Do you want to start earning working from home as a proofreader? There are a lot of opportunities online where you can easily sign up as a proofreader or freelancer and start earning even without having any experience.
In this article, we will be looking at who a proofreader is, their jobs, and how you can easily get a proofreading job and start working remotely and getting paid.
Who Is A Proofreader And What Is Proofreading?
A proofreader is someone who helps writers or publishers proofread their work before it gets published or distributed.
While proofreading is the process of checking written materials or documents to detect and correct errors such as spelling errors, grammar, punctuation, syntax, and formatting errors and making corrections.
Proofreaders’ reach is not limited, proofreading is a career someone can build on. Proofreaders also work for academic personnel or student clients, business and professional clients, creative writers, authors, and other publishers.
Difference Between Proofreading And Copyediting
Proofreading and copyediting are two distinct phases of the editing process which can be easily misplaced for one another.
Copyediting is a more comprehensive process that involves reviewing a written work for clarity, consistency, and coherence. It involves checking for errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax, but also includes checking for issues with word choice, sentence structure, and organization. Copyediting also includes fact-checking and ensuring that the writing is in line with the intended audience and purpose of the document.
While proofreading involves reviewing a final draft of a written work for errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, formatting, and consistency. In other words, proofreading is the final step in the editing process and is done after the document has been fully copyedited.
Also Read: Boost Your Proofreading Career Working For ProofreadingPal
What To Do Before Searching For Proofreading Jobs
Even as a beginner, there are some basic skills you need to have before considering proofreading jobs.
How To Become A Proofreader
1. Brush up on your grammar, punctuation, and spelling skills.
2. Learn the basic proofreading marks so that you can communicate effectively with clients and other proofreaders.
3. Build a portfolio by gathering examples of your work and compiling them to show potential employers that you have the required skills and style of a proofreader.
4. You may also consider getting certified if you intend on building a career out of it, taking a online course, and becoming an expert in proofreading.
5. Choose a niche that best interests you and get specialized in the field or industry. This can build up trust between you and clients who require professional or specialized proofreaders.
6. Build a strong network by reaching out to other proofreaders, joining online communities, or attending industry events to expand your network and learn more about the field.
To become a proofreader you must possess the above skills.
Important Skills Required As Proofreader Include:
- Strong language skills to correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
- Attention to detail to spot small errors and inconsistencies, which also requires patience and concentration.
- Communication skills to work directly with clients and be able to understand and follow instructions.
- Ability to meet deadlines to submit completed work within specific turnaround times.
- Computer skills to learn to format, use software, and utilize the Internet.
Top 20 Site To Find Proofreading And Freelancer Jobs
1. Steady
Steady is one of the fast-growing online job apps that offer online side hustles to a lot of individuals.
They offers proofreading jobs, all you need to do is download the app and sign up for free and fill in the requirements. Depending on your answers or the details you feed the app, it can recommend some other job opportunities that fit your job history and interests, and also help you track your income and get income boosters so that you can earn more.
2. Fiverr
Fiverr is designed in a way that the services rendered are different from all other online job sites.
It’s buyers seek out qualified and reputable freelancers to work for them instead of you bidding or applying for jobs, again it also depends on what details you put in and your credibility.
For a beginner, you can only get paid $5 for your services, but it gets increased as you gain more experience.
Simply sign up, and set up your Gig for a worldwide audience.
3. FlexJobs
FlexJobs offer high-quality remote proofreading jobs for freelancers and employees who want to make extra money. It allows job seekers to access thousands of verified job postings from legitimate companies.
Note that FlexJobs charges a small satisfaction guaranteed membership fee.
4. Upwork
Upwork is one of the largest online job marketplaces where clients post projects and jobs, ranging from entry-level to expert, for freelancers to choose from which is very beneficial for those who are just starting freelancing jobs or proofreading.
They connects clients with freelancers from various fields such as programming, writing, graphic design, and more, with a user-friendly platform where clients can post job listings, and freelancers can submit proposals and bid for projects and also provide payment protection for both clients and freelancers.
Sign up for a free account, create your profile, and search for proofreading jobs via the search bar (Applicable to all) or by selecting the Editing & Proofreading category. Once you find a fun project or remote job, submit a proposal and bid for the job.
Also, keep in mind that Upwork is highly competitive, so you may initially need to accept low wages and submit multiple proposals to get hired.
5. ProofreadingPal
ProofreadingPal is one of the top services platforms where editors can earn between $500 and $3,000 per month depending on their work.
They uses two editors or proofreaders to proofread, to ensure quality and error-free content. ProofreadingPal only accepts editors who are graduate or postgraduate students with at least a 3.5 GPA in an accredited US university or college, editors who have a graduate degree, and five years of experience as a proofreader.
6. Clickworker
Clickworker is another good choice to consider when finding freelance jobs online. It connects businesses with a global network of freelancers who complete micro tasks like data entry, web research, content creation, proofreading, and others. These tasks are often small and require intelligence to be completed quickly and efficiently by a large pool of workers.
Clickworker model is also the type where businesses can post tasks on the platform, and freelancers can complete them for payment.
To get started on Clickworker as a freelancer you need to create an account, complete your profile just like any other online job, and pass a series of assessments to demonstrate your skills and qualify for different types of tasks to start getting paid for a job well done.
7. Wordvice
Wordvice is another professional editing and proofreading service provider and their services include proofreading, and translation. They offers part-time jobs in editing and proofreading, however, the freelancer must be enrolled in or have completed a graduate degree program and have some previous editing experience for quality purposes.
8. CACTUS Communications
CACTUS offers medical writing, editing, translation, and more, working with academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and researchers to help them communicate their research effectively to a global audience.
9. Gramlee
Gramlee is a copywriting site that also offers proofreading jobs to a freelancer or independent contractors, they work with various types of documents such as essays, resumes, business documents and others. They have a team of experienced editors who work to ensure clarity, style, and accuracy of the documents worked on.
10. Freelancer
Freelancer is another online marketplace that connects businesses with freelancers. It offers various categories of freelance work such as website development, marketing, writing, design, and other freelancer jobs. The platform lets freelancers bid for available work and compete with each other to secure projects from clients.
Other similar sites that provide online jobs include Managed Editing, Lion Bridge, OneSpace, Writer’s Job Shop, Craigslist, Polished Paper, Scribbr, Domainite, EditFast, and SmartBrief.
All you have to do is visit the site and check their requirements, and figure out the one that matches your skills and abilities before registration and start working from home and earning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does Freelancer or Proofreading Jobs Pay?
The pay for freelance or proofreading jobs can vary greatly depending on factors such as your years of experience, area of expertise, the complexity of the work that is being done, the completion time, and where you are working from.
According to payscale the average hourly salary of proofreaders is $19.59. refer to the image below to see more.
According to salary.com, proofreaders in the United States earn about $56,191 yearly on average.
To get more ideas on the pay rate of editors, visit the-efa.
However, to be sure of how much salary you may earn, just visit the freelancer website you intend to work for and verify how much the pay for services rendered.