The Author-Editor Relationship

When?

August 21st, 2021 3:00 PM — August 21st, 2021 4:30 PM

Where?

When?

August 21st, 2021 3:00 PM — August 21st, 2021 4:30 PM

Where?

In this compact, informative session with experienced freelance editor Sumudu Narayana, we'll walk you through the role of an editor and their relationship to an author. We'll discuss the different levels of editing a manuscript needs and what an editor's purpose is — as well as what it isn't.

Writing a novel is often a lengthy and complicated process with an order of sorts. You've nailed the plot and your characters, written the first draft and then...edited it? There’s a lot of information and advice in publishing circles and author groups about the editing process but it's so much more than a proofread to catch missed words, bad grammar or incorrect spelling. There's copy, line and structural edits but what does each of those terms mean, in what order do they come? Can you do it yourself? Should you?

We'll focus energy on the elements of big-picture editing as well as giving you some tips that might help with the little things when you're penning those initial drafts like finding dead dialogue, superfluous words (just, was, really) and over-writing.

Discover what fills an editor with dread when they see it so you can hopefully avoid it, and ask your burning questions about how to become a better self-editor or how to hire a professional when you need to.

Participants will walk away with a checklist to help with the self-editing process at the end of their first draft.

 
Participants will learn:
  • The common mistakes authors make
  • The steps required to become an editor
  • The different levels of editing at the different stages of the publication process
  • How to protect your authorial voice
  • How to analyse all of the elements and not just the big picture

 

—Online events are easy to access! You will need an internet connection and (ideally) a device with a camera – computers/laptops or even phones can be used to dial in. You will be sent a link to join a few days before the event. The link will take you to a private digital meeting where you can join the session. You can test the link at any time to ensure you can log in. Please respect the other participants in your event and mute your microphone at all times while the presenter is presenting. Background noise in houses such as TVs, pets and children can affect the sound quality. Screen fatigue is taxing on our eyes and brains so our workshops are now presented in maximum durations of 1.5 hours at a time.

—Writers SA members must be logged in to receive the member discount. If you would like to use a workshop credit to book in, please contact [email protected] at least five working days before the workshop commencement date. Our staff don’t work full time and we don’t want you to miss out!

—Registrations will close 4pm on the Friday prior to a weekend event and 4pm the day of for an evening event to ensure all participants have the relevant links and information during Writers SA business hours.

—Members of other writing centres in the National Writers Centre Network can access our member discount. Contact [email protected] with your membership number to make your booking.

About Sumudu Narayana

Sumudu is a professional freelance editor and an Editors SA Branch Committee member. She works with authors at all stages in the writing process – from offering developmental guidance on manuscripts in the draft phase, to copy-editing and proofreading before self-publishing or submission to publishers. She specialises in literary fiction, romance, YA, fantasy, and crime, with interests in general and historical fiction. She has worked in a freelance capacity for several years editing and proofreading magazine articles and a number of YA fantasy and general fiction manuscripts. Sumudu is passionate about words and the power of stories in our lives, and is strongly committed to preserving a writer’s style, voice, and creative insight in all projects she works on.

 

Members $35 / Non-members $50

 

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