When you’re a professional at recognizing spelling or grammar errors, proofreading may very well 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 instructor on the time and the person asking me was the grandfather of one in all 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 subsequent 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 expertise, however after Grampa’s sticky-note system, I knew I wanted follow doing it electronically.
I did some analysis and located Caitlin Pyle’s Proofread Anyplace. Via the course, I gained some new expertise, 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 excellent for me. I’ve discovered my area of interest market, usually convey on new purchasers and I’m watching my revenue improve steadily. (And sure, I nonetheless proofread for Grampa, however now he’s a paying consumer.)
discover proofreading jobs
Searching for on-line proofreading jobs?
Earlier than we let you know the place to search out proofreading jobs, there are some steps you possibly can take to make sure you’re arrange for achievement.
Get coaching
Look. I get it. For years, I used to be a college spelling bee champ. I cringe after I see apostrophes used for a plural. I’m that particular person individuals hate in on-line remark sections as a result of I refuse to take a put up critically when there are a ton of spelling errors.
However I additionally knew I wanted some tremendous tuning (When to make use of a semicolon, anybody?). You will 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 follow, expertise and assets it is advisable be a top-quality proofreader.
Construct a portfolio
You’ll be able to’t get a job with out expertise, however you possibly can’t get expertise and not using a job. Gah!
When you’re prepared to do some free work to construct your proofreading portfolio, head over to Challenge Gutenberg. Challenge Gutenberg takes print books with expired copyrights and places them into e book type, and so they want lots of volunteers to assist proofread all of them.
If you recognize somebody who owns an internet site, ask for those who can proofread it for them. All of it provides up!
Know your value
I can’t stress this sufficient! Twenty years in the past Stacy Brice of AssistU mentioned to me, “Individuals pays you no matter you assume you’re value.” More true phrases have been by no means spoken.
Does this imply it’s best to begin out on the highest finish of the dimensions? No. However don’t promote your self quick, both.
The EFA has a complete fee chart for editors and proofreaders. It’s an amazing place to start out.
Determine what you wish to be paid, and keep it up. It might imply taking a go on tasks every so often, however you’ll have a fatter checking account in the long term.
6 locations to search for proofreading jobs
You’ve gone via coaching. You’ve set your charges. You’ve constructed your web site. You’re prepared.
The place are the purchasers? Whenever you begin in search of proofreading jobs on-line, you’ll encounter lots of firms which are companies for writers. All of them require making use of and organising an account.
Some are free, some take flat charges and a few take a proportion of your gross sales.
Beneath are seven on-line firms that make it easier to assist writers put their greatest work into the world. I’ve listed them so as of price to you, which tends to be proportional to the expertise required and the charges you’ll accumulate out of your purchasers.
1. Fiverr
When you’re new to proofreading and seeking 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 purchasers can search you out. You’ll compete in opposition to different proofreaders for work. The extra tasks you full with excessive satisfaction scores, the extra tasks 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 an enormous price or have a lot of hoops to leap via and require lots of expertise.
Fiverr is free to hitch and could be a actually good solution to get your toes 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 degree: Ideally suited for these simply beginning out
Value to hitch: 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 in opposition to different proofreaders for work. You set your individual fee, and Upwork acts as a buffer between you and your consumer to ensure you are paid.
On Upwork, you’re invited to bid on jobs, and so they have a barely extra complicated billing system than Fiverr.
Upwork retains 20 p.c for the primary $500 you invoice a selected consumer, 10 p.c for those who earn between $500.01 and $10,000 with that consumer, and 5 p.c if the quantity exceeds $10,000.
Be aware that this doesn’t embrace all your billings, somewhat it’s for quantities paid to a person consumer. The higher your scores, the extra tasks you’ll be capable of bid on.
Once more right here, you could 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. Finally you could discover you’ve acquired 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 make it easier to learn to seek for the precise work, tips on how to bid, tips on how to write contracts, and extra. What you study there interprets to the remainder of the freelancer world, so why not take benefit?
Expertise degree: Ideally suited for these simply beginning out
Value to hitch: Free
The corporate’s take: Upwork retains 20 p.c for the primary $500 you invoice a selected consumer, 10 p.c for those who earn between $500.01 and $10,000 with that consumer, and 5 p.c if the quantity exceeds $10,000
3. Scribendi
Scribendi considers all freelance editors to be impartial contractors. When you meet their necessities, you’ll have to fill out a rigorous software, which incorporates employment historical past, references and a expertise check.
You’ll choose and select which tasks you wish to tackle. Scribendi covers a broad vary of writing tasks, together with manuscripts, ESL, educational, enterprise, pupil,and private (assume resumés and private paperwork). Reviewers say they common $15 to $20 per hour.
Expertise degree: Ideally suited for proofreaders with a minimal of three years expertise
Value to hitch: Free
Firm’s take: None
4. ProofreadingPal
Are you in graduate college? Do you will have a graduate diploma and not 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 best way you’ll for some other job. It’s considerably rigorous, however doesn’t require you to have a minimal of printed titles beneath your belt.
Ought to ProofreadingPal invite you to proceed the appliance course of, you’ll take a timed check. Do effectively, and also you’re in. You may be an impartial contractor, which suggests they take no charges from you. In response to their web site, you will have the potential to earn between $500 and $3,000 per thirty days.
Expertise degree: Minimal of 5 years of expertise with graduate diploma
Value to hitch: None
Firm’s take: None
5. The Editorial Freelancers Affiliation
The Editorial Freelancers Affiliation (EFA) is a membership-driven web site requiring annual dues. The dues are a bit steep, however might be definitely 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.
Whenever you arrange your profile it is possible for you to to decide on a variety of key phrases that can make it easier to present up in a possible consumer’s search. Purchasers are additionally in a position to browse the listing. There’s a members-only space the place you possibly can look via job postings, and you may choose to obtain every day job postings through e mail.
You’ll be able to set your individual charges, because the EFA acknowledges you as an impartial enterprise. Except for serving to freelancers and writers join, the EFA additionally affords on-line courses, a lot of that are free to EFA members.
(P.S. That is my favourite place for locating proofreading jobs.)
Expertise degree: Ranges from simply beginning out to extremely skilled
Value to hitch: $145 for one 12 months 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 thus far!
Be a part of a gaggle for proofreaders on LinkedIn or comply with 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 consumer or potential consumer who wants work outdoors the scope of what the proofreader does or has time to do.
When you’ve contributed high quality info in discussions about proofreading, you’ll discover one other proofreader will belief her consumer with you. My identify 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 purchasers.
Is there a weblog you like, but it surely’s stuffed with errors? Attain out and ask in the event that they’d be excited about having your proofread earlier than they put up. A fast, top quality job may result in extra work with them. They might refer you to different bloggers to proofread for his or her websites, as effectively.
Severely. Do job for the precise consumer and they’re going to inform everyone they know.
No software, no charges, simply you, your professionalism, and your information.
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