At the beginning of my employment search, I had almost little experience in proofreading. Finding employment as a freelancer for the first time was a time-consuming and draining procedure. But as time passed, I realized I wasn’t searching in the appropriate locations.
I have compiled a long list of resources to assist you in finding freelance proofreading jobs from the comfort of your home or workplace. First, I’ll try to answer some of the people’s most often-asked questions while looking for a proofreading position.
What You Need to Know About Proofreading Jobs
The following are some of the most frequently asked questions for proofreading positions.
In what ways can you improve your writing via proofreading?
In editing, proofreading involves bringing attention to and fixing a document’s many typos, grammatical mistakes, and other flaws.
To succeed as a proofreader, what abilities must you have?
You should also have impeccable grammar and spelling skills and a deep understanding of the language and the topic. One needs a keen sense of observation. In addition, you need to be able to do extensive editing, checking the information for accuracy, consistency, style, structure, and presentation.
How can one enter the field of proofreading cold turkey?
Start by honing your skillset by modifying several papers of progressively higher complexity. As a beginner, you may get started with sites like Dominate. While the salary may be lower than at some other job sites, the variety of clientele you’ll get to deal with more makes up for it.
How much do proofreaders typically earn?
The starting earnings for a proofreader is about $18 per hour, rising to $25 to $50 per hour with expertise.
ProofreadingServices.com
If you could work whenever and wherever you wanted, earning $19-$46 an hour, would you not take advantage of that opportunity? The services offered by proofreaders allow opportunities to proofread. The only need is 20 minutes of your time to complete their survey.
An invaluable benefit of being a member of Proofread Services is the opportunity to network with some of the most incredible editors and proofreaders worldwide.
Freelancer
Freelancer has an abundance of openings for proofreaders. Add your profile photo, résumé, employment history, credentials, talents, and more. Include the length of the project you’re seeking in the sidebar where you’re advertising for employment.
Having the salary range available makes it easier to find a suitable position. And if that weren’t enough, you may also compete in competitions, which are time-sensitive assignments offered by customers. Imagine you’re going in for a technical job interview. They begin at $8/hr and go up to $191/hr.
Upwork
There are several proofreading jobs available on UpWork, another website. Find openings offered by clients in your desired field by starting with the kind of job. Some customers list a firm price, and others always look for a better deal.
This is the hub for independent workers continuously looking to expand their crew. The more tasks you finish, the more probable the UpWork team will recognize you. Many different payment methods are accepted.
Fiverr
In addition to being a popular marketplace for sellers, Fiverr also attracts a large customer base. It might become your primary resource for finding work. The minimum acceptable price is $5, however, this might increase as you gain experience with the customer and their needs become more explicit.
Create a profile and fill it with information about yourself, including a description, languages spoken, talents, education, certifications, and links to your social media profiles. Complete your profile on Fiverr and read the rules before you begin offering your service.
In addition to advising you on what you should do when selling your work online, this site lists the things you absolutely must not do. It’s the “onboarding overview” in Fiverr parlance. After that, you may begin actively selling.
MediaBistro
Media Bistro is another platform where you may look for a job or client. All media and advertising positions are listed here. Use the tabs at the dashboard’s top to navigate the many features quickly.
Media Bistro’s job alert tool is beneficial since it tells you through email whenever a position matching your criteria becomes available. After signing up, you’ll have access to a wealth of promising possibilities.
Reedsy
Reedsy serves as a bridge between businesses and customers. You may start interacting with customers and providing quotations right after you join up. Reedsy charges a 10% service fee since it is a business-to-business marketplace.
This service leverages data science to pair you with the best possible employer.
To indicate that you are not available to accept new customers, click the corresponding button in the left-hand sidebar.
LinkedIn has been my primary resource while looking for employment opportunities. You have access to an infinite pool of businesses looking for proofreaders and other professionals to hire on an as-needed, full-time, or part-time basis. LinkedIn is like any other employment site; it needs you to fill up a profile with information about yourself, your work history, your education, and any relevant certifications or licenses.
