SENSE, Society of English-language professionals in the Netherlands

18/06/2026

Don’t forget to RSVP for the upcoming SENSE book swap!

https://www.sense-online.nl/events/upcoming-events/event/1095

18/06/2026

The rise of AI slop has increased the demand for human creatives. More on this development in: https://copywritercollective.com/ai-slop-human-writers-copywriters-in-demand/

Photo credit: Darius Bashar on Unsplash

17/06/2026

‘Many speakers admit to feeling nervous, even experienced ones, and a healthy dose of adrenaline due to slight anxiety can help you give your best performance. There are, however, also ways to keep your nerves in check and the more you practise public speaking, the easier it gets and the more confident you will become over time.’

To learn Linda Jayne Turner’s tips and tricks, check out this week’s at https://www.sense-online.nl/sense-publications/blog/the-art-of-public-speaking-presenting-in-english-with-confidence

17/06/2026

The Editors Toronto blog has some useful resources on plain language for editors:

by Nicole Watkins Campbell The practice of plain language has been around for quite some time, and anyone who has taken an editing course in the last 30 years has been trained in plain language pri…

16/06/2026

Introducing: 'Let’s chat about…', a new SENSE series inspired by the popular online conversations organized by our sister society MET for their members. Join these informal sessions to chat in small groups about and around a topic.

We’re kicking off by talking about our bookshelves. What do we have on them? Why? Do we still need them?

There’s no cost and no need to register in advance. The Zoom link will be sent to all members on the morning of the event. Do mark your calendar now, though!

16/06/2026

When you're self-employed (and without the income security of full-time employment), it's normal to slide into debt.
However, the idea is to get control of the situation. In this article, you'll learn how to financially empower yourself through managing debt.
More here:

The important question isn’t “Have you ever used debt?” The more useful question is: “Is your current debt manageable, intentional, and moving you toward the life you want?”

15/06/2026

There is still time to sign up for this week’s UniSIG event! Reserve your spot at https://www.sense-online.nl/events/calendar/event/1094

What: UniSIG meeting with Dr Kate McIntyre
When: Friday morning, 19 June, from 10:00 to 11:00.
Where: Online via Zoom

15/06/2026

"Words appear. Sentences assemble themselves with varying degrees of cooperation. Paragraphs occasionally behave. But none of this seems to justify the title—writer." If you identify with this like we do, read on:

"Sentences assemble themselves with varying degrees of cooperation."

15/06/2026

Acclaimed author and translator Anton Hur writes about his experiences with the Mythical English Reader for Literary Hub: "Over the years, I would constantly be nudged or told outright to write like “the English reader,” to think like “the English reader,” to like the things he likes and disdain the things he disdains, to make the world comfortable for him, my sentences and content easier for him. And soon, this constant presence of outside voices seeped into my inside voice until I found myself automatically trying to fit into the Mythical English Reader’s ideas of what my work should look like."

But who is the Mythical English Reader? Hur has some answers:

When I started my career as a professional literary translator, I began coming up against a mysterious “English reader” whom academics and editors kept referring to when they looked over my work, l…

11/06/2026

Enjoy the summer season by joining ITI for EX:CHANGE 2026.

‘EX:CHANGE 2026 is a new kind of professional gathering for translators, interpreters and language service providers. Built around participation rather than presentation, the event will create space for active dialogue, shared problem-solving and meaningful professional connection.’

Join translators, interpreters and language service providers for two days of meaningful discussion. Small-group conversations on client engagement, entrepreneurship and ethical practice. Your profession. Your voice. Your future.