Making Books
Introduction to Book Editing and Publishing
Students in Making Books (ENWR 3500) gain a broad view of book editing and publishing in the 21st century, as well as hands-on experience with developmental, substantive, and copy editing. This course demands attention to both practical application and meaningful philosophy, challenging students to perfect the methods of editing but also to consider the urgent implications of editorial intervention.
Editing changes texts, but it also changes the people involved--authors, editors, and reader. To push toward robust understanding and advanced skill, students will work through readings and assignments that get them working with real texts at multiple levels, all in the context of today’s book industry. Students will work in pairs and groups to perform developmental, substantive, copy edits, and revisions on well-known but contested manuscripts.
By the course’s end, students should have established their own editorial philosophy, along with a digital portfolio and work samples should they wish to pursue editorial work beyond the class.
Appropriate for aspiring publishing professionals, but also for anyone who simply wants to better understand the often-hidden lives of books-in-progress, or to take their writing skills to a new level.