One of the few social media sites that cater only to business networking. You may share your work and browse businesses and individuals seeking the same career as you.
You may input your desired working conditions and let the company find new opportunities. The who’s who in your field is probably on LinkedIn, so make use of it.
EditFast
EditFast values speed and accuracy as implied by its name. Get started by making an account and being approved. Since you’ll be working independently, EditFast won’t guarantee a steady work stream.
Simply enter your information into their system, and EditFast will contact you when a customer has shown interest in employing you. The registration procedure consists of nine phases and might take anywhere from one to two weeks to complete. There is no way to attract new business if you don’t have a website.
ClickWorker
Copy editors with a strong command of the English language in writing, keen attention to detail, and a sense of humor are welcome to apply for available positions at Clickworker. You must sign up with them to begin working as a Clickworker.
One must first get experience writing and proofreading before entering the field of copy editing. Clickworker claims this will provide you with the necessary background knowledge and familiarity with internal procedures.
You may access the proofreading jobs and become a copy editor after you’ve passed the author and proofreader tests. Using Clickworker’s interface, you may go to the tasks and make the necessary changes.
Wordvice
Be it a research paper, dissertation, or essay, Wordvice uses expert freelance editors to give excellent revisions. Check out what they have in mind:
- The ability to speak English as though it were one’s first language.
- Be pursuing or possess a graduate degree.
- Professional experience required, with a bare minimum of two years.
- Familiarity with the ability to use several different citation styles, including but not limited to APA, MLA, AMA, and Chicago.
- Comprehensive familiarity with Microsoft Word and the “track changes” function.
- Strong technical writing skills.
- An acute eye for faults in writing.
These are the necessary qualifications. They have a list of things they want in a candidate. In the wake of your application, you’ll be asked to complete an assignment before hearing back about your status through email.
Scribe Media
Assisting writers is the main focus here. Book editors are encouraged to join Scribe and are given complete control over their work. There is a need for a proofreader, and the rate is $35/hour or $1/word for proofreading whole book manuscripts.
You’ll get the opportunity to collaborate with well-known writers, business leaders, corporate CEOs, etc. After 15 days, they won’t respond, and you shouldn’t bother following up. They do not sponsor work visas and will only accept applicants who already have the legal right to work in the United States.
Domainite
Domainite is a fantastic platform through which a novice proofreader may obtain invaluable expertise. Compared to other professions, their salary is lower. Concentrate on building your customer base and skill set. You may join Domainite by completing the registration form on their site.
A few steps are taken out of the norm compared to traditional job boards. An email with a random five-digit number attached should be sent to support@domainite.com. Without doing so, their staff will be unable to process your samples.
Include a note indicating whether you’re applying for a writer or editor post with the code. Enter the code and proceed to fill out the application. They will contact you about the job if your sample is strong enough.
Proofreading Pal
As a student, earning from $500 to $3000 per month is more than you can imagine. The primary focus of an editor is to improve the flow, clarity, and style of a piece of writing. To qualify, you must meet both of the following:
- Have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and be a graduate or postgraduate student at a U.S. institution of higher education.
- Holds a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in proofreading and editing and a graduate degree.
You’ll need to answer a few questions to determine whether you’re qualified as an independent contractor. They should contact you within five to ten business days to let you know where you are in the recruiting process and what kind of assessments are coming up.
Cactus Communications
There is a wide variety of opportunities for freelance editors at Cactus. To sum up my experience as a self-employed editor:
Working hours are up to your discretion.
- up to a 20% surcharge,
- and the flexibility to do so from any location.
However, independent thought is accompanied by personal accountability. Here are the two criteria for working with Cactus:
- Qualifications in one or more of the following: physical sciences, materials sciences, engineering, healthcare, life sciences, medicine, and surgery; or a doctorate, master’s degree, or bachelor’s degree in one of these fields.
- Superior editing abilities and thoroughness with the English language (prior editing experience would be great).
