When I started my own online company several years ago, I had a dream of sipping cocktails on an exotic beach somewhere; living out of hotels, indulging in room service, traveling where the wind took me… and for a while it seemed to be working out; I made over $1000 the first month with just a handful of projects. But then the recession hit, and hundreds of editing websites popped up overnight as under-employed civilians latched onto the dream of making extra money editing and proofreading online.
And for good reason: proofreaders can and do charge around $20 an hour, minimum. All you need to do the job is good writing skills and the ability to pay critical attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation. And the demand continues to increase – as English dominates the world wide economy, as well as educational fields, millions of native and non-native speakers are constantly seeking editors.
How can you cash in?
1) The easiest (and hardest) way to begin a career as a freelance editor or proofreader is to sign up with another company, such as editavenue.com or editage.com. These sites advertise hard and get a lot of clients, so you’ll probably get enough work. The problem is they’ll take around 40% of your profit. They also include an application process involving tests of your abilities. It’s worth trying them out; take the tests and learn what you know and what you don’t. You’ll also get loads of experience, and something to put on your personal resume, which may be more important than financial gain, at least in the beginning.
2) Set up your own website. It should be white, clean, clear, and business-like (although, if you are selling yourself, rather than a business, personal may be better). The jury is out – different clients will be attracted to different types of websites. But make sure it is error-free. I recommend putting prices on the website as most people don’t have time to wait for an estimate. Also, keep in mind that most people need editing the day before a project is due, so try to keep and post your turnaround time as short as possible (24 hours? 12?)
3) Register on freelance websites as a freelance editor. Make free profile on as many freelance sites as possible. If you can, put a link to your website in the description. Bid on projects to gain experience.
4) Unfortunately – competition online is fierce. You can advertise on Google or Yahoo, but you may spend more than you make if you’re a small business or independent freelancer. Instead, focus on your community. Put fliers and business cards in your town or area; at the public library, at the universities, at the schools, in business offices. Make a clever and interesting flier that sticks in people’s minds. Let them know you’re local (most people still prefer to deal local than online anyway). Make sure you have an address and phone number where they can contact you. Let them know you’re available for full-time contract work. Advertise in local newspapers. Attend academic conferences, writing/author fairs, or anywhere you’ll find potential clients. Get involved in these communities.
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