Q&As about AQs: Things to think about when raising and phrasing author queries
Q&As about AQs: Things to think about when raising and phrasing author queries
Join PEG for a webinar about raising effective author queries and comments as part of an editing task.
Date: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Time: 18:00–20:00 (Central African Time: GMT +02:00)
Presenter: Linda Pretorius
Platform: Online (Zoom meeting)
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisites/foundational knowledge: Participants should ideally already be familiar and comfortable with the basic craft of copy-editing.
CPD hours: PEG members will earn CPD hours according to the criteria published on the PEG website. Attendees of the live presentation will receive a certificate confirming their attendance and the duration of the webinar. Those who are unable to attend the webinar live may submit their receipt as proof of having received the recording.
Pre-webinar materials:
No pre-work will be necessary, but in-session exercises will be distributed ahead of the webinar.
About the webinar
A copy-editor is like an author’s safety net. Not only does the editor catch language errors and style gremlins, but they also to help make a piece of writing clear and easy to navigate – while respecting the author’s style, voice and intent. In this webinar, participants will discover how to use queries and comments to build a respectful rapport with an author, and ensure effective and definitive action. The webinar will include ample illustrative examples, short in-session exercises and opportunities for shared learning during discussions.
About our facilitator
Linda Pretorius holds a PhD in Biosystems from the University of Pretoria. She loves both science and working with words. In her career as a science writer, editor and proofreader she has found the best of both worlds.
Linda entered the world of editing in 2008, first as a freelancer and then working in-house as managing editor at a large educational publisher for eight years. In 2019, she decided to take the plunge and return to the freelance world. Linda works across various scientific and technical fields and interacts with authors with different levels of experience, writing styles and language levels – which keeps her on her toes when having to write author queries.
Cost
| Affiliation | Early-bird registration fee1 | Full registration fee2 |
|---|---|---|
| PEG members | R295 | R380 |
| Members of affiliated organisations3 | R400 | R500 |
| Non-affiliated members | R500 | R600 |
1Early-bird registration fee: Before or on Thursday, 13 November 2025
2Between Friday, 14 November and Tuesday, 18 November 2025
3Professional Journalists’ Association of South Africa (ProJourn), Southern African Freelancers’ Association (SAFREA), South African Science Journalists’ Association (SASJA), the South African Translators’ Institute (SATI), Publishers’ Association of South Africa (PASA), Society of English-language professionals in the Netherlands (SENSE), Institute of Professional Editors Limited (IPEd), Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and Nordic Editors and Translators (NEaT).
Take advantage of the early-bird special: save money and secure your spot at this webinar series by registering early!
Please register by completing and emailing the registration form to the webinar administrator.
Deadline for registrations: Tuesday, 18 November 2025