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Courses >
Writing & Publishing > The Keys to Effective Editing
 Ask
any published writer and you will hear that a good editor is not just
helpful, but essential. If you aspire to be an editor, this course will
teach you the fundamentals of top-notch editing for both fiction and
nonfiction. If you're already working as an editor, you'll not only
brush up on your skills, but will also learn about recent advances in
your chosen profession. If you're a writer, you will learn essential
self-editing tools to give your manuscripts the professional look that
publishers like to see.
From the language of editing to
grammar, punctuation, and syntax to the all-important relationships
between editor, author, and publisher, every facet of editing will be
explored. Online editing is gaining popularity; its complexities will
be unraveled and its advantages and pitfalls explored. Can you make a
living as an editor? Tips and resources for finding work will be
addressed at length. When you finish with this course, you will feel
confident enough to tackle even the most complex of manuscripts.
Recommended Courses:
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Achieving Success with Difficult People
Syllabus:
All
courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two
lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course.
You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must
complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
A new
section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each
month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure
to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
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Week One |
| Wednesday - Lesson 01 |
Have
you ever wondered just what editors do with writers’ manuscripts? In
this first lesson, you’ll find out. You’ll learn about the different
types of editors—copyeditors, acquisition editors, developmental
editors, production editors, and more—and exactly what their jobs
entail. Because this course focuses on copyeditors, you’ll explore the
three levels of copyediting: light, medium, and heavy. Finally, you’ll
be introduced to five immutable laws of editing designed to make your
job as a writer or an editor much easier.
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| Friday - Lesson 02 |
If
you’ve ever seen a page marked up by an editor, you probably wondered
what all those funny-looking marks and symbols meant. In today’s
lesson, the mystery will be revealed. All the marks will be displayed
and defined, and you’ll learn to use them as a sort of shorthand to fix
errors. At the end of the lesson, you’ll have the opportunity to
practice using your newly learned copyeditors’ marks in an entertaining
exercise.
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Week Two |
| Wednesday - Lesson 03 |
Today,
you’ll be given some invaluable tools for increasing awareness of
detail while you’re writing or editing. You’ll learn the theory behind
these tools and how to use them to help you with accuracy and
consistency. Then we’ll shift gears and delve into the intricacies of
fiction writing and editing. You’ll take a close-up look at fiction
writing devices such as narration, exposition, dialogue, and point of
view, and how each can be effectively incorporated into a manuscript.
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| Friday - Lesson 04 |
Grammar
and punctuation are two subjects that usually evoke a big “Ugh!”
Today’s lesson is a review of the basics of English grammar and
punctuation, but the ugh-factor is conspicuously absent. You’ll revisit
all those principles you learned in school, but in a light-hearted
manner guaranteed to ease the pain. Proper grammar and punctuation are
the hallmarks of good writing and editing, and you’ll be glad you had
the chance to bring your knowledge up to date.
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Week Three |
| Wednesday - Lesson 05 |
Today’s
lesson will take you into the world of spelling, capitalization, and
numbers. Most people are surprised to learn that there are actually
rules governing how words are spelled and capitalized, and whether
numbers should be spelled out or in digit form. You’ll learn not only
the rules but also the exceptions. The benefit of knowing all the
variations is that you’ll create consistency in your work, and your
writing/editing will shine.
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| Friday - Lesson 06 |
This
lesson explores all the writing pitfalls that can leave readers in a
state of confusion. You’ll learn to recognize and fix mixed metaphors,
garbled syntax, nominals, redundancies, and much more. You’ll also
learn how to untangle overly wordy sentences, how to eliminate sexism,
and how to create parallel structure. One of your goals as an editor or
a writer is to produce clarity. This lesson will put you firmly on the
path to achieving that goal.
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Week Four |
| Wednesday - Lesson 07 |
When
is it appropriate to use an abbreviation? When should you hyphenate
words? Most people have a general knowledge of abbreviations and
hyphens, but when it comes time to actually use them, they haven’t a
clue. Today, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of the rules that guide
their use. Then you’ll look closely at a less-glamorous but critical
part of a manuscript: bibliographies, footnotes, citations, and
endnotes. Editors and writers need to know how to properly reference
quoted material within a manuscript, and the simple guidelines in
today’s lesson will make the process easy.
