Thursday, February 19, 2026
12:00 – 2:00 pm MDT
Members: FREE
Nonmembers: $10
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Editing Essentials to Publish Award-winning Books

So you’ve completed your manuscript, truly love it and are ready to have your book professionally designed and sent to press for publication, but have you taken measures to ensure it’s properly edited? As our Valentine’s gift to our beloved members, CIPA has assembled a panel of three very experienced, talented and award-winning editors for our February meeting program on Editing Essentials to Publish Award-winning Books.

Panelists will discuss the differences between Developmental, Copy and Line editing and help you understand what is considered to be essential editing. You’ll learn how Developmental Editing focuses on the “big picture” (story, structure, character development), Line Editing refines the prose for style, flow, voice and word choice and Copy Editing corrects technical errors like grammar, spelling, punctuation, and consistency. All to help polish a manuscript for publication but also to tailor your work to the genre and quality standards favored by judges with most book award contests you might enter. For authors and publishers alike, caveat scriptor et diligite editorem!

*Just FYI,  the Latin phrase “caveat scriptor et diligite editorem” translates roughly to “Let the writer beware and cherish/value the editor.” It is a maxim used in publishing and writing, emphasizing that authors must be cautious and responsible for their work, while also highlighting the vital role of editors in refining, improving, and often saving a manuscript.

 

Our presenters –

Tom Locke – 

Tom Locke has edited more than a hundred self-published books over the last eleven years. During twenty-seven years in the news business through 2014, he wrote more than three thousand newspaper or newswire articles and edited roughly eight thousand newspaper articles. He also taught journalism as an adjunct professor at MSU Denver for eight years. And he spent seven years, through 1987, as a radio station manager in Big Lake, Alaska, north of Anchorage. He lives with his wife in Golden, Colorado, and they have a son who lives in Argentina.  Tom can be reached at  [email protected] and 720-261-7484

Melanie Mulhall –

Melanie Mulhall offers award-winning editing for authors who want their words to sing, dance, and get attention through her company, Dragonheart. From writing coaching and developmental editing to substantive editing and guidance on getting a quality manuscript through the process and birthed, it’s all about changing the world one book at a time.

Julie Cameron –

Julie Cameron is an acclaimed author known for her award-winning contemporary romance novels and screenplays. With a unique blend of passion and creativity, she crafts stories that resonate with readers around the world. Through her company, Landon Literary and her partnership with Gemini Writer’s Studio, she has established herself as a successful editor, mentor and coach with over ten years of experience working with both published and non-published authors.