EDITOR IN BOOK PUBLISHING

Begin your journey with a warm welcome and orientation to the course. Meet your instructor and get a clear view of what to expect, including key assignments and learning outcomes.

• Instructor introduction
• General housekeeping
• Assignment overview

Step into the world of publishing and discover where editors sit at the heart of this creative ecosystem. You’ll explore major players, different publishing models, and the roles editors play in shaping content from acquisition to final product. A practical demo will show you how visuals and presentation influence editorial decisions.

• The publishing landscape
• Editorial roles
• Where editors fit in the pipeline
• Book formats
• Publishing models
• Demo: Understanding visuals

Great editing begins with knowing your reader. Learn how audience awareness shapes tone, vocabulary, and market positioning. Explore cultural and regional nuances to tailor content for maximum engagement.

• Audience awareness in editing
• Children’s publishing: Age-banded categories
• Adult publishing: Genre-based categorisation
• Local vs international audiences
• Case study: Comparing book blurbs 

Assignment #1: Market Research Brief
Research a target market, develop a short audience profile, and draft a sample book blurb with keywords, putting theory into practical context.

Master the distinction between structural and developmental editing. Learn to evaluate manuscripts at a macro level and communicate feedback diplomatically, helping authors improve without losing their voice.

• Terminology
• Structural editing
• Developmental editing
• Writing structural reports
• Key deliverables
• Case Study: Early drafts of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 

Sharpen your editorial instincts by assessing manuscripts critically, balancing objectivity with empathy, and writing fair, actionable editorial assessments.

• Where to start: Assessing a manuscript
• Criteria for evaluation
• Editing with cultural sensitivity
• Writing balanced editorial assessments
• Workshop: Review excerpts of sample manuscripts, select the one you think is most promising, then discuss why

Assignment #2: Manuscript Evaluation Report
You will create a 1–2 page editorial assessment of a sample manuscript, highlighting its strengths, weaknesses, and market potential.

Explore how to adapt your editorial approach to an author’s voice, personality, and accessibility needs. Learn when to intervene and how to maintain productive, respectful author relationships.

• How much to edit?
• Adapting editorial approach to author
• The role of diplomacy
• Accessibility considerations
• Workshop: Edit the same passage in two ways then compare how this changes tone and author relationship

Refine prose for clarity, rhythm, and readability while preserving the author’s voice. Gain hands-on experience applying professional style guides and digital tools.

• Preserving the author’s voice and style
• Applying house style guides consistently
• Strengthening prose
• Audience awareness
• Working in Track Changes
• Traditional vs modern practices
• Demo: Line editing a manuscript excerpt

Assignment #3: Sample Developmental Edit
Provide constructive edits on a manuscript excerpt, demonstrating the balance between light guidance and heavier intervention.

Understand the collaboration between editorial and production teams. Explore cover design essentials, printing processes, and aligning visuals with editorial goals.

• Key production dates
• Essentials of cover design
• Cover finishes & production options
• Printing basics
• Demo: Creating a brief for a cover designer

Assignment #4: Line Edit Sample
Edit a passage for clarity, conciseness, and consistency, submitting both a clean version and a tracked version to showcase your approach.

Develop precision and consistency with applied copyediting. Compare style conventions across regions and explore when to rely on digital tools versus human judgement.

• The 4 Cs
• Grammar pitfalls & avoiding over-editing
• Regional differences
• Using digital tools responsibly
• Demo: Applying tools to real text

Polish your editorial skills at the final stage. Learn to proofread meticulously, fact-check reliably, and collaborate effectively with sensitivity readers and team members.

• The proofreading stage
• Proofreader marks and symbols
• Fact-checking
• Role of sensitivity readers
• Copyeditors & proofreaders
• Case study: Famous fact-checking failures (Three Cups of Tea)
• Workshop: Roleplay scenario — editor, sensitivity reader, and author negotiation

Assignment #5: Editorial Style Sheet
Create a concise style sheet capturing spelling, grammar, and key terminology choices to guide consistent editing.

Compare workflows for accessible digital publishing and traditional production. Learn to prepare reader-friendly ebooks and audiobooks while applying inclusive editorial practices.

• Accessible-design workflows
• Traditional-design workflows
• Accessibility in digital publishing
• Editorial software
• Case study: Comparing editorial tools and workflows

Gain essential knowledge of copyright, licensing, and publishing contracts. Navigate business practices ethically, protecting both authors and editors.

• Copyright and rights management
• Licensing, territorial rights, & commissioned works
• Essentials of a book’s imprint page
• Freelance business basics
• Case study: Penguin Random House vs Internet Archive (digital lending)

Explore how editors influence marketing and sales through positioning documents, metadata, and back cover copy. Learn to apply editorial insight to strengthen a book’s discoverability.

• Marketing, publicity, & sales
• ARCs, BLADs, metadata, back cover copy
• Writing positioning documents
• Identifying special sales opportunities
• Workshop: Draft a positioning document for a book

Assignment #6: Positioning & Marketing Outline
Write a concise positioning document for a book, highlighting audience, comps, author platform, and digital or social media angles.

Learn to establish a sustainable freelance editing career. Define services, set rates, manage projects, and build a professional presence.

• Services & rates
• Freelance profile & online presence
• Project management basics
• Case study: Freelancing platforms – Reedsy vs Fiverr

Assignment #7: Service Package Outline
Draft a rate card and service packages to showcase your freelance offerings and expertise.

Develop client management skills and curate a professional portfolio. Learn to handle feedback gracefully and communicate effectively to maintain strong industry relationships.

• Managing author/agent relationships
• Handling conflict with diplomacy
• Creating an editorial portfolio
• Career advice for aspiring editors
• Workshop: Responding to a tricky client email or author feedback

Analyse emerging publishing trends and learn to leverage them editorially. Explore metadata, analytics, and marketing strategies to position books competitively in today’s market.

• Emerging publishing trends
• Influence of libraries, booksellers, & online retailers
• Ethical considerations
• Case study: The rise of Colleen Hoover through TikTok
• Demo: Metadata, keywords, & analytics tools

Final project: Assemble all prior work into one Editorial Plan for a Potential Book.

Reflect on the editor’s place in a fast-evolving, digital-first publishing world. Consider inclusivity, sustainability, and the enduring value of human editors in shaping stories that matter.

• Editing in a globalised, digital-first world
• AI, automation, & the human editor’s value
• Sustainability & inclusivity
• Final Q&A