You’ve asked for, and now you are going to get, e-courses in writing and editing on an individual basis. Courses will have five to eight lessons, which can be tailored to each participant’s needs or taken as set up. Work on the course at your own pace (within reason). Starting in January 2009, you can sign up for Query! Query! Query! and Copy Editing 101. Later in 2009, Interview Techniques 101, Crafting the Short Story, and Self-editing and Rewriting will be offered. Check out specific course details below.

Query! Query! Query!
From story idea to story assignment. How to hook editors and land writing gigs.

Expanded from the original workshop Sharon taught through the East End Writers’ Group.

Are you having difficulty landing an assignment with a periodical or online publication? This five-lesson e-course will show you where to get ideas, what publications want and how to find this information. You will learn how much preliminary research to do, how to write a story proposal that will grab the editor’s attention, query protocol so you don’t infuriate the editor, a system for keeping track of your story pitches, dealing with rejection letters including some doozies from the instructor’s “reject” file, and sample query letters that hooked the editor. You will also learn what to do when the editor says “yes,” including contracts, copyright, deadlines, word count and getting paid. Through examples, exercises, assignments submitted for feedback, and online websites, you will master not only the query letter, but how to build a win-win relationship with periodical and online publication editors.

Testimonial: From Linda Dessau, Life Coach Writer who interviewed Sharon for her Idea Generator website

Sharon provided some wonderful details and tips about “hooking” an editor with a good query.

Course Fee (not including text books) is $275. Course can be tailored to participants’ requirements. Payment by cheque, bank draft or Interac debit (Canada only, not all bank supported), PayPal (to words@samcraw.com) is required when registering. A short course outline is available for your pre-registration perusal. For more information and to sign up for this e-course, e-mail Sharon at words@samcraw.com.

Copy Editing 101

Based on the Copy Editing Course Sharon taught for George Brown College, Toronto.

Does your job require you to edit newsletters, reports or articles? Maybe you are considering switching careers? Or maybe you want to cross the editorial fence from writer to editor? Whatever your reason, you need to get beyond the “something’s wrong with this” point to editing professionally. Through examples, exercises, assignments submitted for feedback, and online websites, you will master the basics of copy editing. We will touch on print copy editing, but focus on the online version. This eight-lesson course will cover the mechanics of grammar, punctuation, spelling, redundancy, citations, references, lists, statistics, shortening long-winded prose, recognizing common errors, tips in editor-client negotiations, and a step-by-step guide to approaching a copy editing job. You will also learn the importance of accuracy and consistency and how to wade through the plethora of style guides. Some text books are required – either the online or print version.

Course Fee (not including text books) is $350. Payment by cheque, bank draft or Interac debit (Canada only, not all bank supported), PayPal (to words@samcraw.com) is required when registering. A short course outline is available for your pre-registration perusal. For more information and to sign up for this e-course, e-mail Sharon at words@samcraw.com.