Now that you’ve dedicated yourself to writing, wouldn’t it be great to master the most essential self-editing skills you need to create publishable work?

The truth is, it takes time, experience and applied learning to produce good, publishable writing!

I've read scores of manuscripts in my writing and teaching career, and over time I've discovered fifteen common issues that arise in every writer's work. I've never read a manuscript that didn't contain at least ten out of these fifteen issues!

This 5-week online course will allow you to identify and eliminate these fifteen common issues from your own writing, setting the quality of your work apart from the vast majority of creative writers out there.

Master these fifteen essential self-editing skills, and your writing will be stronger, clearer and more compelling.

Is Revision Essentials Right for You?

Take this course if you ...

  • Want to make your writing better than it is, but you're not sure where to begin.
  • Have written a draft and need to begin to revise it.
  • Want to clean up your writing before presenting it to an agent, editor or beta reader.
  • Want to make sure your writing is as good as it can possibly be.

This course—if you work hard at it—will teach you what you need to know to create publishable work.

The scope of this course is laser-focused on allowing you to master the fifteen essential self-editing skills necessary for creating publishable work.

It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.

Ernest Hemingway

Writers Like You Who Are Getting Results

Dawn Smith

For anyone considering Joan’s “Revision Essentials” course, I highly recommend it! She gives lots of good insight from a variety of angles to help you think about possibilities, which was perfect for me. I was looking to strengthen my grammar and writing knowledge, and I got just that – sharpening word use, style, etc.

The course also focuses on getting you to to think about ways in which your writing can go astray, and on improving your self-critique. I like that we got detailed feedback from Joan; in some ways the course feels like a workshop run by a strong leader instead of just a class.

Dawn Smith
Wayne Sheldrake

Every page of my memoir was influenced by Joan’s tips for streamlining my prose; I challenge you to find any extraneous words!

Wayne Sheldrake Award-winning author of "Instant Karma: The Heart and Soul of a Ski Bum"

By the time you've completed this course you will have ...

  • Crafted a perfect opening sentence;
  • Improved narrative pace through optimal use of long and short sentences;
  • Written dynamic dialogue;
  • Revised your work to omit redundancy;
  • Practiced stripping out the dreaded show and tell combination;
  • Identified the difference between weak and effective repetition;
  • Created strong sentence subjects (avoiding the dreaded "it");
  • Applied commas properly;
  • Mastered when to use 'which' or 'that';
  • Avoided the pitfalls of the verb 'to be';
  • Simplified your use of dialogue tags;
  • Perfected your ability to recognize when you’re telling the reader what’s already implicit on the page;
  • Gained control over your natural tendency to "filter" (and learned what 'filtering' is);
  • Culled out unnecessary qualifiers like "rather" and "quite", which clutter your prose; and
  • Limited your use of adverbs and adjectives to only the most vivid.

You'll also get some extras, including:

  • Feedback from Joan - in addition to careful attention to each of your comments, you'll also get direct feedback from Joan on your own work;
  • Several ways to have fun with words;
  • A self-editing checklist; and
  • A grammar checklist.

Course Logistics

  • 1

    WHEN DOES THE COURSE TAKE PLACE?

    Once you enroll in the course you can begin immediately (or whenever you wish) and you have 24/7 access so you can participate whenever it’s most convenient for you. There isn’t anything in the course that happens on a specific schedule, so you’re welcome to work whenever you want, at the pace that’s most beneficial for you. The course is 5 weeks long, but you have lifetime access to the course, so if you start it and then unexpectedly have to step away for a time, you can simply pick up where you left off, whenever you want to come back.

  • 2

    WHERE DOES THE COURSE TAKE PLACE?

    The course takes place entirely online in a lovely and simple platform called Ruzuku, which users report is super easy to navigate. I chose it because it's not complicated to use, so you can focus on the content, your learning, and getting to know others in the course, including me. When you enroll, you'll choose your own user name and password, and each email I send to alert you to new content will include a direct link into the course.

  • 3

    HOW IS THE COURSE CONTENT DELIVERED?

