EDITOR IN BOOK PUBLISHING

Meet Nicolette Kaponis, get oriented with the course structure and assignments, and open the conversation about what publishing really is and where editors fit within it.

• Instructor introduction
• Course housekeeping
• Assignment overview
• Discussion: What is publishing?

Map the Australian and international publishing ecosystem, from funding bodies and sales data to editorial specialities, and see where each role fits in the manuscript-to-publication workflow.

• Key Australian and international publishers
• Creative Australia funding
• Industry data from Nielsen BookScan AU
• Editing specialities
• Manuscript-to-publication workflow
• Case study: Traditional, hybrid and self-publishing from an editor's perspective

Apply core evaluation criteria to judge a manuscript's strengths, weaknesses and publishing potential, while building the editing fundamentals and cultural awareness every Australian editor needs.

• Structural editing vs copy editing vs proofreading
• Grammar refresh
• Local narrative tones and outback tropes
• ICIP and culturally sensitive editing
• Demo: Manuscript evaluation overview
• Workshop: Selecting the most promising sample manuscript

Position a manuscript for the right readership through audience research, comparable titles and discoverability fundamentals, then turn that editorial positioning into persuasive marketing copy.

• Target readership
• Comparable-title research
• Market positioning
• Metadata and discoverability
• Marketing copy from editorial positioning
• Case study: Linking a manuscript to its niche market

Recognise how genre, category and reader expectations shape editorial decisions, from bush noir and rural romance to children's and licensed publishing, and find the niche you want to specialise in.

• Developing an editorial niche
• Popular Australian fiction genres
• Genre conventions vs clichés
• Editing fiction vs non-fiction
• Children's and licensed publishing
• Demo: Editing a sample for different genres

Assignment #1: Manuscript Evaluation and Market Positioning
Evaluate a provided manuscript's genre, audience, strengths, weaknesses and comparable titles, then recommend whether and how it should proceed.

Deliver constructive, actionable editorial feedback that strengthens the manuscript and motivates the author, while balancing Australian tone with the demands of the international market.

• Editorial assessments and critiques
• Balancing critique and praise
• Explaining editorial feedback
• Australian tone for international markets
• Query letter red flags
• Demo: Editorial assessment of a sample manuscript excerpt

Diagnose structural problems in fiction and non-fiction, from act structure and point of view to plot holes and weak arguments, and give feedback that moves a draft forward.

• Act structure
• Point-of-view and tense errors
• Show don't tell
• Editing dialogue
• Plot holes and structural inconsistencies
• Indigenous representation and multilingual dialogue

Assignment #2: Editorial Assessment and Structural Edit 
Write a 750–1,000 word editorial assessment for the author and structurally edit a 1,500–2,500 word excerpt with constructive, actionable feedback.

Refine prose for clarity, pacing and consistency while keeping the author's voice intact, using the Macquarie Dictionary, Australian Style Guide and Australian Editing Handbook as your references.

• Manuscript style sheets
• Preserving the author's voice
• Australian spelling and punctuation
• Cutting for clarity
• Pacing and chapter endings
• Demo: Line editing a manuscript excerpt

Navigate the editor's role in production, collaborating with design, sales and rights teams to turn a book's positioning into a sharp cover brief and compelling cover copy.

• Editorial handover and production workflow
• Cover design briefs
• Cover copy
• Evaluating covers against market positioning
• Managing author expectations
• Demo: Managing production timelines

Build editorial consistency with the 4 Cs, Australian style references and a manuscript style sheet, and see how AI and apps like Grammarly and Hemingway can support the process.

• The 4 Cs of editing
• Common grammar and mechanical errors
• Australian Government Style Manual and Macquarie Dictionary
• Australian punctuation norms
• Australian spelling quirks
• Demo: Using AI and apps to assist editing

Assignment #3: Line and Copy Edit & Editorial Style Sheet 
Line and copy edit a manuscript excerpt in Track Changes or Suggesting mode, then create an editorial style sheet and flag details for fact-checking.

Verify manuscript content responsibly, from Australian place names to flora and fauna, and learn how to collaborate with copy editors, proofreaders and sensitivity readers.

• Editorial specialisations
• Fact-checking techniques
• Fact-checking Australian references
• Indigenous protocols
• Content warnings and sensitivity readers

Manage professional editorial workflows across Word, Google Docs and InDesign proofs, and learn what changes when a manuscript becomes an ebook or audiobook.

• Track Changes and version control
• Editorial passes and handoffs
• Ebook and audiobook considerations
• Scrivener and Atticus in the workflow
• Responsible AI-assisted editing
• Case study: Comparing Word, Google Docs and other editorial tools

Understand the copyright, permissions, contracts and ethical responsibilities behind editorial work, grounded in Australia's Copyright Act 1968 and local freelance obligations.

• Copyright and rights management
• ABNs, GST and super for freelancers
• Text and image permissions
• Ethical editing of Indigenous content
• Rights reversion

Connect a book's editorial positioning to festivals, awards, media and online discoverability, with examples from Adelaide Writers' Week to the Stella Prize and Miles Franklin.

• Book tours and writers festivals
• Award nominations
• Media and literary agents
• Author social media platforms
• Literary and adaptation scouts
• Workshop: Developing a publicity plan for a book

Set up a viable freelance editing practice in Australia, from your ABN and WorkCover to defining services, pricing your rates and managing projects with confidence.

• Setting up a freelance business in Australia
• Defining your editorial services
• Pricing your rates
• Building an online presence
• Freelance project management

Assignment #4: Publishing Strategy and Editorial Service Proposal 
Develop a publishing strategy with a cover brief, cover copy, audience positioning and publicity recommendations, plus a freelance proposal with scope, timeline and rates.

Strengthen working relationships with authors, designers and marketing teams, and present your editorial experience through a credible, market-ready portfolio.

• Networking across publishing teams
• Client etiquette and cultural awareness
• Building a professional portfolio
• International book fairs
• Career pathways in book editing

Adapt your editorial practice to shifting reader behaviour, BookTok and AI-assisted workflows, and learn how working editors keep their market knowledge current.

• Reader and publishing trends
• BookTok and discoverability
• Metadata and online sales
• AI-assisted editorial workflows
• AI copyright and ethics
• Professional development resources