Editorial and project management services offered

• Copy editing and proofreading of academic and general publications, including medical, lifestyle, business, sociopolitical and legal subject-matter, and tourism/hospitality.
• Second-eye proofreading.
• Compiling style sheets for publications or house style manuals for publishers.
• Project managing the production of books, from copy editing through to pre-press, including artwork and photo briefing

Training courses currently offered in Cape Town and Sandton, 2008

The following programme of courses is currently offered in Cape Town (Western Cape Province) and Sandton (Gauteng Province), either inhouse to publishing firms or to individuals through open training sessions.

For further information on any of these training courses, contact the course administrator, Ken McGillivray, at info@editandtrain.com or call him on +27 (0)21 552 5240.

Basic Copy Editing and Proofreading

3 days

An entry-level course that provides practice in the basic skills required by a copy editor and a proofreader, particularly in book publishing.

Advanced Copy Editing and Proofreading

2 days

The content of this course supplements that of the Basic course, providing a greater depth of detail and covering further aspects of the editor/proofreader's craft.

Project Management in Publishing

2 days

Managing book projects entails keeping the production schedule on track, controlling the budget and ensuring that quality is not compromised; in addition to these key functions, problem-solving, crisis management and contractual aspects are covered.

Book Design and Production Fundamentals for Non-designers

1 day

This course helps copy editors and proofreaders in particular to appreciate the design elements of book production so that they are able to enhance their contribution to the end product

Grammar for Editors

2 days

Learnt formal grammar long ago, or not ever? Brush up your grammar on this 'refresher' course that takes you back to the basics in a novel, hands-on way!

Editing and Proofreading Maths and Science

1 day

Maths and Science texts require editors and proofreaders to know and implement a host of quirky conventions that few other subjects demand: this course prepares you for the pitfalls

Indexing

1 day

A practical introduction to the craft, this course takes you through the basics of compiling a book index, the techniques and the conventions, as you create an index

Subediting for Magazines and Newspapers

2 days

The job description of the 'sub' is unique to magazines and newspapers, often requiring creative writing, copy editing and proofreading skills rolled into one. This course covers the tasks and skills required of the subeditor

Power Use of MS Word for Editors

1 day

On this PC-based course you'll learn tips, shortcuts and functions that enable the copy editor and subeditor to work so much more effectively. From creating styles and using Word's spell-checker and thesaurus to tracking your changes and converting text to tables (and vice versa), we fill your day with a host of efficiency features, some of which will possibly come as a revelation!

Plain Language for Editors and Proofreaders

1 day

The aim of a copy editor or subeditor's intervention in text is to make it more accessible, more 'reader-friendly'. Without 'dumbing down' the written word, we often have to simplify the author's words, and this course takes you through the many ways of achieving text that attracts and informs readers rather than intimidating or alienating them. These include converting passive to active voice, noun-forms to more direct verb-forms; converting continuous text to either lists or tables; replacing difficult, uncommon or jargon words with plain words, and writing shorter, tighter sentences.

Writing and Editing for the Web

1 day

Text intended for web pages should occupy a different planet from that produced for print media. Why this is the case and how to produce the most appropriate text for the web environment form the essence of this course. We start by looking at the key differences between the two media and their respective impacts on text; the importance of working closely with the web designer. We then look at the 'scannability' factor of and navigation round a web page and website. In addition, issues such as writing to be read, using and abusing hypertext and hyperlinks and terms to avoid on websites are explored. The importance of putting in place an editorial process and conducting web reviews is emphasised - driven home, as is most of the content, in a series of exercises.