Basic Proofreading - FAQs

Without any previous publishing experience, start with Basic Proofreading by Distance Learning. Once you have successfully completed that, and have gained professional work experience as a proofreader, you will be ready to go on to Copy-Editing by Distance Learning. Although proofreading is covered in the editing course, it does not give you the intensive practice that you need when you are starting out.

If you are already working in publishing or have had proofreading experience (either as a freelancer or in-house), and you now want to broaden or refresh your skills, Copy-Editing by Distance Learning is the course for you. Or you may have valuable specialist subject knowledge that you want to exploit as an editor (e.g. medical or legal); if so, you can choose to go directly to Copy-Editing for the broader grounding in publishing skills.

• Anyone wishing to set up as a freelance proofreader
• New editorial staff
• Anyone who proofreads as part of their job, but who has had no formal training.

As with any freelance career you will need to build up experience in your chosen field, in this case proofreading. The Basic Proofreading by Distance Learning course is a good starting point, but you will need to gain practical experience too.

In addition, you will need to have superb interpersonal skills when dealing with potential clients and you will have to market yourself effectively. Many of our students enrol on Successful Editorial Freelancing by Distance Learning once they have completed their proofreading course to help them get started.

Getting started as a freelancer is not easy, but the rewards are great for those with the drive and desire to make their business work.

No specific qualifications are required. However you will need:

• an eye for detail
• the ability to concentrate
• a good command of colloquial English and English grammar, spelling and punctuation
• good general knowledge and an enquiring mind.

You will need to spend at least 35 hours of intensive study time to complete Basic Proofreading. The estimated time includes post, administration and marking is 6 months. If you do not finish the course within a year, you will be offered the opportunity to study for a further 12 months following payment of a re-registration fee. Any extensions beyond this are at the discretion of The Publishing Training Centre.

No. If you already work in publishing, the courses supplement and consolidate in-company training or work experience. Companies who have registered their staff include: AA Publishing, BMJ Books, Blackwell Publishers, Blackstaff Press, Cambridge University Press, Churchill Livingstone, Haynes Publishing, Heinemann Educational Books, Larousse, Macmillan Publishers Ltd, Royal Society of Medicine, Scholastic Ltd, Times Mirror International.

A computer is not necessary, as all the course materials you need are paper based. However, if you have Internet access you will be able to take full advantage of the additional online training and support we now offer. You can access the pre-course material now, free of charge, but as a student on Basic Proofreading you will be entitled to much more. Follow this link to Online Training for full details. It is still perfectly possible to complete the course without accessing the online material - when the online element was added, nothing was taken away from the paper based course.

A proofreading course cannot guarantee immediate freelance or in-house work. However, on successful completion of the course we are confident that publishers will view your applications for work more seriously. It can take time to become established, however, and our experience shows that you will need 6 to 9 months' work experience in proofreading.

Read a case study about how two of our former students got started.

Since the demise of the publishing NVQs, there is no generally accepted formal qualification in proofreading. If you complete this course successfully you will be awarded a graded certificate. We have been training publishing professionals for the past 30 years and we are the organisation appointed by the publishing industry to represent its views on skills and training to government, which means that your certificate of achievement should be widely recognised throughout the publishing industry.

Yes. We have had students from all over the world. The skills you will gain from the course can be applied in any English speaking country. However, if you will be working on American English text this course is not recommended. If you're based overseas there is an extra £35 charge to cover additional postage.

You can enrol at any time of year.

Once your payment has been received we will send you the first two units of Basic Proofreading and the first two assignments. You will then be able to start working through the course at your own pace. After you have sent in your first assignment we will send you the next unit, and so on.

Pass - you have an aptitude for proofreading but need further practice before applying for paid work.

Merit - you show an aptitude for proofreading and could apply for paid work.

Distinction - you have reached a high standard and should feel confident about applying for paid work.