ACES VCON: The Sessions I’m Looking Forward to Most

ACES vCon will be the first editing conference I attend! I was so excited to see the many wonderful sessions that will be presented. Here are a few I’m particularly looking forward to:

Confident Querying, Without the Ego led by Christine Steele and Lourdes Venard

Querying is one of those skills that I either feel ridiculously confident about or not confident at all. I usually worry that I’m querying too much, but I figure it’s better to query too much than not enough. I’, looking forward to finding my footing in querying, starting with this session.

I took The Business of Copyediting with Christine through the UCSD Copyediting Program, and she is not only one of the wisest editors I know but also an editor who is committed to lifting up others in the field. So, I know this session will be filled with valuable information!

Beyond the Gender Binary: Editing for More Inclusive Fiction led by Eliot West and Tanya Gold

As many of you know, I am just starting out in my freelance editing career. However, I hope to work with many authors from marginalized communities, so I can’t imagine a better place to start than with this session. I have wanted to be more involved with the LGBTQIA+ community, and I think expanding my knowledge about various identities is vital.

I can’t wait to see what West and Gold have to share! I’ve e-met Tanya once, and they are so kind and encouraging! I am very excited to have the chance to learn more about nonbinary representation from editors who are nonbinary themselves!

Through the Looking Glass: A Different Lens from Disabled, Chronically Ill, and Neurodivergent Editors

I am so excited about this session because the topic really resonates with me! As a disabled, chronically ill, and neurodivergent editor, I love that other editors are encouraging people to adopt a different attitude toward these communities. Since receiving my diagnosis of autism earlier this year, I have struggled with understanding why it is a diagnosis when it’s just who I am. Similarly, I frequently feel like my disabilities and chronic illnesses give me a unique perspective, especially within editing.

I had the chance to e-meet Vee once, and they are so knowledgeable and caring! I can’t wait to learn from them and the other speakers in this session!