WRITERS BUREAU COURSE

Proofreading and Copy Editing Course

The Writers Bureau, 8-10 Dutton Street, Manchester M3 1LE
Tel: 0161 819 9922
Fax: 0161 819 2842
www.writersbureau.com
Members of the Institute of Training and Occupational Learning
and the National Association of Writers in Education

“The course reminded me how much I’d forgotten! It made me revise my punctuation
and grammar and it also helped me to build a client base...” Tommy Cloherty
Earn an Extra Income “As Principal it is my job to
maintain the fantastic
reputation The Writers Bureau
Principal

or Work Freelance
has acquired in helping people
to follow their writing dreams.
I’ve been involved with The
Writers Bureau from the start,

Full-time with
giving me over 29 years of
experience in distance
education. Plus, I have the help
and support of a

Proofreading and
Susie Busby
knowledgeable and dedicated
team.Together we provide you with:

1. well written, high quality course materials

Copy Editing Skills 2. caring, helpful tutors

3. an efficiently run administration.
Our core concern is to help you develop your skills to
the full and we aim to establish a warm and friendly
relationship with each and every student.”
Now, more than ever, a huge number your salary. Alternatively you could set
of publishers, private companies, yourself up as a full-time freelance,
including PR and advertising agencies, choosing when, where and who you
law firms, colleges and universities rely work for.
on the services of proofreaders and
copy editors to ensure that their Anyone with a good eye for detail and
written material is professionally the ability to concentrate can learn
presented and error free. how to proofread or copy edit. So, if
you think this kind of work is for you we
As a part-time proofreader and copy can certainly help you gain the skills you
editor you can earn a nice addition to need in as little as two to three months.
Earn an Extra Income or Work Freelance Full-time with Proofreading and Copy Editing Skills | 1
“I undertook the
Proofreading and
Your Proofreading and
Copy Editing Course
Copy Editing
course as my first
step towards
establishing my
own freelance To help you master the techniques of Your course contains eight fact-packed
editing business. proofreading and copy editing we have modules and four assignments – marked
assembled a comprehensive, by your personal tutor.
“The course professionally written home-study
gave me an appreciation of the level of detail course covering all the essentials. In Your studies are very flexible. You can
required in the editing process and was your course you’ll learn: study wherever you are – in the UK or
invaluable when it came to preparing my novel abroad. You can adapt your study to suit
to go to a professional copy editor, as I knew • The skills and abilities required by a your timetable. You can work when it
exactly what they’d be looking for in advance. professional proofreader/copy editor suits you and you can start as soon as you
It gave us the chance to spend more time • Ways to improve your spelling are ready as there is no fixed enrolment
polishing the manuscript than addressing date.
major issues. • Consistent punctuation
• Proofreading on paper Your course materials are sent to you as
“My novel, The Night Butterflies, was soon as you enrol and are available
• Grammar know-how
published by RIW Press, the publishing division immediately in the student community
of my company, Right Ink On The Wall. It is • The copy editor’s roles and area when you enrol online.
available globally in paperback and as an responsibilities
ebook through Amazon and other distributors. You can submit your assignments by post
• Working electronically
or by email – the choice is yours.
“I’ll always be grateful to The Writers Bureau • Setting up in business
for supporting my first step into the publishing And, to make your course really effective,
• Useful resources and organisations
world.” you also receive personal guidance and
Sarah Litchfield, New Zealand. • Practical insider tips that can help you advice from your tutor – an experienced
stand out from the crowd. proofreader and copy editor.
2 | Your Proofreading and Copy Editing Course
Your Personal Tuition Diana Nadin has
had over 37 years’
experience in
distance learning and
Under the guidance of an expert tutor Your tutor will encourage you, be objective, is one of the country’s
you will develop an understanding of be realistic but most of all give you leading experts in this
proofreading and copy editing techniques. constructive comment. Through this firm field. She has
The assignments are designed to give you but gentle approach many students come developed a deep
plenty of ‘real-life’ practice so that you to know their tutor as a trusted friend. insight into student
get a feel for the standard of work you needs and how to Director of Studies
All our tutors are experienced proofreaders help you with your
will be expected to produce once you
and copy editors. Each one has been studies. Diana knows that it is particularly
start accepting freelance work.
specifically trained by us to help you important that you have competent,
overcome the difficulties, and the pitfalls, conscientious tutors throughout your course
You’ll also receive advice on presentation,
that all new proofreaders and copy editors because they have a significant influence on
typography, setting and style. You will be your progress. So, she makes sure great care is
face.
told how to improve your work – if it’s taken when appointing a tutor to you as this
necessary – and how to avoid the common From their own experiences they can help relationship can make all the difference
errors and mistakes that many beginners you to start proofreading and copy editing between failure and success.
make. to a professional standard.

