Successful Editorial Freelancing - FAQs
- Who will benefit from this course?
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Delegates who have already completed one of our distance learning proofreading, copy-editing or picture research courses; or editors, proofreaders and picture researchers currently employed in companies who want to make the transition to freelance status. Freelancers that would like to grow their business would also benefit from the course.
- Do I have to have a publishing background?
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No. Many of the freelance editors who do this course have learned new skills as editors and proofreaders but don't necessarily have any in-house experience of a publishing house. In fact, this course has been written by a publishing professional, so lots of the tips and insights the tutor gives will really help you see things from the publisher's perspective. Many editors who do this course, even if they have insider knowledge may only have had direct experience of one department in a publishing company, so find that the course helps them see things more broadly, anyway.
- Do I have to be working as an editorial freelancer now?
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No, not at all. There is no assumption or requirement that you are already freelancing. In fact, many of the activities will be a great starting point if you are just planning or embarking on a freelance career.
- The idea of being on my own as a freelancer scares me and I'm just not sure it's for me.
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There are a few aspects of freelancing that are scary for even the most experienced freelancer! This course represents a low-risk, low-cost route to finding out more about freelancing and whether or not it's for you. That's a much better approach than jumping in at the deep end, becoming a freelancer, and then realising you've made a mistake.
- I need to develop my marketing skills as a freelancer - will this course help?
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Absolutely. This course will help you understand many of the commercial aspects of running your freelance business. Most importantly, it encourages you to research your market and understand how your services will stand out in a crowd. It looks at how you might be remembered for what you do best, building an online presence, and how you communicate what you do to potential customers. It's about attracting new clients and hanging on to the ones you have.
- A lot of my clients are not publishers, is this course still for me?
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This course covers many of the generic skills of running a freelance business so if you have a clear idea of who your target customer is, even if they're outside of publishing, that's great. This will help you focus on why your target customer would buy services from you and how to keep them coming back for more.
- How long will it take?
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The course is designed to be flexible. Although we estimate around 6-8 hours to work through the course materials, you may find that you spend quite a bit more time completing the exercises and suggested research. 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.
- Can I enrol if I live outside the UK?
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Yes. We have had students from all over the world. There is an extra charge of £10 to cover additional postage. Please note that the financial, company and tax advice given in the course relate to the UK market.
- When can I enrol?
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You can enrol at any time of year.