LIVE ONLINE COURSE

EDITOR IN BOOK PUBLISHING

Dates: 10 APR 2025 - 19 MAY 2025

Duration: 6 WEEKS
MONDAYS & THURSDAYS
6 PM PT / 9 PM ET

APPLY

JULIA WALLACE
PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE

LIVE ONLINE COURSE

Start your new chapter! Dive into the publishing process, master essential editing skills, and learn to make informed editorial decisions that drive success.

Over 6 weeks, Julia Wallace, a pro with 23 years of experience in publishing, will guide you with her expert tips, industry knowledge, and in-depth feedback.

THIS COURSE IS FOR YOU, IF...

YOU WANT TO SWITCH TO A CAREER IN BOOK PUBLISHING

Unsure how to navigate this new path? Our course will give you a comprehensive understanding of the book publishing industry. From analyzing manuscripts to developmental editing, you’ll gain the skills to confidently transition into a book editor role.
YOU ARE AN ASSISTANT IN THE INDUSTRY

Discover what it takes to advance to a senior editorial role! Learn to edit and copyedit like a pro, as well as expertly collaborate with authors, designers, and production teams so you can take your career to the next level.
YOU WANT TO POSITION YOURSELF FOR A BIGGER ROLE

Refresh and refine your skillset under the guidance of an expert with 23 years of experience in the industry! Julia Wallace will help you advance your current skillset within the publishing space and provide you with the essential knowledge to grab that next role.

Transform manuscripts into masterpieces, one page at a time.

Become an editorial magician! Learn to analyze manuscripts, master developmental editing, and collaborate with authors so you can help deliver written works of art.

Virtual learning, tangible results.

This course equips you with actionable skills and current industry knowledge to succeed as a book editor through interactive LIVE classes, practical assignments, and workshops.

Leave the course with a professional editorial portfolio to showcase your newly learned skills!

HANDS-ON ASSIGNMENTS

Our course prepares you with essential practical skills. Get hands-on with editorial assessments, transmitting manuscripts, fact-checking, and more to excel in the book publishing landscape.

COURSE PROJECT

Now for your final chapter (and the ultimate test!). Create an editorial plan for a book of your choice, including market research, an editorial assessment, and line or copy editing. Show us what you’ve got!

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Gain the tools to expertly navigate the industry. Learn how to build a network, develop a professional portfolio or a freelance editor profile, and market your editorial services so you can set yourself up for success.

JULIA WALLACE LINKEDIN PROFILE

Executive Managing Editor & Copy Chief, Penguin Random House
Has 30+ years of experience in editorial work, with 23 years at Penguin Random House.
Helps publish adult nonfiction, fiction, children’s, young adult, and gift products.
Helped publish several New York Times bestsellers by authors such as John Mark Comer, Tim Tebow, Jennie Allen, Michael Todd, and Elisabeth Hasselback.
Worked as the marketing manager for a nonprofit magazine for 3 years, in which time won an award for best marketing campaign from the Associated Church Press.

THU (4/10), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Introduction to the Publishing Landscape

Get the lay of the land in publishing. From the Big 5 to indie gems, explore who’s shaping the industry, what editors actually do, and how a book goes from idea to bookshelf. We’ll break down the publishing timeline and explore what goes into each stage depending on genre.

The current publishing landscape
The role of the independent publisher
Book formats: Print, digital books, audio
Book editing roles overview
Book publishing timeline
Case study: The Build by Paul Teutul, Jr.

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MON (4/14), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Market Analysis & Agencies

Discover publishing trends, market hotspots, and the art of navigating genre shifts. Learn how book agents and agencies shape the industry, tackle contract negotiations, and craft query letters. Plus, sharpen your skills with a hands-on roleplay workshop to handle those tricky author-agent moments with confidence.

What are the publishing trends right now?
What markets are selling best & how do markets vary?
The role of book agents and agencies
Contract negotiations
Query letter reviews and literary agents
Workshop: Author & agent care

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THU (4/17), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Manuscript Evaluation & Conducting Editorial Assessments

Learn how to spot a manuscript that stands out, break it down with an editorial eye, and offer assessments that blend constructive critique with market-savvy insights. From structure and story to target audience and genre fit, you'll be diving into the real work of shaping stories for success.

Selecting a manuscript: Evaluation criteria
Target markets & target audience
Case study: Finding niche markets
Editorial assessments, critiques, competitive assessments

Assignment #1: Editorial Assessment
Write a one-page editorial assessment based on a selected chapter.

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MON (4/21), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Genres + Guest Speaker

Discover your editorial favorite in book genres. Spot clichés, tackle the unique challenges of fiction and non-fiction, and sharpen your editing instincts as a result. Get insider tips from Shannon Marchese, Vice President and Publisher at HarperCollins, on navigating children’s and fiction genres.

