The Open Desk

Margie Beilharz

Freelance editor and writer in science, environment, education, health

Blog

  • Editing Indigenous content and other tips

    I include a regular ‘Tips and tricks’ column in the Editors Victoria newsletter, linking to many online resources and tools. This month I wrote about editing Indigenous content [IPEd archive, members only] – highlighting a discussion and resources presented at the national editors’ conference in Brisbane last year.

  • Event: Finding work

    The 22 February Finding work panel discussion (see previous post) was written up by Danielle Vecchio for the Editors Victoria March newsletter. You can read the summary of tips and ideas here.

  • February 2018 Event: Finding freelance work as an editor

    I’m looking forward to hosting a panel on finding work for freelance editors at the next Editors Victoria evening meeting on Thursday 22 February 2018, here in Melbourne. I’ll be chatting with three experienced editors who have experience in freelancing and/or employing freelance editors (and all three have also taught editing): Lorna Hendry, a freelance…

  • Reflections not resolutions

    Happy New Year and all the best for a great 2018. Rather than coming up with New Year’s resolutions – which we all know are very hard to keep – I’m taking the opportunity of the holiday break to reflect on what I can do to achieve my professional goals in 2018. In short, I…

  • All about the business of editing: July 2017 newsletter

    I’ve just sent out the July 2017 newsletter for Editors Victoria to members.  Welcome to the July newsletter for Editors Victoria. We have lots of editing business this month: call-outs for committee members ahead of our August AGM; a comprehensive report on our ‘Business of Editing’ June dinner Q&A; the experience of running a ‘Writing…

  • Review: Lots of tips and procedures for better onscreen editing

    I wrote this review for the Editors Victoria January 2017 newsletter (updated link to IPEd archive, members only) The title of Geoff Hart’s book Effective Onscreen Editing (3rd edition) by no means conveys the full gamut of what this book contains. Indeed, it turns out be over 800 pages long, covering topics as diverse as…

  • Freelancing in-house

    Last month I experienced a side of editing quite alien to my normal freelance life – working in an office in the city full-time for a couple of weeks. Even though I was in the Pearson/Penguin building near Southern Cross station (Melbourne), I was not working in those offices but up on the 6th floor.…

  • Regional meet-ups, metro dinner meetings, training: August 2016 newsletter

    The August newsletter for Editors Victoria is out now, with an interview with editor and author Lucy Treloar, book reviews, events and more

  • Illustrator Judith Rossell, regional meetings and meet editor Susan Pierotti: March 2016 newsletter

    I’ve just sent out the March 2016 newsletter for Editors Victoria. Here’s my intro: Welcome to our March newsletter. In addition to our usual news and resources, this month we have some calls to action: Nick Hudson is keen to get your opinions on Microsoft Word’s grammar checker, and the article he has written about…

  • Science and communication in Brisbane 2016

    The Australian Science Communicators are holding their annual conference in Brisbane on Friday 11 March. It’s networking and professional development for people who communicate science and technology to the general public, students or other audiences. Registration is now open. The trip to Brisbane will be doubly worthwhile as you can also go along to the  inaugural…