Not sure what the difference between general proofreading and transcript proofreading is?
What is general proofreading?
General proofreading is much more… general! 🙂
If you are interested in freelance proofreading but not sure if you want to get niche-specific with transcript proofreading, General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ is the perfect way to begin your journey into proofreading for profit. It’s an excellent, heavily detailed training system wherein you’ll learn everything you need to know about proofreading general texts — think books, blogs, and the like. Thanks to the rise in self-publishing, professional proofreaders are in high demand. There is no heavy focus on a specific, technical niche like court reporting within this course.
What is transcript proofreading?
In contrast, Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ is a much more focused and intense course than General Proofreading. It zooms in on the busy, fast-moving world of court reporters and the transcripts they produce. Because transcripts are verbatim to what is said in a legal proceeding, proofreading transcripts is much more technical and complicated. The list of errors you’re hunting is completely different — and much longer. In short, transcript proofreading skills take longer to master, and the training takes longer to complete.
Which course should I choose?
Both are excellent courses, and you can’t go wrong taking either — plenty of folks have enrolled and successfully completed the more-intense Transcript Proofreading course since 2014. However, if you are brand new to proofreading for profit and unsure of what niche you want to pursue, I highly recommend starting with General Proofreading first.
Later, if you totally rocked General Proofreading and want to narrow your focus and/or further expand your skills to earn at a higher level, Transcript Proofreading will help you do just that. Plus, you get Level 1 of Transcript Proofreading FREE after you complete General Proofreading (a $77 value), so you will save a bit of cash in the long run by starting with General Proofreading first.
Here’s a chart to briefly explain the main differences between the two courses:
| General Proofreading: Theory and Practice | Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice | |
| Who’s a good fit? | Interested in proofreading but not sure where to start? This is the perfect course to dive into the freelance world of proofreading and get your business rolling on a more basic level. | Want to start strong? Already a proofreader and want to narrow your focus into a powerful, lucrative market with more technical skills? This is the course for you. |
| Focus | Learn the detailed mechanics of proofreading AND how to market your services to find clients, even if you don’t have any prior experience. | The ONLY online course designed specifically to train proofreaders in the art of transcript proofreading. |
| Content | This course is packed with 40+ lessons in 8 modules, grammar-specific worksheets, and real-life example jobs. | Includes 9 modules and 55 units of theory, practice, and multiple examinations designed to thoroughly prepare you for the work. |
| How enrollment works | Enroll in full course at one time. Final exam recommended but not required. | Enroll in course starting with Level 1; advance to higher levels allowed pending exam scores. |
| Minimum time required to complete | Approximately 1 month | Approximately 2-4 months; sometimes longer depending on student. |
| What happens at the end | After passing with 90% or higher on the final exam, receive a Certificate of Completion and access to the Self-Publishing School Preferred Outsourcer Rolodex (IGNITE-PLUS LEVEL STUDENTS ONLY; see enrollment page for details). | Receive a Certificate of Completion upon receiving a score of 90% or higher on the cumulative final exams. |
| How to learn more | To learn more, click here to sign up for the FREE video workshop. | To learn more, click here to enroll in the FREE 7-day intro course. |
Ok, Caitlin! Now, you know that I was saving up to move on to Level 3 of the Transcript Proofreading program…and then you come out with this!!! Dang, it. Now, I am going to have to decide on whether I want to start with the General and then work on focusing down to transcripts or just keep going with the transcript proofreading. This new course looks awesome! I’m eager to learn more during the workshop.Decisions..decisions…
There is no rush!! All skills are worthy and useful 🙂
Hey Caitlin,
I’ve watched the webinar and I’m really excited! The general proofreading course looks like a good fit for the other skills I’d like to eventually offer as a freelancer: copy editing and indexing. I’m planning to start this fall after my current gig ends, and am very much looking forward to it.
Quick question: will Ignite Plus remain as an option, or is it a temporary offering?
