Are you interested in becoming a professional editor? Perhaps you already have a healthy editing career and are interested in expanding your client list? If so, there are many places you can take your efforts online that will help you earn a steady income and grow your client base. Working as an editor online will give you the freedom to work from home while setting your own hours and work pace. That being said, it can be hard to get started but thankfully we have some suggestions to help you become an editor.
Getting Started
There are a few different types of editing, if you are new in the field it is a good idea to choose one and build up your skills. If you have already been working in a specific field, then cultivating a client list on Reedsy will be second hat. It is a good idea to start out on Reedsy in a niche that you are comfortable with, and one in which you have a wealth of knowledge. Next, you will need to determine your hours of availability and also your desired rates. You can charge on a per-page basis, however, most editors on the platform prefer a per-word billing model. The rates usually range between $0.015 to $0.035 per word depending on the topic.
Setting Up A Profile
Once you settle on a rate, working hours, and the niche you want to target it is time to create a user profile. You will need to upload your basic details, payment methods, a portfolio if available, and a picture to start. Spend some time setting up your profile so that it looks professional and list all the information a client may need to know when considering you for a job. Try to keep blurbs concise yet informative. Your portfolio should contain a collection of work or reviews, but try to keep most of the current with a handful of older items only.
Searching For Work On Reedsy
Finding editing work on Reedsy is easy. The platform is made for authors and self-publishing professionals so there are always clients looking for people with your skills. As a new user, it will take a bit of time to build up your profile and experience on the platform even if you have been editing for a while. As such, keep an open mind to smaller projects or gigs that are not exactly top dollar. We are sure that a $5,000 book editing contract looks appealing, but it is not likely a client will hire someone with no reviews for their precious manuscript.
Consider Adding More Educational Experience
If you already have experience in the editing field but still seem to be struggling to build a client base, consider adding a BA to your skills. If you have a major in Journalism, Communication, or English, you can easily add editing, literary critique, or composition. This will help you land more clients and also improve your technique over time. Check job boards for postings and also consider internships to help bulk up your profile as needed.
Send Proposals & Start Editing
Perfecting your cover letter and proposal style will help you land clients. Make sure you list out what you have to offer and your experience in short form on your cover letter. Avoid using boilerplate applications, instead, tailor each cover letter to match the client’s needs. You can check out our post on proposal templates to help you get started. You can start making money through editing jobs in no time. We hope that you can put our suggestions to good use and start building your client base. Let us know how things worked out in the comments below!