Claudia Ann Seaman Award
The global online literary platform for high school writers and editors
"How to Be a Literary Editor"
This course teaches high school and college students how to edit poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Our editorial method, developed over 15 years of teaching our own staff the craft of editing, offers a standard approach for tackling each submission and gives an overview of the specific editing vocabulary useful for giving meaningful feedback.
Students who complete the course will be prepared to join the staff of their school literary magazine, ace an internship at a real-world lit magazine, and/or join Polyphony Lit. The course also includes a guide for literary magazine interns published by the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses [clmp] which will introduce students to the administrative and business aspects of producing a literary magazine.
billy lombardo on being destroyed by his first editor and the value of an editorial education
Features of this course:
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On-demand & self-paced (Start right now!)
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3-5 hours to complete
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3 expert instructors lead mini-lectures and close readings in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction
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A panel of talented high school Executive Editors workshop pieces in each genre
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A final assignment with personal feedback
Cost: $99 to enroll*
*We are nonprofit which aims to reach all students. If you need financial assistance to participate, please contact us.
94% of editors who completed the course rate it as "very good/excellent" in preparing students to be an editor.
“This course is a master class in not only training your eye to recognize great writing, but also in training your mind to understand just what makes it great, and what exactly could be better.”
— Will L.
Students who pass the mini-quizzes and complete the final assignment will receive a Certificate of Completion and an invitation to join the Polyphony Lit editorial staff.
For High School Literary Magazine Advisers: If your school is interested in using the workshop to train your high school editorial staff, please contact us for more information and a discount on volume purchases.
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”I used to approach pieces from every genre in the same way, but this course taught me to examine each genre differently.
— Maxine M.