Sylviane writes the way she speaks. Whether for a report or a branding exercise, an article or a website, she colours the content with flair. Her simple yet evocative style appeals to those who need to read and those who want to read.

She firmly believes that anybody should be able to understand the most technical publication or quickly grasp the content of everyday communications products. Her puzzle-solving approach to substantive, stylistic and plain language editing gets to the heart of the writer’s intent and results in clear, concise, enjoyable text. She regularly contributes to developing national exams that lead to professional certification with the Editors’ Association of Canada, and she is a member of the association’s local professional development committee.

Her experience in the arts, the not-for-profit sector, the private sector, academia and government bring her a wealth of knowledge on subjects as diverse as cardiac research and organic agriculture.

Sylviane’s superior interpersonal skills, attention to detail and professional attitude make her a valuable member of any communications team. She is fluently bilingual and holds a valid SECRET clearance from the Government of Canada.

Adaptations—capturing the essence, meaning and message of a French text to convey its meaning without producing a word-for-word translation into English.

Management—from brainstorming to print through a network of trusted subcontractors.

Parallel reading—making sure nothing gets “lost in translation.”

Stylistic/plain language editing—clarifying meaning, eliminating jargon, polishing language.

Substantive editing—reorganizing text for logic and flow.

Research—in-depth data, raw or polished, on any subject.

Writing—articles, books, branding, brochures, fact sheets, media products, newsletters, reports, PowerPoint decks, speeches, success stories, websites.

Richard Florizone
University of Saskatchewan
(substantive editing of a multi-author chapter of a book on Canada’s isotope crisis)