Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader
  • Home
  • Resource library
  • Services
  • Courses
  • Books
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Training login
  • Contact
The Editing Blog: for Editors, Proofreaders and Writers

FOR EDITORS, PROOFREADERS AND WRITERS

Q&A with Louise: How do I become a freelance proofreader?

30/5/2017

24 Comments

 
In this Q&A, I look at how to set up a proofreading business, how to acquire clients and how to handle payments.
Editorial business advice for proofreaders-to-be
Picture
One of the blog's readers, Charlie, got in touch with several questions:
​
  • How will clients pay me?
  • How do I register with HMRC?
  • How do I keep track of the hours I spend working?
  • How much should I charge?
  • How do I acquire assignments?
  • Can I use prior career experience?
  • Do you accept volunteers or offer apprenticeships?

​Phew! That’s a lot of questions so I’ll only be able to scratch the surface, but I’m confident I can point you in the right direction, Charlie.

First things – going deeper
Here are four resources that dig deeper into all your queries , though you’ll have to cough up a few quid for them!

  • Going Solo: Creating your freelance editorial business (Sue Littleford).
  • Pricing a Project: How to prepare a professional quotation (Melanie Thompson).
  • Business Planning for Editorial Freelancers (Louise Harnby)
  • Marketing Your Editing & Proofreading Business (Louise Harnby)
 
​They’ll tell you pretty much everything you need to know about starting out and keeping going.

Might I also suggest you join the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), the UK’s national editorial society? The forums provide a warm and supportive environment for old hands and newbies alike.

How will clients pay me?
A better question might be how would you like to be paid? For example, I accept cheques (reluctantly!), PayPal (convenient for international clients), and direct bank transfer (easy-peasy). Other options include Stripe, TransferWise and CurrencyFair.

I send an invoice as soon as a project’s complete, but some of my colleagues prefer to do all their invoicing for the month in one fell swoop. It’s a matter of personal choice and what works for each business owner in terms of efficiency. You can download an invoice template from my Other Resources page.

How do I register with HMRC and what do I need to tell them?
Quite honestly, the easiest way to deal with HMRC is to give them a call. I found them incredibly helpful when I first started my editorial business. Believe me, they’ll put your mind at rest.

Sue’s book (mentioned above) has lots of information about dealing with HMRC. My primary piece of advice is to keep a record of what you spend and what you earn in relation to your business. There’s an accounting template on the Editor Resources page that shows you what I record for each project.

How do I keep track of the hours I spend working?
I record my hours in the accounting template. That way, everything’s in one place. I keep track of time the old-fashioned way – with a pen and a piece of paper! Other colleagues use various time-tracking tools and widgets, e.g. Toggl.

Keeping track of how much time you spend on a project is important for gauging how efficient you are. Bear in mind, though, that not all clients will be prepared to pay you for the hours you work. Rather, they’ll pay you for the hours they think the job should take you. This is often the case with publishers and packagers.

When you’re in control of the setting the price of a project (e.g. with independent writers, students, businesses etc.), you’ll need to assess how long the project will take and how much you want to earn from it. This comes with experience; it’s likely you won’t hit the mark in the start-up phase of your proofreading business.
​
Don’t fret about this, though. You’ll get better at estimating over time. And by tracking how long each project takes to complete, and what you earned, you’ll get a sense of what’s possible in an hour or per 1,000 words.

How much should I charge?
Take a look at the following articles here on The Editing Blog:
​
  • The highs and lows of editorial fees (or how not to trip up during rate talk)
  • The rates debate: Looking at the value beyond the fee
  • Increasing editing income – raising fees and declining lower-paid work

What you charge will be determined by your particular needs, your ability to access clients who’ll meet those needs, whom you’re working for, and what you’re doing.

If you work for publishers and packagers, they’ll control the price – you’ll be a price-accepter.

If you work for businesses, independent authors, academics, and students, you’ll offer a price in the hope that they’ll accept – you’ll be a price-setter.

If the second option sounds a better financial option, bear in mind that, even if it is, it’s harder work! Publishers and packagers do all the client-acquisition work on your behalf, while acquiring clients for whom you’re a price setter means you need to actively promote your business on a regular basis so that you’re interesting and discoverable to clients across the platforms they’re using to find people like us (e.g. Google).

