A pilot course for prospective Cosmos Co‑op members
The process of getting ideas out of one’s head and onto screen or paper can be messy and fraught with angst. For example, if a writer tries to edit while being creative, writers’ block is nearly guaranteed. In this course, writers (and editors) will learn to edit their own nonfiction prose. After you have written your first draft or your final draft, you can use the editing principles Lisa teaches to ensure that your reader understands your meaning. We’ll cover topics not mentioned in English 101 that will breathe life into your writing. This approach to editing is based on research into how readers understand what they read; writers/editors are then taught how to support that process. We’ll show you how to make sure that the subject of the sentence is the agent of the action; how to construct smooth information flow; and we’ll answer your all your questions about those pesky grammar and word usage rules. After the course, if you want one-on-one coaching, you can sign up for personalized assistance.
This course is definitely for editors and nonfiction writers, probably for fiction writers, and will likely be anathema to poets! Note: THERE IS HOMEWORK. The principles in this course can be learned easily, but then it is necessary to apply them. That takes effort.
About the Instructor
Lisa Maroski has been a freelance editor for 35 years. Although she found a niche in scientific and medical editing, the principles she teaches are widely applicable. Lisa is also the author of a novel, The One That Is Both, and a nonfiction book on language and consciousness, Embracing Paradox, Evolving Language, forthcoming from Untimely Books.
Schedule
There will be three 1-hour (plus Q&A) sessions. Each session builds on the previous one. If you can’t make the session in person, please watch the video before attending the next session.
- Live Session #1: April 13, 2023—10 am Pacific time (convert time zone)
- Live Session #2: April 27, 2023—10 am Pacific time (convert time zone)
- Live Session #3: May 11, 2023—10 am Pacific time (convert time zone)
Registration
This course is specifically being offered to individuals who are interested in becoming members of Cosmos Co-op and working as an editor on any of our projects, such as books or web publications. If you are not sure that want to become a member of the Co-op, please feel free to register anyway, since this will be a good way to test the waters. You may also wish to attend the next informational meeting before the course begins.
Cost: $50 (to be paid before the first session)—a payment link will be sent to you after registration.