Successful Editorial Freelancing
Dates:
16 November 2010; 25 March, 28 June & 23 November 2011 (a one-day course)
Price:
£150 +VAT
Note: If you have attended one of our Copy-Editing or Proofreading courses, or completed the Distance Learning programmes, the cost will be reduced to £99+VAT.
Venue:
The Publishing Training Centre in Wandsworth, London (see a map and a list of local hotels)
Book course online or phone +44 (0)20 8874 2718 for availability
"Excellent venue. Excellent lunch. Exceptionally friendly and helpful staff. (The course was) invaluable – exceeded expectations. Would recommend to anyone thinking of going freelance. "
Freelance Writer/Editor/Accountant
"Thoroughly enjoyable. I learnt a lot from both the tutor and the other attendees."
Freelance Proofreader and Copy-Editor
Read an article by tutor Mary James on the Lure of the 8 second commute.
This course is also available in a distance learning format.
This course is designed to provide you with the practical nuts and bolts of setting up as freelance in the publishing industry. It will equip you with the confidence and business nous to realise successful and sustainable freelance income.
On completing the course, you will:
- have the motivation and confidence to start your own business
- be equipped to manage yourself through the first difficult six months of freelance life
- gain a good understanding of what publishers are looking for in freelance editors and proofreaders
- recognise what is required to gain new customers and keep the ones you like to work with.
Programme
- What makes a successful freelance?
- Legal considerations of starting up
- Business nature
- Legal structure
- Researching your market
- Potential customers
- Who are your competitors?
- Building a business plan
- Have you got what it takes to be a freelance?
- Putting a price on your work
- NUJ rates
- The going rate/what your clients offer
- What do you want to be paid?
- Should you accept a low-paid job?
- What publishers look for in a freelance editor or proofreader
- Working from home: the ups and downs of the 10-second commute
- Creating a successful home-based business
- Top tips for the lone freelancer
- Keeping in touch
- Building a team around you
- Finding new clients and hanging on to the ones you have
- Defining your brand
- Creating an ‘elevator pitch’ that is right for you
- Your customers are the best sales team you could have
- Getting the best out of networking
- Creating a presence online
- Being remembered for what you do best
- Managing yourself and your time
- Achieving a good work/life balance
- Saying no
- Effective use of technology
- Managing your clients
- Creating good working relationships
- Assignment.
At the end of the course you will generate your own personal business plan, with a particular emphasis on researching your market It will help you understand what would make you particularly attractive to publisher clients and why they would want to employ your freelance services.
Who will benefit from this course?
Delegates who have already completed one of our proofreading, copy-editing or picture research distance learning courses, or are currently employed as editors, proofreaders and picture researchers and want to make the transition to freelancing.
Your tutor
Mary James combines her publishing expertise with a hands-on knowledge of the freelance market. Having set up her own company (innoved) to provide research and consultancy services to publishers, Mary understands what is required to run a sustainable business from home and how to develop and retain strong working relationships with publishers in order to keep a full order book.
Note that most of our short courses can also be run as in-company events.
Send details of this course to a colleague.
Dates: 16 November 2010; 25 March, 28 June & 23 November 2011
Price: £150+VAT (a number of discounts are available).
Successful Editorial Freelancing - provisional booking form
Please complete this form to make a provisional booking (* denotes required fields). Shortly afterwards, we will send you a registration form with which you can confirm your booking.
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