Proofreading course

[MabelBee]

I've been thinking of ways to get my brain back into gear after six years of not working and have been considering taking an online course in proofreading. Can anyone recommend one that they've done? I'm looking at:
www.chapterhousepublishing.co.uk/product/proofreading-and-editorial-skills/
www.sfep.org.uk/training/choose-a-course

[OnTheRise]

Don't do the Chapterhouse one, it's widely regarded as crap within publishing (and outside of it, too).

SfEP is much better. The courses are good. But having done those courses won't necessarily qualify you to work in trade publishing, I'm afraid. The business is awash with freelancers who have years of experience and training, and have all the contacts they need to work as much as they want.

People who self publish books use editors, but tend not to use proofreaders so much. That might be a way into work.

[MabelBee]

Thank you. I'm trying not to be put off by the fact that there are so many other people freelancing who have all the experience and the contacts! I don't have any illusions about doing a little course and suddenly having some kind of magical career either. I'm more trying to kick start a journey and thought that it would a good place to start. A friend of mine, who is a master at career changing, advised me to pick a course, any course, studying anything, not with any career in mind. Just something to get my brain in gear. I thought proofreading might be useful further down the line, but at this stage I'm just musing.

[OnTheRise]

That's a really good attitude to have, MabelBee. I wish you well.

[Nellysmagichat]

Steer clear of the Chapterhouse one, as OnThe Rise says. It's not well regarded.

The SfEP or the Publishing Training Centre (www.publishingtrainingcentre.co.uk/) are much better options. I trained with the PTC, had no contacts or experience whatsoever, and I've been a freelance editor for around 8 years now. It is certainly possible to make a career of it: I accepted three projects last week, and turned down another two as I couldn't fit them into my schedule. I do put in a lot of hours, though, so while it's doable, it's not easy money.

[JasonMoreno]

I wish to point out that I lost the sum of £146 recently sent to a
company called Chapterhouse Publishing which failed to send me a package for a
course as promised on the 24th of November 2020. I cannot get
anywhere with this company to chase up my consumer rights as they do
not listen to me. They simply ignore or dis-regard my many emails
saying that I have to take things further legally to even get a response from them by email.
I have lost quite a lot of money for which I have received nothing back from the company concerned.