WHEN 6 weeks, Tuesdays, May 20 - June 24, 7-10 pm WHERE mediabistro.com, 7494 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste 303, W. Hollywood, CA 90046 MORE INFO Email us or call (310) 659-5668 PRICE $425 ($400 for ) more info

Course Details

Do you love correcting other people's writing? Do you have a sharp ear for language and keen eye for punctuation? Have you ever been plagued by questions like "What's the difference between an m-dash, a hyphen and the pesky n-dash?" and "What's a dangling modifier?" If so, copy editing is for you! No matter how much the media industry changes, there will always be a need for copy editors. They are the line editor, fact checker, headline writer, verifier, style enforcer, and reader's advocate. This course is for anyone who wants to break into copy editing or just feel more confident wrangling words. We'll cover the basics, from understanding copy editing marks to avoiding rookie grammar mistakes. In just 6 weeks, you'll have the tools to enter the field and an understanding of how to create smooth, readable copy.

By the end of class, students will have:
An overall knowledge of the copy editing field and the tools to enter the field

To apply:
Please submit a letter of interest (including a brief work history).

Related Courses

Instructor Bio

Gary North's Courses

Gary North is a longtime news editor, copy editor, writer and reporter who has worked for such chains as Knight-Ridder, Gannett, Belo and MediaNews Group plus numerous independent publications and websites as well as affiliates of CBS and PBS. He's also worked as a public information officer and in public relations departments of various nonprofits plus for-profits including Southern California Edison. He is a former president of the Los Angeles Newspaper Guild and currently works as a senior copy editor and features copy chief at Variety and Daily Variety.

Testimonials

I feel lucky to have taken this class. I learned a lot about the craft of editing, and I feel like by the time the class was over, I was better at it. I think I'm a stronger editor now and I look forward to applying all the things I learned in this class in the near future. --Tim Crowley

"Gary was an exceptional instructor. In addition to being so insightful and passionate about the field, Gary was always courteous to everyone in class. I was especially impressed with the efforts he made to e-mail us supplemental material, and his willingnesss to help his students outside of the course." -- Andrew Wisot, freelance copywriter

"The class had valuable information that I hadn't been able to acquire elsewhere. All the handouts were relevant and useful, and they included an extensive list of online resources for employable copyeditors that I'll start using immediately. Gary North did a wonderful job!" -- Lynette M. Smith, owner, All My Best Business & Nonfiction Copyediting

"I learned more than I had expected. My boss is already assigning me more copy editing jobs and co-workers are coming to me for style questions. If I don't know the answer, I know exactly where to find one. The biggest benefit I took from the course is to slow down and really read what I am editing or writing, to be consistent with style, and, most importantly, to make sense!" -- Freddy Puza