Cheers,
Sarah
You can upgrade to Ignite Plus at any time during the program. 🙂
Hi Caitlin,
I am hoping you could give me some guidance. I am currently working as a medical transcriptionist and have been dreaming about beginning a second career as a proofreader. I would love to be able to find work that incorporates my medical knowledge as it is a passion of mine and I do plan on continuing to work as an MT. I have had my eye on your Transcript Proofreading course for some time now and understand the importance of finding a niche, so with the launch of your General Proofreading course I am left wondering which of the two would be a better fit for me. I do have a strong interest in the legal field, although I am wondering if I might find more success elsewhere.
Thank you for your time!
Hmm… have you looked into General Transcription? Here’s a post on it: https://proofreadanywhere.com/4-reasons-i-use-general-transcriptionists/
There is a high demand for general transcription! Might make more sense to translate your MT skills to a transcription niche w/ more work available.
Hello again Caitlin,
Thank you for your input! I have done some general transcription in the past. Judging from the blog post linked above and the links to posts on Transcribe Anywhere there is much more for me to explore.
Hi Caitlin,
I am enjoying the content in your 7 day course and I would absolutely love to move forward with the complete program. My goal would be replace my current job with this and I’d like to do it more on a full-time basis. It sounds like a good transcript proofreader working approximately 40 hours a week makes $40,00 (give or take a few), is this correct? I’m trying to figure out of this opportunity could replace my current salary.
Thanks in advance!
Hi, Stacy!
I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying the 7-day course and that you’re interested in moving on! 🙂 There is an obvious demand for proofreaders, both for general proofreaders and transcript proofreaders. Transcript proofreaders are paid per page, and the rate varies depending on the turnaround. General proofreaders can negotiate a rate per page or per project, so it definitely varies. Hopefully, you can see why I can’t say proofreading this way will make you X amount while doing this will get you X amount. It all depends on you. 🙂 There are people who have completed the course who’ve been able to replace their full-time salary, but, again, I can’t guarantee anything because it all varies so much.
Hi Stacy,
I live in South Africa and I’m interested in the course you are providing but I’m a bit nervous as I’m not sure if I will be able to do the transcribing from South Africa as well as getting paid to my South Africa bank account? Is this at all possible?
Many thanks.
Kim
Hi Kim,
Have you signed up for Caitlin’s free introductory course to become familiar with what freelance proofreading entails? I’m also in SA, and my biggest challenges are when the electricity goes off (I recommend having a friend or family member in a different suburb where you can go and work during long blackouts 🙂 ), and when the Internet is down (I buy a data bundle on my phone with my debit card, then use my phone as a modem).
Regarding receiving payment for services rendered, I use PayPal + FNB Smart Account with Internet Banking to withdraw to Nedbank. FNB is currently the only bank in the country to offer PayPal functionality, but once signed up you don’t have to deposit the funds in your FNB account, you can nominate an account with another bank.
Also, I’m not a member of the mybroadband.co.za forum, but have found lots of helpful discussions on there about overcoming these types of challenges.
Best wishes,
Cary
Hi Caitlin
I will keep both programs and work at one at a time. Thank you for send me the above information.
This is a really helpful comparison! Thank you. My mind is now made up. As Julie Andrews sang in The Sound of Music, “Let’s start at the very beginning, It’s a very good place to start…”
Wow! That’s a great song and a perfect allegory to refer to, Sheena! If you have any questions about the course, please write to us at [email protected]. The PA Support Team will be happy to help!😉
I'm looking at starting a business for editing dissertations. Would the Ignite Plus work for this?
Our proofreading course is great if you want to polish up your English skills, but no, we don’t teach students anything in regard to editing or starting an editing business. Our courses are all about freelance proofreading and teaching you how to start your own proofreading business. I suggest you do some more online research to find an editing course that is dedicated to a niche like yours. Ask a lot of questions to get the best course available that will be the best fit for you!