Online Class: Book Editing 101

In this course will learn everything you need to know about editing a book. From how much of an edit you need to do, the things that need to be edited and even the tools you should have to make your edits successful.

COURSE CLOSED

We're sorry, this course is no longer open for enrollment.
 
  • 15
    Lessons
  • 32
    Exams &
    Assignments
  • 14
    Hours
    average time
  • 1.4
    CEUs
 
 

Course Description

Writers are a unique breed. They spend their lives creating things that were, or never have been, and they hope to make enough money so that they can live comfortably while others read their work.

To be a successful writer, one needs to do many things. According to Stephen King, it comes down to reading a lot and writing a lot. However, there is something else that a writer must do to be successful and that is to edit as well. Too many writers choose not to edit, believing that it is something someone else will do for them; but how can you know your book if you do not go through and edit it as well?

When you edit a book, you learn more about your characters, your plot and how they all mesh together. While you edit you may think of a new plot device that will work better for the book, or you may discover that the book would be better suited in a different genre.

Editing turns a good book into a great book, and all the great writers know the power of editing.

In this course you will learn everything you need to know about editing a book. From how much of an edit you need to do, the things that need to be edited and even the tools you should employ to make your edits successful. In addition, you will learn about what you should do before sending your manuscript away for review to raise the chances of successful publication.

Throughout the lessons, tips and quotes from the immortals of literature will show you that editing and even rejection are all part of the journey when you are a successful writer.

Course Motivation

What Is Editing?

There is no way a book can be released unless it has gone through the editing process. It does not matter if you are Charles Dickens, or if you are writing a book about hammers and screws, editing is an incredibly important part of the writing process. One of the biggest mistakes that new writers make is not editing enough. One of the biggest reasons for this is the fact that many authors want to get their book published and receive their fame and glory of being a published author and editing is too long a process for them. While a book can take three to four months to write, editing can take six months. Editing is about patience, attention to detail, and wanting to achieve perfection with whatever one writes. 

This is what an editor does.

  1. Collect, prepare, and arrange a book for publication.
  2. Revise and correct a manuscript.
  3. Eliminate something from a manuscript.
  4. Add something to the manuscript.  

As we can see here, the act of editing is not just about spelling, changing some grammar, and making sure everything looks good. It is about adding and removing items to help the book. It is about preparing the book and it is about revising everything to make the manuscript ready for print. 

Neither is editing just about knowing how things should read. When you edit, you are using your creative skills to help create a better story. You are using your human relation skills to ensure that your book is ready for publishing through a publisher and you are using your managing skills to oversee your editing process in both small and large detail so that you can be happy with the finished product. 

Types of Editing

There are two types of editing, self-edit and peer edit. The self-edit should be the first edit you do and the last edit you do.  Peer edits should be done in the middle, with self-edits done after each peer edit ... if you have the time. 

  • Self-edit. The self-edit must be done. You cannot write a book without being able to put together a self-edit afterwards. With the self-edit, you are editing after you write the book, after peer edits are done, and before your send the book away for publication. Often self-edits can be difficult because we do not see the errors which we make, while others may. Self-edits are also hard for new writers to do because they may be impatient to be published and do not want to spend the long amount of time on a self-edit that is required.
  • Peer edit. The peer edit is the edit that is done by your friends, family, and editors. With a peer edit, grammar and spelling are not the main focus. Instead, readability, plot points, and clarity are what are focused on the most.  

What Does Editing Encompass?

As we have said, editing is not just about spelling and grammar. It is about making a story readable and that encompasses much more than just spelling and grammar and punctuation corrections. The things that you need to focus on with editing are, 

  • Spelling.
  • Capitalization.
  • Punctuation.
  • Sentence Structure.
  • Grammar.
  • Verb Arrangement.
  • Subject Arrangement.
  • Verb Tense.
  • Word Usage.
  • Minor Plot Point.
  • Readability.  

Conclusion

Editing is what has to be done whenever you write a book. There is no getting around editing and whether the editing is done by you or by someone else, it is of vital importance. No book has ever been published without being edited first (although self published books sometimes skip the editing process....and it shows!).

No publisher will publish without editing and no bestselling author can write a perfect book on the first draft.

All writers edit. Established writers know that editing is the most important process, while new writers feel that editing is something that their editors should do, not them.

Throughout this course, you will learn why it is not only important for you to edit, but how you can make a good book, a great book, through editing.

 

  • Completely Online
  • Self-Paced
  • 6 Months to Complete
  • 24/7 Availability
  • Start Anytime
  • PC & Mac Compatible
  • Android & iOS Friendly
  • Accredited CEUs
Universal Class is an IACET Accredited Provider
 

Course Lessons

Lesson 1. What Is Editing?

