Developmental Editing for Fiction
When?
Six Tuesday sessions:
February 27, 2024, 6:30–8:30pm ET
March 5, 2024, 6:30–8:30pm ET
March 12, 2024, 6:30–8:30pm ET
March 19, 2024, 6:30–8:30pm ET
March 26, 2024, 6:30–8:30pm ET
April 2, 2024, 6:30–8:30pm ET
Where?
Remotely (by Zoom)
How much?
USD $499
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Designed for anyone who wants to learn the essentials of developmental editing for fiction or who wants a comprehensive refresher and reboot for their current developmental editing process.
Starts: February 27, 2024
This 6-session class will be held by Zoom on Tuesdays (6:30 to 8:30 pm ET) from February 27 to April 2, 2024.
Price: $499
The 6 lessons in this class, along with the forum, cover what you need to know to succeed as a developmental editor for commercial and literary fiction.
Remote Meetings
6 sessions of 2 hours each by Zoom, with exercises and homework (some with feedback) to complete on your own.
Create a Rewarding Career as a Freelance Developmental Editor for Fiction
Are you an avid reader of fiction? Are you interested in dramatic structure and in unpacking how stories are told? Do you have an analytical mind and strong communication skills? Did you get Bookworm and/or Teacher in our Book Editor Profile Quiz?
If so, you might be a good developmental editor of fiction—commercial and literary, middle grade and YA, fantasy, romance, science fiction, and more. This class will teach you how!
Pat is an amazingly skilled teacher, and I’m so grateful she shared her process for completing a developmental edit. I’d taken DE classes before but never really figured out a method for working with a client on a DE. I felt like Pat was letting us look over her shoulder as she worked—that was the perfect approach. She gave such positive feedback on my work, and the exercises were just so FUN! Halfway through the course I started thinking that I just MIGHT be able to do developmental edits! By the end of the class, I was convinced!
I finally know what I want to be when I grow up! I’m so glad I decided to take this class. The in-depth study of a manuscript and learning to book map were so helpful, I intend to map on my own novels. Today is the day I hang out my shingle and call myself a Developmental Editor.
Editorial Arts Academy’s Developmental Editing for Fiction class taught by Pat Dobie was exactly what I needed to make the leap to hanging out my shingle as an editor. I am a writer and had done some editing but I lacked confidence in my skills. I wanted a clear system of working through a novel and providing useful feedback and support to the author. Pat’s generous, honest teaching gave me the tools and confidence I needed to get Soul Stories off the ground. The combination of the lectures and hands-on practical exercises was bang on for me. I learned so much and I know I will return to my class notes for years to come. Kudos to Pat and the EAA for creating a fabulous course!
Is this course for you?
Learn the essentials of developmentally editing fiction through this hands-on course.
There are more people writing fiction than ever before, and developmental editing is an integral part of helping writers create a book they can be proud of.
This course is for you if you are:
- An avid and discerning fiction reader who wants to turn your passion for novels into a rewarding income stream
- An editor working in other fields (trade nonfiction, academic, corporate, or institutional) who loves fiction and wants to learn more about it so you can expand your offerings
- A copyeditor or proofreader who wants to add big-picture developmental editing to your toolkit
Class Information
This is hands-on training in the art and craft of developmental editing for book-length fiction. We will cover how and why writers work with developmental editors and how a writer’s publishing goals will influence the type of editorial feedback they seek.
Since developmental editing is best learned by doing, you will be guided step by step through the developmental edit of an unpublished novella manuscript. You will learn:
- How to crack open the inner life of a book-length manuscript and convey your experience through the four main developmental editing tools.
- How to articulate your reading experience in a way the writer can absorb and act on.
- How to meet the book (and writer) where they’re at—not by suggesting a different book, but by showing them how to make the book they wrote fulfill its maximum potential.
You will learn how to read analytically and deeply, how to use marginal comments to convey key aspects of your reading experience to the writer, how to deconstruct a novel and create a book map to analyze its structure, pacing, and component parts, and how to use your analysis and reading sensibility to create the bones of your editorial feedback.
You’ll create a book map and craft an editorial letter that delivers your findings to the writer in a way that rallies their enthusiasm for the task of revision. You will get personal feedback from a working developmental editor (your instructor) on sections of your editorial letter and on a portion of your manuscript markup.
We will also cover the essentials of working with your first few clients, or for experienced developmental editors, refreshing how you take on clients—how to home in on and convey what you offer, how to assess “fit” with both the client and the manuscript, how to establish and maintain strong ongoing relationships with a variety of writers, and how you can expand your offerings as you gain experience and know-how.
Class Breakdown
Week 1: Who Are Developmental Editors, Anyway? | Self-Assessment & Making Space
Week 2: The Project & The Tools | What to Learn Before You Start
Week 3: Capturing Your Reading Experience | Reading the Course Manuscript
Week 4: Analysis as a Diagnostic Tool | Creating a Book Map
Week 5: Integrating and Conveying Your Findings | Writing the Editorial Letter
Week 6: Hanging Out Your Shingle | Plan Your Trajectory
Class Curriculum
Week 1 – Who Are Developmental Editors, Anyway?
