What’s Your Problem with Proofreading Correspondence Courses, Mike?

I recently received an email to this effect, accusing me of having an outright distrust of official proofreading courses and thinking that they were, to all intents and purposes, a scam.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

My concerns regarding proofreading correspondence courses have always centered around cost and necessity.

Let’s look at cost, first. Proofreading correspondence courses are, without exception (so far as I am currently aware, at least), beyond the means of many. Particularly when you consider that a lot of the people who have purchased my proofreading eBook have done so because they are looking to boost their income by making full use of their sound grasp of English and keen eye for error. The last thing they need is to shell out an excessive amount of cash before they can even start.

Now, let’s look at necessity. I simply don’t see the need for a traditional student/teacher relationship when it comes to proofreading. Proofreading is, by and large, an analogue business. Wrong and right. Either there is a mistake or there isn't  We’re not talking about editing here; we’re talking about the stubborn, uncompromising world of proofreading. The proofreading student doesn't have to carry out proofreading exercises and then have those exercises marked by an ‘expert’. Proofreading exercises have errors built-in. They don’t need to be marked. The ‘expert’ simply needs to provide the student with the answers. The student – reasonably educated and keen-of-eye – is perfectly capable of judging his or her own progress.

And when I talk about necessity, I’m really talking about cost. Because it is this traditional teacher/student set-up that creates all that cost. I’m not saying these costs are charged dishonestly. They are perfectly legitimate for the teacher/student model (overheads need to be covered, after all). It is the model itself that is unnecessary. In my opinion.

All that being said, there are people who are simply more comfortable with the traditional approach to learning. And that’s perfectly fine. Horses for courses. And proofreading courses are no different. If a more traditionally expectant individual has the necessary cash to spare, great. Spend away. But there are many people who don’t have that kind of disposable income at their fingertips. The No-Nonsense Proofreading Course exists for them. Not to mention for people who thought school really sucked. And people who resent spending money unnecessarily. And busy people who prefer, and perhaps need, to do things at their own pace.


So, no, I don't have a problem with expensive correspondence proofreading courses, and I don't think they're a 'scam'. I just don't see the need.