Become a Copy Editor & Proofreader: Complete Course

You can be a great editor – even if you're not a grammar guru!

It's true – you can earn money as an editor or proofreader even if you’re not an expert at grammar. How can I say this? Well, because there’s me – I was truly lousy at formal grammar at school and yet here I am, having worked as a professional editor for 25 years.

There’s a secret that I want to share with you and it’s this: If you love reading and writing and can take a dull sentence and make it shine, you can edit. And yes, you do need some technical knowledge but it’s not the whole darn grammar book. All you need to get started is a basic fluency with the written word plus the core knowledge and skills I’m going to share with you on this course. Once you’ve gone through all the lessons you’ll know more than enough to go out and find your first freelance editing jobs.

Contents and overview

• We’ll begin by looking at how to edit. This involves onscreen tutorials going through the editing process in Microsoft Word and PDF documents. This part includes two practical exercises on editing in Word and PDF for you to complete (with model answers provided).

• In the second part, I’ll go through what to edit. This is where we look at problem areas in grammar, spelling, punctuation and consistency.

• In the third part, I’ll give you some pointers on how to set up your editing business and price your services.

Is this about editing or proofreading (and what's the difference anyway)?

Copy editing is about changing text to correct mistakes and clarify expression, whereas proofreading is merely a final check of text that has already been edited.  This course prepares you to work as both an editor and a proofreader.

Is this course right for you?

This course is for you:

• If you’re wondering whether you might enjoy editing and proofreading and want to test the waters without investing in a full editing qualification (while still getting the core content)

• If you feel unqualified and a bit intimidated by copy editing and need to boost your skills and your confidence.

• If you’ve already been editing for a while and want to sharpen your skills and fill in any gaps in your knowledge.

• If you want to transition to a new role in a company (e.g., moving from copywriting to editing).

• If you are a company and want to train your staff on editing skills.

  
  

What is NOT covered

• Proofreading symbols (hardly anyone uses them anymore as everything is done on computers).

• Abstract or substantive levels of editing involving the restructuring of content.

• Academic references/citations.

  
  

How this course is different

Most short courses on editing and proofreading tend to assume a lot of knowledge – for instance, that you already have a good grasp of grammar and punctuation and just need to know the editing processes or how to set up your business.

And the longer courses that offer qualifications tend to be time-consuming, pricey and somewhat intimidating. This course aims at the middle ground by providing you with the nitty-gritty technical, procedural and marketing information without overwhelming you with too much detail.

I have aimed this course both at individuals who want to try a new career path as well as companies who need to train writers or managers in the art of text editing.

Ideal work-from-home job

Copy editing is the ideal work-from-home opportunity or side hustle for stay-at-home parents, writers, retired teachers and anyone with language skills who is looking for extra income or a new career. And it's a great way for writers in permanent employment to level up and take on more of an editorial and writing mentorship role.

Course delivery

This course includes 3.5 hours of video learning, two editing practical exercises, plus a comprehensive Course Notes PDF with added details and bonus material.

By the end of the course, you will know more than enough to be able to offer editing and proofreading services to authors, businesses and anyone who needs help preparing a document for publication.