If you possess the essential competence and are qualified to apply, fill out the application form. Get in touch with editor@cactusglobal.com if you have any questions.
Gramlee
Would you say that you are a fantastic editor? We need to speak with you; Gramlee has been seeking you. Join their team if you are urged to rectify the mistakes and can’t handle poorly organized material.
There is a minimum order requirement of 3,000 words at 3 cents each word. Over 3000-word projects are sent to a senior editor, and depending on the quality of the original work, they may be paid extra. Join the Gramlee family by filling out an employment application.
Scribbr
An applicant at Scribbr must first go through a lengthy screening procedure.
- Be successful on the language test, which includes questions on grammar, spelling, vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation, and style.
- The second component is an evaluation of academic writing, which includes a look at the overall tone, citations, numbers, good voice, and readability.
- When you pass these examinations, you are given a task to complete.
- Two mock orders or simulations must be completed once the task is turned in before you can begin accepting actual work.
Let’s get to the matter: how much do you make? Prices begin at $0.017/word but increase with tighter deadlines and higher quality standards.
Writer’s Relief
This is the best platform for displaying your artistic abilities. Creative authors are given a shot at publication via Writer’s Relief, which accepts just 2% of the submissions submitted by writers and proofreaders. The difficulty of the task is irrelevant if you possess the necessary expertise.
Get in touch with them by applying.
SmartBrief
Positions for content and freelance copy editors are available at SmartBrief, a digital media publisher. They provide comprehensive instructions, including job descriptions, on their website. The application is simple to complete, and they promise to get back to you within 48 hours. Look at this!
This position is ideal if you thrive under pressure and can meet aggressive timelines.
Polished Paper
Do you see yourself as a top-tier editor and proofreader? Simply put, that’s what customers can expect from Polished Paper. It could be challenging to learn how to apply. To make changes, scroll down and choose the appropriate link.
After that, you’ll have to sign up, submit your CV, and take a 35-question exam for editors. Looks like a lot of work, huh? You may consult other materials, including but not limited to the MLA, CSE, APA, and Chicago style guides, while you finish the exam.
Essential Tools to Begin Your Proofreading Journey
Grammarly
Grammarly is a comprehensive tool for correcting grammar. It fixes issues with punctuation, wordiness, sentence structure, etc. In addition, it’s an NLP and AI-powered digital writing aid. It is essential to receive immediate criticism and explanations of mistakes to learn and grow.
Price:
Free! As long as you have access to the internet, you may use it for absolutely nothing.
The monthly fee for the premium service is $29.95.
The price per member each month for a business is $12.50.
ProWritingAid
You may polish your writing with the help of ProWritingAid, which analyses your work for typos, grammatical mistakes, and spelling errors. It edits out typos and other errors and produces a comprehensive synopsis report. The built-in plagiarism scanner is a nice bonus. Comma splices are flagged if they are misused. ProWritingAid provides synonyms, and specific spelling and grammar mistakes are corrected mechanically. Whether you’re using Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Open Office, Google Chrome, or Scrivener, this tool can help you catch any errors you could have made.
Price:
As long as you have access to the internet, the “Free” plan is completely free.
Pricing for the premium plan begins at $20 per month.
Pricing for Premium Plus begins at $24 per month.
Hemingway App
Unlike other editing and proofreading tools, Hemingway does not repair errors but instead highlights them in various colors. The content’s quality may be gauged in part by its readability rating. It’s effective at catching typos and grammatical mistakes beyond only those of spelling and punctuation. For experienced writers, the free version will suffice.
Price:
The PC edition costs $19.99 to purchase once.
Final Thoughts
You may become a better proofreader by taking deliberate steps to improve your language evaluation skills. It’s all about the many types of editing, such as substantive editing, copyediting, structural editing, content editing, etc. The optimum outcomes may be achieved by combining all of these in a particular order.
The platforms, as mentioned earlier, all take somewhat different methods when offering editing and proofreading assignments. LinkedIn is a must-have for exploring your possibilities and making contacts if you’re in the publishing sector.
