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#34 Daily Writing Journal - Facing the truth about editing, Writing & Editing Courses, my urban lit African American romance - Leyton and Angelica,

Stressed: Facing the truth about editing

Photo by Nathan Cowley from Pexels


I finally accepted my editing was going nowhere. I was slow and I could not see the end of it. I just didn't know how to approach it - I had no structure. Sure, I've completed the first Act but I still wasn't sure how to measure. I was at the end of my titter. At the end. Stressed, overeating and frustrated. I just couldn't get it together so I decided needed to take action. I also wanted to complete the book by a certain time  so I could publish and make good an implicit promise to my readers.

Desperation: The search for a writing and editing course

Photo by Nick Demou from Pexels

In desperation, I went looking for a course. I had done an editing course before -  Online Edit and Pitch your novel - from Curtis Brown Creative but to be honest I found the editing part to be an money grab. It's worth doing for the Pitching part but the Editing part you can get in any good book. So it was bloody useless, and worse thing, Yes, it's fair cheaper than their select courses - even a lot cheaper since I took it because they have removed some 'services' but only worth it for the pitching.

So I looked at other courses. The most expensive was Cornerstone's online editing course, great course but at £1,800 about £2,376 I wasn't sure. But another  caveat was that it was 18 weeks and it probably works on a workshopping model. I don't think I can do online-workshopping for that amount of time. I would still love to do it but not for this novel.

The second course was Self-Edit Your Novel course run by Jericho Writers. I've been eyeing this course up for years and it's also on my wish list. At £595/$755 it was within my price range. The timeline was about 6 weeks. Yes, it worked on a workshopping model too, but it's only 6 weeks, and third of the time and price of Cornerstone. However I was too late by a week (planning is good) and next enrolment was in March.

Then I found The Novelry which gave a flat set of PDFs for £95 which seemed good value. However the course outline was in a moving image and there was mention of an offer of 12 personal tutored sessions the price of that wasn't highlighted. Saying that, I'm eyeing up the retreats so I may go for the Bridgeport one later on in the year depending on my shedule. However lack of pricing of the personal support made me pass.

Holly Lisle's How To Revise Your Novel. I've been eyeing up this course for years. Years. I first found it about five - six years ago when I wanted to edit my first novel attempt. I read a few reviews they were all favourable but I parked that idea. Then when I wanted to do the course with my second novel, I think the course was on hold. I'm not sure if she was ill or redeveloping it. Then I tried again but it was a limited number each session. Finally this time, I just decided to take the hit.  No workshopping though the site is there. I've also got a couple of her ebooks in the depths of my kindle, so with Holly, I  trust her brand and I know what I'm getting.  I'm paying in $77 instalments. It's a five mouth course so a lot longer than Cornerstone but I don't need to workshop. It's cheaper and with Holly Lisle, I kinda of know what I'm paying for, so I will get something out of it. I've watched this course for years and it had increased by about $100 or so. Her course is targeted at Sci-fi and fantasy writer but writing is writing.

I'll keep you updated.

My urban lit African American romance - Leyton and Angelica - potential finish and publication date.


I'm looking at a publication date of July or August. See? Holly's course is already working. And I plan to work an hour a day.

Yay! Let's hope it goes well.



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