Honorary president: Judith Butcher Honorary vice-president: David Crystal OBE

Structure

Membership director 

The SfEP is the society for employed and self-employed editorial professionals. Anyone with an interest in editorial matters is welcome to become an associate of the SfEP – indeed, everyone who joins the Society does so initially as an associate. However, it's hoped that most of those who join will soon go on to become ordinary or advanced members.

You may believe that, because you don't have a standard proofreading/copy-editing background or training, you may not be eligible to upgrade and become a member. However, it is increasingly true that those editing, proofreading and performing other editorial tasks gain their skills in many different ways and work for a wide range of clients. The SfEP recognises this in assessing applications. If you have any doubts as to your eligibility for ordinary or advanced membership, please contact the to discuss them.

• Associates
• Members
• Corporate subscribers

Associates

Being an associate is particularly appropriate for:

• those who are starting out as editors or proofreaders
• those who are not primarily editors or proofreaders but who work in a related field such as design.

Associates cannot vote or take an entry in the SfEP Directory of Editorial Services, but there are still many SfEP benefits that they can take advantage of. In addition, every individual associate receives a £20 voucher during each of the first two years following their joining, to be put towards the cost of any SfEP training course.

Members

There are two tiers of membership:

• Ordinary – for the professionally competent individual. Ordinary members have full voting rights and may advertise in the directory.
• Advanced – for the highly skilled and experienced individual. As well as being able to vote and to advertise in the directory, advanced members are highlighted in the directory and are promoted in Society publicity.

To become an ordinary member, you must be able to show evidence of competence in copy-editing or proofreading. Each application is awarded points for:

• training (attendance at courses and conferences)
• experience (hours spent proofreading or copy-editing)
• references (up to two references from clients or employers).

These are all mandatory, and evidence must be provided. In addition, points are awarded for:

• successful completion of the SfEP mentoring scheme.

This is optional, but evidence must be provided if it is claimed for.

Those with certification from the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS) or the Editors' Association of Canada (EAC), and accredited editors (AEs) and distinguished editors (DEs) with the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd), can follow a different route since their professional competence has already been established. Proof of their certification is all that's required for them to become ordinary members.

To become an advanced member, you must be able to show evidence of a high degree of competence and substantial experience in copy-editing or proofreading. People who pass the SfEP's Accreditation test automatically become advanced members. For those who do not take the test but wish to apply, an application is awarded points for:

• training, some of which must be recent (attendance at courses and conferences)
• successful completion of the SfEP mentoring scheme
• experience (hours spent proofreading or copy-editing)
• references (two or three references from clients or employers).

Applicants must supply evidence in all categories except mentoring.

How can I upgrade my membership status?

Individual associates with relevant qualifications and experience may apply for ordinary or advanced membership at any time after joining the SfEP.

If you're joining the SfEP and already have some training and experience in copy-editing and proofreading, you may be eligible to upgrade from associate to full member as soon as you have joined.

If you're an existing associate or ordinary member, you can apply for ordinary or advanced membership at any time.

In either case, if you want to apply for upgrading, request the appropriate form from the . The comprehensive Upgrading to ordinary and advanced membership: notes for applicants (186 KB pdf), which include some useful questions and answers, will tell you exactly what's required and what you have to do.

All applicants for an upgrade must pay a standard processing fee of £38.50.

Corporate subscribers

Publishing companies and other businesses and organisations that support the Society's aims can become corporate subscribers. We have more information on the benefits of becoming a corporate subscriber and how to join as one in the Corporate subscribers section.

We also offer discounts on subscriptions to any corporate subscriber's editorial workers who want to join us as individuals.

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