inside: one of the advantages of editing jobs from home is that you can go in different directions. find out how to get what you want here!
You are reading: Editing books from home
You have a good eye. you enjoyed the challenge of formatting your university documents. Your colleagues and friends constantly ask you to proofread your work for typos. Your body shudders when you see spelling and grammatical errors in the books you read. you have an opinion on the oxford comma, and you might even have a preferred style manual (like chicago or ap).
If that first paragraph describes you and you’ve always wondered if maybe you should be an editor, your hunch might be right!
One of the best things about finding home editing jobs is that you can go in different directions to get what you want.
Some companies hire traditionally, with home-based editors on board as employees, while others hire contract workers to work remotely on online proofreading and editing. And when it comes to editing, there’s a huge opportunity for you to do well as a freelancer if you’re willing to work.
what to expect as a work at home editor
editing is a bit funny. most people tend to see things in black and white, with grammatical rules and style guidelines and a right versus wrong mentality. the truth, however, is that editing is largely subjective.
The way you edit a term paper is going to be very different from the way you edit a textbook, which will also be very different from the way you edit a memoir or a fictional story.
There are some fundamentals that don’t change no matter what you’re editing, but you should also keep in mind that the grammar rules you learned in 7th grade English class aren’t necessarily the ultimate law in all grammar…they’re just a set of rules. Different writers, publications, and publishers follow different sets of rules.
if you’ve ever written a paper for an english class and also wrote a paper for a science class, you probably had to learn both mla style and apa style, two different but equally “correct” types of grammar and punctuation . neither is wrong, but they are definitely different.
As a freelance editor, you should be prepared to be accused of making mistakes that aren’t really mistakes. editing is subjective, after all, and that means readers will come to the table with their own opinions about what is correct and what is not. it is quite possible that both views may be technically correct. in other words, sometimes it gets a bit blurry.
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The key to your success as a work-at-home editor is knowing the specific grammar rules (called the internal style guide) for the organization or person that hires you. if you’re working with someone who doesn’t have a preferred style guide, you’ll need to be prepared with your own.
editing vs. revising
Although “edit” and “review” are often used interchangeably, they are two different things. Arguably, online editing jobs should be further broken down, based on the type of editing being done, such as development editing.
In short, an editor is someone who works on a manuscript (or draft) and recommends revisions and changes as well as correcting things like word choice and punctuation. (Click here for editing tips and techniques for freelance style editors.)
A freelance proofreader, on the other hand, acts as the “last eyes” on any draft. the proofreader’s job is to spot any errors, from page numbers to missing punctuation. in a proofreading paper, you don’t make recommendations to improve the text in any way, you just catch typos. (If you want to learn more specifically about proofreading jobs, my friend Caitlin Pyle has a great proofreading workshop for you right here.)
When you start looking for home editing jobs, keep in mind the distinction and the type of work you want to do, whether it’s just one or both. For the sake of simplicity, I’m only going to use “editing” in this post, but in reality these tips can be applied to both editing and revising.
find editing jobs from home
If your goal is to work with a company that sends you editing jobs, you have many options for remote editing jobs. many times traditional publishers will turn to in-house editors to work on their manuscripts.
Academic journals (i.e. research publications) also employ home editors, although they often want their editors to have specific training with a particular style guide (usually mla or apa) and/or a master’s degree in something related to the magazine. theme.
However, not all editing jobs require that level of education! The following companies have been known to hire editors at home, and not all of them require specialized education.
writing media
book in a box is now a writing medium. is a ghost copywriting company that is hiring freelancers for work from home positions. scribes don’t just help with editing; they also help with the co-writing of client books. Currently, the site offers a pay range of $60 to $70 per hour.
domain
domainite is looking for freelance editors and writers. The freelance editor position requires editing different types of text, primarily articles and blog posts. To apply, all you have to do is submit a sample job!
world of the editor
If you love editing and have a background in science (or a Ph.D.), the world of editing might be the perfect work-from-home job for you. You will not have to bid for jobs with this company or submit proposals to clients, and you will be paid for your services immediately.
polished paper
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polished paper is a new company that has developed a great reputation. It doesn’t require a specific level of education, making it a great option for people who want to get their foot in the door. The company requires you to complete a profile, attach your resume, and complete a 35-question editing test to get started.
review partner
If you’re willing to work with a peer reviewer, you can earn anywhere from $500 to $3,000 per month! This position requires a graduate degree with five years of proofreading and editing experience.
revision services
Proofreading Services is a great company if you are looking for a flexible part-time or full-time remote editing job. offers competitive pay rates, ranging from $19 to $46 per hour, depending on the urgency of the online editing job. Jump on the fast turnaround jobs to make the most of your time and get a hefty paycheck!
write to us
scribendi prefers applicants to have a college degree and professional experience. As a freelance editor, you’ll be able to choose tasks that interest you and complete the work on your own schedule. the company tells you in advance how much a task will pay. no bidding or pitching! does not hire in california, colorado, illinois, massachusetts, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, or wyoming.
You can also find great editing job opportunities on sites like flexjobs. I love flexible jobs because it brings great job opportunities right at your fingertips, and a lot of them are for remote work.
get freelance text editing jobs
If you’re the type who would rather find your own clients (and generally earn a much higher hourly rate) than pursue editing jobs from home, you may want to consider going into publishing. Independent text editing.
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Many of the freelancing principles that apply to other freelance jobs also apply to copywriting, including being clear about who your ideal client is, what you can offer, and how to price your services. My favorite place to learn about the business and practice of being a freelance publisher is the Freelance Publishing Association website.
join an association
If you want to delve deeper into your new publishing job, consider joining the Freelance Publishing Association. When you join, you’ll be able to add your name to their directory of freelancers, join their robust email list, where you can meet colleagues from all over the United States. and the world, learn more about the business of being a freelance editor, take valuable online training, and (this is a huge benefit) gain access to their job board, which frequently posts job opportunities.
get accreditation
However, getting accredited isn’t the only way to be an independent publisher. you can set up a website for yourself and start promoting yourself as such. Take advantage of your natural network and let people know that you are a style editor for hire! you never know who will come out of the woodwork.
gain experience
If you’re looking to get some experience, you can sometimes find paid editing gigs on sites like upwork, though I’d recommend avoiding the “race to the bottom” and just getting the freelance editing work you need. need to build a portfolio. you may be able to find clients who are willing to pay decent rates on those sites, so it’s worth trying at first to see if you can get some traction there.
one last piece of advice for home editors
There’s one tip I couldn’t recommend enough if you want to become an editor at home: join the copyediting listserv here. It’s called cel for short, and it will be a gold mine of support, information, job opportunities, and more. Many home style editors don’t know about this list, but if you sign up and start learning from people already in the field, you can beat your competition.
Want to explore even more options? check out these review jobs online. And don’t forget caitlin’s free proofreading webinar.
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