Editing and Proofreading

Is Using an Online Editing Course Helpful?

A guide to choosing an online editing course

Any published writer will tell you that a good editor is not merely helpful but is invaluable in the writing process. Editors help writers communicate by checking facts, ensuring consistency, and improving grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style in the development of everything from books to web pages.

Online education for editors can be a convenient and effective way for busy people to earn various qualifications and upgrade their skill sets. The main advantages of online editing courses include convenience and flexibility. There are a number of online editing courses to choose from. If you are interested in editing as a career or are already an editor and just want to brush up on your skills, online editing courses can be extremely useful.

What to look for in an online editing course

The majority of online editing, copyediting, and proofreading courses are appropriate for most learners. Here are a few to check out:

Whether you are learning about editing for the first time or just need a refresher, there are certain things you should look for in an online editing course. Chief among these is that the course is offered by a reputable source. Other things to look for in an online editing course is that it includes certification of some sort, complete coverage, clear learning objectives, a way to measure learning progress, interactivity, learner support, easy navigation, and easy access.

The value of online editing courses

The value of editing is immeasurable. Good editors are worth their weight in gold, and so are good online editing courses. It is thus critical to research all the available options so you can decide which online editing course is the best one for you. Keep the above criteria in mind when shopping around, and happy editing!

Do I Need to Take a Proofreading Course?

Who would benefit from a proofreading course?

Anyone who aims for a career in proofreading would be expected to take a proofreading course in one form or another. The traditional path to any job in publishing begins with a university degree in an English-related discipline, such as English literature, journalism, or communications. However, times are changing, and there are many other routes into publishing. Writing and editing are two other jobs that require proofreading skills. You would be unlikely to get far if your finished work in either of these fields failed to meet expected standards in spelling and grammar. So proofreaders are not the only ones who should consider taking a proofreading course.

Proofreaders

The Internet has opened up the possibility of a proofreading career to people from many different backgrounds. For example, many teachers, who are used to correcting their students’ work, find it easy to do proofreading work to supplement their income. Some become so comfortable with the role that they end up quitting their day job to take on proofreading as a full-time career. Anyone edging into proofreading from another profession would need to take a short proofreading course to understand the demands of the job.

Copywriters

Like proofreading, copywriting is a career that is available to people who did not study English in college or university. Websites specializing in advice on medicine, engineering, or technology need writers with knowledge and experience in those fields. Anyone switching from a non-publishing background to a writing career would need to take a proofreading course to ensure that his or her English skills are up to scratch.

Editors

Proofreading is an essential part of editing, so any trainee editor should take a proofreading course. Even editors who come from a university background may be expected to take a proofreading course at several points in their career. This is because the English language is constantly changing, and publishing industry standards change with it.

Academics

The reputation of budding scientists in academia is built on the number and quality of papers they have published in their chosen fields. A limited number of publications are seen as credible outlets for scientific papers in any discipline. Therefore, a young researcher seeking recognition cannot afford a reputation for poor spelling and sloppy grammar. A proofreading course is a good career move for those who hope to establish a name in their chosen academic field.

Take a proofreading course

You may feel that you cannot take time off from work to attend a proofreading course, or perhaps there is no proofreading course within commuting distance. Fortunately, you can take a proofreading course online so you don’t have to be in a particular place at a specific time. An online course lets you acquire proofreading skills without disrupting your daily schedule.

What Is Freelance Copy Editing?

Freelance copy editing gives you career freedom

You may have heard of an editor, but what is a “copy editor”? The editor of a book or a magazine will decide on writing assignments and then approve the finished work or request alterations from the writer. A copy editor is specifically concerned with the format and style of the piece, as well as the spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Many jobs are available in copy editing, and freelance copy editing is a viable career option.

Freelancing

“Freelancing” simply means you don’t have a permanent contract of employment. There are no hard and fast rules for the terms of a freelance contract. A freelancer can negotiate terms and conditions on a contract-by-contract basis. Generally, though, companies that hire freelancers have fewer obligations to these contracted workers than they do to their full-time employees. When a contract comes to an end, the freelance copy editor has no right to severance pay. There is also no sick pay or holiday pay in freelance contracts. A freelancer has to make his or her own arrangements for health insurance and retirement plan contributions. On the upside, however, the weekly income of a freelancer may be higher than that of a full-time employee. This is one of the main reasons why freelance copy editing appeals to some.

Work pattern

A copy editor seeking work has an advantage if he or she can show long periods of stable employment on a résumé. Usually, a freelance copy editor has a different work pattern compared with full-timers, so any potential employer may be surprised to see long periods working for the same organization on a freelance copy editor’s résumé. However, that situation does sometimes arise. Some editing organizations want to be free of all full-time-employment obligations and use freelance copy editing. In this case, you are likely to be given a piecework contract in which you are paid based on units of output rather than time. Or you will work on a periodically renewed short-term contract.

Caution

Freelance copy editing is not for everyone. You may have to work hard to find jobs, because short contracts will mean you will be in the job market frequently, seeking assignments. You may need to build up savings while freelance copy editing so you can survive between contracts. Furthermore, freelance copy editing can mean higher costs than full-time employment, because you may have to travel to find work and you will be responsible for tax payments, which can require an accountant.

Benefits

There are many advantages to freelance copy editing. For one thing, you may find you don’t like a new job. As a freelancer, you have to tough it out only for a few months, and that light at the end of the tunnel can make a bad job easier to bear. Also, in freelance copy editing it is easier to adapt to changing personal circumstances, and you will find it easier to adjust your career goals as your lifestyle changes. The freelance route is not for everyone, but it may be your best career choice.