Owing to the fact I like to do things backwards, three years after starting developmental editing, I have signed up to do a course with the Editorial Freelancers Associations to find out how to be a developmental editor. 😁

I know I could probably start with the immediate level (and then do the advanced one), but I figured it wouldn’t harm to go back to the basics. I’ve never had any training for developmental editing, although I have a good working knowledge of story structure and writing techniques, and I certainly know what I like as a reader and especially what I don’t like.

Hopefully, this course will finally help me understand what, exactly, is developmental editing, and what is substantive/line/copy editing. At the moment, I’m sure I do a mishmash of all the stages over the three reads, and I would like to get to the point where I can call myself a professional editor.

So, instead of going for a Masters in creative writing (while resisting the emails from the Open University to sign up for one as I don’t think now is the right time for me to go back into formal education), I’m going to do my utmost to learn everything I can about developmental editing and hopefully make further improvements to the services I offer.

I would also like to look into how one goes about becoming a writing coach, as I do on occasion get a manuscript in that requires much more one-to-one interaction with the author, rather than me overwhelming them with a blood-red manuscript full of comments, or a summarised editorial letter. I suspect I’ll need that Masters to do this, but I shall get around to researching this as a possible service at some point (when I’m not too busy editing all your amazing stories or trying to scribble my own down).

Oh, and for anyone who may have missed my earlier notes about my newsletter… I have a mailing list. If you would like to be kept informed of my available schedules and other exciting news, please consider signing up. It will only be used as and when I have something that I need to let everyone know. I thought it would be a better way to reach everyone than the website, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

You can join the mailing list here: http://www.subscribepage.com/michelledunbarediting 

With regards to current availability. I am now taking bookings for 2018, (and have only one slot left for January).

I don’t charge a booking fee, so if you know roughly when you might need to book my services, please do contact me and reserve the month you have in mind (to avoid disappointment/having to wait longer than you intended). I do tend to book up about two-three months in advance (as a rule).