Susan Barnes Editing, LLC/Be Your Own Book Editor: Story Editing

Be Your Own Book Editor

Be Your Own Book Editor — Take Your Story from First Draft to Final In Six Weeks or Less

  • $499 or 4 monthly payments of $124.75

Be Your Own Book Editor Course

  • Course

Be Your Own Book Editor is an online course that walks fiction authors through the core process of a developmental edit, editing and strengthening their story to help take their manuscript from first draft to final in six weeks or less, so they can pitch or pursue publishing with confidence.

Note: This course was rebranded from The Revision Revision but is the same

Contents

WHAT:

Be Your Own Book Editor is an online course that walks fiction authors through the core process of a developmental edit, editing and strengthening their story to help take their manuscript from first draft to final in six weeks or less, so they can pitch or pursue publishing with confidence.


As a fiction editor with over ten years of experience working with authors at every stage of their career—from brand new authors to USA Today and NYT Bestsellers—I know how vital the editing process is to crafting a great book. But while it is always useful to have a professional developmental editor critique a story, it isn’t always realistic for every author because of timeline, budget, or process.


I’ve created Be Your Own Book Editor so that every author can have great editing resources at their fingertips. This course takes the overwhelming story editing process and simplifies it into six straightforward, self-guided modules for authors to follow as they prepare their story for pitching or pursuing publishing.

WHEN:

Be Your Own Book Editor enrollment is closed, but sign up below to get an alert when it opens again this fall!

Not ready to edit your story? Sign up for our newsletter to get an alert the next time enrollment opens! 


WHERE:

Be Your Own Book Editor is an online course, so you can enjoy it (and implement it) right from where you are!


That being said, you aren’t in this alone! You will also receive access to the Be Your Own Book Editor Facebook group and the Podia community, so you can connect with me for questions as well as other authors just like you! 


WHO:

I started Be Your Own Book Editor after talking with so many authors who wanted expert editing advice but either couldn't afford it, didn’t have the time for it, or just wanted to better their craft without having to pay for a full edit. I created it to help fiction authors through the core process of editing and strengthening their story to take their manuscript from first draft to final in six weeks, so they can pitch or pursue publishing with confidence!



A bit more about me:

Susan Barnes is a fiction editor and coach who helps authors—both traditional and indie—find their voice and strengthen their story so that they can publish with confidence and grow their author career.


She has worked in publishing for over ten years with traditional, indie, apps, debut, and USA Today and NYT Bestselling authors. She is a member of the EFA, ACES, the CWiP, and a graduate of the NYU Publishing Program. 


She resides in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and black lab, Moose, where she enjoys binge-watching dramas, singing (badly), and reading (no surprise there).


You can find and follow her online at:


Facebook: www.facebook.com/susanbarnesediting

Instagram: @susanbarnesediting

Twitter: @sbarnesq2
Youtube:


WHY Be Your Own Book Editor?

If you want to have a great story and access to years of publishing knowledge without taking years and spending thousands, be sure to join us in Be Your Own Book Editor!


“What does Be Your Own Book Editor include?”


When you join this course, you get:

Be Your Own Book Editor | Proprietary method for mapping out your edits and revision plan


Be Your Own Book Editor Club | Facebook support group


Market Assessment Strategy | Step-by-step plan to assess competitors, market expectations, and audience


Core Developmental Pillars | Lessons on the key pillars of storytelling (Story Structure, Dialogue, Voice, Worldbuilding, and more)


Revision Exercises | Revision exercises to spot key issues and solutions


Worksheets, planners, etc. | Author Goals Tracker, Author Self-Assessment, Daily Editing Planner Pages, Developmental Editing Checklist, Finalizing Your Manuscript Checklist, Self-Pub v. Traditional Questionnaire, Traditional Publishing Checklist, Self-Publishing Checklist, and more


Story Hook Framing | A process for creating and solidifying your story hook for revision and pitching


Mindset and Goal Creation | Get where you want to go by knowing where you are and where you need to be

And more!

As a preview, check out the introductory video below under Module 1: Lesson 1!

Module 1: Renew - Mindset and Goals

Module 1: Lesson 1 - The Revision Vision Introduction Video
Preview
Module 1: Lesson 1 - Be Your Own Book Editor Introduction PPT Companion.pdf
Preview
Module 1: Lesson 2 - Self-Assessment, Mindset, and Goals
Module 1: Lesson 2 PPT Companion
Author Self-Assessment
Mindset Reset
Author Goals Worksheet
Author Goals Tracker
Daily Editing Planner Page
Module 1: Lesson 3 - Genre, Beta Readers, and Manuscript Review
Module 1: Lesson 3 - Video Powerpoint Companion
Beta Reader Tracking Sheet and Questions
Module One Questionnaire