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| Friday - Lesson 08 |
The
relationship between an author and an editor is tricky at best. Throw a
publisher into the works, and you have the potential for a powder keg
of emotions. Today’s lesson shows you how to keep life harmonious
within the author-editor-publisher relationship. Writers will be able
to see things from the editor’s perspective, and editors will learn how
it feels to be in the author’s shoes. Both of you will gain insight as
well as a good brush-up of your people skills.
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Week Five |
| Wednesday - Lesson 09 |
Today,
you will learn about a different way to edit, which has become the norm
rather than the exception. Editing manuscripts on-screen is the wave of
the present, and in this lesson, you’ll explore the intricacies of
making edits electronically, thereby eliminating the physical
manuscript. You’ll then learn about copyright law, permissions, and
fair use, all of which are essential for both editors and writers to
become familiar with.
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| Friday - Lesson 10 |
Manuscripts
have many parts beyond just the text. In this lesson, you’ll learn how
to edit such peripheral material as tables, charts, and artwork. If
you’ve ever seen a caption that didn’t fit the photo it was describing,
you’ll understand the need for this extra scrutiny. Next you’ll learn
all about the components of a book that come before and after the text,
namely, the front and back matter. You’ll learn the function of parts
such as the foreword, the table of contents, the index, and many more.
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Week Six |
| Wednesday - Lesson 11 |
After
five weeks of absorbing the technical elements of editing, it’s time to
have some fun. Today, you’ll take a close look at the intricacies,
inconsistencies, and irregularities in the English language. These are
the things that defy classification but still are important to know.
You’ll learn about oddball words and phrases, the do’s and don’ts of
usage, and the many ways in which language is like a puzzle that’s
never finished.
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| Friday - Lesson 12 |
This
might be the most important lesson of all. Today, you will learn how to
find work as an editor. Whether you’re interested in a staff position
or want to begin a freelance career, all the help and advice you’ll
need is in this lesson. You’ll also learn some basic business practices
that will make your life as an editor easy.
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This
course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide
you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your
questions. The instructor for this course will be Jacquelyn Landis.
 Jacquelyn
Landis holds a bachelor's degree and has worked as a nonfiction editor
for over 15 years. Her editing repertoire includes books, articles, and
business manuals written by best-selling authors such as Eva Shaw,
George Carpozi, Anthony Robbins, Ken Druck, and Tom Blair. She has been
a speaker in the UCSD Extension program and has participated in writing
panels at the University of San Diego. Jacquelyn is also the author of
numerous published books and magazine articles.
Requirements:
Internet
access, e-mail, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox
Web browser. Although this course will teach English grammar,
punctuation, and style, you must be fluent in English and have a
better-than-average spelling ability.
Student Reviews:
"A great course, full of information."
"As an aspiring writer and editor, I felt this course was
extremely helpful. I now have the tools and the confidence to
jump-start my career. Thanks, Jackie, for your amusing anecdotes and
excellent instruction."
"Every aspiring writer should take this course. It was helpful on many levels. I have recommended it to other writer friends."
"Excellent and practical course with an interesting
presentation of the material. I would definitely recommend this course
to others."
"Excellent class, excellent teacher. I learned a lot."
"Excellent course/excellent instructor! I've learned so much, and I've enjoyed every lesson."
"Excellent course! I was very impressed by instructor's
knowledge and her ability to convey this information to students. I
feel this course has prepared me as a trained professional. Thank you!"
"Hello. I've loved this course. It is the first time I've
taken a class since the '70's. I took a chance taking it right now
because I'm going through chemo-therapy, but my daughter paid for it as
a birthday present so I was anxious to go on ahead with it. I did have
to drop out for a while, and haven't been able to dedicate the time to
it that I would have liked, but I did put the supplemental materials on
my desktop and will look at them when I can. I don't know if I will
ever get good enough to get paid to edit, but I work in a church office
doing many aspects of editing and have gained valuable experience from
your class. For that I am very grateful. My work history is primarily
in the electronics industry. I never pictured myself in an office
atmosphere, but I am feeling more confident. Thank you!"
"I absolutely adored this class. I wish there were a part two."
"I am in the executive secretary/admin assistant support
field. This class has broadened my knowledge in several areas. Things I
should have learned in my youth has just registered with me. I have
more confidence in my abilities and Ms. Landis has taught me how to
access tools for growth and research in the writing field. I will
always remember this class and the doors it has opened for me."
"I enjoyed this class and learned many valuable facts, tips
and timesavers that will continue to assist me in my personal and
professional lives."
"I enjoyed this course so much. I will use what I learned
all the time at work (and will enjoy having expert backup for my
decisions). The instructor was prompt and thorough in replying in the
discussion area. Her patience and sense of humor were greatly
appreciated."
