I am currently studying a Copyediting online course offered by Writers Digest. The course is amazing so far. The course covers the basics of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The importance of writing in the active rather than the passive voice is also included. The recommended reading books are The Chicago Manual of Style, the Associated Press Style book, and the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary.

When we write, we may sometimes forget the basic rules of using nouns and verbs instead of adjectives and adverbs. The course has been invaluable in helping me improve my writing. The course also discusses how to work as a copyeditor and how to professionally edit copy. I encourage anyone who wants to greatly improve their writing to take this course or a course like it. You don’t have to study this course just to work as an editor.

I was always scared of the book The Chicago Manual of Style. But now that I must become familiar with the book to succeed in the course, I have learned it’s not so nightmare inducing. I have learned that there is way to more to writing and editing than I ever suspected. For example, the rules on using the serial comma is one I still struggle with. But for anyone who is serious about their writing, this just may be the ticket for you.

The course offers grammar exercises and we practice editing our own writing. We edit a written assignment first on paper with a red pencil then we edit online using track changes. This teaches us how editing is done. If we make mistakes, then we learn from them and build our knowledge.

I recommend a few other good books about editing. Grammatically correct: The Essential Guide to Spelling, Style, Usage, Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Stillman. This book discusses the essential points of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and word usage. There are also exercises for the reader to do at the end of each chapter. It’s a great reference book. It is not a dry read, the author makes it fun and enjoyable.

The final book about editing that I recommend is CopyEditing: A Practical Guide by Karen Judd. This book may be out of date but it is a real gem. This is more like a training guide.

Writers must demonstrate a mastery of the English language. We know we must get our submissions past the editor’s ‘gate’ to get it into the hands of readers. But with the above suggested sources, that will not seem like such a huge task. I encourage everyone to consider studying an online course offered by Writers Digest. Or at the very least, to brush up on spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Your writing will benefit from it.

Good luck!