Craft focus: how to edit your short story

About this course

The course examines the purpose and stages of professional editing, then applies each stage to short-story material. Participants will work with structural editing, line editing, copy editing and proofreading through exercises using their own writing and edited samples. Teaching combines formal instruction with pair and group work, discussion and critique. The course focuses exclusively on editing and does not cover self-publishing or submitting work to agents or professional editors.

What you'll learn

• Explain the main stages and approaches of the professional editing process.
• Apply structural, line-editing, copy-editing and proofreading techniques to a short story.
• Develop ways to use editorial techniques across other pieces of writing.

Is this course right for you?

This intermediate course is intended for learners who have completed an introductory creative writing course and have their own writing to edit. Participation includes pair and group activities, discussion and constructive critique, so learners should be willing to share their work and fluent in English.

• Bring writing that can be used for in-class editing practice.
• The course involves discussing and critiquing learners' own work.

Before you go

• Bring a maximum of two pages of your own writing for editing practice.
• Bring a one-page outline of your short story.
• Learners are encouraged to alert the tutor and classmates in advance if shared writing contains potentially sensitive material.