Finding your niche: Identifying genre preferences
Genre conventions vs clichés
Editing non-fiction vs fiction
Where to start: Developmental & structural editing
Guest speaker: Shannon Marchese, HarperCollins VP

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THU (4/24), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Developmental Editing

Shape stories that shine. From fixing plot holes to tweaking clunky dialogue, you’ll refine your developmental editing skills and figure out how to deliver honest, helpful feedback without losing the author’s trust. Think of yourself as a coach — cheering them on while steering their manuscript to greatness.

How to approach developmental & content editing
Finding inconsistencies & other issues
Sample edits and providing feedback
Author relations

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MON (4/28), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Line Editing

The nitty-gritty of line editing! You'll sharpen your skills in fact-checking, fine-tuning grammar, and keeping the author’s voice intact — all while ensuring every word earns its place on the page. It’s all about clarity, pacing, and crafting a seamless experience for the reader.

Fact-checking and line-by-line editing
Quotes, sources, and permissions
Maintaining style, grammar, and the author’s voice
Streamlining text: Word choice, clarity, and flow
Mastering pacing & editing with the reader in mind
Demo: Line edit a manuscript excerpt

Assignment #2: Line Edit
Perform a detailed line edit on a manuscript excerpt.

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THU (5/1), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Book Production & Cover Design

Learn how books go from draft to shelf by exploring the teamwork behind production, from editors to designers. Understand cover design essentials, typography, and deadlines — and discover what makes a book cover impossible to ignore. Collaborate during a workshop and keep those publishing wheels turning!

Role of the managing editor & production editor
Demo: Managing production timelines & creating a publishing vision
Team collaboration & meeting deadlines
Role of interior design & cover design
Workshop: Discussing successful book covers
Liaising between cover designer and author

Assignment #3: Manuscript Transmission
Communicate essential information for the book-making team when transmitting a manuscript.

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MON (5/5), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Style Guides & Copy Editing + Guest Speaker

Sharpen your skills by diving into the essentials of good copyediting. Explore style guides, tackle common grammar mishaps, and learn why fact-checking & following style matters — from someone who’s written the book on it (literally). Benjamin Dreyer, author of the New York Times bestseller Dreyer’s English will give you valuable tips.

The 4 Cs: Clarity, coherence, consistency, correctness
Grammar mishaps & mechanical errors
Style guides & dictionaries
Fact-checking
Guest speaker: Benjamin Dreyer, ex-Copy Chief & Managing Editor, Random House

Assignment #4: Fact-Checking
Fact-check a given topic to ensure accuracy and reliability.

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THU (5/8), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Publishing Law & Contracts

Understand the ins and outs of publishing law to protect the work and navigate contracts without any stress. Copyright basics, real-world infringement cases — this class will have you confidently tackling text permissions, rights management, and ethical editing.

Copyright and rights management
Handling text and image permissions
Ethical considerations in editing
Contracts
Case study: Copyright infringement cases in books

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MON (5/12), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Publicity, Marketing, Media Relations, and Awards + Guest Speaker

Discover how publicists and marketers team up with authors to make books really shine. From organizing buzzworthy events to navigating award nominations and media collaborations, you’ll get the insider scoop on turning a great story into a must-read (or must-watch!). Plus, hear straight from Lisa Beech, Director of Publicity at HarperCollins.

Book tours and event organization
Award nominations
Working with the media
Literary scouts & book-to-movie scouts
Guest speaker: Lisa Beech, Director of Publicity, HarperCollins

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THU (5/15), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Industry Trends

Stay ahead of the curve: find out about the BookTok buzz, impact of AI on the industry, and more. You’ll also get hands-on with tools like Amazon charts and Nielson BookScan to make your mark. We’re keeping it fresh, relevant, and ready for tomorrow’s publishing world!

Keeping up with linguistic and stylistic trends
BookTok and its influence on publishing
AI and book publishing: Emerging tech and ethics
Demo: Keywords, metadata, Amazon Charts, Nielson BookScan

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MON (5/19), 6 PM PT/9 PM ET

Building an Editorial Network

Explore self-employment as an editor in the book publishing industry. Learn how to define your services, set your rates, build a strong online presence, and foster lasting relationships with authors and designers. Get the lowdown on finding the right mentors and marketing yourself on top platforms like Reedsy and LinkedIn.

Defining your services & pricing
Online presence & networking
Editorial management: Freelance project management skills
Mentors & career advice
Workshop: Marketing yourself as a freelancer

Assignment #5: Professional Portfolio or Freelance Profile
Create a portfolio showcasing your editorial work or develop a strong freelance editor profile.

Final Project: Editorial Plan
Select a book based on market trends, conduct a thorough editorial assessment, and propose your edits (line/copy edit 2-4 pages). Optionally, include a marketing/publicity plan or cover design choices. Provide a PowerPoint/PDF with research, assessment, and rationale. Choose a book within 208-304 pages and justify your choices with market insights.

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