How to Start Freelance Proofreading Career

If you are grammar police then proofreading is a job for you. Proofreading requires research, reading, and technical skills. So if you have all three skills and are an avid reader, proofreading is the perfect job for you. Also, if you do not want to work in the corporate world in that 9-6 model, then you can easily become a professional freelance proofreader.

Now this will make you think that how much do freelance copy editors make? Well, the average salary of a freelance copy editor or proofreader is anywhere between US $5000 to $75000. It all depends on the experience and quality of work.

Well, now proofreading does not only mean checking for grammar errors or sentence structure. Proofreading is also a process wherein you decide that does the entire write-up is worth reading, appealing, and will hold the reader?

Of course, grammar, sentence structure, tones, and jargon are to be checked, but you also need to check if the article will connect with the reader. Will the article provide solutions or answers to the reader? And will the reader recommend, share or interact with the written piece?

So, how to be a good proofreader?

If you want to be a good proofreader, you need to love reading, learning, and researching. These skills will ensure that you become a good proofreader.

As said above proofreading does not mean just checking the article grammatically, in fact, now there is software to do that. But proofreading involves policing the entire article to check if it is in sync with the topic and is appropriate for the target audience.

Nowadays the audience has millions of options to choose from, so your write-up must answer exactly what they are looking for. Thus, a proofreader must ensure that the right content reaches the right audience.

But, is there a way on how to become a better proofreader?

If you are already a proofreader but want to get better in the field, there are various ways to achieve that. The first thing is that you should be open to learning. Once you have achieved the basic knowledge of the topic that you are proofreading, you can do better.

Also, cross-check if the information is correct. This is a very important step in how to get better at proofreading. If you find numbers or stats in the write-up check if they have authentication. And, if the stats are taken from somewhere, mention the sources. Even images if any used should be mentioned with the sources.

These little things will increase your efficiency of being a proofreader and you will get better each day. Of course, there is no thumb rule at getting better at things. But you should practice and take initiative to learn new things every day.

Any special tips for professional proofreading?

We have covered almost everything to make you a better proofreader. But if you are still longing for more, we would suggest that you read a lot. Vivacious reading will certainly make you a great proofreader. Also, analyze and read reviews of people. This will make you understand every type of audience and what they require.

You will then be easily able to decide whether the article is intended to spread awareness, or is answering a specific query. In brief, you will know the search intent of your audience better.

Conclusion

With the above tips and answers, we are sure you will become better at professional proofreading, and get the required experience. Additionally, you will learn as you proceed. And once you get a hold of the process, you can check multiple writeups on various subjects every day, eventually earning a lot of money.