HOW TO MAKE A LIVING AS A COPY EDITOR by Bernadette Geyer
START DATE: Monday, February 15, 2016
DURATION: 5 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Do you love to point out typos on restaurant menus? Are you the one your friends and family members turn to with grammar questions? Have you ever considered a career as a copy editor? This five-week workshop will help you understand the role of the copy editor, the marketplace for copy editing jobs, how to gain experience now in order to move into this field, and what it takes to set up shop as a freelance copy editor. Themed lessons will be posted weekly. Participants will be expected to respond to weekly assignments, including sample copy editing exercises.
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Bernadette Geyer’s class is a great introduction to the copy editing profession. She offers sound advice, useful resources, and honest feedback. If you’re wondering whether or not copy editing is the right field for you, Bernadette’s class is definitely a worthwhile investment. ~ Valerie V.
The copy editing course thoroughly covered all the basics in just five weeks, with a strong emphasis on practical applications. Bernadette is a fine teacher who was immediately accessible when I encountered a few minor technical glitches. The exercises/assignments were interesting, relevant, useful, and often humorous. Highly recommended! ~ Tom A.
Bernadette was a wonderful and inspiring teacher; even on the internet she really connected with and brought together a vibrant writing community—not the case with all online writing workshops. ~ Laurie S.
Bernadette is a gifted teacher: a careful and thoughtful reader, an imaginative creator of assignments that seduce you into writing with freshness and new vision, and extremely responsive. ~ Deborah Hefferon
My suspicion is that the quality of an online course is directly related to the quality of preparation and contribution the instructor puts into it, and Bernadette’s was superior in all regards. ~ Shela Turpin-Forster
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WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Week 1 - The Role of the Copy Editor
What is the role of the copy editor? How does copy editing differ from proofreading? What are some of the key terms in publishing that relate to copy editing? Instructor will post themed handouts and links to help students better understand the role of the copy editor and how it has changed in recent years.
Assignment: Students will respond to a short series of questions posed by the instructor.
Week 2 - What Do Copy Editors Look for When Editing?
What are copy editors looking for and how does this change depending on their company or client? What are style guides and why are they important? Instructor will post themed handouts and links on the subject of how copy editors spot changes that need to be made.
Assignment: Students will be given a short copy editing exercise.
Week 3 - Gaining Experience
If you are not already in a copy editing job, how do you start to gain experience now to make the switch? What are some options for you outside of the workplace? Instructor will post themed handouts and links on gaining experience.
Assignment: Students will respond to a short series of questions posted by the instructor to help them brainstorm relevant strategies for gaining experience.
Week 4 - The Market: Copy Editing for a Single Business
What types of companies need people who copy edit as their sole job description? What companies offer opportunities for people to copy edit as one of their duties? Instructor will post themed handouts and links relevant to job market issues.
Assignment: Students will be given a short copy editing exercise.
Week 5 - The Market: Freelancing
What are the pros and cons of freelancing as a copy editor? How do you establish yourself and market yourself to potential clients? What resources are available to help you get established as a freelancer? Instructor will post themed handouts and links relevant to freelancing issues.
Assignment: Students may submit final questions to the instructor.
Materials needed: Workshop materials will be posted on a password-secure web site, and assignment/feedback correspondence will be conducted via emails between the instructor and students. Registered students will receive an email with the link and password on the first day of the workshop.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Bernadette Geyer is a freelance writer and editor with more than 15 years of experience. She has provided copy editing services for a wide variety of clients, from large corporations to small non-profit organizations, as well as for independent publishers and authors. Geyer is the author of a full-length poetry collection, The Scabbard of Her Throat, and a poetry chapbook, What Remains. She has served in the past on editorial boards of an independent press and literary journal, and has led workshops for The Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Her website can be found at https://www.bernadettegeyer.com.
COST: $150, which includes weekly assignments and individual feedback from the instructor.
BUY NOW: How to Make a Living as a Copy Editor by Bernadette Geyer (5 weeks, starting 2/15/2016) Limit: 10 students. Early registration is recommended.
For Class Session Starting 2/15/2016
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Notes: Upon successful completion of payment, your name, email address, and contact info will be submitted to your instructor. Just before class begins, she will e-mail you with instructions on how to get started.
Questions? Email Marcia & Angela at:
classroom[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com
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