Subbing Masterclass

Overview

Course duration: 1 day.

Even subs who have been doing their job for years can develop their skills, learn some new tricks and sharpen up their act. By taking a critical look at every stage of the editorial production process, this practical course aims to enliven the approach of even the most practiced and world-weary of sub-editors.

Is it right for me?

Sub-editors and chief subs with at least two years' experience.

What will I learn?

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Tackle difficult copy with greater confidence
• Deal with difficult writers and handle technical copy
• Analyse your own publication in terms of production process and published quality
• Acquire new skills to take back to the office

Pre-course Activity

Please send by email to or by post to Hemsley Fraser Group Limited, St James Court, 74-94 Fore Street, Saltash, Plymouth, PL12 6JW at least 14 days prior to the course date: an example of unsubbed copy, of a commissioning brief and your house style guide, along with a copy of your publication.

What will it cover?

Back to Basics

• Review the role and power of the sub-editor
• Polish up skills by working on copy from your own publication and those of other delegates
• Practical exercises including display copy writing and subbing problem copy
• Group discussion sharing delegates’ experiences from their respective titles

Honing Subbing Skills

• How to present news as fresh
• Making display copy work hard for news and features
• Enlivening repetitive or pedestrian copy
• Cutting with authority

Fine-tuning copy

• Restructuring and rewriting
• Dealing with difficult writers
• Tackling technical copy
• Working on narrative flow

Attention to Detail and Managing a Project

• Effective subbing management
• Making your processes watertight
• Making the most of and developing all the production team’s skills
• Common production problems and how to overcome them