What I Learned from a Book Publishing Course, and How It Made Me a Better Editor

Posted on June 5, 2025

As an editor, I found that professional development often focused on writing and grammar, not the industry, much less publishing as a whole. Questions like how to follow trends, how publishing companies market their books, or what a formal editorial assessment looks like were things that could only be self-taught until a publishing company hired you. I never saw a course that offered the full scope of publishing, where I felt most editors wanted to work. When I discovered ELVTR’s Editor in Book Publishing, taught by Julia Wallace, I had to enroll.

What is ELVTR’s Editor in Book Publishing? ELVTR offers educational courses tailored to diverse industries, ranging from game development to film, to help students advance in their careers. In my course, I took 12 live classes over eight weeks from Julia Wallace, executive managing editor and copy chief at Penguin Random House, as she gives lessons from her experience in the publishing industry. After taking the course, I have become a better editor for it, and here’s why.

A Supportive and Insightful Instructor

Julia never instructed a class before, yet she was amazing. I received helpful critiques of the homework, and during our one-on-one interviews, Julia provided me with practical advice for updating my resume and website. She always had time to answer people’s questions, but if class ran long, she would share her answers in a later post for everyone to read.

How to Write an Editorial Assessment That Helps the Author

I learned how to provide authors with constructive feedback based on elements such as dialogue, theme, pacing, character development, and more. It wasn’t about me providing suggestions, but rather working with the author to help them improve their story.

Editing and Fact-Checking with More Precision

Focusing on clarity, coherence, consistency, and correctness to ensure that the novel is purposeful and engaging to read. Editing is about exploring the text with intention so that when the book is published, there is no room for errors on the author’s behalf.

Understanding Marketing and Publicity

Marketing is about getting to know the author and understanding their work so that I can find the right audience to market. From creating social media posts to websites, I can help readers find their favorite authors. A significant lesson I learned from guest speaker Lisa Beech, senior director of publicity at HarperCollins, was never to stop exploring new opportunities for an author’s success.

This course gave me the knowledge and confidence to expand my services beyond editing. If you’re an author preparing a manuscript, or a publisher looking for a detailed, thoughtful editor, I’d love to work with you. Go to my portfolio for more information.