Editing skills lunch and learn series
Good editing turns rough drafts into copy people want to read. Learn how to cut what buries your point, sharpen what’s left and make your writing land – in five focused lunchtime sessions.
Editing is a series of decisions. Which point to lead on. What to cut. When a line needs work – and when to leave it alone.
These focused sessions cover essential editing skills, one at a time.
What is a Lunch and Learn?
The Editing Skills Lunch and Learn series offers bite-sized training that fits into the working day. Five 45-minute sessions run at lunchtime across a single week, covering proofreading, style and tone, simplifying copy, story structure and grammar.
Choose the sessions that suit you, or book the full series.
The training is led by Martin Lloyd, who spent ten years as writing standards editor at the BBC Academy. You will learn practical editing techniques from an experienced trainer who has worked with journalists, producers and senior managers.
AI can be a useful editing tool, but using it well still requires editorial judgement. These sessions will help you develop the skills to assess its output: recognising what works, catching what doesn’t and knowing when your own judgement should take the lead.
Who is it for?
- Editors, news editors, sub-editors and proofreaders
- Marketing, social media, PR and communications professionals
- Executives and managers who want to communicate more effectively
Session one: Proofreading
Train yourself to catch mistakes others can miss: the word with the wrong meaning, the number that doesn’t add up or the phrasing that doesn’t sound natural.
Session two: Style and tone
Learn how to apply a consistent house style and clear tone of voice. Understand how consistency strengthens your writing and helps protect your organisation’s voice.
Session three: Simplifying copy
Turn overwritten, tangled copy into something a reader can understand first time. Learn to replace unnecessarily complicated language with clearer alternatives and pitch your writing at the people it is intended for.
Session four: Story structure
Learn to structure a story that keeps the reader with you. Build an opening that draws them in, then order what follows so the piece is clear and easy to follow.
Session five: Grammar
Use active language to make sentences shorter and clearer, and learn to spot grammatical problems that can alter your meaning.
Looking for more in-depth training? The Editing Skills Masterclasses cover these skills in greater detail.
Teams can also book bespoke editing skills training, online or in person, tailored to their needs.
About the trainer
Martin Lloyd spent ten years as writing standards editor at the BBC Academy, the corporation’s training arm. He trained news journalists, TV and radio producers and senior managers, mentored a team of 15 digital content producers and produced writing guides for BBC staff.
Martin has since trained staff at organisations including Fortune, the UK Government, ITV, Forbes, Global, NICE, Yahoo News and the International Olympic Committee. He has also mentored editors at the Financial Times and The Guardian.
Earlier in his career, Martin edited copy and designed pages for newspapers and magazines including Metro, Broadcast, New Statesman and Campaign.
