in words get together on Twitter to talk about copy editing.
#ACESchat, which started on Dec. 4, 2012, with a chat on the value of copy editing, has been going strong since, with two chats a month from September to May and one chat each month during the summer. (Here’s some how-to-participate information.)
Typically, between 45 and 70 people join in the conversation, although more may be lurking, just watching what is being said. (Lurkers are always welcome … and welcome to join in when they feel comfortable contributing.)
The topics vary. The chat on Feb. 18 — shown below — looked at how to practice triage editing and was led by ACES President Teresa Schmedding. The Jan. 21 chat was on inclusive language and featured editor Sarah Grey of GrayEditing as the guest.
Chats generally are organized and summarized using Storify, providing a library of advice for anyone who wants to use it. Need some grammar help on who and whom? We did an #ACESchat on that on July 9. How about advice on freelance editing? There are multiple chats on that topic featuring some of ACES’ most successful freelance editor members. There are Storify links for chats on style, internships, editing software, diversity, SEO and even one where we shared copy editing jokes.
The guest for each chat is someone who is an expert in the field, or an ACES member who has a particular interest in the topic. Chats are on the first and third Wednesdays of the month.
Check out this library of advice whenever who are looking for some tips or more information on a topic. It’s a great way to pick the minds of copy editors in a variety of fields and with a wide range of experience.
Here’s a recent chat, on editing for the web:
