Unlocking the Power of Editing and Publishing:
A Review of the 2-day Editing and Publishing Seminar-Workshop
by Mheryll Giffen L. Alforte and Abigael Joice Francisco
Published February 19, 2024 5:00 PM
There is more to editing than meets the eye. It goes beyond grammatical faults or simple proofreading; and to the untrained eye, it is even more difficult to spot errors on a manuscript.
In the fast-paced world of publishing, mastering the art of editing and understanding the nuances of the publishing industry are essential skills for aspiring writers, editors, and publishers alike. Recognizing this need, The Inteligente Publishing, Inc. recently conducted a comprehensive 2-day seminar-workshop entitled, “Editing and Publishing 101: A Seminar-Workshop for Aspiring Editors” on February 3 and 10, 2024 at Harolds Evotel, Quezon City.
It aimed to provide participants with a solid foundation in editing principles, publishing techniques and industry insight, and educate participants on the nitty-gritty details of the textbook development process, focusing on the editorial tasks, responsibilities, and skills required of an academic book editor – that the event promised to be an invaluable opportunity for anyone looking to navigate the competitive landscape of the publishing world.
The seminar-workshop was led by Christine Marie “Ching” Lim Magpile—a licensed professional teacher who’s currently a university research associate II and editor of UP Diliman, as well as a project-based language editor and proofreader at the UP Sentro ng Wika-Diliman.
With Magpile’s years of experience in the field, participants were guided through the fundamentals of copy editing, developmental editing, proofreading, as well as the evaluation of manuscripts to checking the front and back covers of a book. They also delved into the tasks and duties of an Acquisition Editor and its importance in book production.
Attended by 21 beginning editors, authors, teachers, and other professionals, the seminar-workshop kicked off with an in-depth exploration on the world of acquisition editing and book development.
Practical exercises were administered to sharpen the participants’ editing skills and allow them to dig into creative ideas to develop a manuscript that was polished to perfection. One is that they were grouped into five and were tasked to emulate editors in a publishing company by pitching stories and formulating focus group discussions amongst themselves. Each group presented their outputs to share their takeaways after every activity.
Additionally, to ensure that the participants were amused, a raffle draw was organized by Magpile herself to three lucky participants at the end of day one.
On the second day, the seminar-workshop shifted focus on the intricacies of developmental editing. From grammar and punctuation to style and tone, every aspect of the editing process was meticulously dissected. It also covered the basics of mechanical editing and how to be an efficient content editor of academic textbooks.
As for the second day’s activity, the participants were also grouped into duos or triads for a brainstorming activity during the afternoon session. The diverse backgrounds and experiences of the participants enriched discussions and allowed for the exchange of ideas and perspectives, creating a vibrant community of aspiring writers, editors, and publishers, united by their passion for storytelling and publishing excellence.
In recognition of their efforts and outputs, outstanding participants who were able to accumulate significant points during the recitation and activities from both days took home prizes from Magpile’s own collection of pre-loved books.
To wrap up the seminar-workshop, the esteemed President and CEO Tyding De Fiesta and Vice President Ella Gaton of The Inteligente Publishing, Inc. presented the Certificate of Recognition to the honorable guest speaker and delivered the closing remarks to address the participants.
The future is bright for these aspiring editors, especially given their enthusiasm and commitment to the craft of editing during the entirety of the two-day seminar-workshop. As such, exceptional participants may also be offered a full-time editorial position at The Inteligente, Publishing, Inc.
Overall, the two-day editing and publishing seminar by The Inteligente Publishing, Inc. proved to be a resounding success, providing participants with a solid foundation on the editing processes, publishing techniques, and industry insights. Through engaging presentations, practical exercises, and interactive discussions, attendees gained valuable skills and knowledge that will serve them well in their pursuits within the publishing industry.
With the success of the event, The Inteligente Publishing, Inc. commits to offer more comprehensive seminars and workshops on editing and the book development process in the future. Interested participants who were not able to secure a slot can also expect a webinar covering similar topics soon.