ONLINE CLASS

Build Your Developmental Editing Business

Starting, establishing, and flourishing as a professional editorial freelancer


INSTRUCTOR

Allison K Williams

DATE & TIME

Three live sessions: Nov. 1, Nov. 8, and Nov. 15 (or watch the recordings)

IDEAL FOR

Beginning to intermediate developmental editors

ACCESSIBILITY

Closed captions by Otter; transcript provided with recording


Want to edit professionally but don’t know how to get started? Already an editor, but you’d like to change focus, or your business needs a boost? Getting low-dollar offers on Upwork or getting the runaround from Reedsy? Just plain tired of “free sample” edits that don’t convert? Finding the authors you’d love to work with who can afford to pay you isn’t a lottery, but a skill set: editing well, communicating your enthusiasm for the book, pricing fairly, and reaching the right clients at the right time.

In this three-part live class, taught by Allison K Williams, you’ll learn how to focus on developmental editing (and what, exactly, that encompasses); how to inspire authors to revise terrible drafts instead of quitting; where to find clients (and how to get them to find you) and systems for running your profitable editing business. We’ll talk specific dollar amounts, contract language, editorial letter composition and client relationships. And we’ll put it all together with three short practice edits which you’ll choose from real authors’ works-in-progress to apply your new skills, estimate your time and price, and have the option to offer them a quote for your editing services.

Week 1: Developmental editing

  • Developmental edit, book coaching, manuscript evaluation, professional beta read: what should you provide at each level?
  • Similarities and differences when editing memoir versus fiction
  • Story and structure: how to identify why a plot isn’t working
  • Starting with SUCK: four things the opening pages must do
  • “Mary Sue” and other characters who need more development
  • How much writing craft should you address in a big-picture edit?
  • 3 key ways to dramatically speed up your editing
  • Live editing, and an editing practice assignment

Week 2: Communicating with clients

  • How to give feedback that inspires rather than discouraging your author
  • Winning new business with sample edits (and looking confident even when you really, really want the gig!)
  • Using margin comments to pinpoint problems they can fix right now
  • Editorial letter components, and the important message Allison sends to every client
  • What if the book is racist, sexist or just plain offensive?
  • What if the client’s not ready for an edit?
  • Keeping the author’s publishing goals in mind
  • Dealing with difficult clients: the Cheapskate, the Tire-Kicker, the Late Deliverer, the Perfectionist, and the Next Draft Weakener
  • Ongoing relationships: book coaching, multiple drafts, multiple books
  • Live editing, and an editing practice assignment

Week 3: Making money

  • What to charge and how to discover that number (genre matters!)
  • Why you absolutely must track your time—even if you’re billing by the word
  • Should you start cheap or give discounts? Give free samples?
  • Writing an Editorial Agreement to protect yourself and the client
  • Where to find new clients without sounding like a used-car dealer
  • What belongs on your editor website—specific prices? That book you beta-read for a friend?
  • How a booking system helps your cash flow and your calendar
  • Getting and using testimonials
  • How to get paid—and what do you owe your government?
  • Turning down or referring projects you’re not right for—can you afford to say no?
  • An editing practice assignment

Premium level ($799): mastermind group (sold out)

Get extra time and attention from Allison K Williams in a small-group setting

  • When: On November 5, November 12, November 19 (Sundays), from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern Time 
  • Small-group coaching. After each session, join a small-group Zoom mastermind to answer your follow-up questions, focus your editing business goals, and learn about resources specific to your needs. You’ll have access to a recording of your session.
  • We’ll talk offerings: what is unique and compelling about your work, and what’s the best way to deliver it? 
  • We’ll talk income: how to go from $0 to making a living, and from five figures to six.
  • Personal feedback: discuss your editing practice assignments, your strengths, and how to get even better.

Who should take this class

  • Editors who want to deepen their developmental editing practice
  • Editors who want to improve their cash flow and increase their client base
  • Working in-house editors who want to make the jump to freelancing
  • Copyeditors and proofreaders interested in adding developmental editing or book coaching to their skill set
  • Beginning editors who want to establish best practices for their business
  • Creative writing students and graduates of MFA programs interested in editing professionally
  • Acquisitions editors who want to improve their staff’s editing skills, or know how to better coach writers before publication
  • Writers and readers who love giving feedback and are considering editing or book coaching as a freelance career path

Note: We offered this series in 2021; while there will be minor differences between the two sessions, we don’t recommend registering for this class a second time. The guidance remains largely the same.

