Flexible ways to make money proofreading 

Have you finally made the decision to become a professional proofreader?

If so, I hope that you take the training necessary to become a proofreader. It will help you to stand out from the competition. 

After that, you’ll need some vital resources. Then, you’ll need to know how to make money as a proofreader. That is why you became one, right?

Luckily for you, I’ve been a freelance proofreader for many years now and can share my experience working for different clients and platforms.

Let’s cover some basics first.

Why become a proofreader?

Clearly written communication is vital in today’s world. 

Using correct grammar can make or break a job application. Having a second pair of eyes to review written text, whether on business documents, in the publishing industry, or for blog posts, can ensure that the point gets across and helps to validate the writer’s ability to communicate.

People and companies will pay you to proofread their documents and correct spelling errors and grammar mistakes.

​As a proofreader, you’ll have many different options for job types, job locations, and working hours. You can be a freelancer and set your own hours, or you can be a dedicated proofreader for a particular agency or client.

The proofreading process includes correcting spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors. You’ll fix run-on sentences and sentence structure, delete unnecessary phrases, fix spelling mistakes and typographical errors, and replace incorrect words with the correct words.

You will break very long sentences up into separate sentences to improve flow and readability. You will ensure clear transitions in the writing

You can work part-time, full-time, remotely, or at a certain location. You can work by the project or contract long-term with a company.

As a freelancer, you can set your fee-for-service. This is often a rate-per-word, but you can set your rate per page, per project, or per hour. 

You might find fewer per-hour jobs because some proofreaders work more slowly than others, and clients are less likely to pay for that.

If you work for a company, you’ll probably be more likely to be paid as a per-hour employee with benefits.

Personally, I edit a document, run it through Grammarly Premium, and make the necessary changes (ignoring the incorrect suggestions). Then, as the final stage of the editing process, I proofread it one more time. 

This process takes time but ensures a quality finished product that my clients appreciate. I wait a bit until I have fresh eyes before I do the final proofreading. I consider this last step to be the most essential step.

Grammar checkers and spell checker programs besides Grammarly are available, but Grammarly uses artificial intelligence to learn as it is used in different contexts and has a very easy-to-use interface.

One problem I have with Grammarly is that it does not like text written in a passive voice. However, that is how a scientific academic paper is written, and t I edit research papers. 

​I believe that professional proofreading software makes you a better proofreader as you learn to correct the mistakes that this type of proofreading tool identifies.

What qualifications do you need to become a proofreader?

Basically, you need to prove that you can do the job of a proofreader.

How do you prove this? You can take a course to become a proofreader. In my opinion, the two best ones are Proofread Anywhere and Proofreading Academy.

I’ve written a post describing how to become a proofreader and what you’ll get from each proofreading course.

If you have an English degree or extensive, verifiable experience as a proofreader or English teacher, those may be enough to qualify you for some jobs.

Each job will require different skills and experience. Some will require a college or university degree, and others won’t. 

Where to find proofreading jobs

Take a look at this post on where to find proofreading jobs. New sites with more proofreading job postings are added every day. 

Personally, I have found work on Craigslist, Indeed, and Upwork. I get alerts daily from Indeed with remote proofreading job listings.

I work solely remotely and love the flexibility of being able to proofread anywhere.

How much can you expect to make as a proofreader?

The sky is really the limit. Proofreading highly technical work usually pays more. And, of course, the number of hours you work will factor into how much you make.

You can easily make $40,000 a year without having to work 40 hours a week. And you probably can do it from home, working hours that work for you.

Indeed.com always has postings for proofreading jobs that pay $25-35 an hour. Look for specialty proofreaders, like legal, medical, or others, if that is something you could do.

Experienced proofreaders will make more money. The jobs I have had pay by the page.

How much do you want to work?

Where you find a job will partly depend on how much you want to work. 

If you want a part-time job, you’ll make less. You probably won’t have benefits as a contractor. An employee at the business location will be more likely to earn more and have benefits.

But don’t discount the benefits of remote work. Working from home can save gas and promote better work-life balance and flexibility.

Ways to make money proofreading

Freelance

I won’t lie—freelancing can be tough. You will be competing against others with the same (or more) skills and the same (or more experience).

You will need to find a way to stay out in the crowd. This could be an extra-special skill you have—maybe you have superpowers, allowing you to pick up on grammatical errors, always meet deadlines, edit in languages other than English, or are the best team player ever. Don’t be afraid to mention those in your cover letter or profile.

If you can copyedit (write and rewrite), that will get you more money.

You’ll come across different terms to describe you and your services. Here are two.

Freelancer or contractor?

The difference between a freelancer and a contractor is a little muddy.

Both are considered to be self-employed, but a freelancer usually promotes themselves, acquiring clients in many ways. Freelancers usually take work from several sources.

In contrast, a contractor may sign a contract with an individual client. It might not preclude working for others, but it might stipulate the work to be done, timing, quality, etc.

There’s a lot of overlap between freelancers and contractors, so don’t get hung up on the minutia.

Two places to promote yourself as a freelance proofreader are Fiverr and Upwork. 

Fiverr

Creating a complete profile on Upwork and making it “public” will allow clients searching for a proofreader to see your profile. 

Be sure to include EVERY SINGLE talent and experience you’ve have, including all platforms you’ve worked on, like Slack and Google docs; every software you’ve worked with, including content management systems; and every style you can follow, such as APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

Upwork

I have worked for several clients on Upwork. It’s an easy platform to use, and the clients have to set aside money upfront to pay you, so you know that you’ll be paid. 

You can create a profile and make it public so that employers looking for freelancers or contractors with your skills will find you. A powerful profile can make all the difference, and Upwork runs seminars on how to increase your chance of finding the work you’re looking for.

You can search for and submit applications for as many jobs as you want. If you’re just starting out, I encourage you not to set your pay too high. 

Take what you are comfortable with and get experience that you can use to parlay into another, higher-paying job.

You may be considered a contractor for jobs you accept on Upwork. Terms and pay will be stipulated upfront, including deadlines.

Upwork does take a percentage for providing these services (job posting, payment services), but it’s a good place to find work.

To stand out on Upwork, use the tips I bolded above to find important features to add to your profile and take all the advice that Upwork gives.

As a contractor or employee for a company 

Of course, you can find contractor and employee jobs on Indeed. However, my favorite place to find these types of job postings is Flexjobs.

Check this out:

Flexjobs has a minimal monthly subscription fee.  BUT for that, you get a list of vetted jobs. 

Click the image above and use my code FLEXLIFE to save up to 30%.

Flexjobs takes the guesswork about the quality of the employer out of your hands. No guessing if you’ll get paid or if the job will be what is advertised. Flexjobs does that for you. They research each posting before they accept them.

You can search the listings without a subscription but can’t see the details (like specific job details and pay) without a subscription.

Try a quick search on Flexjobs and read about the benefits of using their platform. If you like what you see, grab a subscription and get started finding a job.

You’ll be able to narrow your search by location, schedule, and several other criteria.

Increase your income potential

To increase your income potential, I strongly suggest getting a subscription to FlexJobs, registering your profile on Upwork, and constantly searching sites like Indeed and the 38 sites I mention in this blog post.

If you are new to proofreading, you might have to accept less than your optimal rate of pay. Grow your portfolio of clients and experience, and you’ll be able to command good pay as a freelancer.