You are an English genius who can edit writing better than anyone else. Yet, if you cannot get work as a proofreader, do not despair. In today’s article, you’ll learn six ways to stand out in this field, make more money, and become independent.
What’s the point of becoming a proofreader?
First and foremost, consider the advantages of working as a proofreader. This is one of the most common ways to work from home and earn money without leaving your house. If that isn’t enough to entice you, keep in mind that you can make a nice living as a proofreader.
By taking on a regular number of tasks each day and being organized, you’ll be able to secure extra cash or make this your full-time profession. Working as a freelance proofreader gives you the freedom you want as long as you can meet your client’s deadlines.
Your job can be accomplished on different devices, so you’re not stuck indoors in front of your computer. In a cafe, you can use your phone, tablet, or notebook to proofread for the rest of your day. Aside from that, the demand for labour remains constant. After all, where there is an essay, there must be editing!
Proofreading is the final step in the editing process. It checks to see if the finalized content and structure are good enough to be published. That is, look for spelling, typing, style, and grammar mistakes that could hurt a publication’s credibility.
Everyone who produces content may need to collaborate with a proofreader. Bloggers, small enterprises, and major brands are all included. So you can already see how much work awaits you if you specialize in this field. If you are a professional in your industry, you may be asked to evaluate anything from a book to a text that will be placed on social media.
Some proofreaders, on the other hand, like to specialize and find that they primarily work with one of the following types of material:
- scholarly works;
- essays;
- blog posts;
- novels;
- ebooks;
- user manuals;
- restaurant menus;
- newsletters, and so forth.
You’re probably thinking about how to seize an opportunity in the area. Is a certain degree required to work as a proofreader? No, it does not.
It would be best if you were very good at grammar and vocabulary in English. After all, proofreading isn’t simply about detecting errors lying around. It would be best to correctly use commas and other punctuation marks to do a decent job.
Some positions will require a degree in Literature or a similar field, although, in most situations, experience alone will suffice.
If you don’t have either but are interested in the field, your best bet is immediately to approach local companies and online publications with your services. You may start putting together a portfolio.
There is no need to worry if you have previous experience and are interested in learning how to generate money as a proofreader.
Here are the five methods we’ve promised to provide to assist you:
Academic paper editing
Working as a content reviewer in the academic field is a typical career path. This type of proofreader is always in high demand, with a consistent stream of work at their door.
Correcting academic papers is an excellent way to make money because they are usually long, complicated texts that need to be fixed quickly and for which you can charge more than usual.
However, you’ll need to establish a reputation to get noticed. Since there are so many academic proofreaders (hundreds of thousands), recommendations from other people carry a lot of weight. To receive that recommendation, you must provide outstanding service to your customers.
Establishing a reputation in academics is critical, which you will do by producing high-quality work, meeting deadlines, and charging reasonable prices. You can get more customers and make more money if you have a professional website and blog with helpful content, like guides on how to format academic papers.
Being unique requires you to think beyond the box. However, working in the realm of scholarly papers can be extremely rewarding. You can charge more for your services and add value to your sales if you format jobs according to ABNT standards.
Writing book critiques (Book Reviewing)
Writing book reviews is another fulfilling way to put your interests to work. It is about standardizing several titles in the language. The person doing the proofreading may be a freelancer hired by a book’s author, a publisher, or the publishing house’s in-house expert in charge of all edits.
Professionals in this field must, of course, have a deep appreciation for and knowledge of Literature, among other requirements. Remember that the language used in citations and references is usually technical and challenging for a layperson to understand.
This job may be right up your alley if you have what it takes to evaluate books.
Working in media outlets.
The news industry provides proofreaders yet another opportunity to hear their opinions. He can focus on editing texts, articles, and editorials to make sure the vehicle doesn’t make mistakes that don’t need to be made. He can be hired part-time or full-time to make sure that the publication for which he writes is trustworthy.
People who proofread news articles need to know what’s happening in the world and the names of influential world leaders, capitals, and countries. After all, its function frequently overlaps with fact-checking and even goes beyond simple editing. Knowing these things helps publications avoid many problems and protects a newspaper’s credibility.
Web content creation
If you are a proofreader, consider resuming your career in web content production. After all, where else but the internet is so much information being produced today? Almost certainly not.
Every day, thousands of postings are published, and all of them, whether they have it or not, require improvement. Businesses of all sizes highly value these services. Also, content creation agencies are great clients who can help you get ahead in your career or give you your first break.
Advertising Firms
In the advertising industry, there is always a need for proofreaders, both for internal and external pieces, to make sure everything is published correctly.
These agencies can recruit content reviewers through formal contracts or freelancers to verify the text of complete campaigns, commercials, radio spots, billboards, and every other type of advertising item available. In this setting, it’s your job to ensure the customer’s voice is heard, or your message is clear.
Reviewers in advertising agencies need to know the business terminology and be up-to-date on what’s happening in the industry.
Working on Copidesque
A copidesque is a type of editorial review that focuses on fixing typos and grammatical mistakes, making the text clearer and more logical, and making sure it follows the rules for editorial reviews. The copy editor works in public relations departments, newspapers, journals, and online periodicals.
His job is different from that of a regular proofreader because he can change the text and its meaning in any way he thinks is best. That is why this mode is so prevalent in web content! Your task is to round up excellent content to link to a brand. Working with copyeditors might be hard for someone who is used to proofreading more traditionally.
How does the proofreader go about their day?
Freelance proofreader has the same flexibility in their schedule as any other professional in this system. He determines how many jobs he will take each day and how long he will work to achieve a significant income.
The expert can take another gig if he wants to and finish the edits when he comes home (or before leaving). Also, unlike a regular job, this one allows for a fantastic range of scheduling options and shorter time commitments, making it easier to balance school and work.
Freelance proofreading can be done from the comfort of your home or while commuting to another job, attending school, taking care of your family, or running your own business. This is an excellent job for people who want to make money but need more time to devote to a new job. They should also be willing to learn and handle multiple tasks at once.
How you choose to operate is entirely up to you. But what’s most important is that the freelancer finds a way to keep his promises that works for him and his clients. He should always meet deadlines and communicate with the other people involved.
Of course, it’s also crucial that he enjoy himself while doing it. It’s not worth acquiring so jobs that you don’t have time to take care of yourself and get too stressed. Your work’s quality will suffer, as will you.
When it comes to working as a freelancer, balance is everything. You will benefit from various factors, including flexibility, high-time availability, guaranteed cash flow, etc. However, it would help if you also learned to cultivate responsibility, discipline, and willpower. These are necessary to be successful working for yourself. Whether you wish to update news reports, work on blog postings, seek a placement with an advertising agency, or review books.
Just what does one need to get started as a proofreader?
It only takes a little for a freelance proofreader to complete his job. In contrast to a designer, who needs a powerful computer to edit large files, a proofreader can get by with just a minimal set of tools because he primarily edits text documents and PDFs. However, this does not imply that he has any specific requirements.
For example, you need a table and comfortable chairs to do good work. The proper lighting, paper for taking notes, and a good dictionary and grammar book can help. Furthermore, specific digital equipment, like a cell phone or a tablet, that allows you always to be online and available to the customer can be helpful.
Almost every profession today requires a good internet connection. Furthermore, it would help if you did your job well as a freelancer. Also, you need to be able to use text editing software like Word, LibreOffice, or Google Docs. Otherwise, getting your work done can be more challenging than it needs to be.
Sentence structure and spelling-checking proofreading programs are helpful but optional. It’s wise to put money into this if you have the means to do so. Aside from that, a positive attitude and a nice cup of coffee are freelance proofreaders’ best friends.