"I enjoyed this course. The instructor's writing style was
clear and interesting. I feel that I have learned more about the world
of editing and that I have gained confidence in my abilities to
proofread and edit at work."
"I enjoyed this course very much. The instructor was scrupulous about responding to questions in the discussion area."
"I enjoy online classes, I do quite well in them. To be a
cyber student takes a certain amount of self-discipline. The course
material for this class is perfect for the internet learning
environment. I got a lot out of it - and a very good base of reference
material for future use."
"I found this course very useful because it was easy to incorporate what I learned into my daily projects and responsibilities."
"I had no idea an online course could be so informative,
helpful and encouraging. Must be the person teaching it. Best of all,
I'm really anxious to learn more and pursue something I never thought
would interest me so much."
"I haven't taken any online classes before, and I found this
to be a very agreeable experience. I learned more than I had
anticipated from this type of format. The instructor was excellent --
obviously very knowledgeable, and I enjoyed her sense of humor."
"I learned rules and information of which I was unaware. I
am excited about the possibilities this course has opened up for me.
Thank you."
"I learned so much from this course. The instructor made the
entire learning process enjoyable and fun. She has a genuine gift in
presenting interesting coursework and knows how to effectively lessen a
student's fear. Teaching is a gift of which she possesses."
"I loved the course. It added to my knowledge and about editing. The instructor's enthusiasm was contagious."
"I really enjoyed the course. I looked forward to each lesson and enjoyed the teacher's style."
"I really enjoyed this course ! Thank you for making it so interesting."
"I really found this class to be useful. The style sheet
will prove invaulable to me as a writer. I am writing better than
before and hope this will increase my chances of being published. I
have really enjoyed this class."
"I thoroughly enjoyed this course! I learned so much...I look forward to putting my new editing skills to use. Thank you!"
"I thoroughly enjoyed this course. In addition to learning a
lot, I found it interesting and fun. I especially appreciated the tips
on finding work in this field - very practical and helpful. Thanks! I
highly recommend this course and instructor."
"I thoroughly enjoyed this course. The instructor's
responses were prompt and helpful. It was a wonderful experience and
I've used the info in my current work. Thanks so much."
"I've learned more useful material (in regard to all aspects
of my chosen career) in one online course than I did through all four
years of college. Thanks Jackie!"
"I've very much enjoyed this class. Jackie Landis has a very
instructive set of lessons, a good order of presentation which kept me
interested and learning, and a great way of handling students' fears
and questions. The course was exactly what it was advertised as and
what I hoped it would be: - taught fundamentals of editing - helped me
to feel confident to tackle complex editing jobs."
"Jackie did an outstanding job conveying a lot of detailed
information in a very clear, concise, and understandable manner and
format. I truly enjoyed every lesson. The supplementary material cited
was also outstanding. I'd love to take another course with her and
through ed2go."
"Jackie is a great intructor and makes learning fun. The
subject matter is geared to prospective editors, but is also very
useful to writers. Thanks for the class!"
"Jackie is a terrific instructor. The material was
well-written and well-organized. I know that I will be able to apply
many of the things I learned in the course to my job as a grantwriter.
Thank you."
"Jackie was wonderful and extremely patient. I would
recommend this course, or any others she may teach, to anyone
interested. You have a winner and a gem!"
"Jacquelyn Landis is an excellent teacher! I loved the course and learned an amazing amount in a short time!"
"Ms. Jacqueline Landis is a fine instructor, and this is an excellent class."
"Ms. Landis is intelligent, knowledgeable, and witty. She
shared her expertise with the class and I enjoyed the course very much.
I would like to take an advanced class in editing with her in the
future."
"Ms. Landis, you're an inspiration."
"Of all things...I would say that your writing style and
interaction with your students were your best qualities. My wife,
taking another online course, was quite jealous of me. She was often
called from the living room to the computer room to read a particularly
funny sentence or example. I enjoyed every chapter of every lesson and
found them to be rewarding and stimulating."
"Really enjoyed this class."
"Thanks Jackie! I thoroughly enjoyed the course, and learned some really useful skills."
"The course was of good value."
"The course was organized and presented well, and it's
convinced me that pursuing a career in this area would be a good fit
with my skills and interests. The instructor did a good job of
communicating in what can be an impersonal medium."
