Help
- Membership: membership@pensite.org
- Newsletter: editor@pensite.org
- Social media: marketing@pensite.org
- Volunteering: volunteers@pensite.org
- Website (including directory and event registration): webmaster@pensite.org
- All other questions: info@pensite.org
Help Contents
Membership
PEN Directory
PENchat
Events and Registration
Membership
How do I know when it’s time to renew my PEN membership?
You will receive a reminder email before your membership expires, but you can find out your renewal date at any time by contacting the PEN member registrar at membership@pensite.org.
How do I renew my membership?
To renew, visit our Renew Your Membership page, fill out the form, and either pay online or mail us your payment by check. (You should see our mailing address after you submit your registration, but you can also view it at any time at the bottom of our Contact page.) You can reach the membership renewal form through the Members Only menu at the top of the site; under Renew Your Membership on the member landing page; or under Renewing Members (Current) at the bottom of the Join PEN page.
How do I get the volunteer rate?
If you volunteer with PEN, such as by helping staff our table at an event or by proofreading for our newsletter, you will qualify for the discounted volunteer membership rate at your next renewal. Simply select the volunteer rate from the drop-down menu if you pay online, or make your check out for the volunteer rate if you pay by mail, and our team will verify your eligibility.
For more information, visit the Volunteer with PEN page or contact our volunteer liaison at volunteers@pensite.org.
Why am I not receiving the member newsletter, PEN announcements, and/or renewal reminders?
Your contact information may be out of date. Fill out the form on the Update Your Profile page to make sure we have your current email address, or contact membership@pensite.org to check what address we have on file for you. Also make sure our messages aren’t getting caught in your spam folder.
Can I use the PEN logo on my website?
Yes! Any member in good standing is welcome to display the Professional Editors Network name and logo as evidence of membership. (You may not, however, use them promotionally or to imply endorsement of your work.) Visit the Downloads and Discounts page to download a high-quality file and find other guidelines for logo use.
PEN Directory
How do I create a directory listing?
If you don’t yet have a listing, click here to create one. You can also select Create a Directory listing from the member landing page.
How do I edit my directory listing?
Visit your listing, or search for it from the main directory page, and click the red Edit button that appears on the righthand side. On your individual listing page, this appears at the top of your listing. In search results, it is at the bottom of your listing. Any changes you save will show up immediately.
You can also permanently delete your listing using the button that appears on your listing page. You will be asked to confirm deletion before it is made permanent.
Can I create more than one listing?
Each member is limited to one listing. If you attempt to create a new listing when you already have one, it will not be approved; you can edit an existing listing by following the instructions above.
What happens to my listing when my membership expires?
When an individual’s membership lapses, their listing is removed from the PEN website.
My membership expired, but I’ve since renewed it. Can my directory listing be restored?
There is a brief delay between listing removal and permanent deletion. If you accidentally let your membership lapse but rejoined right away, contact webmaster@pensite.org to see whether we can restore it for you. If your listing has already been permanently deleted, however, you’ll have to create a new one.
PENchat
Note: The groups.io help center has answers to a lot of technical questions you may have.
What is PENchat?
PENchat is the Professional Editors Network’s members-only discussion group, administered through the groups.io platform. It replaced PENlist, our discussion group until 2019, which was administered through Yahoo Groups.
Do I need to create a groups.io account to use PENchat?
No. By default, PENchat subscribers are set up to receive all PENchat messages by email, and you can use the group exclusively as an email list. To reply to a post from another user by email, just use the Reply function in your inbox. To post a new message, send a new email to PEN@groups.io. (Be sure to use at least one of the hashtags described below in your subject line.)
However, groups.io will automatically create a profile to keep track of your subscription, and you can also view and post messages, change your email preferences, and more through the groups.io website. You can either create your own password for this profile or use the option to request an access link whenever you want to change your settings. (Just visit the site’s login page and click the “Email me a link to log in” button.)
