So, you have no formal training, but you’re curious about how to become a proofreader because you have seen proofreading jobs that you think fit your skills and expertise well. If you paid attention in your high school English classes, you already have the basics. You know all about correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. But, there is much more to proofreading than the basics, and that’s where specialized classes and training come in.

One way to learn how to become a proofreader is to search your public library for books on proofreading. If there is a particular field that interests you (e.g., science), you might contact the larger institutions in that field and ask them to recommend the training or qualifications they look for in job applicants. If your goal is to work directly with writers or an advertising agency, talk to people in those fields. It is always beneficial to research proofreading by consulting the end user.

Another path to becoming a proofreader is taking online proofreading courses. These courses will teach you how to apply the correct style, formatting, and layout to a document. A good proofreading course will teach you about margins, lists, bullets, headlines, headings, subheadings, captions, vocabulary, and alphabetized copy.

When you become a proofreader, you will deal with more than just words—you will also have to examine numerical charts, tables, and graphs. In addition, if you proofread online, you will need to become familiar with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, and LaTeX.

Becoming a proofreader also involves learning a variety of stylebooks and formats, including the Associated Press Stylebook, The Chicago Manual of Style (often called Chicago or CMOS), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (often called APA), the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (MLA is the Modern Language Association), and A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (often simply called Turabian, after the author who composed the guide).

In the process of learning how to become a proofreader, it is important to take into account your expertise in a particular field as well as your experience. However, without formal training, you may have difficulty getting a job. Publishers and employers generally like to see evidence of your education, which you will enhance after taking a certified proofreading course.

There are many commercial course options for those seeking to learn how to become a proofreader, but it’s hard to know whom to trust. A good way to embark on discovering how to be a proofreader is to talk to someone who is already a proofreader. If you don’t know anyone personally, you can find proofreaders online, on blogs, on LinkedIn, and on Twitter. Another good source of information is a national organization for editors and proofreaders. Some of these organizations may offer their own proofreading programs. For example, in London, England, the Publishing Training Centre at Book House, an educational charity, offers an online proofreading course. So does the Society for Editors and Proofreaders, also in London.

Tips about how to land your next freelance proofreading job

What is freelance proofreading?

A proofreader is someone who examines a manuscript for errors in spelling, grammar, and sentence structure after an editor has gone over the work for tone and style. The proofreader corrects basic errors so the work can be typeset, and he or she may review it again after it has been typeset to confirm that it is error-free.

Freelance proofreading is a form of proofreading in which you work independently, taking in work from a wide variety of clients. You are not employed by a specific publisher or company but are self-employed and offer your services to several businesses on a temporary basis.

Many proofreaders choose to do freelance proofreading because they enjoy its flexibility. You can set your own work hours; you may like to work at night, for example, while others may prefer to work early in the day. Without having to report to an office or an employer, you can work on freelance proofreading while minding children or running another business. You can accept proofreading jobs directly from authors or take contract work from publishing houses or printers. Freelance proofreaders can negotiate prices directly with their clients. Freelance proofreading also allows you to decide how much or how little work you want to do and to decide which clients you want to work with. There is no formal contract of employment involved in freelance proofreading; therefore, there is no obligation on the part of an employer to provide work or on the part of the freelance proofreader to accept work.

Freelance proofreading obviously lacks the security of formal employment, including health benefits, company pensions, and paid holidays; however, many freelancers are willing to accept these disadvantages in exchange for the opportunity to work from home and avoid a daily commute. Plus, freelance proofreading is a skill that is always in demand!

To be successful at freelance proofreading, you should:

• be appropriately trained for the clients you are targeting,
• be able to network effectively,
• be disciplined,
• work well independently, and be happy doing so,
• have strong relationship-building skills,
• be able to effectively balance your work and personal lives,
• market your business, and
• continually update your skill set.

How can I find opportunities in freelance proofreading?

Several methods are suggested for finding work in the freelance proofreading industry:

1. Use personal contacts. If you have already had an in-house proofreading job, tell everyone—at your old company and elsewhere—that you are going freelance, giving them all your contact details and a good idea of what you can offer.
2. Network. Search for networking opportunities by attending local groups, forums, professional meetings, and annual conferences. You might also wish to join your local chamber of commerce or other business forums. Join LinkedIn. Set up a Facebook business page. Contact publishers.
3. Use directories. Various online directories list people offering freelance editing. Be cautious when using these, however; their success rates are erratic, and they might be ploys by spammers to elicit e-mail addresses.
4. Advertise. Making up business cards and creating your own web site are effective ways to promote yourself. Advertising in the Yellow Pages is free, although this might make you the target of marketing campaigns. You can send leaflets to local businesses or get together with freelance workers in related fields, such as designers, typesetters, or translators, and offer one-stop shopping. Professional proofreading societies are sometimes willing to advertise your skills and availability to members or other associations.
5. Obtain an industry-recognized qualification in proofreading. There are numerous proofreading courses offered. Make sure you choose the right one for you.
6. Join relevant professional organizations. This is an avenue for networking that will also help you grow your skillset, learn about new opportunities, and increase your professional credibility. Consider joining the Editorial Freelancers Association, the Society for Editors and Proofreaders, or a professional group within your field of specialization.

