University of Washington Editing Certificate Program

by Sunny Monroe

The University of Washington Extension College is a place for people who have come to a point in their lives where they need to get more out of their careers. Whether it’s twenty-somethings realizing that their degree is useless in the job market, or thirty-somethings trying to escape a soul-sucking job, or fifty-somethings with enough time to follow their dream career path, everyone there is motivated by the prospect of a more fulfilling life.

This was my second leap into the career change pool. Two years ago I took the screenwriting certificate program. The classes were engaging and I learned a huge amount about my own writing, but the program didn’t produce practical job skills—unless you are related to Steven Spielberg. Once I came to the conclusion that my chances of getting rich as a screenwriter were slim to none, I began to look for other ways of using my love of words in a career.

At the time, I was working a help desk job for a downtown law firm. I was on my second year of burnout and had gotten the message from management that promotion was not in my future. It was time for me to get serious about finding work that didn’t make me dread Mondays.

Then I got a flier about the UW Extension College’s brand new editing certificate program. Needless to say, I was intrigued. At the information meeting, they told us that there are too many unqualified editors in the Pacific Northwest, most without any kind of formal education, and the publishing industry needs more people who know what they’re doing in this part of the country. An occupation involving creativity, the written word, and a real market niche—they offered me a chance, and I was sold.

Winter quarter I started out with Fundamentals of Copyediting taught by Kathleen Cubely, managing editor at Mountaineers Books. This class offered a broad view of the business of copyediting: how to work with authors, how to budget your time for each job, how to charge, how to deal with design issues, how to not over-edit, etc. Cubely also gave intensive instruction on grammar, punctuation, spelling, and using copyediting marks. The homework was copious, but there’s really no way to learn this stuff without practice.

The class was hands-on and totally applicable to the real world of copyediting. Last winter was Kathleen’s first time teaching, but I think that just added to her focus on the nuts and bolts of the science. She taught what she does at work everyday, and never hesitated to tell her students how the lessons will be used on the job. Most importantly, Kathleen constantly dropped hints about what she looks for in a copyeditor and how she likes to be approached by prospective freelancers. I found her to be a laid back professional woman with a sharp sense of humor.

I have few complaints about the class, but one of them is that it was too long. Three hours of punctuation was too much to absorb in one sitting. I would have preferred more homework and shorter classes. As many of us found ourselves lacking in grammar skills, I also wish more focus could have been put in that area. Fortunately, next season the program will offer a class that is specifically covers grammar. Unfortunately, it is also three hours long.

I should also note that while Kathleen’s class gave me a strong foundation of copyediting experience, I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking most of the copyediting or proofing tests that many employers require without more practice. However, this practice can be gained through internships, volunteering to edit Seattle Writergrrls zine articles, or even from doing exercises in the class textbook, The Copyeditor’s Handbook, by Amy Einsohn.

Winter quarter I also took Editorial Perspectives on Publishing taught by David Emblidge, who was then editor-in-chief at Mountaineers Books. This class mapped the journey of a book from manuscript to bookstore shelf and the roles different types of editors play in this process. Guest lecturers from the publishing industry visited almost weekly and discussed issues ranging from design, to finance, to literary agents. Students were also grouped into publishing teams and developed a comprehensive book proposal to present to the class.

Editorial Perspectives on Publishing offered a complete study of the publishing industry and what jobs are available in it. David, with his twenty years of publishing experience, was a perfect guide to this world. I did find my eyes glazing over during some of the design and finance lectures, but for the most part the class was full of relevant and interesting information that students can put to practical use in their book proposal projects.

Spring quarter offered a choice of Copyediting Complex Manuscripts, an advanced combination of the first copyediting class, and the publishing class, or Substantive Editing of Fiction. (Next session the program will also offer Developmental Editing of Nonfiction.) I chose Substantive Editing of Fiction taught by Pam Goodfellow of Goodfellow Press. The bulk of this class involved meeting with an unpublished writer from Pam’s commercial fiction program and working with them, both in and out of class, on character development and plot structure in their manuscript. Pam provided guidance both with her lectures and on a personal e-mail level, but for the most part it was sink or swim.

I found this class to be both the most challenging and the most fulfilling of the three. Pam created an amazing opportunity for the practical application of developmental editing. I was very lucky to be assigned my own author—a Bellingham woman in her sixties writing a period piece romance. (Some students had to share an author with two manuscripts.) At first I was a little disappointed not to get something a little closer to my reading preferences, but I found a kindred spirit in my author. Her passion and work ethic inspired me to look deeper and find the hidden possibilities in her stories. I came out of the class with a refined sense of my own ability to communicate and bring out the author’s own creativity.

My one complaint with the class is that the student editors are required to give periodic reports to the class on their experiences with their authors. While I sometimes found the information insightful and instructive, it was more often unfocused and rambling. I’d like to see Pam structure these oral reports so that they are short and to the point.

Towards the last few weeks of the program, I began thinking about how to break into the editing career I hoped was out there waiting for me. Seattle is certainly not the hub of publishing that New York is, but there are a fair number of publishing houses and periodicals in the area that offer or are willing to consider offering internships. It’s true that most internships pay either minimum wage or, more often, nothing, but three to six months of unpaid experience can be invaluable to you in the future. And you don’t necessarily have to leave your day job to get the experience. This summer I am doing three internships. Two of these—my internships with Epicenter Press and The New Times—are allowing me to do projects for them at home. While you may be going up against English and journalism majors for these opportunities, your education will be much more concentrated on literary editing and have a more practical application.

The editing program runs between $1700 and $2700, depending on how many classes you decide to take, and runs three quarters—Fall through Spring. For the time and money, it’s an excellent, intensive introduction to the publishing world and the business of editing. As with most educational programs, some real world experience will be required before you can quit your day job and start your next career. One of the best things I gained from the program was professional contacts. Almost everyone in the program is an editor or is serious about becoming one, and most will be people you can network with down the road. And don’t forget the author you’ll be collaborating with Spring quarter. My author and I are still working on her manuscript, and in July she took me to the Pacific Northwest Writers Association dessert dinner and introduced me to other authors.

Yes, it’s a tough time to make a career change in Seattle, but when you step out of this editing program, you’ll have an inside view into the industry, valuable editing skills, and the contacts to keep you motivated on the road to a more fulfilling life. And no more dreaded Mondays.

Sunny Monroe is an ex-techy who's entering her thirties and her second career as a freelance editor.