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How to Become a Successful Proofreader
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Welcome to this blog post, How to Become a Proofreader! I am so glad you have decided to join me today, and I can’t wait to get into this post, where we will discuss who can become a proofreader and how you can become one. If this is your first time on my blog and you don’t know what a proofreader is or what they do, feel free to read this post.
Top Five Skills Needed to be a Proofreader
To become a proofreader you don’t need credentials: a strong attention to detail, great spelling and grammar skills, good concentration skills, a collaborative mindset and a passion for reading will go a long way.
Some people with degrees in English, Journalism etc. can go into proofreading. And if that is something you want to get you can do it too. However, it is not a necessity although it’s highly recommended that you complete a proofreading course and get a certificate of completion or complete an editing test.
Here are the 9 Best Proofreading Courses for 2024
These things will help when you are looking for proofreading jobs. Clients can see that you are well-trained and understand the concept of proofreading. They will trust you to complete the proofreading process for them.
Strong Attention to Detail is the Secret Ingredient to Proofreading
As proofreaders, it is our job to find the smallest errors missed in the previous rounds of editing. Attention to detail is vital to searching for these errors and bringing them to the author’s attention. We strive to deliver error-free work and while we don’t always find them all, (even though it is unacceptable to miss errors,) a good error rate would be about 3 typos per 10,000 words.
Read this to understand why there are typos in published books.
Why Spelling and Grammar are Key When Proofreading
To be a proofreader you have to understand the English language and all the spelling and grammar rules, including the different spellings for different dialects i.e. American, British, Australian and Canadian can all vary.
As a proofreader, you will read a lot not just the content you are proofreading, but also the writing style guides you need to refer to. If you have always loved reading and if you are always finding errors in published content then proofreading might just be for you.
Reading other grammar books to help you stay up to date with constant changes in the English language. A book that really helped me when I was starting out was Painless Grammar by Rebecca Elliot Ph.D.
Concentration Can Increase Your Productivity
Proofreaders have to read long content for a few hours at a time so good concentration skills are necessary to ensure they don’t miss any errors. Practising mindfulness, sleeping the recommended amount, exercising and eating healthy are great ways to boost concentration.
Collaborative Mindset
While proofreading it is essential to remember that even though you are looking for errors to enhance the content you are reading it is someone else’s writing and we should not be changing anything that the author would not be happy with, so you must stay in contact and communicate with the author about errors that you come across. Never make major changes to a writer’s style, voice or the meaning of their content.
Passion for Reading
Lastly, if you have a passion for reading you will enjoy proofreading as you will be proofreading written content including; manuscripts, blogs, scholarly books, textbooks, ebooks, white papers etc.
How to Become a Proofreader
To become a proofreader you should first do research to decide if it is for you. Once you have decided that you want to be a proofreader it’s time to start acting and building your business.
Step 1. Take a Proofreading Course
Taking a proofreading course isn’t an absolute necessity. It is easier to find clients if you are in a community with other proofreaders who will help you with questions, give advice and understand all the stages you are going through.
Taking a course will also grow your skills. With that credibility to back you up, more clients will be willing to hire you.
Step 2. Decide on Your Proofreading Niche
The next step is to decide on a niche. What type of material do you want to proofread?
Here are a few things that need proofreading:
- Academic Papers
- Books
- Fiction Novels
- Social Media Content
- Scripts
- Business Reports
If you have experience working in a business, can read a business report and are familiar with the lingo you will probably get more clients who need business reports proofread. If you can specialize in a niche while proofreading you can also get paid more, as clients don’t want a proofreader who can’t read a business report because they won’t know what errors to look for. There is also less competition when you niche down.
Step 3. Decide on Your Proofreading Rate
The average proofreading rate in 2024 is $0.23 U.S. per word. However, this does change depending on the content you are proofreading. For legal or medical documents you can charge a higher rate. Plus the more experience you get and the better quality work you get you will also be able to charge more.
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Step 4. Write a Cover Letter and Create a Portfolio
Before clients hire you they want to see some of your previous work to help them decide if you match the job they need done. For them to do this you will need a good quality portfolio with all your best work. But how do you create a portfolio if you have no clients yet? You will need to create an essay, document or short story you have written yourself, edit and proofread it till it’s as polished as it can get, and then you will need to add it to your portfolio. Do this with all your best documents.
You will also need to write a cover letter. Instead of using the same template for everyone, you will need to change and add the details according to the job you are applying for. Focus on what the client wants and needs and show them how you can best meet those expectations. Show off your proofreading skills and experience, explain why you want the job and then ask for it.
Step 5. Apply for a Proofreading Job
Finally, start applying for jobs. You can create a website and offer your services there. Do social media marketing on X, Pinterest or Facebook. You can also use other websites like Fiverr and Upwork that let you use their website to find clients and they will take a commission out of whatever the client pays you. Beware of using sites like these because there are a lot of scams and people will try and get you to take your services off of the site and if you do the site could ban you permanently.
Here is a short list of websites that will let you sell your services:
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- Flexjobs
- Scribendi
- Scribbr
- Proofreading Services
- Edit Fast
Note: If you join Proofread Anywhere’s proofreading course General Proofreading Theory & Practice you will have access to a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and proofreaders. Once you graduate you will also have access to the weekly job board where you can apply for proofreading jobs that fit your niche.
Thank you for reading this post and please feel free to share it or leave a comment with your thoughts.
Hey guys my name is Gabby, I’m a Freelance Proofreader and Editor. I love books, reading, cars, cute animals and travelling. I love reading so much that I became a Proofreader and Copy Editor for Blog content and Ebooks. However, I want to expand my services to include book manuscripts and other content.
Want to know more? Keep reading!
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