Introduction to Self-Editing Your Novel: video course – Jericho Writers
Jericho Writers
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Free for Premium Members or £99 one-off payment

Introduction to Self-Editing Your Novel: Video Course

Join author, editor, and creative writing tutor Debi Alper to get to grips with the basics of self-editing your novel. Get past that messy first draft stage and start working towards a publishable manuscript.
6 lessons
online

About this course

You’ve written the book – or maybe you’re almost there. Now what? Before you send it to beta readers, agents, or editors, there’s one powerful step that can take your novel from rough to remarkable: self-editing. Whether you’re a first-time novelist or a seasoned writer looking to sharpen your skills, Introduction to Self-Editing Your Novel will teach you how to revise with confidence, intention, and clarity. You can either purchase this course as a one-off, or get unlimited access to all our self-paced video courses with a Premium Membership, starting at just £15/month.

Polish your draft and strengthen your voice

“So, you’ve completed a draft of a novel. Congratulations! That’s an achievement to be proud of. But that’s only the beginning because now you need to edit the draft – and I don’t just mean eliminating typos. In this course, I’ll take you through the multiple steps that will transform your crappy first draft into a novel that readers won’t be able to put down.”

– Debi Alper, course tutor, author and editor

 

Refine your structure

Learn how to shape your story so it flows seamlessly, with strong narrative momentum and satisfying arcs from beginning to end.

Learn how to improve

Through lessons on POV, psychic distance, and prose, your unique author voice will start to shine and pull readers to the page.

Get peer feedback

and meet other writers by sharing your progress and homework assignments with other writers in our designated forum.

One-year of access

to the course videos, PDF guide, and forums. Or join as Premium Member for access as long as you are a member, so that you can revisit your learning at any time.

Why take just this course when you can take a whole bunch?

This and all of our self-paced video courses are included in Premium Membership, which starts at just £15/month. As well as our expert-led courses, you also get monthly live online feedback events, tools, resources, and more.

Browse lesson plans

Before you can fine-tune your sentences, you need a solid foundation. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to spot structural issues in your novel and analyse your plot for logical flow and effective pacing.

Flat characters can sink a great plot. This lesson focuses on creating believable, dynamic characters who feel like real people.

Your voice is what makes your writing uniquely you. This lesson helps you identify your natural voice and gives you tools to sharpen it on the page.

Choosing the right point of view is just the beginning. This lesson explores how to master POV and use psychic distance to control how close readers feel to your characters.

Great storytelling needs clean, engaging prose. In this lesson, you’ll dive into line editing techniques that elevate your writing sentence by sentence.

Now that you’ve got a good idea of how to go about starting your edits, this lesson will give you a handy list of things to check as you go, as well as getting you thinking about which route to publication might suit you.

Meet your course tutor

At Jericho Writers, we’re a team of published authors who’ve been exactly where you are now.  For over two decades, our approach has helped authors launch their careers, sign with top literary agents and even go on to become Sunday Times Bestsellers.

Debi Alper is the author of five published novels, the first two published by Orion and then republished under her own imprint, along with the next three in the series. Since 2006, Debi has worked as a freelance editor and creative writing tutor, including running the phenomenally successful Jericho Writers’ Self-Edit Your Novel course, together with Emma Darwin. She won the inaugural RNA Indie Editor of the Year Award in 2021. Debi also acts as a competition judge and was a reader for the Costa Short Story Awards.

Just this course

Purchase just this course to gain access to all 6 videos, the PDF guide, and the forum for 1 year.
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Join as a Premium Member and get access to all of our self-paced video courses, live events, resources, and more.
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Price
£99/year
£150/year
Number of writing courses
1
10+ (more added regularly)
Downloadable course guide
Access to new releases
Live online events
Opportunities for feedback
Resource library & masterclasses
Access to AgentMatch
Access to discounts & writing opportunities

What’s included in Your Premium Membership

All self-paced video courses

Instant access to every self-paced video course, with more being added throughout the year

Downloadable course guides

Every course comes with a downloadable guide to support your learning

Private course forums

Talk to your fellow students, get feedback on your work, and offer feedback on others’ work

Personalised feedback

Twice a month, submit your work for the opportunity to get live feedback from the Jericho Writers team

Weekly live events

Participate in online group writing sprints and join Q&As with top authors and industry professionals

AgentMatch

Our unique database helps you effortlessly find the perfect agent for your novel

Tools & resources

Unlimited access to our library of over 300 masterclass videos, plus digital tools and resources

Query letter review

Once a year, we’ll review your query letter for free.

Discounts & writing opportunities

Enter competitions for free and enjoy 10% off our other services

£99

Buy just this course

Gain 1 year’s access to the Introduction to Self-Editing Your Novel course
Receive the downloadable course PDF
Gain access to the designated course forum
Access will expire after 1 year
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£150 / year

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Take this and all our other self-paced video courses
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Get your query letter reviewed by our expert in-house team
Auto-renews annually unless cancelled before the renewal date

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Frequently asked
questions

1

How do I get more feedback on my work in the forums?

As the old saying goes, give and you shall receive. If you comment on someone’s post with helpful feedback, they will be more likely to comment on your post. It’s worth mentioning that the threads in Townhouse with the most recent replies get moved to the top of the forum, so if you don’t have any feedback on your post you are welcome to reply to your thread with the word ‘Bump’ – but please don’t do this more than once per week to give everyone a fair chance.

2

How long will I have access to the course content?

If you join us as a Premium Member, you will continue to have access to the course videos, PDF guide, and forums for as long as you remain a Premium Member. If you purchase just this course, you will have access to the course content for 1 year from the date of your purchase. Once this year is up, your access will expire and you will need to either purchase the course again or join us as a Premium Member in order to regain access.

3

Who is the Introduction to Self-Editing Your Novel course suitable for?

This course is suitable for writers who have a finished manuscript ready for edits, or for writers who are approaching the end of their novel and want to prepare for editing. This course is a self-paced video course, meaning you won’t receive feedback from your tutor or additional one-on-one support. If you feel like you would benefit from a more in-depth course with additional support, the Self-Edit Your Novel 6 week tutored course may be a better option.

4

Will I receive feedback from the course tutor?

No. This is a self-paced video course, in which you are encouraged to share your work in the designated forum for peer-to-peer feedback. If you are looking to receive personalised feedback from Debi, you can take her 6 week tutored course, which is a more intensive course that includes close mentoring and feedback.

5

When will I get access to the course content?

The first lesson of this course will be released on 6 May 2025. From that date, the lessons will be released weekly and you will continue to have access for as long as you’re a Premium Member. If you have chosen to purchase just this course rather than opting for Premium Membership, you’ll have access to the course for 1 year from the date of your purchase. After this period, your access will expire and you will need to either purchase again or join as a Premium Member in order to re-gain access.