Editing Forensics: A 5-Week Virtual Course

Great writing depends on great editing—and great editing is a skill that can be learned.

In this highly interactive 5-week virtual course, participants will develop practical editing techniques that strengthen both their own writing and their ability to work effectively with others’ work.

Designed for working editors as well as writers who want to become stronger self-editors, this training centers on Editing Forensics™—a systematic approach to evaluating stories at the conceptual, structural, and stylistic levels to identify what a piece needs to become clearer, stronger, and more compelling.

Drawing on The Open Notebook’s 15 years of experience training science journalists worldwide, this workshop combines concrete frameworks, hands-on exercises, and expert guidance to help participants develop sharper editorial instincts and produce cleaner, more effective copy.

"I went in to this doubting that I would ever be able to take on an editor role because I just didn't know if I had the skills or knowledge of how that role worked. Now I am confident I could be an editor."

"The workshop on developmental editing was pure gold. I’ve been a fairly intuitive editor and loved the methods and theory presented. It took my game to the next level."

"An amazing crash course in so many things that I was wondering about (or didn't know I should be thinking about!). It was very encouraging to learn that many of my challenges are actually common challenges. Hearing how you handle some of these challenges was incredibly useful. Many thanks for all that you covered!"

"The balance of direct instruction, individual work time, and partnered/group discussions was perfect. I am excited to bring fresh ideas and resources from the workshop back to my team.”

Format

Each workshop in the course is two hours long (except that the initial workshop is one hour long). The program for each workshop will include planned presentations, interactive activities and discussions, and opportunity for discussing or workshopping real-life editing challenges and solutions.

Workshops will be recorded and made available to registered participants for two months following each workshop.

Dates

The course will take place on the following dates (all times are U.S. Central Time):

Wednesday, October 14 (10:00-11:00 a.m.)
Wednesday, October 21 (10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, October 28 (10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, November 4 [Catch-up week; no class time]
Wednesday, November 11 (10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, November 18 (10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)

Course Description

This immersive, hands-on course demystifies science editing. It equips editors with the tools to interpret story ideas; select and plan stories; address common issues in drafts; coach and communicate effectively with writers; and develop strong, healthy editorial relationships.

Core topics we’ll cover include:

Developing the skills and mindset of an editor
Sharpening story ideas and developing reporting plans
Prioritizing the steps in your editing or self-editing process
Using The Open Notebook’s Editing Forensics^TM approach to identify and address common conceptual, structural, and style issues in drafts
Recognizing when you are done editing
Nurturing a strong editor-writer relationship
Handling challenging situations in the editorial process

The course will include ample time for discussion and collaborative exercises. Participants will receive a variety of take-home resources, including handy editing checklists and a curated collection of relevant resources from The Open Notebook.

Registration Fee

The cost of the course is $499.