Editorial education at Writer’s Camp
Demystifying scholarly publishing.
Preparing people to review, edit, and lead—with a coherent educational pathway designed for the real work of scholarly publishing.
Registration is open nowWhy editorial education?
Important work deserves thoughtful preparation.
When Leslie H. Nicoll first became a journal editor in 1995, she became an editor—and then she was doing the job. There was no formal curriculum to complete first, no systematic educational pathway, and no comprehensive preparation for everything the role involved.
More than 30 years later, editorial work is very complex. Editors make consequential decisions involving manuscripts, peer review, publication ethics and research integrity, authorship, artificial intelligence, corrections and retractions, journal scope, workflow and capacity, indexing and discovery, metrics, publisher relationships, editorial independence, governance, strategy, and sustainability.
Leslie’s research program has also examined and documented the increasing complexity of editorial work and scholarly publishing.
The educational gap
Excellent editorial learning happens in many ways.
Conferences, webinars, professional resources, publisher training, mentoring relationships, and generous colleagues all contribute to editorial learning. The annual INANE Conference is a particularly valuable source of education and collegial exchange for nursing editors.
But even an excellent two-and-a-half-day annual conference leaves another 362½ days in the year. Editorial learning continues through observation, mentorship, experience, trial and error, and whatever opportunities people can find.
Writer’s Camp Editorial Education supports that year-round learning through a coherent, accessible educational pathway devoted specifically to scholarly publishing and editorial practice.
Who is this education for?
- People curious about scholarly publishing and editorial work
- Aspiring and current peer reviewers
- People considering an editorial role
- Editorial board members and guest editors
- Section, associate, deputy, and managing editors
- New journal editors and Editors-in-Chief
- Experienced editors refreshing or expanding their knowledge
- Scholars who want to understand how journals and editorial systems work
Start where you are
A pathway for reviewing, editing, and leadership
Enter at the point that fits your interests, experience, and goals.
Learn to review
Qualified Peer Reviewer
Learn how editing works
Foundations of Editorial Practice
Learn to lead
Journal Systems & Governance
These programs are not prerequisites for one another. Choose the learning experience that best fits where you are now—or where you would like to go next.
Writer’s Camp Qualified Peer Reviewer
Accessible, self-paced, competency assessed
Learn and demonstrate the skills involved in conducting a high-quality scholarly peer review. QPR combines guided learning with an authentic practicum and human evaluation—not simply course attendance.
$50 for the credential$75 for the credential with 15 nursing contact hours
Participants must score 80% or higher on both the knowledge assessment and practicum. Successful participants receive documentation they may share professionally. Every successful Qualified Peer Reviewer also receives the Writer’s Camp Peer Reviewer magnet.
Editorial Leadership Intensive: Foundations of Editorial Practice
10 live, one-hour Friday Lunch-and-Learn sessions
The complete course consists of 10 live, one-hour Friday Lunch-and-Learn sessions. It is welcoming and accessible to anyone who wants to understand how scholarly journal editing actually works—including peer reviewers, prospective or current editorial board members, guest editors, people considering associate-editor positions, new associate editors, and experienced editors seeking a stronger foundation.
No previous editorial experience is required.
Topics move from the journal as a system through editorial roles, peer review, workflow, ethics, journal trustworthiness, discovery, metrics, the professional editorial community, and entering editorial leadership. Leslie H. Nicoll leads the course, with guest faculty joining selected sessions.
Editorial Leadership Intensive: Journal Systems & Governance
See the whole system. Lead the whole journal.
This live, cohort-based program examines the journal as a system rather than teaching isolated editorial tasks. It is appropriate for people contemplating or preparing for an editor role, newly appointed editors, associate and other editors moving toward greater responsibility, and experienced editors who want a systems-and-governance refresher.
The program addresses journal purpose, capacity and workflow, authority and accountability, strategic judgment, and leading change. Registration includes a one-year subscription to The Working Guide to Editorial Systems, a $150 value, and learning with an established faculty of nursing editors and publishing colleagues.
Stewardship seats are limited to self-funded editors of independent or under-resourced journals; eligibility rests on journal affiliation or editorial role and trust.
Registration is open
Choose what fits your next step.
Begin with peer review, explore editorial practice, or examine journal leadership at the systems level. You do not need to complete one program before entering another.
Help someone find their next step
Know someone who might be interested?
Download, email, print, or share these materials with colleagues, prospective editors, editorial board members, peer reviewers, faculty, graduate students, and others interested in scholarly publishing or editorial work.
Editorial Leadership Intensive: Foundations of Editorial Practice
Ten focused Lunch-and-Learn sessions for understanding journal editing.
Download BrochureEditorial Leadership Intensive: Journal Systems & Governance
Four half-day sessions for developing systems-level editorial judgment.
Download BrochureThe ELI Educational Pathway
Two complementary courses and a flexible path toward editorial leadership.
Download Pathway BrochureWhy Writer’s Camp?
A place to understand—and participate in—scholarly publishing.
Writer’s Camp is an educational community focused on excellence in scholarly writing, publishing, and editing. This program grows from decades of real-world editorial experience, scholarship and research concerning editorial practice and scholarly publishing, and the practical educational mission of Writer’s Camp.
Editorial work is important.
Editorial work is increasingly complex.
Editorial work can be taught.
Writer’s Camp is creating a place to learn it.