The PENchat groups.io homepage is http://groups.io/g/PEN.
I’m not receiving PENchat messages. What do I do?
If you are subscribed to PENchat but aren’t receiving messages, check your delivery preferences under Subscriptions on groups.io.
If you are not subscribed and want to be, or if you’re subscribed but couldn’t solve your issue with the information above, contact the group moderator at subscriptions@pensite.org.
What are hashtags, and how do I use them?
Hashtags are topic markers preceded by the hashtag, or pound, symbol (#). All messages must include at least one of the group’s official hashtags in the subject line:
- #biz (business topics, including rates, client relations, marketing, finances, business plans, taxes, and more)
- #chat (general conversation, or anything not covered by another hashtag)
- #events (events of interest to PEN members)
- #jobs (share job openings or seek out leads)
- #scams (warn other members about scams or ask whether an inquiry you’ve received is legitimate)
- #tech (anything related to hardware, software, websites, online apps, or other technology)
- #usage (questions and discussion related to style, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and related topics)
Why didn’t my message post to the group?
The most common reasons for a post not going through are not including any hashtags in the subject line, using a hashtag other than those listed above, and attempting to post by email from an address other than the one through which you’re subscribed to PENchat (which is the email address PEN has on file for you). If none of these reasons apply to your message, contact subscriptions@pensite.org for help.
How do I change my PENchat display name and/or photo?
You can edit your groups.io profile by visiting the Identity section under Account on groups.io. This will change what other members see when you post to the group.
Do I need to be subscribed to PENchat to receive the Networking News email newsletter?
No. The newsletter and all event and organization announcements go out directly to PEN members at the email address we have on file for you.
Events and Registration
Do you have in-person events?
Before the pandemic, the majority of our meetings were held in person at library spaces throughout the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro. Since spring 2020, they have been exclusively virtual, held on Zoom. We are exploring options for holding hybrid events once it’s safe to meet in person again to ensure both our members in the Twin Cities and those who live elsewhere can attend.
In addition to our professional development meetings, we hold occasional networking and social events. These have been held both virtually and in person (outdoors) since the start of the pandemic.
I don’t remember whether I’ve registered for an event. How can I check?
Whenever you register for an event, you should receive an automated confirmation email. This email comes from info@pensite.org with a subject line following the format “Registration: [event name] ([event date]).” You can search for this in your inbox to confirm whether you already signed up—please do this before registering again.
If you register more than once, we may delete the duplicate registration, especially if we expect an event to fill up. If you register but don’t receive a confirmation email (it may be in your spam folder), you can always email info@pensite.org to check whether you’re signed up.
I didn’t receive the meeting link!
As noted in the automated confirmation email, you’ll receive the link for an online meeting 1 day in advance unless you register less than 24 hours before the meeting, in which case you’ll receive it no later than 1 hour in advance. If you register for an event and don’t receive the link within that time window, email info@pensite.org ASAP so we can get it to you.
We strongly recommend you double-check you’ve received the link well before the start of any meeting—that way there’s time for you to contact us and us to send it to you before it begins if you can’t find us. If you email us after the event has already started, we don’t always have the capacity to respond as quickly, and even if we do, you’re missing out on the first few minutes of the presentation.
Why does the calendar say the meeting I want to attend is “sold out”?
Our calendar system may display this generic default message when registration has closed, which happens 2 hours before the start of the meeting to allow us time to get everyone the meeting link. If you miss a meeting, you can watch the recording when it’s added to the Meeting Recordings and Resources page.
Will I need to have my camera or microphone on to attend an online meeting?
Most of our online meetings are webinar style, meaning attendees do not have the option to turn on their cameras or microphones but do have the opportunity to ask the presenter(s) question. However, some meetings are designed to be more interactive and allow attendees to appear on camera and/or audio. If this is the case, the meeting description will say so.
Still have questions? Contact the appropriate email as listed at the top of this page.