Proofreading

VanMan2007

Has anyone done this? Can anyone offer any tips, advice, experiences, etc?

I appreciate I would probably have to do a proofreading course; but I do have a Degree in English from a top-10 UK university, so that should be a good start.

I've read a few pieces online, but just wondered if anyone here had "been there and done that"?

If a thread has already been raised that I haven't found, then please link me to it.

Thanks, guys.

Fruitloops

I don't have any experience with this, though I've come across quite a few opportunities for editors and proofreaders while researching working from home. I'm not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for, but there are a few companies that may be worth contacting. The most legitimate looking ones I've seen are Scribendi, Demand Media Studios, EditFast and Academic English Editing.

Again, I have no experience with these companies, they're simply a selection that I see mentioned quite a lot and haven't read anything particularly negative (i.e. scam warning worthy) about them. Although that doesn't mean they're great to work for, of course. If you consider any of those, I would research further if you can and see what those with direct experience are saying on work at home forums. There are quite a few other companies around, too

VanMan2007

Fruitloops wrote: »

I don't have any experience with this, though I've come across quite a few opportunities for editors and proofreaders while researching working from home. I'm not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for, but there are a few companies that may be worth contacting. The most legitimate looking ones I've seen are Scribendi, Demand Media Studios, EditFast and Academic English Editing.

Again, I have no experience with these companies, they're simply a selection that I see mentioned quite a lot and haven't read anything particularly negative (i.e. scam warning worthy) about them. Although that doesn't mean they're great to work for, of course. If you consider any of those, I would research further if you can and see what those with direct experience are saying on work at home forums. There are quite a few other companies around, too

Thanks fruitloops,

I'm live in Nottingham, so anything Midlands-based is relevant to me also.

Will check out your list.

Thanks for your reply.

Robinette

Is it just proofreading work that you are looking for? The reason I ask is that the terms 'proofreading' and 'copy editing' are often used interchangeably, although they are different skills.

I am a freelance copy editor and can confirm that it is possible to get into this line of work without having been on a course. A degree is desirable, but not essential (I don't have one). I have also been known to write the occasional article; it is always good to have more than one string to your bow.

If it is just proofreading work that you are interested in, feel free to ignore my reply.

Good luck.

tiger_eyes

Have you considered fiction? Epublishers are always hiring, and if you can pass their test, you won't need any specific qualifications. There's also been a huge boom lately in self-publishing Kindle authors for whom hiring a professional editor is a badge of pride. I'm a full-time freelancer working from home editing and proofreading fiction for various clients, so it's workable.

Superloz

tiger_eyes wrote: »

Have you considered fiction? Epublishers are always hiring, and if you can pass their test, you won't need any specific qualifications. There's also been a huge boom lately in self-publishing Kindle authors for whom hiring a professional editor is a badge of pride. I'm a full-time freelancer working from home editing and proofreading fiction for various clients, so it's workable.

How would I go about finding people who wanted fiction edited/proofread? A google search didn't throw up much in terms of relevant information.

tiger_eyes

Superloz wrote: »

How would I go about finding people who wanted fiction edited/proofread? A google search didn't throw up much in terms of relevant information.

OK, self-publishers hang out primarily at the big Kindle forums - I get 90% of my business from the Kindleboards. Self-publishing is a close community and if you impress clients, they'll recommend you to others. There are way too many epublishers to list and you'd need to research carefully to know who pays reliably and who doesn't, but for an example of an epublisher with a good reputation who is often hiring, I'd suggest Samhain.

VanMan2007

Hi Robinette,

Thanks very much for your reply.

I'm just dipping my toe in the water. I have no experience in either field, but from a quick Wiki-expedition, I could probably apply myself to both. The only lack in my experience now would be in computing skills. Copy editing would suggest the use of more skills than I have, but I'm sure I could learn them.

My extra bow will be to write a screenplay, once I can crawl out from beneath the weight of roof-polishing, pencil box tidying and cat fussing-style procrastination!

Any advice you can give would be much appreciated, Robinette.

VanMan2007

tiger_eyes wrote: »

Have you considered fiction? Epublishers are always hiring, and if you can pass their test, you won't need any specific qualifications. There's also been a huge boom lately in self-publishing Kindle authors for whom hiring a professional editor is a badge of pride. I'm a full-time freelancer working from home editing and proofreading fiction for various clients, so it's workable.

Hi tiger eyes,

Thank you for your post.

For sure, I'd be interested in fiction, as that would be my preferred genre to write in myself. I would learn as I earn!

Please give me any tips/advice/pearls-of-wisdom you can. How to get into the field, especially as the online writing agencies I have visited require previous experience.

Thanks again for your interest, tiger.

Robinette

VanMan2007 wrote: »

Hi Robinette,

Thanks very much for your reply.

I'm just dipping my toe in the water. I have no experience in either field, but from a quick Wiki-expedition, I could probably apply myself to both. The only lack in my experience now would be in computing skills. Copy editing would suggest the use of more skills than I have, but I'm sure I could learn them.

My extra bow will be to write a screenplay, once I can crawl out from beneath the weight of roof-polishing, pencil box tidying and cat fussing-style procrastination!

Any advice you can give would be much appreciated, Robinette.

I had no copy writing experience when I was accepted by the company I currently freelance for, and my computer skills are entirely self taught. As long as you know you way around a word processing package such as MS Word or Open Office, and obviously have a good understanding of punctuation, grammar and sentence/paragraph/article structure (spelling is less important thanks to spellcheck), you'll be fine.

Feel free to PM me if you would like any more information.

Openwind_Curse

VanMan2007 wrote: »

Hi tiger eyes,

Thank you for your post.

For sure, I'd be interested in fiction, as that would be my preferred genre to write in myself. I would learn as I earn!

Please give me any tips/advice/pearls-of-wisdom you can. How to get into the field, especially as the online writing agencies I have visited require previous experience.

Thanks again for your interest, tiger.

I used to battle with this problem of 'no experience' all the time last year! You'll find that with nearly any profession you choose, there will be a vast majority of businesses and individuals that require you to have some form of experience -- be it with a degree or with years of first hand experience.

What I've learned over the previous 365 days has been this: You can find work in the field you're interested in, even if you're just starting out. You simply have to start small. It is a little more 'cut throat' than typical corporate ladders, in the sense that you will likely start with entirely undercutting other freelancers until you have a reputation or a sizable portfolio or... Of course, a lengthy amount of time invested in the job.

Check out some freelance boards on the internet: PeoplePerHour, Freelancer, eLance... You can find beginning work on these sites that pay pocket change but provide some very valuable experience for whenever you want to apply for a position at a company.

I can also vouch for the previous poster who recommended Demand. They pay very well but do have some strict conditions and require experience. I've yet to be accepted regardless of the fact that I've been successfully getting contracts for the previous five months. Food for thought!