Rewriting and Substantive Editing (Non-Fiction)
Some content requires more than just a quick copy-edit . . .
This course combines practical exercises with group discussion and will help you feel more confident about your ability to sort out texts that pose more than ‘standard’ problems.
You’ll work on your own, in pairs and as a group to analyse the problems of different types of text, look at a range of solutions and consider how best to apply these solutions while keeping your writers on board.
Between the two sessions you will be asked to look at a longer piece of writing and assess how you would set about editing or rewriting it.
The result? New skills and techniques – and increased confidence in your ability to apply them.
Please note that almost all the example texts are drawn from non-fiction or educational publishing; this course is unlikely to meet the needs of someone who works exclusively on fiction.
Who is it for?
Editorial staff and freelancers, working on non-fiction or transactional writing, who are comfortable with the basic copy-editing process but who want to extend their skills and to rewrite with greater confidence.
What will you achieve?
On completing this course you’ll be able to:
- assess and explain why a piece of writing doesn’t work
- develop and present strategies for improving pieces of writing
- adjust the level and tone of a piece of writing
- apply the techniques learnt to any text to make it clearer and more accessible
Programme
Session 1
- Examining what rewriting is, what it involves and some of the issues it presents
- Deciding when texts need more intense intervention
- Identifying problems and considering solutions
- Maintaining the author’s voice
- Adjusting the level of a piece of writing
- Considering jargon and specialist vocabulary
Session 2
- Pooling strategies for longer texts
- Pros and cons of bullet points
- Approaches to cutting text
- Editing text written in English as a second language
- Keeping the author on board
- Final discussion and queries
There are also two tasks to work on between the two sessions.
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 3 points towards upgrading your CIEP membership.
Delegate feedback
“I enjoyed the course and gained useful tips on how to rework and simplify text.” Bloomsbury Publishing delegate
“The content struck a good balance between being accessible and challenging while Andrew's delivery was engaging and empathetic. I gained a lot of insight into how editing in the publishing industry differs from that in the media industry (and where there is overlap). The advice was very practical and I have come away with a clear list of things to look out for, considerations to make and techniques to employ when editing and rewriting copy.” Freelance journalist
“I thoroughly enjoyed the course and teaching style. It gave me a wealth of guidance to consider when addressing large-scale issues in a piece of writing, such as relevancy, structure, and style. Each exercise concentrated on a different element of substantive editing, and the facilitator was motivating and engaging. I'd recommend this course to any editor who works with macro revisions and wants a refresh or confidence boost, and to any copy-editor who wants to learn more about big-picture editing.” Jasmine, Information and Publications Editor, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England
“I’ve gained an understanding of how to approach difficult text evaluations/rewrites, and confidence in my ability to do so.” Osprey Publishing delegate
“I really enjoyed the course. There was a good balance of breakout rooms and individual tasks, and Andrew was good at drawing everyone into discussion on Zoom. There were also a variety of good example texts to work with. It has made me think about texts from different angles, and reignited my interest in editing long-form text.” Imagine Learning Studios delegate
“There was a good balance of delivery and activities. I have a greater understanding of rewriting and substantive editing, brilliant resources to refer to, and useful tips to apply when developing copy.” Assistant Editor, Royal Society of Chemistry
“I really enjoyed the course and am keen to do another with a focus on fiction. I have a greater understanding of how to approach non-fiction texts and the key things to look out for when assessing different types of non-fiction texts.” Audible UK delegate
“The course was excellent. I’ve learned how to edit texts and remove unnecessary words to make it more interesting for the reader.” Curriculum Coordinator, Tanzania Institute of Education
“Andrew was excellent and his teaching style engaging. An immediate take-out is learning to be cut-throat sometimes.” Assistant Editor, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
“An excellent course. It covered a lot and I have a better understanding of what is involved in developmental editing. I wouldn't change anything.” Freelance Copyeditor, Maggie Reid Editing
About the tutor
After an early career in teaching, educational research and educational publishing, Andrew Steeds went freelance, setting up Simply Put, a company focused on making unnecessarily complicated documents clearer and more accessible, in terms of both how they are written and how they are designed. For Simply Put, he works on his own, with designers and with others to support clients to communicate more clearly and more efficiently with their readers.
Andrew has been running courses for the Publishing Training Centre (PTC) for 25 years. His main focus is on editorial activity, but he has an equal interest in the process of writing and the presentation skills of grammar and punctuation, and he runs courses in these areas, too. The PTC’s Essential Grammar, an e-learning resource which he wrote in 2017, has so far had just under 2,000 student enrolments on the course.
He divides his training time equally between in-company work and open courses.
Dates
Thursday, 05 June 2025
Thursday, 06 November 2025
Course format
- Virtual classroom
- 9am to 12.30pm
- Four sessions plus breaks, comprising two half-day sessions on two days, one week apart
Date information for future sessions
June 2025
- Dates: 5 & 12 June
- Times: Each session will run from 9.00am to 12.30pm
November 2025
- Dates: 6 & 13 November
- Times: Each session will run from 9.00am to 12.30pm
A number of discounts are available
What you will need
To join the course, you will need access to a computer 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.