Proofreading & copywriting online courses

[Birdy8]

I am thinking of getting into this area but does anyone know is there much demand, is it difficult to get work in these areas and are any of the companies offering courses reputable? I don't have money to waste!

I have worked in this area as a freelancer for 12 years now. The short answer is no. There IS work but you won't get rich.

There are some legit courses naturally but there are also a lot of crappy ones which are offered by dodgy set-ups and which basically teach what you can learn from Google for free.

Are you a parent? Looking to find a way to earn whilst at home?

Look at what universities near to you are offering.

Hi, many thanks for your reply. I saw the CIEP site and thought they sounded reputable? Have you heard of them? I will certainly look at what local Universities offer as I am a parent, looking to start a new career as a freelancer.

They are reputable...yes, I've heard of them. Look into them and into University courses. Do you have a degree?

Another piece of advice for you. Start a blog. You don't need to make it public unless you think you're ready for that...but it can be a very good way to get some practice.

A large chunk of my income comes from writing corporate blogs. Also, begin to learn about SEO now...in your own time.

Moz offers excellent and free resources. You'll need to know all about SEO as a copywriter these days.

moz.com/learn/seo

Hello, thank you so much for your helpful advice. I do have a degree. I have never thought of a blog - which platforms do you use? I have never heard of SEO but will look into it - thanks for the link.

I use Squarespace myself but for SEO purposes I wish I'd chosen WordPress. My blog is on my website...it's there simply for SEO purposes really and to give me more to share on social media.

Squarespace is quite affordable and easy to set up. I'm no computer buff but built it myself...I watched a lot of tutorials.

Ok many thanks I will look at Word press, I have heard of it and will give some thought to a blog definitely!

From a good friend who has been freelancing for 15 years. Not much work, very competitive as sub editors are often the first to go during staff cuts. She generates work as shes been at it for so long but now with the pandemic is struggling, shes top if her game too. Good luck

Thank you that's handy to know.I'll give that some thought.

Duvet Oddly enough I've actually had more work since Covid-19. I think it's because I write a lot of marketing copy and businesses are keen to get their message out there to drum up more business.

@FortunesFave I’ve also had more work since Covid-19, i think because i specialise in CVs (among other things) and so there’s a lot
of demand at the moment, sadly. I’ve also got a lot of academics desperate to get publications out so I’m
rushed off my feet, basically!
@Birdy8 what’s your career history like? Do you have a degree? The most respected courses are probably those run by www.ciep.uk/ but you don’t NEED one if you have experience. I don’t have any formal editorial qualifications but I worked in-house with various magazines and websites pre-dc.
I love the job, but you’re not going be retiring at 30, put it that way! It’s very flexible, family-friendly and mentally stimulating, though.

@FortunesFave thanks that is encouraging.

@KnitFastDieWarm Thanks for your input. I have a Law degree. I am waiting for a response from CIEP, and looking into the Universities that offer it. I don't have any experience in this field at all, I worked for Social services but I enjoy reading - I always seem to spot errors. I want to pursue a career in writing for children etc. This is just an additional thing I was thinking of to help bring in an income.

@Birdy8 if you have law degree you may be quite in demand as a subject specialist and may well not need any further training. If you google ‘legal proofreading’ you’ll see that there are lots of specialist firms offering this service, so it might be worth contacting them to see if they take on freelancers. Good luck!

@KnitFastDieWarm Thank you very much for your advice, it is much appreciated - I definitely will look into it.

Have a look at Carol Tice’s blog which is full of excellent advice: www.makealivingwriting.com/about/