Your Contribution
We can do a lot to help you, but we can’t do it all for you. In fact, advice and have enthusiasm, perseverance and determination to
the major contribution must come from you. do well. If you think this sounds like you, there’s no reason why you
can’t enjoy a complete career change or the extra income
In addition to a love of the English language you should also enjoy generated from part-time freelance proofreading and copy editing.
reading, have an eye for detail, good powers of concentration and
enough free time to be able to study the course thoroughly. You do So if you really want a career as a proofreader or copy editor and
not need to be especially gifted at writing or be an expert in the you are prepared to put in the time and effort required, then
English Language. All you need is the ability to follow your tutor’s together we can help make your goal a reality.
Your Personal Tuition | 3
Finding Work “The course reminded me how much
I’d forgotten! It made me revise my
punctuation and grammar and it also
One of the most worrying aspects of moving into a new career area is finding helped me to build a client base.
work, whether that’s as a freelance or being employed by a publishing house. “I have published a collection of
You needn’t worry about this as we’ve included a comprehensive list of useful poetry – It’s a Word Thing –
resources and organisations to get you started as well as all the practical produced by a creative writing group
advice you’ll need. I’ve been running in Tottenham. We
had a launch in September and have
We show you: sold around 200 copies to date, the
proceeds from which go back into sustaining the group in the
• How to find markets for your services future. It’s been published via Christian Bookcase.
• How to present your work
• How to promote yourself “I’ve not been using my publishing for an income as the writing
groups are run on a not-for-profit basis to benefit budding writers.
• What to charge However I was awarded £5,000 as a grant to facilitate groups, buy
• How to ensure payment – invoicing and reminders ISBN numbers, hold book launches etc.
• How to set up your business Tommy Cloherty, London
Plus, much more to get your proofreading and copy editing business off the
ground.
We are so confident in our course and tuition service that we offer you a
unique Double Guarantee.
Your CPD
Your Guarantees Certificate
A Continuing Professional
Because we have full confidence This states quite clearly: Development (CPD)
in the course and tuition service, Certificate is awarded at the
1. You have the course on 15-day end of your course. It is
we are able to make your (in your possession) inspection. given to students who have
enrolment as risk free as possible 2. We will give you a £10.00 refund completed all four
by giving you a cast-iron, double for any assignment which is not assignments and provides
guarantee. corrected properly by your tutor. proof of your training.
4 | Finding Work
Course Synopsis How To Enrol
Module 1 – Introduction Module 5 – Grammar If you want to be a proofreader and copy editor
Introduction to the course – how to What is a sentence? – types of sentences then there is no time like the present to start. It
tackle the Course – what is – pronouns – nouns – adjectives – verbs would be a shame to do nothing and then look
proofreading? – what is copy editing? – – adverbs – pronouns – conjunctions – back in a few years’ time and say, ‘If only…’ On
skills and abilities required – where to grammatical gremlins – paragraphs – key
the other hand, you could take action right now
work? – simple proofreading test – key points to remember – self assessment
points to remember. exercise.
by enrolling today.

Module 2 – Spelling And remember, anybody can enrol on this

The joys of English – common rules to Module 6 – Editing course. You do not need any special qualifications
An editor’s role – the bigger picture –
correct spelling – British and American or background and you can start whenever it
spellings – ways to improve your spelling book formats – editing symbols and
marks – headings, tables and
suits you.
– computer spelling checkers – self
assessment spelling test – key points to illustrations – references – italics –
For those who wish to pay by credit card you can
remember. abbreviations – numbers –
measurements – language variations – enrol by telephone, online or complete the
Module 3 – Punctuation, Capitalisation libel and legalities – key points to enrolment form. We can then start working
and Hyphenation remember – Assignment 3. together to help you become a competent
Punctuation and its function – the full proofreader and copy editor!
stop and other end of sentence marks – Module 7 – Electronic Proofreading
commas – apostrophes – semicolons and and Editing Freephone 24 hrs
colons – brackets and parentheses – Word processors – track changes –
quotation marks and dialogue – ellipses
– capitals – dashes and hyphens – key
search and replace – spelling and
grammar checkers – key points to
0800 389 7360
points to remember – Assignment 1. remember. 00 44 161 819 9922 (Overseas)
Module 4 – Proofreading On Paper
The tools of the trade – understanding Module 8 – Freelancing and So, we now look forward to hearing from you
proofreading symbols – how to use them Useful Information and hope this is the start of a long and happy
– errors to investigate – understanding Setting up in business – useful resources relationship between us.
house style – key points to remember – – useful organisations – Assignment 4 –
Assignment 2. course conclusion. www.writersbureau.com/proof
Course Synopsis | 5
12 Reasons Why You Can Enrol
With Complete Confidence
1. A specialist course written by 8. You have two years to complete “I was so nervous when I started, it had
experienced proofreaders and your course but you can complete been such a long time since I had studied
copy editors. it in 3-4 months if you wish. like this, and I wasn’t sure what to expect.
The tutor was so friendly and helpful with
2. Caring constructive help from 9. You have 15 days to inspect your advice and guidance.
expert tutors. course and to make sure it’s the “This is a well detailed course and I would
3. Four tutor-marked assignments right training for you. recommend it to those who would like to
for practice and guidance. learn more about the way the English
10. Online Student Community area language should be written, to writers
4. Help and advice when you need it for safe contact with other looking to improve reading and writing skills, as well as
from our experienced Student students. understanding publishing layouts and styles.
Advisory Team. “Thank you for this course; it has certainly helped me improve
11. Advice on how to set yourself up my own writing skills and vocabulary.”
5. Flexible study programme to suit in business as a freelance Maggie Coull, Scotland
you. proofreader and copy editor.
“I studied the Proofreading course because I wanted to be able
6. There’s no fixed enrolment date to proof my own work, thus saving a fortune in proofreading
so you can enrol when it suits you. 12. On completion you are awarded a
fees for my novels.
Continuing Professional
Development Certificate as proof “The course has helped me enormously in my career as an
7. Instant access to course material
of your training. author and journalist. I can now proof my own work, confident
when you enrol online. in the knowledge that I can spot typos or spelling mistakes. It
has also made me a much more confident writer. The course
is a must if you decide to publish via Amazon Kindle.”
The Writers Bureau – Everything You Deborah Durbin, Weston-Super-Mare
Need For Success
6 |12 Reasons Why You Can Enrol With Complete Confidence
Fast Enrolment with Your Credit Card

24 hr Enrolment Line
0800 389 7360
Phone: 00 44 161 819 9922 Fax: 00 44 161 819 2842

Online
www.writersbureau.com/proof

Copyright © The Writers Bureau 2018