The Best Online Proofreading Course (Based in the US)

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I researched online proofreading courses extensively before settling on one. I had a strong interest in proofreading and was ready to go all-in on this new adventure. After hours of research, I decided to take the General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ course offered by Proofread Anywhere in the United States.

General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ is a comprehensive online course that teaches you everything you need to know to become a professional proofreader. It not only provides you with a strong set of proofreading skills but also teaches you how to market yourself.

In this post we’ll look at why I chose this program and discover other excellent online proofreading courses based in the US and UK.

Why I Chose the Proofread Anywhere Course

I picked this class for many reasons—three of which I’ll touch on now. If you’d like more details about this course and why I chose it, you can read my in-depth review of the Proofread Anywhere program.

It’s a Reputable Proofreading Course

While researching classes, I wanted to find one that had already made a name for itself.

Due to the growing popularity of online learning, new courses are continually becoming available. But I didn’t want to be a test pilot for a brand-new program.

The general proofreading course had been around since April 2017 and had experienced significant growth since its launch. Due to its expanding popularity, I knew some of my future clients would probably recognize it.

I’d be enrolling in a reputable course that had already earned its fair share of positive testimonials from students.

I was beginning to feel encouraged.

I also wanted a class dedicated to proofreading only. I had seen many editing courses that included proofreading as part of the program. However, I wasn’t interested in being a developmental editor, line editor, or copy editor.

I wanted to be a proofreader.

It’s a Comprehensive Program

My next concern was finding a comprehensive course.

I had come across many webinars, seminars, conferences, workshops, day courses, and lectures dedicated solely to proofreading. However, I knew these wouldn’t provide me with sufficient training to become a professional proofreader.

I wanted to be sure I had acquired adequate knowledge and received ample opportunities to practice my skills before working for clients. I wanted to have the necessary know-how to find new clients and keep former clients coming back.

Proofread Anywhere looked like a thorough course that covered everything I thought I would need to know to be a freelance proofreader.

The Proofread Anywhere Course Content

The course is divided into 14 modules (containing 91 individual lessons).

Many modules contain a quiz at the end to check your understanding.

Here are the modules in the General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ course:

Module 1: Introduction to General Proofreading

  • includes a downloadable course workbook

Module 2: Grammar Refresher

Module 3: Sentence Structure

Module 4: Spelling and Word Use for Proofreaders

Module 5: Punctuation Principles

Module 6: Proofreading Methods

Module 7: Proofreading Practice

Module 8: Types of Proofreading

Module 9: Turning Proofreading into a Business

Module 10: Finding Clients

Module 11: Marketing Basics

Module 12: Understanding AI

Module 13: Your Workflow

Module 14: Getting the Most out of the Freelancing Life 

Ignite Plus Exam (only available to Ignite Plus students)

Bonus Material

  •  the bonuses include access to the first level of the transcript proofreading course and a Money Mindset Transformation workshop and workbook

The modules follow a natural progression.

You first learn about proofreading in general—what it is and isn’t. You’re then introduced to the different areas you need to master as a proofreader (grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.).

Next, you’re given 40 real-life example jobs to practice what you’ve learned.

Each example job comes with an answer key so you can check your work.

The answer keys show you where the document’s errors are located and how to correct them. Next to certain corrections in the first six essays, you’ll find the applicable rule from The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS).

CMOS is one of the most commonly used and esteemed style guides for US English.

You’ll need to be familiar with this guide when you work for clients, so it makes sense to practice using it in the course.

You also have access to a private Facebook group for people who enrolled in the general proofreading course.

The Facebook group is priceless. It’s a supportive place to ask questions and help other members.

Finally, you get to know the business side of proofreading.

Module nine contains a video showing Caitlin talking with a CPA about whether to incorporate (become an LLC) your proofreading business. Caitlin also includes other videos throughout the course where she encourages students and shares words of wisdom.

In addition to the bonus materials mentioned previously, the program includes four additional resource guides. The guides are designed to help you with several aspects of being a freelance proofreader, including tips for working at home and developing the right mindset.

This is an incredibly comprehensive course that overdelivers on the value for your money.

Upon enrollment, you’re given lifetime access to the course materials, including any updates. This way, you can refresh your skills when needed.