- 1.1: The Big Picture
- 1.2: What to Expect
- 1.3: All About You
Homework: Self-Assessment & Making Space
Week 2 – The Project & the Tools
- 2.1: Meet the Writer
- 2.2: The Developmental Edit, Unpacked
- 2.3: Tools of the Trade
Homework: What to Learn Before You Start
Week 3 – Capturing Your Reading Experience
- 3.1: Active Reading
- 3.2: The Big Picture
- 3.3: Craft Elements
Homework: Reading the Course Manuscript
Week 4 – Analysis as a Diagnostic Tool
- 4.1: The Book Map
- 4.2: Craft Elements
- 4.3: Book Mapping, Step by Step
Homework: Creating a Book Map
Week 5 – Integrating and Conveying Your Findings
- 5.1: Craft Elements
- 5.2: The Editorial Letter
- 5.3: How to Write a Strong Editorial Letter
Homework: Writing the Editorial Letter
Week 6 – Hanging Out Your Shingle
- 6.1: Professionalism and Systems
- 6.2: Next Steps: 6–12 Months
- 6.3: Assess and Integrate
Homework: Plan Your Trajectory and Hang Out Your Shingle
Want more details? Check out our class tour.
What Students Are Saying…
“Wow, what a fantastic class! I’m still on a high. I loved everything about it and am completely convinced I can really do this. For me, Pat’s teaching style, tons of experience, and genuine kindness wrapped it all up in a big colorful bow.”
“A really informative course! I loved the learn-by-doing aspect, and got a lot out of the craft lectures and the resources provided. Pat is a great instructor!“
“Pat is an encouraging editing instructor. She clearly knows her trade and enjoys it. It was fun to edit a real live novella with a group of other editors and receive feedback on my work. It was insightful to see the work of my editing peers and compare process notes. I don’t know of any editing courses outside EAA that provide personalized instructor critique on an active edit. It is a unique opportunity.“
“I went into the course with no professional experience and little understanding of how developmental editing works, and I emerged with a strong sense that I want to develop this into a career!”
“I loved how interactive the lectures were! And getting to know other editors is huge. I’m looking forward to staying in touch with everyone!”
“I think the most valuable part for me was how to read a manuscript with a critical eye. It helped me understand the craft of writing better, especially since I’m a writer myself.”
“The pandemic pushed me off course from the industry I was in to the point where I had no idea what I should do or what I wanted to do. Taking this course re-invigorated my confidence in making a freelance career for myself, and I’m looking forward to the road ahead. Pat is a marvelously charismatic instructor and gives extraordinarily helpful advice and encouragement in her notes.”
Your Instructor — Pat Dobie
Pat Dobie edits literary and commercial fiction across genres, including speculative, historical, mystery, and romance. Her clients have gone on to get agents, achieve traditional publication, self-publish successfully, and win awards. As a fiction writer herself, Pat has been on both sides of the editorial exchange and knows that good editing can make a profound difference to a writer’s life. She has an MFA in Writing from Pacific University and has been editing professionally since 2010. She’s the author of FICTION EDITING: A Writer’s Roadmap and a novella, Pawn to Queen. Learn more about Pat at LucidEdit.com.
FAQs
Who should take this course?
The class is designed for new and working editors who want training in the skills and principles of developmentally editing book-length fiction.
If I have experience as an editor, is this the right course for me?
Yes. Both experienced and new editors will learn valuable skills and receive support by taking this class. Experienced editors will particularly benefit if they have worked in other types of editing and are relatively new to developmentally editing fiction.
How is the course delivered?
This is a virtual, remote-only, live class delivered through Zoom, a video-conferencing platform (similar to Skype). Shortly before the class begins, we will email you the link to enter the classroom at the designated time. If you’re in a time zone that would make the class hard to attend, you can watch the playbacks and ask your questions by email.
What equipment and software will I need to participate?
You’ll need a computer, tablet, or smartphone with a webcam, speakers, and a microphone (all either built-in or external). You’ll also need a reliable Internet connection.
Am I responsible for buying additional materials?
Yes, students need to purchase The Editor’s Lexicon, by Sarah Cypher, and What Editors Do, ed. by Peter Ginna. An additional “suggested reading” list will be provided, but is optional.
Will the classes be recorded for viewing at a different time?
Yes, we’ll load the class playbacks into our YouTube channel (they’ll be unlisted so only students will see them).
Will the lectures be transcribed?
Yes, each participant will receive a transcript of the lectures and slides from each of the six lectures.
Who is the teacher?
Pat Dobie, MFA, will be your instructor. Pat is a working professional freelance book editor who’s been developmentally editing fiction for the past decade. Find out more on her editing services website, Lucid Edit.
Will there be a chance to interact with students and teachers?
Yes, you can ask questions during class and participate in the Slack forum.
Will there be homework/exercises?
Yes, this is an experiential learning class in which you will be taught how to do a developmental edit, using an unpublished novella manuscript as your text. You will also have short reading assignments on aspects of craft.
Will I get feedback on the editing exercises?
You will receive individual feedback on some assignments and will have opportunities to ask questions in class and in the Slack forum.
Will the class be an opportunity to practice editing?
You will not edit during the class meetings, but will get step-by-step instruction and will be expected to apply this hands-on in the homework.
How much time does the class take per week?
Including class time, students should expect to devote eight to twelve hours per week to their studies.
Does the class cover marketing and finding work?
Not formally, but students are encouraged to ask any marketing-related questions they have, either during class or in the forum. See our Classes & Events page for stand-alone marketing classes.
Can I expect to get jobs editing books as a result of this class?
Yes, getting editing jobs requires the technical training that is offered in this class.
What is the cost of the class?
Registration is $499 and includes the lecture content, supporting materials and resources, feedback, and a forum.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes. If for any reason you find the content and delivery of Developmental Editing for Fiction less than satisfactory, we will refund your class fee.
How can I sign up?
Easy! Just scroll to the bottom of the page and fill out the form.
The Countdown Begins!
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