Mumsnet Talk

I am thinking about training to be a proofreader and do freelance work from home. there are loads of distance learning and online courses on offer, has anyone done any of the courses? what did you think of it and did you have any success finding work?
Thanks!

Bumping as interested in this, am always being asked to check websites for friends so might as well get paid for it!

these are the people to contact.

I'm not a proofreader but I know people who are and it is not an easy profession to break into. Do not assume that you'll do a course and then work will come flooding in.

Have a search because I think there are a few MNers who are proofreaders and have answered this question before.

Hope I don't sound too harsh. Good luck if you decide to go ahead with it.

Hi GL

Haven't done any of the courses but I think the general consensus is that some of them (Chapterhouse etc) really aren't worth it.

In the main clients will be looking for professional on-the-job experience rather than that kind of qualification.

Having said that the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (sfep.org.uk) do a few courses which are said to be good and you could check them out.

Gosh I'm vague aren't I!

hth a little bit

Ooh, great minds squeaver

Do do the archive search; I posted advice to a similar thread a couple of months back, but haven't time to search & link just now.

But in short: lucysnowe is correct.

Thanks that's helpful will do a search

THanks, very helpful advice so far!
Nothing is easy squeaver and I am in no rush.

I live outside of the UK and when I was working (as one of a few native English speakers) I did a lot of proof reading of websites and documents etc.

I had a look through archives didn't find that thread - will look again!

Oh well then if you have some experience then def flag that up. May also be useful to contact your old employers to see if you can work for them on a freelance basis.

Eather than doing a course, you could buy Judith Butcher's books, at least she has one on copy editing, I thought she had a proof reading one as well but can't find it on amazon...

Thanks lucysnowe!

I'd train in something else, work is very thin on the ground! I moderate a group of experienced freelancers and even in London it's getting dire.