May 5, 2010 - Douglas College grad wins national editing scholarship
A passion for
punctuation and wizardry with words has helped a Douglas College graduate land a
new national scholarship.
Helen Clay, a 2010 graduate of the Print Futures: Professional Writing
program at Douglas College, is the recipient of the Editors' Association of
Canada's (EAC) inaugural Claudette Upton Scholarship. The $1,000 prize supports
continuing professional development in editing.
"Writing and editing is
something I've enjoyed doing ever since I was wee," said Clay. "I love words and
language and a well-punctuated sentence. There's a wit and elegance in good
writing and a well-written piece can convey much more than just what the words
are saying."
The U.K.-born New Westminster resident credits the Print
Futures program with honing her passion for writing and language and giving her
a leg up in the world of professional writing.
"The program is very
hands-on and professional. They teach a very broad range of skills, from
technical writing, to web writing to design and page layout, and get you used to
meeting deadlines," said Clay. "The best thing about the program is the sense of
community you get in class and with the great network of writing professionals
out there who are also graduates of the program. There's no question that being
a Print Futures graduate opens doors."
Maureen Nicholson, Print Futures
Program Coordinator, is a past president of the EAC and a personal friend of
Claudette Reed Upton-Keeley, the writer and editor for whom the scholarship is
named and who passed away in 2008.
"I think Claudette would have been
pleased to have someone as passionate about writing as Helen receive this
award," said Nicholson. "Helen is very committed to being an editor and she's
very active in the local branch of the EAC. It's a great honour for her and it
bodes well for her future as an editor."
For Clay, whose background
includes work in biochemistry, risk analysis and environmental management, the
scholarship is an auspicious start for her new career as a
wordsmith.
"When I came into the program, I knew editing was my strong
point, but I was still a little surprised by the award," Clay said. "I used to
think you couldn't make any money as a writer, but I've learned there are a ton
of ways to make a living out of words."
Clay plans on keeping her hand
in the game this summer with a number of projects.
"The program is
intense and I didn't want to jump straight into a full-time job. I plan to take
on some freelance writing, do some research for a historical fiction novel and
develop my web site a bit. I also have a couple of book editing projects on the
table, so I will definitely be using my editing skills right out the
door."
Clay will collect her award at the EAC's annual conference in
Montreal on May 29.
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