Freelance editing/Proofing

[FSUTrill]

I found something I may be good at- proofing and editing. Someone gave me a piece and I really enjoyed working on it. Seems I have a better knack for improving writing than doing the actual writing myself! Anyway, how does one get into *doing* this?

[emeleel]

I'd love to know, too, if anyone knows and cares to share - I love proofing!

[Redlass]

There are a ton of different answers to this question. I think everyone gets into it in a different way.

What is your background?
What experience could you sell to a potential client?
What type of editing/proofing do you most like to do (developmental? sentence level? copyediting? proofreading?)?
What types of copy do you want to edit (trade? educational? mass market? technical? medical? fiction?)?
What type of hours do you have available?


I got into it in a pretty traditional manner. I decided I wanted to be a journalist when I was in junior high. I worked summers throughout high school at the local community paper, was an editor of my junior high, high school, and college newspapers, got a degree in journalism, and worked for a daily newspaper as a copyeditor for five years before selling out and becoming a full-time writer/editor for a non-profit educational company.

Most of my freelance work has come from my boss--clients whom our company couldn't take on for one reason or another, but he wanted to keep them happy. He also wants his editors to make more money on freelance income so that they're less likely to leave and go somewhere that might pay a higher salary. And then my clients have spread the word. So you do good work for one client, and they talk about you.

It's getting that first contact that is tricky.

I'll come back tomorrow if you'd like and share some of the links to sites that support freelancers and where you can find freelance editing job listings.

But be prepared to show them something that you've done--you can't simply say that you enjoy editing. If you don't have anything professional to show, then volunteer. Edit a church newsletter, the PTA newsletter, a theater program, anything. Just make sure you don't get yourself looped into a long-term commitment that will eventually make it difficult for you to accept paying work.

[frazzledspice]

Cheryl, since you live abroad, have you ever considered travel writing?

I think you'd be a natural.

And because of what you've experienced in your mission work, you could probably find some markets in magazines like "Guideposts."

"Guideposts" is in the midst of a big marketing expansion. For years (I think) they were just available by subscription, but they are now selling on supermarket racks.

There is also a "Guideposts for Teens" magazine that my daughter's friend receives and passes on.

[rmthunter]

What Bridgette said (I'd like to see some of those links, too).

I fell into it through working in a small art museum, where everybody wore lots of hats. I left it for a while, and now I'm trying to get back into it.

Try placing a want ad for copy editing/proofreading services, especially if you have local "free" papers. (Do they have such things in France?) (The Reader in Chicago charges $25 for commercial ads, which is pretty reasonable, and distributes 22,000 copies a week. Ads all appear in their online version as well, so they are probably actually hitting 30-40,000 readers minimum.) Check out policies on this -- some publications will give discounts to individuals, particularly "neighborhood" papers.

Bob

[Redlass]

Oof. I'm not sure that my links are going to be good for you in France. But let me post them anyway.

(I apologize for the delay. Family's been sick and then I caught it.)

It's been awhile since I've used most of these links, so you'll still want to do your research on any job before taking it:

The one my friends swear by (but is subscription only):
http://www.freelancesuccess.com/

http://www.contractedwork.com/rt.cfm?SubCatID=135

Here are some UK courses on freelance editing:
http://www.freelancers.co.uk/

Article on freelance editing:
http://www.editorsforum.org/forum_in..._01-23-02.html

http://www.writers-editors.com/Write...news_items.htm

Dang, most of my links are now dead. I'll try to find some more in the next week or so.

[rmthunter]

Bridgette --

Thanks.

Bob

[jeffbeale00]

Hmm! Try projectesource, which is a good Freelance website.
Have a Good day!