    Each week you’ll be notified by email when new lessons are available, and the lessons contain video, audio, text, downloadable documents and group discussions that participants are typically really active in, and I am engaged in as well. I’ve also tried to make my courses as accessible as possible (within the limitations of the platform) so there are always both visual and audible options for each lesson.

  • 4

    ASSIGNMENTS AND ANSWERS

    The assignments encourage you to immediately apply what you're learning, which is the proven way to master the skills. Only by practicing will these skills become second nature. The answer keys give you a way to check your own work, a valuable practice for your self-editing skills.

What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.

Samuel Johnson

People have asked me, can’t I learn all this on my own? And the answer is sure, you could ... That's what the internet and craft books are for. The difference is I've already done all the heavy lifting for you, and I’m also an experienced, trained writing teacher.

  • I've curated all the best resources out there so you don't have to waste valuable time sorting through vast quantities of information;
  • I've designed the curriculum to ensure you enjoy every simple yet rigorous lesson;
  • I've studied countless craft books and reviewed hundreds of manuscripts over many years, and have selected only the most critical lessons you need to learn to vastly improve your writing; and
  • I've made sure that within the course you get to apply the lessons to your own work, so that what you learn will benefit you not only during the course, but will also stick with you for the rest of your writing life.

Ready to Enroll? Here's How!

How much will you need to invest?

The biggest investment you'll need to make is capitalizing on your enthusiasm for polishing your writing and channeling that energy into learning; this is the most rigorous course I offer.

You could decide go it alone and invest an awful lot of time into piecing together all the lessons from internet searches, but before you do that you should know I spent a good four months creating this course curriculum!

If you hired a consultant to coach you on the same material, it would cost close to $3,000 (that's what I would have to charge, anyway).

But the full Revision Essentials course will cost you a fraction of that expense, and take you far less time.

For the entire 5-week Revision Essentials course (which includes the 15 essential tools, feedback on your writing, and a couple of helpful checklists) you will pay only $97 a month for five months.

(Or, you can save $106 and pay in full for $379.)

Choose Your Enrollment Option

OPTION 1 - MOST FLEXIBLE

Spread Your Payment over 5 Months

You will get FULL ACCESS to everything with your first payment of $97.

OPTION 2 - BEST VALUE

Save $106 When You Pay in Full Today

You will get FULL ACCESS to everything with your payment of $379.

If you're not happy with the course, or need to cancel for any reason, I'll reimburse 100% of your registration fee. It's as simple as that.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • q-iconWhen does the course begin?

    Once you enroll you can start immediately, or whenever it’s convenient for you. New content – text, audio, video, downloadable documents and discussions – will be available each week. I’ll notify you by e-mail when new lessons are ready, and you can follow the links directly into our online space.

  • q-iconDo I have to participate at specifically scheduled times?

    No, you don’t! The course is completely asynchronous, which means you can participate at any time you wish, when it’s convenient for you! No worries about scheduling, or living in different time zones.

  • q-iconHow long do I have to complete the course?

    As long as you’d like. Work whenever you wish, whether two in the morning or one in the afternoon. It’s entirely up to you. You’ll have lifetime access to the course, so you can revisit the content at any time.

  • q-iconDo I have to complete the assignments?

    It’s entirely up to you. The proven way to truly master learn, however, is for you to apply what you’re learning by completing the assignments. If you don’t, you’re short-changing yourself. The assignments have been specifically designed with your learning in mind – complete them and you’ll master new skills, leave them out and you won’t. It’s that simple.

  • q-iconWho facilitates the course?

    I, Joan Dempsey, am your guide. I’m a published writer and teacher of writing with advanced degrees in both from Antioch University Los Angeles. I love working with writers and I’ll be with you every step of the way during your course.

  • q-iconWhen can I interact with Joan?

    I will always be monitoring your progress, commenting on your work in the comments section, and be available via e-mail to respond your questions, comments, or suggestions. I’m on US Eastern time and will be checking in numerous times a day, Monday through Thursday, to see what you’re up to. (Friday I focus entirely on my own writing.)

  • q-iconI'm not that computer savvy - is the course hard to navigate?

