Become a Professional Editor or Proofreader!
Good editors are always in demand, and with greater access to the
internet, today's editors can often work from anywhere in the
world.
Editors do more than add commas and correct spelling mistakes. They work to improve readability, clarify messaging, and create better material, from white papers and
pitch decks to novels and textbooks.
The best editors:
- are good communicators
- love language
- enjoy polishing and revising existing work
- are detail-oriented
This course provides a solid foundation for working as a freelance editor or proofreader. You will learn:
- to identify different types of errors and areas for improvement
- the basics of manuscript assessment
- how to revise and polish existing copy to a high standard
What Our Students are saying about this course:
"[Marked
work] comes back quickly and the comments are helpful and detailed if
necessary. The course is very valuable, as it makes me more accustomed
to communicating electronically, which is how everything is done these
days. I’m really enjoying this course. I have a really unpredictable
schedule, so I never really took to other avenues of study. With this
course I can take my time and absorb the material at my own pace. I
think it’s clever and practical. I haven’t had this much fun studying in
years." Michelle de Klerk, Australia - Editing & Proofreading course.
"It took me a while but in the end it was a very useful course for my work. I would like to really thank my tutor for all her feedback which improved my proofreading skills. You will see the results in our 2011 catalogue." Premo Jackniacki, Australia
"With regard to my tutors, I thought they were excellent and gave me great support." Marlies
Lesson Structure
There are 8 lessons in this course:
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Introduction to Editing
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The role and scope of editing
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Tools for editing
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Editing skills
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The production process
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An overview; who does what in publishing
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The Mechanics of Clear Writing
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Spelling
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Punctuation
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Grammar
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Language
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Style
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Tense
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Assessing Manuscripts
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Readability
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Word length
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Structure
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Consistencies and inaccuracies
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The reader’s report
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Substantive editing
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The author’s responsibilities
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The author/editor relationship
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Copy Editing I
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What the copy editor does
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The procedure
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House style
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Style sheets
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Copy Editing II
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Marking up
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Parts of a publication
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Editing non-text material
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Illustration.
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Preparing Copy for Printing
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Type design
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Page layout
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Proof stages
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Proof Reading
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The Final Stages
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Indexes
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Blurbs
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Checking final proofs
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
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To gain an understanding of the role and scope of editing.
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Explain the importance of clear, effective writing, throughout all stages of the publishing process.
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Describe the procedure of manuscript assessment.
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Describe the procedures used by copy editors.
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Explain procedures used to prepare copy for printing.
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Describe the checks and procedures used in the final stages of preparing and printing publications.
What You Will Do
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Create a set of resource files
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Learn to tighten text and improve clarity
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Edit and rewrite existing texts to hone your skills
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Use proofreading marks for corrections and layout details
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Assess manuscripts and write a reader's report
THE ROLE AND SCOPE OF EDITING
It is the editor’s role to improve the quality of the writing, whether it is their own or another person's work.
The scope of editing ranges from self-editing (where the writer examines their own writing and improves it as best they can) to professional editing (where an expert is employed by a publishing company to improve the quality of a piece of writing prior to publication).
There are many other facets of commercial publishing that require the skills of professional editors. These include:
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Commissioning publications
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Reviewing manuscripts
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Overseeing manuscripts through the production process
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Liaising with writers, publishers, printers and agents
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Writing blurbs, captions and press releases
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Researching and organising pictures
In smaller organisations, the editor may also be responsible for the design and publication of documents, newsletters, reports, magazines and books using desktop publishing software and equipment.
Editing involves several stages, all of which will be examined in detail during this course. In summary, they are:
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Reviewing the manuscript
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Structural (substantive) editing
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Copy editing
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Proof reading
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Checking proofs
What should you expect during this course?
Working through this course involves:
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Reading study materials and additional materials
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Interacting with tutors who themselves are qualified and experienced professionals
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Undertaking a variety of practical tasks
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Answering and submitting assignment questions
Example of Reading from the Course:
Style Errors - Below are errors in style due to inappropriate or poor choices of language which can lead to boring, imprecise and inaccurate writing. In some situations, they may be relevant and suitable, but they are usually best avoided:
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Clichés – over-used phrases e.g. bed of roses
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Vogue words and trendy expressions - e.g. proactive, meaningful dialogue, flavour of the month
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Colloquialisms in formal writing
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Parochialisms in documents intended for a wide audience
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Jargon in documents intended for a general audience
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Euphemisms - e.g. pass away, upwardly mobile
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Overstatements - e.g. fabulous, incredible, fantastic, amazing
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Archaic words - e.g. herewith, thereby, hereinafter
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Sexist terms - e.g. man made, nurseryman, waitress
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Tautologies - e.g. totally unique, completely empty
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Unnecessary use of foreign words and phrases
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Ambiguity
Who can benefit from taking this course?
Freelance writers seeking to offer editorial services to their existing clients, or bring in new business.
In house agency designers or writers across a variety of B2B and B2C companies. Improving readability scoring and general grammar and punctuation helps staff create better material, from white papers and pitch decks to client-side briefs and press releases.
Existing editors wanting to improve their skill set or upskill from proofreading and line edits to copy and style editing.
Students at a secondary or tertiary level wanting to improve their writing and editing to achieve better grades.
Any writer looking to improve their work.
At the end of this course you will:
- Understand how to identify different types of errors and areas for improvement
- Understand the different types of editing, with a focus on copyediting and creating stylesheets
- Understand how to properly assess manuscripts, whether for yourself or a client
- Know how to revise and polish existing copy to a high standard
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