Writers depend on their freelance editors/proofreaders to catch their errors in Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling ("PUGS"). This course covers some of the most common errors writers make in these areas. Rules for books (and short stories that are to be published in books) are based on The Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, the industry standards for book publishers in the United States, and on The Christian Writer's Manual of Style used by Christian publishers. Rules for articles are based on The Associated Press Stylebook and Webster's New World College Dictionary. Click here to see what students have said about this class.   Instructor Kathy Ide has been a full-time freelance copyeditor and proofreader since 1998. Books she has edited and proofread have been published by Moody Publishers, Thomas Nelson, WaterBrook, and Barbour/Heartsong, among others. One of Kathy’s mentoring clients, Cindy Woodsmall, wrote a three-book novel series. Book one became a CBA best seller. Books two and three were CBA best sellers and also hit the New York Times best-seller list. Kathy’s clients’ books have placed and won awards in several writing contests, including the ECPA Christian Book of the Year, the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year, the RITA, the Christy, the CBA Silver Medallion, and Heartsong book club’s favorite books and authors.   She has presented "Polishing the PUGS" at writers' conferences across the country and is the author of Polishing the PUGS: Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling.   Eight lessons FEE: TCP Contributing Members $100 / Online-only members $110 / Nonmembers $130 Register for this course: e-mail Kathy Ide. Or go to PayPal and submit the course fee, using Kathy's e-mail address.