What’s included in all of Jane’s classes

All classes are self-contained and never end with a sales pitch.

How do I attend the live class?

This class uses Zoom webinar technology. You will join through your Internet-connected computer or mobile device. When you register, you will receive information via email on how to join the class. If you don’t receive it within 1 hour of registering, please contact us.

  • When: November 1, November 8, and November 15 (Wednesdays)
  • Time: 12 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Eastern Time / 9 a.m. Pacific Time
  • Fee: $279 for all three sessions; $799 for the premium level (only 8 spots—SOLD OUT)

The webinar is broadcasted via the internet with live audio delivered through your computer or mobile device speakers. The visual presentation is displayed directly from the presenter’s computer to your computer screen. The Q&A is managed through a chat-style submission system with questions read and answered by the presenter for the entire class to hear.

Closed captions are provided during the live class. We use Zoom’s automated closed caption service (powered by Otter), which is about 80%+ accurate. We also use Otter AI to generate an unedited transcript, provided with the recording.

About the instructor

Allison K Williams is the author of Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro From Blank Page to Book. She has edited and coached writers to publishing deals with Penguin Random House, Knopf, Mantle, Spencer Hill, and St. Martin’s Press as well as hybrid and independent presses. She’s guided essayists and humorists to publication in media including the New Yorker, Time, the Guardian, the New York Times, McSweeney’s, Refinery29, Hippocampus, the Belladonna and TED Talks. As Social Media Editor for Brevity, she inspires thousands of writers with weekly blogs on craft and the writing life.

As a memoirist, essayist, and travel journalist, Allison has written craft, culture and comedy for National Public Radio, CBC-Canada, the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, Creative Nonfiction, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Kenyon Review Online, the Prairie Schooner blog, the Drum and Travelers’ Tales and Flash Nonfiction Funny. 

Allison holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Western Michigan University and spent 20 years as a circus aerialist and acrobat before writing and editing full-time. She leads the Rebirth Your Book writing retreats series and co-hosts The Writers Bridge Platform Chat.

I’ve been a copy editor for more than 30 years, and I learned SO MUCH! I really appreciate Allison’s knowledge, attention to detail, and ability to teach so clearly. I miss the usual circus photo, but you can’t have everything. 🙂

2021 attendee

The depth and breadth of the class was astounding. I appreciate the three sessions, the division of work, the homework, the expertise, the candor. Allison is not only a firehose, she’s energetic, bubbly, straight-talking, and a whole lot of fun. Jane’s contributions added value on top of an already amazing investment.

2021 attendee

Allison’s classes are unlike ANY others I have EVER taken, in terms of the amount of actionable material she covers, the clarity of information (even complex and nuanced levels of knowledge) and her unique gift of being able to inspire and galvanize students beyond the limits they had placed on themselves. Brilliant and unparalleled in both intensity/value added and accessibility.

2021 attendee

All students receive the following

  • Access to three interactive class sessions (2 hours each). Allison will take questions during class using in-class chat/text. The class will end after roughly 2 hours.
  • A recording of the class—audio and video. This is especially helpful if you have a conflict with the class time or something comes up and you can’t make the session. Each registration comes with access to the archived version of the program and the materials for six months. You do not have to attend the live event to access the recordings.
  • Presentation slides. All participants receive a copy of the slide presentations in PDF form.
  • Rough transcript. We use Otter to create an automated transcript of each webinar, which we’ll share with you in addition to the audio and video recording.
  • Three editing assignments. The first two will be discussed in the subsequent session so you can compare your work with Allison’s recommendations.
  • Sample editing contract. You can copy or adapt the contract for your own business.
  • Time calculator. This will help you figure out your editing prices.

Event Attendance & Anti-Harassment Policy

We strive to provide an environment where all present—whether attendee, presenter, or staff—can feel supported. In order to ensure a welcoming event, here is what we expect from all who participate.

  • That the presenter and the presenter’s work be treated with respect by attendees and that all attendees treat each other with respect and a generosity of spirit.
  • That attendees will refrain from harassment of any sort including (but not limited to) comments or questions of a racist, homophobic, sexist/sexual, or threatening nature. This includes actions that disrupt or interfere with anyone’s ability to participate. Offenders will be disconnected from the live event.