    No. Ruzuku has designed an online learning environment that’s streamlined and simple to navigate. Ruzuku has helpful and friendly online support, and I can also help if you run into trouble. Complicated tech stuff can be frustrating, so the course design is deliberately simple. So far all participants have easily managed.

  • q-iconIs the course accessible to people of all abilities?

    Mostly, yes. I do my best to make sure there are both audible and visual options available for every lesson. Videos have closed captions, text has audio download options. If you are visually challenged, you’ll need to use your own methods for accessing my emails and the comments within the Ruzuku system, since I have no way to provide audio versions for those things, much as I’d like to. I’m always open to suggestions about how to improve accessibility, too.

  • q-iconI'm on a limited income - do you have scholarships or discounts?

    I don’t. The price of this course has been set to be as reasonable for you as possible while still allowing me fair compensation (I’m a sole proprietor and a working writer). Compared to similar online courses, my prices are more than fair. I offer a payment plan option, which allows you to pay reasonable installments over time (great for cash flow issues).

  • q-iconWill I interact with other participants?

    You bet! Learning from each other is as important a part of your learning experience as working with me. There are a variety of settings for getting notified about activity in the course so you won’t miss a thing.

    That said, some of the courses end up with hundreds of participants, and in that case I deliberately design the curriculum so that you can participate without getting overwhelmed by overcrowded discussions. I will read every comment, but you can choose how or if you want to participate in discussions. Nothing worse that feeling deluged, so I make sure you don’t have to experience that.

    You have control over how you get notified about new activity in the course, too, so you can control how much e-mail you receive. No sense crashing your in-box!

Once Again, Several Testimonials

Rochelle Newman

Joan Dempsey has created a course that is rich with insight, information and inspiration. Revision Essentials not only improves your writing, but it improves your thinking and your stick-to-itive-ness (in other words, you'll want to actually tackle those things that might otherwise send you into procrastination land). To this day, I can hear Joan's voice giving great answers to help me navigate choppy writing waters.

Rochelle Newman
Barry Jandebeur

This course is presented with such attention to detail and care for the writer that regardless of where you are in your writing life, you are immediately engaged and comfortable. I assure you the rewards reaped will exceed your expectation. Joan's voice will gather you in, soothe you, and welcome you aboard.

Barry Jandebeur, Author of "In the Middle of Nowhere", "In My Father's Shadow," and "At the Hands of Others"
Dawn Smith

For anyone considering Joan's "Revision Essentials" course, I highly recommend it! She gives lots of good insight from a variety of angles to help you think about possibilities, which was perfect for me. I was looking to strengthen my grammar and writing knowledge, and I got just that - sharpening word use, style, etc.

The course also focuses on getting you to to think about ways in which your writing can go astray, and on improving your self-critique. I like that we got detailed feedback from Joan; in some ways the course feels like a workshop run by a strong leader instead of just a class.

Dawn Smith
Wayne Sheldrake

Every page of my memoir was influenced by Joan's tips for streamlining my prose; I challenge you to find any extraneous words!

Wayne Sheldrake, Award-winning author of "Instant Karma: The Heart and Soul of a Ski Bum"

THE NEXT STEP IS TO CHOOSE YOUR OPTION BELOW

OPTION 1 - MOST FLEXIBLE

Spread Your Payment over 5 Months

You will get FULL ACCESS to everything with your first payment of $97.

OPTION 2 - BEST VALUE

Save $106 When You Pay in Full Today

You will get FULL ACCESS to everything with your payment of $379.

I'll see you inside the course!

Let's get to work on polishing your writing!

Joan

Privacy Policy: I will occasionally track your web activity only on Revision Essentials web pages, and I will occasionally send you emails related to the course material. In all circumstances, your private data is kept confidential and you can unsubscribe from my emails at any time (except for transactional emails necessary to fulfill your enrollment in the course).

Terms & Conditions: If you enroll in the course and for any reason decide it's not for you, you can request a full refund and I will send it to you, guaranteed. Of course I would hope that you wouldn't actively participate in the course, gain value from it, and then ask for your money back. Thanks in advance for your honesty.

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