Last session of Day 3 of @The_CIEP's 2nd annual conference. Conscious and inclusive language: understanding conscious language and the editorial role w/ Crystal Shelley of @redpenrabbit. No end to the learning from this. #CIEP2021
Words have power, positive and negative. What is conscious language? 'Language rooted in critical thinking and compassion, used skillfully in a specific context'.--Conscious Style Guide 1/ #CIEP2021
Conscious language is *not*
🙅🏾♀️ Political correctness
🙅🏾♀️ Censorship
🙅🏾♀️ Bias free
🙅🏾♀️ Static
🙅🏾♀️ A single guide 2/ #CIEP2021
Conscious language *is* about
✅ Respect
✅ Compassion
✅ Accuracy
✅ Empowerment 3/ #CIEP2021
Language is shaped by privilege. Conscious language is especially important when talking about individuals and identities. Need to become aware of and address our unconscious bias based on our individual privileges. Context and intent are significant. 4/ #CIEP2021
Conscious language considerations
💡 Disrespectful?
💡 Stigmatising?
💡 Inaccurate?
💡 Biased?
💡 Outdated?
💡 Dehumanising?
💡 Presumptuous?
💡 Judgemental?
💡 Rooted in oppression?
Question the intent. Express intent with care. 5/ #CIEP2021
Conscious language issues are often unintentional. We can all *choose* language that is more respectfu, compassionate, accurate and empowering. 6/ #CIEP2021
How can we be more aware?
✅ Listen (to others)
✅ Learn (the history of)
✅ Be willing to grow and change
✅ Read books and follow conscious language activists
✅ Seek out resources (to support learning and growth) 7/ #CIEP2021
Takeaway: my role as an editor is to be a good bridge b/w writer and reader, to guide and help informed decisions in writing and communication, to alert to unintended harm. To drive language change positively, to educate and empower. 8/ #CIEP2021
Guide to good feedback:
✅ Be constructive, objective, professional
✅ Focus on reader, not writer
✅ Provide suggestions for alternatives
✅ Share resources for further reading
(IMO: Apply to all types of feedback/edits. Making these a habit of the process is key.) 9/ #CIEP2021
How to make this part of the process?
✅ Set expectations w/ clients
✅ Incorporate feedback in editorial reports
✅ Flag issues using MS comments
✅ Refer to specialist editors/authenticity readers
Customise process to needs of a project. 10/ #CIEP2021
Dealing w/ resistance
💡Acknowledge clients don't have to accept feedback
💡Frame feedback as providing info as preliminary reader
💡Discuss why writers should care 11/ #CIEP2021
IMO: don't be afraid to discuss stuff that makes *you* uncomfortable. Shows support and makes it easier for the writer to talk about the same things. Connecting w/ people is the best way of learning and growing together. 12/ #CIEP2021
Q&A
💡Tone-policing? Need to be civil, calm etc? Goal is to make people uncomfortable. Can be difficult to moderate in communal spaces, but important to ask why were uncomfortable with something. #CIEP2021#ConsciousLanguage
💡Can you argue the meaning of words such as tribe is evolving? How do you know when language needs to be changed and when it is evolving?
No right or wrong here. Try to ask and engage w/ the people affected, encourage discussion. Learn, grow. Unlearn. Relearn. Repeat. #CIEP2021
Thank you, Crystal, for another empowering session. If you haven't already, check out @redpenrabbit's Conscious Language guides for editors and for writers (rabbitwitharedpen.com/shop). #CIEP2021
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First session of the last day of @The_CIEP's 2nd annual conference. Easy English: principles of writing for people with low literacy and what editorial professionals can learn from them w/ @accesseasyengli. #CIEP2021
Access Easy English came about to help those who don't talk (ie, use other means of communication). Intellectual or acquired disabilities and illiteracy prevent people from managing day to day reading tasks. All over the world. 1/ #CIEP2021
Think about your own literacy.
What language do you use to describe it? (eg, reading for pleasure, enjoyment? Learning?)
How much time do you spend reading in the day?
What do you read? 2/ #CIEP2021
@ljedit: informal, confessional, community-building, reassuring, positive, personal. Blogging can be exposing: find your voice, don't compare w/ what others do, be honest, focus on connections. Helps keep the balance and build a sustainable career. #blogging#CIEP2021
@BaconEditing: how-to blogs, to help multilingual research scientists express complicated ideas clearly. Approach engages w/ clients and editing colleagues. Focus on language and use in formal research writing is very useful content for writers and editors. #blogging#CIEP2021
Post-lunch session w/ LinkedIn star @espirian: 'How to be a LinkedIn leader'. John got me started on Twitter and was among the first to make me feel welcome at my very first then SfEP conference. For that I'll be eternally grateful. Excited about this session. #CIEP2021
LinkedIn tactics.
🙅🏾♀️ Don't connect w/ too many too quickly (slow and steady...)
🙅🏾♀️ Don't *not* get to know people (have conversations w/ connections)
🙅🏾♀️ Don't follow engagement pods (groups promising to boost engagement) 1/ #CIEP2021
Profile dos.
✅ Get a profile pic and a banner
✅ Beware of long headlines (220 characters = wall of text on mobile screen) 2/ #CIEP2021
@IMcMillan talking to a bunch of googly-eyed language enthusiasts at @The_CIEP's annual conference. Apologies - not possible to live tweet while ROFL-ing. #CIEP2021
'Funny poet here'. Brilliant marketing! 😂
'Do not trip over the feet'. (Making note to pay attention to school straplines before the child is set for reception.)
Fourth and last session of the day: 'Lightning Talks' hosted by Robin Black and @LucyRidout. If it's anything like ones in bygone years, we'll be ROFL-ing on or off Twitter. #CIEP2021
First up Ema Naito, talking on 'The Most Powerful People in the World'. On the power of the English language and how experiences as outsiders can help wield that power *with compassion*. (Emphasis mine; as an English-language editor I use my power sensitively daily.) 1/ #CIEP2021
Second up Joely Taylor, talking on 'Bothersome Backsides and Other Photo Failures: A Brief Intro into Editing Photography'. Consider relevance, appropriateness, accidentally illegal no-photo zones, professional vs happy, captions, copyright, manipulation and more. 2/ #CIEP2021
Third session of the day: 'Authenticity reading: helping writers craft accurate and respectful representation' w/ Crystal Shelley of @redpenrabbit. Am sure there'll be plenty to learn for everyone here. #CIEP2021
I need to give my wrist a rest, so apologies for not tweeting this live. If anyone else is attending and willing to, do wave here. #CIEP2021
The power of representation: empowering or affirming when done well; harmful when poor or nonexistent. Authenticity readers ensure representation of identities (esp. marginalised ones) is done well. #CIEP2021