Line-Editing Workshop (Fiction or Non-Fiction)
This new course is designed for editors working on fiction or non-fiction who have to undertake a stylistic line edit of a manuscript or text. It is an interactive workshop, with examples and group discussion to reinforce your skills. You will learn what a line edit is, and how to undertake one, including best practice and advice on interacting and working with an author to produce the best results possible.
Please note that the course has two separate outings, one for non-fiction and one for fiction. It is also available for in-company training for either fiction or non-fiction, or a combination of both.
Who is it for?
Editors (freelance or in-house) working on fiction or non-fiction texts
What will you achieve?
On completing the course you will:
- Understand what a line edit is (and what it isn’t)
- Learn what the main elements of a line edit are and how to apply them
- Gain tips and advice on how to interact and communicate with an author about a line edit
Programme
- Overview – What is line editing? Why undertake a line edit? What is the aim of a line edit?
- Key foci of a line edit
- Fresh approach – put yourself in the author’s shoes
- Communicating with the author
- Dos and don’ts
- Questions and comments
What is included?
Certificate
Upon successfully completing the course you will receive a completion certificate from PTC.
Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) points
Completing this course is worth 2 points towards upgrading your CIEP membership.
Delegate feedback
“An excellent course. I’ve gained and understanding of the dos and don'ts, confidence in multiple aspects of line editing and a broader understanding of the process.” Sweet Cherry Publishing delegate
“I enjoyed the course very much and have gained an understanding of the difference between line editing and copyediting.” Editor, Rachael Prest Editing/Our Media
“Very informative and useful session.” The Literary Consultancy delegate
“I really enjoyed [Heather’s] method of teaching and the general flow of the class.” The Literary Consultancy delegate
About the tutor
Heather Rawlin began her career in publishing by training with the PTC to become a proofreader and copy-editor. She worked for six years as an editorial project manager for a firm of typesetters, taking academic publications from manuscript through to print-ready and digital formats, and liaising closely with freelance copy editors, proofreaders and indexers, as well as with the in-house production team of typesetters and quality-assurance readers. Heather started her editorial freelance business in 2015 and began tutoring the PTC distance-learning courses Essential Copy Editing and Essential Proofreading in 2018. She has degrees in the History of Art and experience of editorial work in medical and scientific publishing, as well as the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Dates
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Tuesday, 09 December 2025
Date information for future sessions
June 2025 - Non-fiction
- Dates: 10 June
- Times: The session will run from 9.30am to 12.30pm
December 2025 - Fiction
- Dates: 9 December
- Times: The session will run from 9.30am to 12.30pm
Course format
- Virtual classroom
- 9.30am to 12.30pm (GMT)
- Two x 1.5 hour sessions including breaks
A number of discounts are available
What you will need
To join the course, you will need access to a computer, tablet or laptop with a camera and microphone. You will need to activate a free Zoom account to join the course. This takes two minutes and does not require any payment. It is purely for administrative purposes.