How do I acquire assignments?
My line on this is: when you set up your own business you’ll have two jobs:
​
  • The work you do – proofreading in your case.
  • And the work you do to get the work you do – marketing your proofreading business.

​​I’ve shared all my experience of editorial business promotion in these resources:
  • Books
  • Online marketing training courses
  • The marketing section of my editor resources page
What I’ll say here is that there’s no single way to go about it, not least because different client types use different platforms to find their proofreaders and editors.

For example, content marketing is not the most efficient way to go about acquiring publisher clients – honestly, just get on the phone or write a letter/email instead. If you want to work for independent authors, though, it’s one of the most powerful methods of being discoverable.

Conversely, phone calls to publishers will reap results (if you make enough of them), but for indie authors this method will take you into Ghostbusters territory – who you gonna call?!

My advice is to put yourself in your customer’s shoes and ask:
​
  • Who are your target clients?
  • What are their problems?
  • How will you solve those problems?
  • How will you demonstrate your ability to solve them?
  • How will you find the clients?
  • Or, if they need to find you, where will they look, and how will you make yourself visible in those places?

Can I use my prior career experience?
Absolutely – it will be one of your unique selling points. For example, I’d worked for a social science publisher for many years prior to starting my business, This, along with my politics degree, helped to make me an interesting prospect for social science publishers with politics lists.

Wordsmith Janet MacMillan is a former lawyer – now her client base includes legal publishers, legal students, academics and law firms.
​
Both of us understand the language our respective disciplines, and that means we’re more likely to spot errors in related texts than someone with, say, a nursing background.

My advice to new starters is: always specialize first in what you know. Later, if you wish, you can diversify, or transition to another specialism (I’m now a  fiction copyeditor and proofreader).

So, in the start-up phase, use your career experience to help you determine which core clients you’re going to target. Then think about how you'll communicate with them in a way that makes them want to consider you as their proofreader.

Here are two resources to help you think about how to create a stand-out brand identity using a client-centric approach:
 
  • Pen portraits (free article by technical editor and writer John Espirian)
  • The Hippo Campus (book by content marketing pros Andrew and Pete)

​Do you accept volunteers or offer apprenticeships?
I don’t, Charlie – sorry. I’m a one-woman show. That’s critical to my business model. My clients hire me and only me to work on their books.

That doesn’t mean that mentoring programs aren’t a superb option. Time to think about training!

I’d strongly recommend you do some professional proofreading training to prepare yourself for market. It’ll show you where your strengths are, and help you fix your weaknesses.

Training has three core benefits:
​
  • It instils trust in your clients – you’re demonstrating professionalism. Trust is critical in an unregulated market where anyone can set up as a proofreader.
  • It instils confidence in you when you take the initial client-acquisition steps, e.g. calling publishers, creating directory listings, publishing blog posts, etc.
  • It increases client-retention rates – you’re more likely to do a fantastic job if you approach it like a professional.

TheChartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and The Publishing Training Centre are my recommendations … purely because I have personal experience of their courses on which to base an opinion. There are other options available, though. 

The CIEP runs a mentoring programme, too, though you must have completed some initial training beforehand.

Last things
That’s it, Charlie – a whirlwind tour of how to set up a proofreading business! I hope you find the guidance useful. I realize there’s a lot to think about.

If you decide to join the club, you’ll find a supportive community awaiting you, one that stretches well beyond the geographical boundaries of the UK.

Good luck!
Louise Harnby is a line editor, copyeditor and proofreader who specializes in working with crime, mystery, suspense and thriller writers.

She is an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), a member of ACES, a Partner Member of The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), and co-hosts The Editing Podcast.

Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, connect via Facebook and LinkedIn, and check out her books and courses.
24 Comments
John Espirian link
31/5/2017 06:38:51 am

Great work, Louise, and thanks for the kind mention of my pen portraits article. My guest post on the SfEP blog has some tips for cracking on with your first proofreading job: http://blog.sfep.org.uk/10-tips-for-handling-your-first-proofreading-job/

Reply
Louise Harnby
31/5/2017 12:42:01 pm

Cheers, John. Thanks for your kind words. I'm really enjoying the opportunity to get personal with readers and answer their specific questions!