What freelance proofreading opportunities are available?

There are literally thousands of publishers all over the world. There are also thousands of specialized journals that are published monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly. All these publishers require copy editors and proofreaders. Publishers make use of freelance proofreading for at least two reasons: (1) the flow of work through a publishing house can be erratic, so it makes sense to employ labor only when needed; and (2) some books and journals, especially if highly technical, require the experience of a specialist in a particular subject. Such expert knowledge is not always available in-house, so a freelance specialist is contracted.

In addition to publishing companies, there are a number of other possible places to advertise your freelance proofreading skills, such as businesses, students, bloggers, web site developers, and school or organizational newsletters. Use your imagination; the possibilities are endless!

Still, it is not always easy to find freelance proofreading work. Even though a great deal of work is to be had, there are many people chasing it. The good news is that publishers always need new freelance proofreaders for a variety of reasons: retirement, illness, maternity leaves, holiday relief, or even a sudden excess of work. As with any other job, you just have to be able to convince a prospective client that you are the most qualified person for the job.

One of life’s greatest privileges is to work at what you love. With a little training and dedication, you too could be working at your dream job from home, perhaps wearing your fuzzy bunny slippers. Best of luck with your quest!

What a conundrum! As evidenced by text messages, online forums, web sites, business signage, and even newspapers, never have so many people used the written word to communicate—yet never have so few exhibited correct spelling and punctuation. Proofreaders are concerned with the same grammatical details that seem to be falling through the cracks. If you have wondered how to become a proofreader—fantastic! The world needs you.

You must enjoy working on many different types of documents, have strong research skills, have a long attention span, and have a moderate level of computer and Internet knowledge. And it goes without saying that you must pay sharp attention to detail.

To be a proofreader, you must love to read. You should enjoy reading many different forms of writing, familiarize yourself with various writing styles, and acquire knowledge in a broad range of subjects. Read books, newspapers, web sites, and even the text displayed on TV news programs and commercials with a critical eye. This will help train you to spot errors in spelling, punctuation, and word usage.

To be a proofreader, you must understand the specific skills that you require. You must be competent in correct word usage, spelling, and punctuation. You must be perceptive enough to understand what a writer intends to say, even though the written text in front of you might not be perfectly clear. Many professionals also suggest that you use techniques such as reading the text backwards, reading the text aloud, or reading a printed version of online text.

To be a proofreader, you will need solid computer skills. Quite often, proofreading is done on-screen, so you’ll need to be familiar with the proofreading and editing tools in your word processing program, such as Microsoft Word’s Track Changes and Insert Comments features. Occasionally, clients may prefer that you print out the text, proofread the hard copy, and then fax it back. In those cases, you’ll need to possess knowledge of proofreading symbols and know how to use a printer and fax machine.

To be a proofreader, you should also familiarize yourself with the most common stylebooks. Organizations often adopt an established style guide or create their own in-house guide. You should at least become familiar with the AP Style Guide, used by most newspapers and online news organizations and many websites, and the APA and MLA style guides, used by many academics. Other stylebooks include the Chicago Manual of Style, the New York Times Manual of Style, and the AMA Manual of Style. In addition, for a good refresher on grammar, punctuation, and language usage, take a look at The Elements of Style, by William Strunk and E.B. White.

You should consider some type of formal training if you want to be a proofreader. High school courses in English, journalism, and literature will give you a foundation in language and basic proofreading skills. You can supplement this knowledge with post-secondary education, or with online courses and tutorials.

When you consider training, you should reflect on any personal areas of interest. If you wish to be a proofreader in a particular field, such as finance, law, or medicine, you may want to concentrate your training efforts in one of those areas. This may lead to greater financial rewards and more personal satisfaction than trying to proofread anything that comes your way.

If you have ever considered pursuing proofreading as a career, we hope that this article gave you some food for thought. Is proofreading right for you? Do you have what it takes to be a proofreader? With a little patience, attention to detail, and training, you might soon find yourself putting the world back on the grammar track!