For those who’re a professional at recognizing spelling or grammar errors, proofreading might be an effective way so that you can make some extra cash. Right here’s Edee’s story for inspiration on how you could find proofreading jobs.
“Are you any good at proofreading?”
I used to be a second grade trainer on the time and the person asking me was the grandfather of one in every of my college students. He was additionally, because it turned out, a science fiction writer with an enormous fan following.
“Sure, really, I’m,” I replied. I used to be born for it.
The following week, Grampa confirmed up at college with a cardboard field containing a 300-something web page manuscript, a pad of tiny sticky notes and a blue ballpoint pen.
I left the educating career in 2010 and began writing in 2011. I had been proofreading for Grampa since 2006. In 2018 I made a decision I needed to make an actual go at freelance proofreading. I had the spelling, grammar and punctuation abilities, however after Grampa’s sticky-note system, I knew I wanted observe doing it electronically.
I did some analysis and located Caitlin Pyle’s Proofread Anyplace. By the course, I gained some new abilities, picked up assets I wanted and have become a thousand occasions extra assured that I may really do that.
Two years later I’m working steadily at a tempo good for me. I’ve discovered my area of interest market, repeatedly convey on new shoppers and I’m watching my earnings enhance steadily. (And sure, I nonetheless proofread for Grampa, however now he’s a paying shopper.)
Find out how to discover proofreading jobs
On the lookout for on-line proofreading jobs?
Earlier than we let you know the place to seek out proofreading jobs, there are some steps you possibly can take to make sure you’re arrange for fulfillment.
Get coaching
Look. I get it. For years, I used to be a faculty spelling bee champ. I cringe after I see apostrophes used for a plural. I’m that individual individuals hate in on-line remark sections as a result of I refuse to take a put up significantly when there are a ton of spelling errors.
However I additionally knew I wanted some fantastic tuning (When to make use of a semicolon, anybody?). You might have been a champion at sentence diagramming, however there are manner too many grammar guidelines. Nobody can know all of them.
A course like Proofread Anyplace can provide the observe, abilities and assets it is advisable to be a top-quality proofreader.
Construct a portfolio
You possibly can’t get a job with out expertise, however you possibly can’t get expertise with out a job. Gah!
For those who’re prepared to perform a little free work to construct your proofreading portfolio, head over to Challenge Gutenberg. Challenge Gutenberg takes print books with expired copyrights and places them into book type, they usually want a number of volunteers to assist proofread all of them.
If you recognize somebody who owns a web site, ask if you happen to can proofread it for them. All of it provides up!
Know your price
I can not stress this sufficient! Twenty years in the past Stacy Brice of AssistU stated to me, “Individuals can pay you no matter you assume you’re price.” More true phrases have been by no means spoken.
Does this imply it is best to begin out on the highest finish of the dimensions? No. However don’t promote your self brief, both.
The EFA has a complete fee chart for editors and proofreaders. It’s an excellent place to start out.
Determine what you wish to be paid, and keep it up. It might imply taking a move on initiatives infrequently, however you’ll have a fatter checking account in the long term.
6 locations to search for proofreading jobs
You’ve gone by coaching. You’ve set your charges. You’ve constructed your web site. You’re prepared.
The place are the shoppers? If you begin on the lookout for proofreading jobs on-line, you’ll encounter a number of firms which might be companies for writers. All of them require making use of and establishing an account.
Some are free, some take flat charges and a few take a proportion of your gross sales.
Under are seven on-line firms that enable you assist writers put their finest work into the world. I’ve listed them so as of value to you, which tends to be proportional to the expertise required and the charges you’ll gather out of your shoppers.
1. Fiverr
For those who’re new to proofreading and trying to construct your portfolio, Fiverr is a good place to get began.
Fiverr is a web based freelance platform that connects proficient professionals with writers in want of enhancing and/or proofreading.
You create a free account, the place you turn out to be a “vendor” and create “gigs” for your self. It’s a hip manner of claiming you create a profile for your self and get added to their listing, the place shoppers can search you out. You’ll compete towards different proofreaders for work. The extra initiatives you full with excessive satisfaction scores, the extra initiatives you’ll snag.
You could not receives a commission the massive bucks right here, and you will have to navigate genuine jobs vs. shady job, however most locations for locating proofreading work both have a giant price or have numerous hoops to leap by and require a number of expertise.
Fiverr is free to affix and is usually a actually good approach to get your ft moist and begin constructing a portfolio. They can even act as a go-between and make sure you receives a commission. You’ll set your individual fee, however Fiverr retains 20 p.c of what you invoice.
Expertise stage: Supreme for these simply beginning out
Price to affix: Free
The corporate’s take: 20%
2. Upwork
Another choice for novices is Upwork.
