How To Get Started As A Freelance Proofreader Online
Do you know when and when not to use a comma? Do you know how to use the style guides for APA, MLA, and CLM? You might get a good job proofreading if you answer these questions correctly. You've probably encountered online proofreading jobs if you've looked up ways to work from home.
People who are good with language and, therefore, can spot errors in syntax and punctuation want to understand more about this kind of gig. If you've ever wondered if you would be a good proofreader, read on.
What Is Proofreading?
Do you remember learning about the steps of writing in high school? You must do five things when you write something and want it published. Proofreading is the last step in the editor's part of the process.
- The writers have already done what they need to do before writing, like come up with ideas and research.
- The content and system have been operating in the writing or draught phase.
- The editor then reviewed the content and rectified any major issues with how it was placed together or flowed.
- Now, the piece is ready to be checked for mistakes.
- Checking for mistakes is the last step.
What is copy editing?
You might also be involved in copy editing, which is like proofreading but more advanced. This type of editing is more in-depth. Copy editors often say that a draught or manuscript requires bigger changes.
There are a lot more than grammar and punctuation tips in these ideas. Some of them are clear, consistent, and brief. Copy editors may specialize in a certain type of work, industry, or field. Most of the time, copy editing comes before proofreading, the final check before a piece is published.
Benefits of Working from Home as a Proofreader
Here are a few good things about being a proofreader who works from home. We'll discuss many of these in the rest of the post. Most proofreading jobs you do on your own time give you a lot of liberty. You can often complete your work anytime if you meet your customer's deadlines.
This means you might be able to undertake proofreading on the side in addition to your normal 9-to-5 employment. It could also be a nice method for stay-at-home mums to make money while caring for their kids.
In contrast to several work-from-home jobs, you don't need a desktop computer to do well with this one. Some people are making money by proofreading on laptops or tablets.
People worldwide can now share files very easily because of new technologies. Because you'll largely be dealing with text files rather than movies, you won't require a lightning-fast internet connection, as many other work-from-home professions do.
As long as your customers don't have particular online speed requirements, this remote job is better for people with satellite or other non-wired Dsl options. So, proofreading is a good option if you are from a small town or the middle of nowhere.
What kind of money can you expect to make proofreading from home?
Like many online jobs, proofreading can pay anywhere from very little to much. Proofreading jobs usually pay less than writing jobs. Glassdoor said the average salary in January 2020 was $44,000 per year. The number might be higher or lower depending on what you do and how hard you've been doing it.
What are the things you need?
Proofreading is one of the best online jobs because you can do it almost anywhere and on almost every device. You can operate on your tablet if you want to. But a few tools could make it easier for you to proofread.
- Google Documents Numerous online proofreading jobs use Google Docs because it has a ” markup ” feature that lets you add remarks to the original document. Sharing documents is also easy to do online.
- Dropbox is another excellent method for exchanging documents with clients who like to use Word Processor or another word processor.
- Grammarly is a good tool for proofreading that helps you find spelling and grammar mistakes. You don't have to pay to use WordPress or social media, but you do have to pay to use Microsoft Office and Google Docs. It can even tell you how to write and write sentences together. But it won't catch everything. It will also sometimes suggest things that don't work with the content. So, you can't rely on Grammarly to check your work for mistakes. It's helpful but not as good as having your own eyes.
- The McGraw-Hill Proofreading Handbook is needed for any proofreader or person who wants to become one. It has a lot of great tips and tools to help you and your business run smoothly.
- Remember to get The AP Stylebook and The Chicago Manual of Style, which we discussed before.
How to Find Proofreading Jobs Online
There are numerous methods for searching for proofreading employment, and the method you choose should be based on the type of work you seek. You'll have to put yourself out there if you want to work as a freelancer.
If you want to work for a company, you'll usually look for jobs on job boards on the internet. And sometimes, you can find a freelance proofreading job by searching the Internet. Here are some common search concepts and search terms you can use to find publisher jobs and companies:
- Proofreader/proofreading
- editor/editing
- copy editor
- line editor
- academic editor
- book editor
You should include common keywords associated with work-from-home jobs:
- Remote
- Home office
- Telecommute
- Freelance
- Contract/contractor
Most of your interview will be spent taking tests to see how good you are at proofreading. You may only get a small sample to look at. How well you do at this kind of work is very important. A fascinating personality will assist, but you won't get the job if you can't do well on an editing test.
If you work as an editor for people on a freelance basis, you may not face numerous editing tests. So, you'll have to be prepared to demonstrate what you can do in other ways. The right way is for happy customers to write about you.