On J-Source, Katie Toth looks at gender pronouns: is “they” replacing “he/she”? My reaction upon reading the headline was “I hope not” – but then I’d never considered this in the context of gender identity, which Toth thoughtfully does.

The International Freelancers Academy has tips for staffers thinking of going solo—or anyone who wants to build a backup plan. Writer Ed Gandia focuses on copywriting, but the advice applies to other freelance work.

Freelance Switch has “12 Important Questions to Ask as a Freelance Subcontractor” before you partner up with other creative types.

Copy editors weed out “echoes” – repetitions of words in the same sentence or paragraph, or even within a column, page or story if they really stick out (the exceptions are those that slide by unnoticed, such as “the” and “says”). Carol Saller reflects on the subject for Lingua Franca.

Save the date for one of my favourite events of the year: The Word on the Street National Book & Magazine Festival is on Sept. 23 in Toronto. There will be no Canadian Magazines tent this year, but lots of offerings for writers at the Scribendi.com Wordshop Marquee tent, including a session about e-books. Visit the website for Vancouver, Lethbridge, Saskatoon, Kitchener and Halifax events.