Turn your love of books into a rewarding part-time or full-time career as a freelance book editor.
Who is this course for?
- Aspiring Book Editors who want to succeed as Freelance Trade Book Editors.
What you’ll learn
- Understand the World of Freelance Book Editing (and the 7 Editorial Roles).
- Take a Book Editor Profile Quiz – learn which role(s) are best for you.
- The Business of Freelance Book Editing: How to Set Up Your Home Office.
- Watch an Over-the-Shoulder Video Demo of Line Editing vs. Copyediting.
- Acquire samples of many different kinds of editing done on actual manuscripts.
About the course
Turn your love of books into a rewarding part-time or full-time career as a freelance book editor. Nearly 2 million books were self-published in 2018 – and that doesn’t include books that were published traditionally.
With more books than ever being published, editorial services are in demand. Thousands of titles appear on real and virtual bookshelves every day: thrillers, fantasy, romance, science fiction, memoirs, nonfiction about health and wellness… you name it.
Whether you want to edit books all day every day, or you prefer…
Turn your love of books into a rewarding part-time or full-time career as a freelance book editor. Nearly 2 million books were self-published in 2018 – and that doesn’t include books that were published traditionally.
With more books than ever being published, editorial services are in demand. Thousands of titles appear on real and virtual bookshelves every day: thrillers, fantasy, romance, science fiction, memoirs, nonfiction about health and wellness… you name it.
Whether you want to edit books all day every day, or you prefer to work only on the weekend while you keep your main job or just work part-time, freelance book editing is a smart career move.
Here’s what you get in Freelance Book Editing 101:
- Go at your own pace from home with an Internet connection.
- 9 lessons
- 15 videos (9 slide presentations with voiceovers, 5 direct-to-camera with Susannah and Nancy, 1 over-the-shoulder editing demonstration)
- Moderated forum on Slack
- 6 examples of different kinds of editing
- An over-the-shoulder editing demonstration of line vs. copyediting
- Book Editor Profile Quiz – learn what kind of editor(s) you are
- Ebook: Begin Your Editing Journey: A Guide to the Best Resources for Aspiring Freelance Book Editors
- Roadmap to Editing Success
- Course quiz
- Course Completion Certificate
By the end of this class, whether you are new to the field, or you have worked in other kinds of editing, you will have the foundational knowledge you need to choose which of the 7 editorial roles are best for you.
You will know exactly how to start working toward your freelancing goals, and you’ll have insider tips on how to succeed in today’s marketplace as a freelance book editor.
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Course Content
5-10 Hours
Lesson Name & What’s Included
Module 1: Discover the World of Freelance Book Editing
3 lessons, 2 hours
Lesson 1.1: What Do Book Editors Do?
What Do Book Editors Do? This lesson answers the question, What do book editors do? This might seem pretty straightforward, but it’s actually a little complicated, particularly when it comes to freelancing.
Lesson 1.2: The World of Publishing
The World of Publishing. We’re including an overview of publishing because you need to know how publishing works, and what challenges and opportunities it faces today, in order to help your clients navigate the publishing world.
Lesson 1.3: Introduction to the 7 Editorial Roles
Introduction to the 7 Editorial Roles. In this lesson, you will learn about freelance book editor roles and how they vary widely.
Module 2: Explore Your Place in Freelance Book Editing
3 lessons, 2 hours
Lesson 2.1: Your Editor Profile (includes Book Editor Profile Quiz)
Your Editor Profile. The first lesson in Module 2 is all about Your Editor Profile: Bookworm, Teacher, Grammar Guru, and Detail Lover. What each entails.
Lesson 2.2: Editorial Roles for the Content Edit
Editorial Roles for Content Editing. The Content Edit is at the early phase of the editorial process and deals with big-picture items like structure and plot. Learn about the 4 content editing roles: Book Coach, Beta Reader, MS Evaluator, and Developmental Editor, each with distinct definitions, tasks, rewards, and challenges.
Lesson 2.3: Editorial Roles for the Language Edit
Editorial Roles for Language Editing. The Language Edit is concerned with the actual words of the manuscript, rather than the concept or story. Learn about the 3 language editing roles: Line Editor, Copyeditor, and Proofreader, each with distinct definitions, tasks, rewards, and challenges.
Module 3: Envision Your Life as a Freelance Book Editor
3 lessons, 2 hours
Lesson 3.1: The Freelance Lifestyle
The Freelance Lifestyle. We're including lifestyle in this class because we think it's a big part of the decision to become a freelancer. By “lifestyle,” we mean your daily life when you're self-employed - for example, how much you work, what time of the day you work, where you work, who you work for, and what you do.
Lesson 3.2: All About the Money
All About the Money. In this lesson, we'll cover how much you can earn and what kinds of expenses and money management you'll need to know about in your freelance book editing business.
Lesson 3.3: The Business of Freelance Book Editing
The Business of Freelance Book Editing. We'll cover how to get started, the main considerations when starting a freelance business, how to tackle the technology question, and marketing.
Module 4: Editing in Action—Sample Materials/Live Demo
2 hours
Over-the-Shoulder Video Demonstration of Line Editing vs. Copyediting
Sample: Book Coaching Letter
Sample: Developmental Edit, Editorial Letter, Self-Help
Sample: Developmental Edit, Editorial Letter, Fiction
Sample: Line Edit, Memoir
Sample: Copyedit, Fiction
Sample: Proofread, Fiction
Roadmap to Editing Success
Test Your Knowledge of Freelance Book Editing (graded course quiz)
Sign Up for Your Next Class
Certificate of Completion
Instructor
Susannah Noel & Nancy Marriott
Since the mid-1990s, Susannah Noel and Nancy Marriott have enjoyed successful careers editing fiction, nonfiction, genre titles, self-help, and everything in between. Susannah specializes inline editing, copyediting, and proofreading for fiction, and Nancy’s expertise is in book coaching, developmental editing, and line editing for nonfiction. Both have worked with major New York publishers, small presses, and self-published authors, and Nancy also teaches editing courses through the Editorial Freelancers Association.
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