Module: PUB5101-20 The Editor

Level: 5

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor: Davina Rungasamy

Module Tutor Contact Details: d.rungasamy@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

Building on the knowledge and techniques gained in the first-year publishing module, this module will further develop your editorial practice, in particular editing, shaping and preparing text for book publication.

The module will guide you through the editorial stages of assessing, shaping, cutting, developing and refining text. We will consider the boundaries of the writer’s and editor’s roles, the requirements of the reader, the importance of respecting the writer’s voice and the impact of editorial decision-making. You will examine a range of fiction and non-fiction texts in a series of editing workshops, to gain hands-on experience of the editorial process.

Software skills

You will work within an InDesign template, to maintain a familiarity with industry standard software.

2. Outline syllabus:

• Assessing the text for publication

• Working with writers: developing editorial tact, negotiating author-editor boundaries

• Editorial judgement, decision-making and the reader experience

• Structural editing: re-shaping, cutting text and rewriting

• Copyediting for flow and sense

• Refining and further developing copyediting and proofreading skills

• Presenting edited text and queries, and communicating with authors to develop a final version of a text

3. Teaching and learning activities:

The module will be taught through lectures, class discussions and practical editing workshops.

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Fiction editing (equivalent of 1,000 words)

• % Weighting: 20%

Assessment Item 2:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Non-fiction editing portfolio (equivalent of 4,000 words

• % Weighting: 80%