Module 2: Recall - Developmental Editing Pillars

Module 2: Lesson 1 - Introduction Video
Module 2: Lesson 1 - Introduction Video Powerpoint Companion
Module 2: Lesson 2 - Story Hook Creation
Module 2: Lesson 2 - Story Hook Video Powerpoint Companion
Module 2: Lesson 3 - Realistic Versus Believable
Module 2: Lesson 3 - Realistic Versus Believable Video Powerpoint Companion.pdf
Module 2: Story Structure.pdf
Module 2: Character Evaluation.pdf
Module 2: POV and Tense.pdf
Module 2: Dialogue and Voice.pdf
Module 2: Show and Tell and Info Dumping.pdf
Module 2: Introduction and Conclusion.pdf
Module 2: Prologue and Epilogue.pdf
Module 2: Transitions and Timelines.pdf
Module 2: Worldbuilding and Series.pdf
Module Two Questionnaire

Module 3: Revise - The Revision Vision Framework

Module 3: Lesson 1 - Introduction.mp4
Module 3: Lesson 1 - The Be Your Own Book Editor Framework PPT
Module 3: Lesson 2 - The Developmental Editing Checklist
Module 3: Lesson 2 - The Developmental Editorial Checklist Video Companion.pdf
Developmental Editing Checklist
Module 3: Lesson 3 - The Editorial Letter Video.mp4
Module 3: Lesson 3 - The Editorial Letter Video Companion.pdf
Be Your Own Book Editor Framework Editorial Organization Sheet.xlsx
Edit Letter Template.docx
Fantasy Romance Edit Letter Example.docx
Module 3: Lesson 4 - Brainstorming the How.mp4
Module 3: Lesson 4 - The How Video Companion.pdf
Module Three Questionnaire

Module 4: Rework - Macro and Micro Edits

Module 4: Lesson 1 - Introduction Video
Module 4: Lesson 1 - Introduction PDF Video Companion.pdf
Module 4: Editing Exercises Video
Module 4: Editing Exercises PPT Video Companion
Editing Exercise 1: As The Ashes Rise - Original.docx
Editing Exercise 1: With SB Comments.docx
Editing Exercise 1: With Author Revisions.docx
Editing Exercise 2: Worth It - Original.docx
Editing Exercise 2: Worth It - With SB Comments.docx
Editing Exercise 3: Fighting for Her - Original
Editing Exercise 3: Fighting For Her - With SB Comments.docx
Editing Exercise 4: A Supernatural Convenience - Original.docx
Editing Exercise 4: A Supernatural Convenience - With SB Comments.docx
Editing Exercise 5: Nothing Ever Happens in a Small Town - Original.docx
Editing Exercise 5: Nothing Ever Happens in a Small Town - Wtih SB Comments.docx
Module Four Questionnaire

Module 5: Review - Finalize Your Story

Module 5: Lesson 1 - Introduction Video
Module 5: Lesson 1 - Introduction Powerpoint Video Companion
Module 5: Lesson 2 - Finalizing Your Story Video
Module 5: Lesson 2 - Finalizing Your Story Video Powerpoint Companion
Module 5: Lesson 2 - Finalizing Your Manuscript Checklist
Module 5: Lesson 2 - My Story Wins Note Sheet
Module 5: Lesson 3 - The Big Question Video
Module 5: Lesson 3 - The Big Question Video PPT Companion
Module Five Questionnaire

Module 6: Reach - Pitch or Pursue Publishing

Module 6: Lesson 1 - Introduction Video
Module 6: Lesson 1 - Introduction PPT Video Companion
Author Self-Assessment Part Two!
A Typical Editorial Process
Market Assessment Worksheet
Market Assessment Worksheet Example.xlsx
Module 6: Lesson 2 - Deciding Your Publishing Path Video
Module 6: Lesson 2 - Deciding Your Publishing Route Video PPT Companion
Self-Pub V. Traditional Questionnaire
Module 6: Lesson 3 - Creating Your Publishing Plan Video
Module 6: Lesson 3 - Creating Your Publishing Plan Video PPT Companion
The Self-Publishing Plan Checklist
The Traditional Publishing Plan Checklist
My Publishing Plan Worksheet
Module Six Questionnaire

Frequently asked questions

You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers.

Why do I need Be Your Own Book Editor?

There are many great resources out there to help authors better their craft, but with Be Your Own Book Editor, you will benefit from Susan’s knowledge of 10+ years in the publishing industry—both indie and traditional—all in one place, with a guided plan and a community to help you along the way. 

How long do I have access to the course?

A great benefit to Be Your Own Book Editor is that you will have lifetime access to the resources. So the course can not only help you with this story, but can also support you in your author career as you continue to write and publish.

Can I use Be Your Own Book Editor as a new author?

Whether this is your first book or your tenth, Be Your Own Book Editor has something for everyone. Walking you through a concrete plan of how to figure out what you need to change and why, this course can help you strengthen your current story and better understand your process for future books as well. 

Does Be Your Own Book Editor include copyediting?

Be Your Own Book Editor is built to help you strengthen and solidify your story, so it does not include tips on copyediting. For more on copyediting, check out the SBE resources page!