The program has had two significant overhauls since I took it, so it’s now better than ever.

You Have the Chance to Earn a Proofreading Certificate

Finally, another essential factor in selecting a proofreading course was whether I would have the opportunity to earn a certificate that served to verify my skills.

Proofread Anywhere provides two versions of the general proofreading course:

  • General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ (Ignite): $497
  • General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ (Ignite Plus): $597

The Ignite Plus version offers everything in the Ignite course, plus a final exam that’s graded by hand.

If you pass the exam with a grade of 90% or higher, you’ll receive the following:

  • a certificate of completion
  • listing in the Self-Publishing School Preferred Outsourcer Rolodex
  • membership in a Facebook marketing mastermind group designed for general proofreading students with verified skills   

Once I saw what the Ignite Plus course offered, I knew it was the one for me.

I enrolled in the program and am so glad I chose Proofread Anywhere for my training.

After passing the exam, I felt thoroughly prepared. I had gained the confidence and skills needed to successfully work on error patrol. 😉

Downsides of the Proofread Anywhere Course

Although this proofreading class is excellent, it has a few negative aspects.

1) No work placement after the course.

Few classes offer a work placement, but it would be beneficial to provide one.

A work placement involves putting someone in a temporary role at a business so they can get valuable experience in the field.

This placement would facilitate students’ transition to working in the industry.

2)  You have limited access to support from staff.

The support you get in the Proofread Anywhere course comes primarily from other students.

Luckily, you can find the answer to almost any question you would have by searching the course’s Facebook group for students.

Furthermore, the group’s administrator—an experienced proofreader—takes an active role.

3) It doesn’t teach you how to proofread typeset documents.

You’ll benefit from understanding how to proofread typeset documents if you want to work for a publishing company.

Due to stiff competition, snagging a job at a publishing house is quite challenging. However, this is something to keep in mind if you aspire to work at one.

The class does teach you how to proof book manuscripts from self-publishing authors since they’re rarely typeset when you receive them.

Other Online Proofreading Courses to Consider (UK and US)

While researching, I came across a few other comprehensive online courses I considered taking.

These other classes are based in the UK, so they teach you to proofread in British English instead of American English. The exception to this is Knowadays’ Becoming a Proofreader course (listed below). It’s taught in US English; however, you can request a UK version of the class if you prefer.

Variations in vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar exist between UK and US English.

However, it’s not too challenging to learn how to proofread different dialects of English.

I’m also going to mention one other respected organization in the US that offers online proofreading classes. But these courses come with a few caveats.

A Course from The Publishing Training Centre (UK)

The first reputable course I found is Essential Proofreading: Editorial Skills One, offered by The Publishing Training Centre. The course costs £395 (about $515).

A Series of Three Courses from The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (UK)

Another well-respected course I came across is offered by The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP)—formerly known as The Society for Editors and Proofreaders.

Actually, it’s a series of three courses they recommend taking:

The cost for all three classes is £820 (about $1,075) unless you’re a CIEP member.

A Course from Knowadays (UK)

One final respectable course is the Knowadays’ flagship class, Becoming a Proofreader. It costs $499.

Like the Proofread Anywhere course, this program has become quite popular over the last few years. If you’d like more info about it, feel free to read my review of the Becoming a Proofreader course. 

Courses from The Editorial Freelancers Association (US)

Another well-known organization that provides proofreading courses is The Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), which is based in the US.

Proofreading courses they’ve offered in the past include Proofreading: The Basics, Proofreading 101, and Proofreading 201.

To get comprehensive training, you’d likely need to take a series of courses instead of just one.

However, they only offer particular courses at certain times during the year, so it would be difficult to get the right classes to line up with one another.

Also, these courses have limited “seating” and require advanced registration.

If you’d like to see if they currently have any proofreading courses available, here is a link to the EFA’s active courses. 

I hope this article helped you discover top-notch proofreading courses in the US and UK.

Om Proofreading has a post about how these courses compare if you’d like to know more. The article has two tables to help you quickly determine how these programs differ.

Good luck with your goals in proofreading and beyond! I’m pulling for you!

Best wishes to you!

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

– Robert Frost