Reply
Janet MacMillan link
1/6/2017 04:00:30 am

Really good stuff, Louise. Using one's previous career or life experience really is the way to start, be that experience as a lawyer or a beekeeper. Thanks for the mention.

Reply
Louise Harnby
1/6/2017 06:35:52 pm

Hi, Janet! You're most welcome. I'm enjoying these Q&As and hope more new entrants to the field will take advantage of the opportunity!

Reply
Charlie
10/7/2017 03:53:44 pm

Dear Louise,

I'd like to thank you for taking the time to address my questions and doubts. Thanks for your encouragement and strong advice in pointing newbies forward the right direction. The links and resources have been helpful indeed! It has taken me a while to research, absorb, digest and think about it but definitely worth it! Best Wishes!

Reply
Louise Harnby
11/7/2017 10:43:10 am

Hi, Charlie! You are so welcome. I'm really glad you found the advice useful, and I wish you all the best with your new editorial business!

Reply
charlie
10/7/2017 03:59:48 pm

Dear Louise

Thank you indeed for taking the time to address my questions.
The article and links have been helpful indeed. I appreciate your invaluable encouragement and strong support to newbies.
It has taken me a while to research, absorb and digest but well worth it! Best Wishes

Reply
Charlie
24/7/2017 01:08:51 pm

Do proofreaders need to open a new business banking account. I found this advised for those thinking of going self- employed? Are the banks acceptable of this esp newbies who may have hardly anything coming in initially? Thanks.

Reply
Charlie
24/7/2017 01:12:06 pm

Do we need to open a business banking account for freelance proofreading ? How has your experience been with the banks or
what's the advice for newbies who may have hardly anything coming in and not sure how to estimate the income? Would be glad to hear thoughts and advice on this. Thanks!

Reply
Louise Harnby
13/3/2018 12:02:49 am

Sorry, Charlie! I didn't get a notification. Read the financial advice in the Going Solo and Pricing a Project booklets I referenced in the article. They cover just this type of thing. There's no way of generalizing here because people do it all sorts of different ways depending on their circumstances, but Sue and Melanie have some excellent advice.

Reply
Quin Antony
12/3/2018 10:20:40 pm

Don't understand how you can publish this article when missing a word out in your first sentence. Poor..

Reply
Louise Harnby
12/3/2018 11:41:55 pm

Thank you for pointing out my error. I’ve fixed it.

Since you don't understand how this kind of thing can happen, let me help you. I work full time. I create free content at least weekly to help editors and proofreaders build their businesses, and new writers navigate what can seem a rather confusing self-publishing path.

I create this content in my own time, and ask nothing for it in return – anyone can access any of the free content on my site without ever having to hand over an email address. Nothing is gated.

Because I work full time, and have a family, I’m sometimes a little tired when I create that content in the evenings. And every once in a while, I make a little mistake. That’s not because my blogging is poor but because I’m human.

I’d ask you to bear in mind the challenges of sustaining a non-monetized blog for seven years before you seek to undermine someone else’s hard work so publicly. Many editors and proofreaders blog regularly, and we strive for perfection. But wizards we are not.

Perhaps you might consider a gentle and private tap on the shoulder via email in future. That's how most of us do it!

Reply
Stevie
5/8/2018 10:29:39 pm

Thank you for this Louise - extremely helpful and has definitely pushed me in the right direction with the setting up of my new venture. All the best!

Reply
Louise Harnby
6/8/2018 11:40:57 am

Thanks, Stevie. Delighted to hear that it's been useful. Good luck!

Reply
Wendy
28/3/2019 01:26:24 pm

Hi Louise,

This is a great article, thank you! I am wanting to go self-employed and proof-reading is the way forward for me. You gave lots of great information and advice. Thank you :-)

Reply
Louise Harnby
28/3/2019 02:50:26 pm

Glad you found it helpful, Wendy. Good luck with your business journey!

Reply
Laura Jacks
12/1/2020 07:37:27 pm

Just wondering how much you can roughly charge per hour when freelance? Thanks

Reply
Louise Harnby
13/1/2020 09:57:33 am

You own your own business so you can charge whatever you like, However, some of the factors that determine what you charge could be: what kind of editorial service you're providing, how long the job will take, what you need to earn in order to make your business viable, and how much a particular client is willing to pay. Check out some of the other articles in the Money Matters archive of the blog for more guidance.