While a book can take three to four months to write, editing can take six months. Editing is about patience, attention to detail and wanting to achieve perfection with whatever one writes. 40 Total Points
  • Lesson discussions: Editing; Reasons for Taking this Course
  • Complete: Lesson 1 Assignment
  • Complete Assignment: An Introduction
  • Assessment: Lesson 1: What Is Editing?

Lesson 2. Why Should You Edit?

To the biggest question here, why do you need to edit, it comes right down to the fact that you are a human being. As a human being, you are imperfect. 35 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 2 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 2: Why Should You Edit?

Lesson 3. The Difference Between Light, Medium, and Heavy Edits

Light editing could be summed up in two words 'spell check', because usually when people do light editing all they do is press F7 on the keyboard and let Microsoft Word do the work for them. 35 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 3 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 3: The Difference Between Light, Medium and Heavy Edits

Lesson 4. The Basics of Editing

Editing is basic in many ways and it involves making your story more readable. When people think of editing, they think of spelling and grammar. 35 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 4 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 4: The Basics of Editing

Lesson 5. The Editing Process

In this lesson, we will cover the editing process and will touch on items that will be covered in more depth in later lessons. 34 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 5 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 5: The Editing Process

Lesson 6. What Published Authors Say About Editing and Writing

This lesson is all about taking advice from the great authors. They know how to edit, they know when to edit, and they are going to tell you how. 32 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 6 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 6: What Published Authors Say About Editing and Writing

Lesson 7. What Publishers Want

Each publisher is going to want something different. Some publishers are looking for a clean and crisp manuscript that is free from errors, while others will be more concerned with how the manuscript reads. 35 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 7 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 7: What Publishers Want

Lesson 8. Spell Checking

The spell checker works by comparing words against a dictionary and analyzing the word itself within the sentence. 34 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 8 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 8: Spell Checking

Lesson 9. Stepping Back and Putting the Manuscript Away For a Month

If you talk to any best selling author about editing, the first thing they will tell you is to put the manuscript away once you are done writing it. 35 Total Points
  • Lesson discussions: Stepping Away
  • Complete: Lesson 9 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 9: Stepping Back and Putting the Manuscript Away For a Month

Lesson 10. Common Writing Mistakes Which Editing Fixes

In this lesson, we will go over all the mistakes writers, even the best, make. 34 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 10 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 10: Common Writing Mistakes Editing Fixes

Lesson 11. Find-and-Replace as an Editing Tool

Well, the truth is there is a second great tool that is often overlooked by new writers for editing. It is the find-and-replace function in your word processor and it can make your editing much easier. 34 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 11 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 11: Find-Replace as Editing Tool

Lesson 12. Post-It Notes And Highlighters, The Editors Best Friends

In this lesson, you will learn why post-it notes and highlighters are important parts of your editing process. 35 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 12 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 12: Post-It Notes And Highlighters: The Editors Best Friends

Lesson 13. Why Fresh Eyes Help Your Edit Process

As a writer, you need to be able to give your book to someone else and ask them to read it for you. These people do not need to be editors; in fact it is sometimes best if they are not. 33 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 13 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 13: Why Fresh Eyes Help Your Edit Process

Lesson 14. Copy Editors

A copy editor is a person who works to improve a manuscript by adjusting the formatting, accuracy, and style of the book to make it read better. 35 Total Points
  • Complete: Lesson 14 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 14: Copy Editors

Lesson 15. The Finished Product

Of course, no book on editing would be complete unless your received a few points about how to send a book off properly to maximize your chances of getting published. 75 Total Points
  • Lesson discussions: Submitting Your Work; Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course); Course Comments
  • Complete: Lesson 15 Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 15: The Finished Product
  • Assessment: The Final Exam
561
Total Course Points
 

Learning Outcomes

By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  • Define what is editing.
  • Describe why should you edit.
  • Describe the difference between light, medium, and heavy edits.
  • Describe the basics of editing.
  • Describe the editing process.
  • Describe what published authors say about editing and writing.
  • Summarize what publishers want.
  • Demonstrate spell checking abilities.
  • Determine stepping back and putting the manuscript away for a month.
  • Describe common writing mistakes which editing fixes.
  • Demonstrate find-and-replace as an editing tool.
  • Summarize post-it notes and highlighters to help in the editing process.
  • Describe why fresh eyes help your edit process.
  • Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
 

Student Testimonials

  • "I felt the course was well organized. Instructor was knowledgeable and graded assignments and exams promptly." -- Linda B.
  • "The instructor was great! I always enjoyed receiving feedback from her." -- Nicole N.
  • "Every lesson was helpful. The instructor was a pleasure to work with." -- Cynthia S.