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Learning how to proofread/edit
I had a brain wave yesterday that doing course in proof reading and copy writing could take me from my rubbish job or at least help me learn some skills to improve my writing. As usual with research I realised it's not as easy to get work as it looks so quit hoping.
But I wondered if it would be worth doing some sort of course to improve my general editing/English skills for my writing. If not a course then is there a book which can help me improve style etc?
I'm not bad at all the writing skills that's all I was good at in school but I would like to improve too
Comments
Fast-forward to now and I earn serious money from those skills.
It's not easy to get work - you have to work as hard at that as anything else, but that's the same with any business.
Publishers use freelancers and they don't necessarily worry about courses and qualifications - I've always had to submit a test piece. It doesn't matter (in my opinion) how qualified a person might be, you still need to have an eye for detail and that can't be taught.
It would be wrong to embark on a course in the hope you could earn a living from it - but developing existing skills is never a bad idea. Who knows where it might lead?
Good luck!
It has a look inside option.
I don't think it's necessarily hard to get into, more that it's harder to make the required grade.
I'm fortunate to have that magazine experience on my CV - but I still had to take the tests. One came back with the comment that I'd missed something, but spotted some things they hadn't. That was rather satisfying.
I have a financial background - so in addition to working for publishers I also offer my services to accountants - for their websites and newsletters. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but it pulls together lots of areas of expertise.
That's possibly what I'd suggest to anyone considering becoming a proofreader - look at your experience, what's your USP?
As for being a demon reader, if you mean spotting things, that's great. But speed will work against you. Taking your time is a skill you need to develop.