Fiction: Substantive Editing Classes
Substantive Editing for Fiction 101
In Substantive Fiction Editing 101, we’ll look at the basics of a well-written novel and learn how to help our authors learn and incorporate those techniques. The class includes everything from understanding the Christian fiction market and its genres, learning the elements of an effective substantive edit, and mastering the basics of Christian fiction—showing versus telling, characterization, plot, and formatting.
Substantive Editing for Fiction 201
Substantive Editing for Fiction (SEF) 201 builds on the foundation laid in SEF 101 (a recommended prerequisite, but not required). The 6-week course goes deeper, looking at the key elements of great fiction, such as:
- The Words (pacing, floating body parts, and clichés)
- Dialogue (punctuation, tags, and authenticity)
- The Senses (engaging them, overusing them, and comparing them)
- The Three-Part Plot (and Subplots)
- Three Plot Essentials
- Creating Better Characters (with quirks, without stereotypes, and secondary characters)
Substantive Editing for Fiction 301
Substantive Editing for Fiction (SEF) 301 is a 6-week course that will help you launch and maintain your substantive fiction editing career. Topics include:
- What Exactly is a Substantive Fiction Edit (and how it is different from other edits)?
- Practical Tips for Performing a Substantive Fiction Edit
- Getting the Job (including finding leads, writing bids, and setting rates)
- Common Substantive Editing Pitfalls and Fiction-writing Mistakes
- Working Well with Challenging Clients
- The Author/Editor Relationship
Fiction 401 Boot Camp (through the PEN Institute)
Substantive Editing for Fiction (SEF) 401 (a.k.a. Bootcamp) is a 4-week course that will give you a chance to apply everything you’ve learned in SEF 101, 201, and 301. Each week you’ll edit manuscript pages to see what you remember!
You’ll also get to practice communicating, as each week you’ll send an update to the “author.” This course is designed to build your experience (and confidence) in both substantive editing for fiction and working with your clients
Advanced Fiction Editing (COMING SOON! First class August 22-October 10, 2022)
Understanding the basics of fiction will help an author capture the attention of agents and publishers, but what if they still haven’t gotten a contract? Then it’s time to move past the basics and into the more subtle elements of fiction that deepen and strengthen a manuscript.
More than simply understanding telling, point-of-view breaks, and characterization, Advanced Fiction Editing looks at the subtle ways those sneak into stories and weaken the foundation. Editors will already need to understand the basics so we can dig deeper and look at:
- Characters: what is an arc, and how does it relate to GMCs? How can authors create stronger, more realistic characters?
- Plot Points: what strengthens each of the three acts, and how can transitional elements and pacing help?
- Subplots and POV Characters: how do you identify strong subplots and weave them into the main plot? When and why do you need more POV characters?
- Dialogue and Voice: how can you use dialogue, character voices, and the author’s voice to advance and strengthen the story?
- Viewpoint: which POVs work best, which are most popular, and is omniscient really making a comeback?
- Better Edits: the do’s and don’ts of providing better edits for your authors.
Press Release Tool Kit
Stop waiting and hoping for people to notice you and your organization! With this Press Release Tool Kit, you’ll learn to apply the step-by-step process I use to help business and organizations get noticed, such as:
- Why you and/or your organization should send press releases
- How to write a press release that will actually get read
- Who to contact so you have the best chance of getting noticed
- How to distribute it professionally to make the best first impression
A $40 value, for just $30!
Press Release Templates
Do you already have a contact list? Maybe you’re a letter-writing pro, so all you need is a Press Release Check List to make sure you’re covering your bases. If you don’t need the full Press Release Tool Kit, click here to purchase items individually.
- Fill-in-the-Blank Press Release Template
- Press Release Checklist
- Fill-in-the-Blank Contact List
- Writing and Distributing an Effective Press Release PDF
Better Bios Tool Kit
Did You Know: Your website’s “About Me” page is the most-clicked page on your website. Why does that matter? Because you website content will either create customers or drive people away.
Better Bios: How to Write an Authentic “About Me” Page for Your Website will help you craft a bio that keeps people reading, and the longer they read, the better your chance at converting readers into clients!
Click here to learn how you can convert visitors into clients!
