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Here's what's in the curriculum ...

  Learning outcomes
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  Webinar: How to punctuate dialogue
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  Test yourself
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  Listen to podcast episodes
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  Continue your fiction editing training and save 20%
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  More information and support
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  Submit your feedback
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  CIEP membership upgrade points
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  Music credits
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Hone your dialogue-editing skills

After completing this course, you'll understand how to use punctuation to indicate:

  • speech
  • the speaker (tagged speech)
  • trail-offs and pauses
  • end-of-line interruptions
  • broken-into dialogue
  • vocative expressions (direct address)
  • faltering speech
  • characters talking over each other.

You'll also know how to fix comma splices, early stops and false tags, and manage semi-colons so that the dialogue flows appropriately.

Stuff you might be wondering about


How long does my course access last? 

All my courses come with lifetime access. You learn when it’s convenient for you, not me!

Why do I have to pay tax on courses?

Online self-directed courses, like the ones I offer, are classified as digital products/services in most countries, and adding tax is a legal requirement. Teachable calculates the correct rate of tax for your jurisdiction and remits it to the appropriate authority. 

Can I choose the order in which I study the modules?

Of course, though I recommend you follow the order of play the first time you do it because I designed the structure in a way that builds your knowledge logically.

Can I learn on my mobile device?

Absolutely! Teachable has a gorgeous app for iOS and Android that means you can access the course content on your phone and tablet if that’s more convenient.

About your instructor


Hello! I’m Louise Harnby, a commercial fiction editor who specializes in working for independent authors of crime, thrillers and mysteries. I write books and create courses that teach editors:

  • the craft of stylistic line editing in fiction 
  • how to make their businesses visible and compelling.

When I joined the industry in 2006, there was very little instruction dedicated to line editing and business building. Not much has changed, and so I hope that by learning with me, you’ll feel better equipped to tackle both!