"The feature of this course that I most appreciated was its
practicality. The additional resources were also excellent and I
enjoyed the instructor's sense of humor. Good job! (exclamation point
appropriate) One reason I like the idea of online learning (this is my
first course) is because I can participate only in the discussion I'm
interested in and don't have to take the time to listen to questions I
don't care about."
"The number of years since I have had a course like this is
too long to count, so I'm really glad to have had the opportunity to
take this course. Ms. Landis was forthright and honest about the
profession of copyediting. Excellent course."
"The on-line editing class was excellent course, and I would recommend the class to all. Nice Job."
"There is so much to be learned about editing. Jackie did a
terrific job covering the material. This was a wonderful investment of
my time."
"This class was a tremendous value in terms of the content
provided and for the dollar cost. I would have paid literally hundreds
more to take this type of class in a classroom setting. The instructor
seemed expert in this subject and the course materials provided a
wealth of information. The quizzes and assignments were challenging and
skillfully worded. Some of the questions really made me stretch my
brain to find the correct rule. Also, the materials can be used in the
real world afterwards and provide excellent references. I wish there
were a Keys to Effective Editing II class! Excellent. Thanks."
"This class was great. I liked the way it was useful to both
aspiring editors and to writers. I was a bit nervous taking a class
after so many years out of school, but Jacquelyn Landis made it both
fun and informative. I was comfortable after the first lesson and I
feel that I really learned a lot."
"This class was outstanding, one of the best online courses
that I have taken. The lessons were easy to read and the assignments
were relevant and interesting. It was actually fun and I enjoyed the
learning process. It was practical, informative and the instructor was
absolutely fabulous."
"This class was well worth my time. I printed out all the
lessons and quizzes and put them in a 3-ring binder to use as a
reference tool. Jacquelyn Landis has a rare combination of technical
expertise and gracious style that allows her to be highly effective in
teaching the intracacies of the English language. This course should be
mandatory for all high school freshmen."
"This course is definitely an asset to your curriculum. I hope you will add more of a similar nature."
"This course met my needs perfectly. I have been a freelance
editor of transcripts for court reporters for the last 11 years and was
interested in other fields of editing for the future. I felt this
course gave me a thorough knowledge of how to break into this field and
offered me some new directions to take with a job I enjoy so much.
Also, the freedom to work on the course at my own pace was the only way
I could have taken it with my current business and being an at-home mom
of two boys. Thank you so much, Denise Taylor"
"This course was excellent. I would take another course (part 2 or advanced) if offered."
"This is a great class. Anyone would benefit from the class. For future editors, this class is a must!"
"This is the first course I have ever tried from online. The
content was done professionally and I will be back for more courses. I
learned more then I expected and was very pleased with the way this
course was prepared."
"This is the first internet course I have taken. I enjoyed
it immensely. The material covered a wide area and I am now very aware
of my limitations. I have a lot to learn. I was very comfortable with
the content of the course and the good natured and upbeat way the
instructor dealt with students' questions in the discussion area. She
creates a very positive image. I would have liked an indication of the
date each lesson was released. My work schedule is very heavy at the
moment and it would have been a real aid to my time management."
"This is the third online class I have taken and it is by
far and away the best. The instructor answered everyone's questions
promptly and maintained her wonderful style and sense of humor
throughout. I highly recommend this course to any- and everyone!"
"This was a great course! I learned much more from this
course than I had expected to. I would highly recommend it to anyone
else. If Jackie offers another course, either a sequel to this one or
something related, I would definitely take it."
"This was an excellent class, the best I have taken so far.
The instructor's knowledge and expertise were apparent from the first
lesson. Her attitude with the student's questions was always
encouraging."
"This was my first experience with an online course and it
exceeded my expectations. The content was equal to what I would expect
from a regular college course and was exactly what I needed. The
instructor was very knowledgeable and experienced in her field. I am
now recommending online courses to everyone I know."
"This was my first online class and it went well. I would
advise other students to take their time in doing the lessons;
following through with the assignments definitely helps. Don't be
afraid to ask questions."
"This was my first online course. I was impressed with how well organized and easy to follow it was."
"Wonderful class. What I learned will be extremely useful to me in my writing."
"Wonderful course. I learned a lot. I had never thought of
looking for part-time work as an editor before, but may do so as a
result of Jackie's suggestions and encouragement. Thanks, Jackie, for a
terrific class."
"Wonderful course, wonderful teacher."
"You are a very good writer, from the point of view of
explaining information. I can't just your creativity, but technical
documents could use people like you. Thanks for your time. - Helen"
To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
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