As with Fiverr, it’s a web based freelance platform the place you’ll compete towards different proofreaders for work. You set your individual fee, and Upwork acts as a buffer between you and your shopper to ensure you are paid.
On Upwork, you’re invited to bid on jobs, they usually have a barely extra complicated billing system than Fiverr.
Upwork retains 20 p.c for the primary $500 you invoice a particular shopper, 10 p.c if you happen to earn between $500.01 and $10,000 with that shopper, and 5 p.c if the quantity exceeds $10,000.
Word that this doesn’t embody your whole billings, somewhat it’s for quantities paid to a person shopper. The higher your scores, the extra initiatives you’ll be capable to bid on.
Once more right here, you might not make the massive bucks, however lots of people who undergo the Proofread Anyplace course use Upwork and Fiverr to start out constructing a portfolio and earn cash. Ultimately you might discover you’ve received a properly padded checking account. A fellow graduate just lately introduced she’d hit the $10k mark!
One other benefit to Upwork is the how-to movies that enable you learn to seek for the best work, the right way to bid, the right way to write contracts, and extra. What you be taught there interprets to the remainder of the freelancer world, so why not take benefit?
Expertise stage: Supreme for these simply beginning out
Price to affix: Free
The corporate’s take: Upwork retains 20 p.c for the primary $500 you invoice a particular shopper, 10 p.c if you happen to earn between $500.01 and $10,000 with that shopper, and 5 p.c if the quantity exceeds $10,000
3. Scribendi
Scribendi considers all freelance editors to be unbiased contractors. For those who meet their necessities, you’ll must fill out a rigorous software, which incorporates employment historical past, references and a abilities check.
You’ll choose and select which initiatives you wish to tackle. Scribendi covers a broad vary of writing initiatives, together with manuscripts, ESL, educational, enterprise, pupil,and private (assume resumés and private paperwork). Reviewers say they common $15 to $20 per hour.
Expertise stage: Supreme for proofreaders with a minimal of three years expertise
Price to affix: Free
Firm’s take: None
4. ProofreadingPal
Are you in graduate faculty? Do you’ve got a graduate diploma and no less than 5 years of proofreading expertise?
ProofreadingPal affords proofreading for all kinds of writing, together with enterprise, educational, and books and manuscripts.
Apply to work for ProofreadingPal through the web software the way in which you’d for some other job. It’s considerably rigorous, however doesn’t require you to have a minimal of printed titles below your belt.
Ought to ProofreadingPal invite you to proceed the appliance course of, you’ll take a timed check. Do nicely, and also you’re in. You’ll be an unbiased contractor, which suggests they take no charges from you. In line with their web site, you’ve got the potential to earn between $500 and $3,000 monthly.
Expertise stage: Minimal of 5 years of expertise with graduate diploma
Price to affix: None
Firm’s take: None
5. The Editorial Freelancers Affiliation
The Editorial Freelancers Affiliation (EFA) is a membership-driven website requiring annual dues. The dues are a bit steep, however might be well worth the funding.
The place different freelance firms both add you to a listing or allow you to bid on job postings, EFA does each.
If you arrange your profile it is possible for you to to decide on numerous key phrases that may enable you present up in a possible shopper’s search. Shoppers are additionally capable of browse the listing. There’s a members-only space the place you possibly can look by job postings, and you may decide to obtain each day job postings through e mail.
You possibly can set your individual charges, because the EFA acknowledges you as an unbiased enterprise. Except for serving to freelancers and writers join, the EFA additionally affords on-line courses, lots of that are free to EFA members.
(P.S. That is my favourite place for locating proofreading jobs.)
Expertise stage: Ranges from simply beginning out to extremely skilled
Price to affix: $145 for one yr or $260 for 2 years
Firm’s take: None
6. The Web + networking
I do know. It appears broad and oversimplified on the similar time. However networking can get you to this point!
Be part of a gaggle for proofreaders on LinkedIn or observe some proofreading associated hashtags on Twitter. Take part discussions. Quote the Chicago Guide of Fashion. Hyperlink to Merriam-Webster. Generally a proofreader may have a shopper or potential shopper who wants work outdoors the scope of what the proofreader does or has time to do.
For those who’ve contributed high quality data in discussions about proofreading, you’ll discover one other proofreader will belief her shopper with you. My title was talked about in an article about writing phases and I acquired a flood of inquiries, most of which led to proofreading jobs, and a number of other of these jobs led to referrals to new shoppers.
Is there a weblog you like, however it’s crammed with errors? Attain out and ask in the event that they’d be fascinated by having your proofread earlier than they put up. A fast, top quality job may result in extra work with them. They could refer you to different bloggers to proofread for his or her websites, as nicely.
Critically. Do a very good job for the best shopper and they’ll inform all people they know.
No software, no charges, simply you, your professionalism, and your data.
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