About BoldFace | Volunteering for BoldFace
BoldFace, the blog of Editors Toronto, showcases the work of volunteer writers and editors.
The BoldFace team is composed of energetic and motivated volunteers with a flair for words and a keen eye for detail. To volunteer as a copy editor, you must be a member of Editors Canada, have previous copy editing experience, and have access to word processing software, such as Microsoft Word. Volunteer writers do not have to be Editors Canada members. Remember: BoldFace is a blog by editors and for editors, so relevant, high-quality posts and timely delivery are expected.
Volunteering for BoldFace is a great way to get involved with Editors Toronto. Apart from offering a fantastic opportunity for exposure, volunteering to write and/or copy edit articles for the blog will allow you to
- develop a strong working knowledge of standards and best practices in editing, writing, and digital publishing;
- receive valuable feedback from experienced editors on your submission;
- have your name and bio appear on a blog read by members of the largest branch of Editors Canada, as well as members of the editing community at large; and
- maintain strong ties to Editors Toronto.
Contact the editor-in-chief if you’re interested in volunteering for BoldFace, or if you have any questions or require further information.
Writing for BoldFace
BoldFace’s writers produce informative articles on editing, language, communication, publishing, program highlights from branch meetings, and other industry-relevant topics. We encourage writers to pitch ideas to the editor-in-chief, but the editor-in-chief will also occasionally suggest topics to writers.
Writers are responsible for confirming all factual information and requesting permission for quotations and/or other information, as needed, prior to submitting their articles.
The tone of articles should be informal yet professional. We welcome personal experiences and anecdotes. Please refer to other articles on BoldFace to familiarize yourself with the blog’s writing style and types of topics covered. The typical length of a submission is between 600 and 1,000 words.
Writers retain copyright for their articles.
Copy editing for BoldFace
BoldFace’s copy editors edit for grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and they check for conformity to BoldFace style. They also check for consistency of presentation and facts, and they may be required to do some fact-checking. Copy editors should note queries to the writer in the document; the editor-in-chief will contact the writer regarding any queries. Copy editors mark up the document in a word processing software, such as Microsoft Word, using track changes.
The BoldFace production cycle
The BoldFace editor-in-chief will periodically send out calls for submission to writers to encourage a steady flow of content. The editor-in-chief reviews each submission and performs a substantive edit, which is followed by an edit from two other members of the Editors Toronto executive committee. The articles are then either forwarded to a volunteer copy editor or returned to the writer if extra work is needed. The copy editor will have approximately three days to copy edit the article and return the file to the editor-in-chief. If the copy editor has queries for the writer or concerns about the writer’s meaning or content at this stage, the copy editor can contact the editor-in-chief. The editor-in-chief will then query the writer, if necessary. Once the editor-in-chief finalizes all changes, the article will be posted on the blog according to BoldFace’s production schedule.