| Are you interested in doing freelance proofreading? If | | | | - Business phone or a professional message on your |
| so, there are some things you need to know. | | | | personal phone |
| Freelance proofreading can be a great source of | | | | The equipment and software you should have |
| extra part-time income, or it can be built into a full-time | | | | includes: |
| business. However, it's not as easy to get started as | | | | - Computer (preferably a laptop) |
| most of the information on the Web makes it sound. | | | | - Access to the needed reference materials (e.g., style |
| Many of the articles on the subject imply all it takes is | | | | manuals, dictionaries, usage guides), either in book |
| a knack for catching errors, a love of reading, and | | | | format or on-line |
| maybe a Web site. Then, it's just a matter of waiting | | | | - Microsoft Word or Open Office Writer |
| for the jobs to start coming in. Unfortunately, that's not | | | | - PDF reader and/or editor |
| so. | | | | - Colored pencils for marking hard copy and a good |
| But if you're serious about starting a freelance | | | | pencil sharpener |
| proofreading business (either part-time or full-time), the | | | | - Simple accounting program to create and track |
| good news is it can be done. And the benefits are | | | | invoices |
| many...such as the freedom to set your own hours and | | | | Finally, and most importantly, you should ask yourself |
| to work from your own home office. In fact, you aren't | | | | some questions and answer honestly. |
| limited to your home office. All you need is a laptop, | | | | - Do you enjoy paying attention to the small details? |
| and you can work from anywhere. | | | | - Do you like to work independently? |
| First, it's important to understand that proofreading is a | | | | - Can you stay focused for hours, with only occasional |
| specialized skill that requires technical training. Anyone | | | | breaks and very little interaction with others? |
| interested in freelance proofreading should take a | | | | - Do you have an aptitude for catching errors in |
| good proofreading course to learn and develop the | | | | punctuation, spelling, grammar, etc.? (This can be |
| necessary skills. | | | | learned, but a prior aptitude is helpful.) |
| And, all professional proofreaders need to be familiar | | | | - Do you enjoy reading? (Although proofreading differs |
| with one or more style manuals. One of the most | | | | greatly from reading for pleasure, not many people |
| commonly used style manuals is The Chicago Manual | | | | who don't like reading will like proofreading.) |
| of Style. It's the principal style manual for non-technical | | | | - Are you willing to take a course to learn how to be a |
| works and the standard for book publishing (both | | | | professional proofreader? |
| fiction and non-fiction). | | | | - Are you willing to volunteer to proofread some |
| To start a freelance proofreading business, the same | | | | projects for free, to get experience and for |
| planning and persistence should be applied as you | | | | networking purposes? |
| would to start any business. (However, one area | | | | - Are you willing to market and promote your |
| where freelance proofreading differs from many small | | | | proofreading service? (Some people hate the idea of |
| businesses is its low start-up and overhead costs.) | | | | marketing.) |
| Some of the business-related things you should have | | | | - Can you ride out the ups and downs of income that's |
| include: | | | | to be expected with any type of freelance work? |
| - Business plan | | | | If you answered yes to all or most of the questions |
| - Business license | | | | above and you're ready to approach freelance |
| - Business checking account | | | | proofreading as a real business, you most likely have |
| - Business email | | | | what it takes to successfully start proofreading |
| - Business cards | | | | professionally. Now it's time to get started. |