The Art of Editing

1 Course Unit

This course takes a critical and practical approach to the art of editing. Is the editor simply a “failed writer,” as T. S. Eliot claimed, or is good editing the key to a writer’s clarity and integrity? In addition to exploring theories and histories of the red pen—including Marianne Moore’s five-decade quest to revise a single poem and the editor who was discovered to have invented Raymond Carver’s distinctive narrative style—we immerse ourselves in the technical aspects of editing, covering such topics as the difference between developmental and line editing, the merits of MLA and Chicago style, proofreading in hard copy and digital environments, and when to wield an em dash. Students gain practical editing experience, learn about a range of different levels of editorial interventions, and investigate the politics of language usage and standards. This course is suitable for aspiring copyeditors or any writer who wants to polish up their grammar and punctuation skills. 1 Course Unit