Courses

Pamela Hewitt’s Masterclass on Dialogue is a must for all editors of fiction and narrative nonfiction. Writers will also benefit. Writing effective dialogue is hard work. Pamela expertly guides participants through the many roles dialogue plays and how these roles are achieved. Highly recommended.

Helen Topor

Pamela Hewitt, teacher

A qualified teacher, I’ve presented face-to-face editing programs for universities, colleges, writers’ centres and societies of editors around Australia and internationally. I have also developed online courses in professional editing.

Online: Editing for Writers

This six-week online course is offered by Writing NSW. It’s designed for writers who want to improve their manuscript before submitting it to agents and publishers, or in preparation for self-publishing. Editors who are interested in working with fiction will also find this course helpful. Enrolments are now open.

Week 1: Structural editing

When you restructure a piece of writing, the whole text is up for grabs. Structural editing is a creative means of reimagining the shape, balance and flow of a text. We look at where to start and where to end, characterisation and perspective.

Week 2: Style and line editing

This week covers matters of style. We identify words and phrases that lift a text and those the manuscript is better off without. We also introduce the fundamentals of copyediting and proofreading to tighten language and eliminate errors and inconsistencies. A well presented manuscript increases your chances of finding a publisher and delighting readers.

Week 3: Plain and simple

Like food, language appeals most when it’s fresh and varied. Whatever the writing technique, there is a relationship between clear writing and clear thinking. We also look at brilliant exceptions to the precepts of plain English approaches.

Week 4: Brave new world of digital media

The screen is different from the page and so editing techniques need to be targeted to both format and device. We look at ground-breaking writing using digital techniques, including recent AI innovations like ChatGPT, and the skills writers need to keep up with digital media and publishing developments.

Week 5: Grammar and punctuation for writers

This lesson takes the anxiety out of grammar and punctuation and provides the tools and confidence to avoid common mistakes. We also consider ways grammar is evolving and analyse contemporary trends in punctuation and presentation of manuscripts.

Week 6: Edit your story

The final week ties together all that we’ve learnt using excerpts from various genres. Participants will also receive tailored feedback on editing solutions. They can choose an excerpt of their own writing or a sample text to identify problems and find ways to improve the draft.

Please expect to dedicate a minimum of 3-4 hours to coursework each week. This includes reading, responding to discussions, writing, revising and providing peer feedback.

Fiction Editing Masterclass

The Fiction Editing Masterclass is a professional development program for editors who wish to extend their knowledge, skills and expertise. The program is a series of closely designed workshops, each focused on a different story element in fiction. Workshops are pre-recorded, and available on demand.

I present these masterclasses alongside my colleague, Renée Otmar. Please contact me or Renée for further information about the masterclasses, costs and discounts.

Recordings available now

Voice
Trainer: Renée Otmar

Characterisation
Trainer: Pamela Hewitt

Dialogue
Trainer: Pamela Hewitt

Point of View
Trainer: Pamela Hewitt

Coming soon

Pace and tense
Trainer: Pamela Hewitt

Narrative structure
Trainer: Renée Otmar

‘Show don’t tell’
Trainer: Renée Otmar

Communicating with authors and publishing clients
Trainer: Renée Otmar and Pamela Hewitt

 

Writing and Editing Digital Texts
with Pamela Hewitt

Today, writers need to understand the digital world and decide how they want to participate in it.

You don’t need to be a techie to publish and publicise your text on a variety of digital platforms. Learn from accredited editor Pamela Hewitt, who has worked in editing and publishing for over 25 years.

Working through the practical, hands-on exercises in this course, you will:

  • understand current digital technology
  • learn strategies for presenting your blog or podcast or story on a range of screens
  • explore the digital possibilities for texts you’ve already written, in any subject area and genre
  • gain insights into the pros and cons of self-publishing

This is an on-demand course, which means it’s available any time, whenever you’re ready.

You can enrol at Writing NSW