Are someone who is good at editing and pointing out errors in something that you have read? Whether it’s noticing punctuation or spelling mistakes, this is a great skill set to have because it’s valuable to others who produce content.
Whether it’s a book, blog, website copy, or a business plan, people need skilled proofreaders to review their work. Proofreading is a profitable service you can offer and you can even do this work from home.
Not only is this a great remote job for experienced proofreaders, but it can also be a good option for be for beginners as well.
What is Proofreading?
Proofreaders polish written content and make sure the work is free of grammatical, spelling, and sentence structure errors.
As a proofreader, you may work in tandem with an editor after they review a piece of content. Or, you may be in charge of fixing up:
- Punctuation errors
- Misspellings
- Formatting issues
- The overall flow of the piece
- A proofreader is a last resort before content is published for the public to see. It’s a way to get another pair of eyes on something. It isn’t uncommon for a person to miss something while editing their own work. Having those extra eyes looking through can help clear out anything that was missed.
It isn’t uncommon for someone to miss something when it comes to editing their own work. This is why having a 3rd party do the proofreading work is so important.
How It Works
There are many different types of content you could be in charge of proofreading. It’s important to find your niche and determine what type of work you’d like to do.
Some popular proofreading jobs include reviewing:
- Court transcripts
- Articles
- Websites
- Research papers
- Blog posts
- Important emails
- Books
- Social media
- Press releases
- Newsletters
If you like more than one then that’s okay as well. Proofreading offers a flexible way to earn right from the comfort of your own home..
How Much Can You Make?
Proofreaders tend to bring home $20-$40 per hour on average. This rate varies depending on the work you’re doing as well as the company or client’s budget.
The more experience you gain, the more money you can make. Most wages are based on how much you edit, so the quicker you get the more you’ll get paid each payday. The average salary of a proofreader in the United States according to Salary.com is anywhere from $44,000-$60,000!
Places to Find Proofreading Work
American Journal Experts
American Journal Experts is one of the divisions of Research Square that was created back in 2004. Since then the American Journal experts have edited more than 700,000 papers in over 2000 different areas of study. Qualifications to be a contractor with American Journal Experts include.
- A native English proficiency
- Currently enrolled in graduate school or already have a graduate degree
They also like editors to have previous experience with the content they are editing.
Scribbr
Another option to consider is Scribbr. Scribbr has a team of freelancers who focus on academic writing and help students gain and improve their skills. They can help edit things like dissertations and help students avoid being accused of plagiarism. The number of students Scibbr has helped has ballooned to over 65,000. Their website is available in 10 different languages.
Editor Live
Editor Live is another freelance opportunity for academic and business paper proofreaders. The company receives a high volume of work 24/7. Some assignments will require a quick turnaround time ranging from 3-72 hours.
Proofreaders have to be able to make corrections to document flow, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Editors average between $750-$1,800 every two weeks.
Cactus
Do you have a degree or expertise in engineering, life sciences, physical sciences, healthcare, surgery, and medicine? If so Cactus may be for you. Since 2016 Cactus has consistently been in the top 20 on Forbes Top 100 companies telecommute jobs list. The want freelancers with editing skills and attention to detail. Prior editing detail is recommended by not required.
Proofreading Services.com
Proofreading Services.com pays its editors between $19-$46 per hour. Rates depend on a client’s requested turnaround time. The highest pay goes to the editors having more urgent deadlines. Just like other proofreader companies on this list Proofreading Services.com offers flexible hours that allow you to work whenever you please. To get started proofreaders must complete a 20-minute pre-employment test.
Freelance Writing Gigs
Freelance Writing Gigs is a way to not only find writing jobs but also has editing opportunities as well. They have both full and part-time positions available. All editor openings have been posted within the last month or so. Some are just contract positions. One that is currently on the site is 10-20 weeks of work with between $40-$42 per hour but is location-specific.
Reedsy
Reedsy lets you advertise your skills on their platform. Just make a profile and the clients come to you. There are over 100,000 people in the Reedsy community ranging from first-time authors to best-selling writers. Once you book and finish a job you keep 90% of the commission while Reedsy gets the other 10%.
Flexjobs
Flexjobs can also be another place to search for legitimate work from home proofreading work. They do have entry-level positions available that don’t require previous experience.
Flexjob postings may still want applicants to at least have a bachelor’s degree. Not all jobs on here at 100% remote, so be sure to filter out positions that don’t interest you.
Summary
If you like editing and fixing errors then proofreading can be a good field to burst into. We hope these 8 leads can help get you into a field that you can be successful at.
Remember, you can always pitch websites and small businesses to see if they need a proofreader as well. This can give you more flexibility over your rates and the schedule you set.
Have you ever thought about becoming a proofreader? Why or why not?