Reply
John White link
21/5/2020 01:37:19 pm

Hello Louise Harnby my name is John White
Could you explain the amount required. For a Online Freelance Proofreader First choice with the Fee for a Freelance copyrighter
As would, like to become Self employed. As soon as possible? Also could you explain the quickest Duration to pass each. Can you pay in full or instalments? For both Freelance course

Reply
Louise Harnby
21/5/2020 02:09:51 pm

Hello, John. If you're asking how much the training courses cost, I recommend you visit the providers' sites; the payment options will be available there. Different courses take different lengths of time to complete, but comprehensive courses that make a professional proofreader fit for market take months to complete.

I can't comment on copy-writing as I don't work in this field.

Hope that helps.

Reply
Jennifer
11/7/2020 11:22:45 am

Hi there,
Thank you for the ariticle, your website is one I keep coming back to.
I am looking into professional training and leaning towards Proofreading courses. However would you say this is limiting as a business option? Would it be better to do editorial training which would also equip me with proofeeading skills?
Many thanks.

Reply
Louise Harnby
12/7/2020 09:08:17 pm

It's entirely your choice, Jennifer. I know many people who specialize in proofreading. I recommend you spend some time thinking about which client types you want to work with, what their requirements are, which media they work in, and which courses will fit best.

For example, if you want to proofread for publishers, you'll likely be annotating designed page proofs. If you're working with independent authors, they might ask for a 'proofread' but you'll be editing raw text (so more like what would be called a copyedit in the mainstream publishing industry).

Hope that helps!

Reply
Rebecca
23/8/2020 12:15:37 am

Hi,
Thank you for producing such a helpful article! I am currently in my third year of studying Psychology at university and I want to eventually be self-employed and editing/proof reading essays and articles in the field of Psychology.
I do not really have any direct experience of proof reading apart from attaining excellent grades in my essays at University and helping fellow students with their written work.
Do you have any advice/recommendations of what steps I should be taking next? I feel quite lost in how to go about eventually getting to my goal career.
Many thanks and best wishes!

Reply
Louise Harnby
23/8/2020 01:38:01 am

Hi, Rebecca. I recommend you take some of the steps I suggest in this blog post. Or check out the other things I've written - see the Starting Out and Training archives in the sidebar to the right. There are also links to resources for editors (and editors to be) in the footer of every page in this site (see the right-hand box). Hope that helps!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    BLOG ALERTS

    If you'd like me to email you when a new blog post is available, sign up for blog alerts!
    Proofreading stamps
    ALERT ME!

    WHAT DO YOU NEED?

    • Training courses
    • ​Books and guides
    • Editor resources
    • Author resources
    • ​Monthly newsletter
    Picture
    SIGN ME UP

    PDF MARKUP

    Proofreading stamps

    AUTHOR RESOURCES

    Proofreading stamps

    EDITOR RESOURCES

    Proofreading stamps

    BOOKS FOR EDITORS AND WRITERS

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    MORE BOOKS

    TRAINING COURSES FOR EDITORS

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Blogging for Business Growth course
    MORE COURSES

    TESTIMONIALS


    Dare Rogers

    'Louise uses her expertise to hone a story until it's razor sharp, while still allowing the author’s voice to remain dominant.'

    Jeff Carson

    'I wholeheartedly recommend her services ... Just don’t hire her when I need her.'

    J B Turner

    'Sincere thanks for a beautiful and elegant piece of work. First class.'

    Ayshe Gemedzhy

    'What makes her stand out and shine is her ability to immerse herself in your story.'

    Salt Publishing

    'A million thanks – your mark-up is perfect, as always.'
    TESTIMONIALS

    CATEGORIES

    All
    Around The World
    Audio Books
    Author Chat
    Author Interviews
    Author Platform
    Author Resources
    Blogging
    Book Marketing
    Books
    Branding
    Business Tips
    Choosing An Editor
    Client Talk
    Conscious Language
    Core Editorial Skills
    Crime Writing
    Design And Layout
    Dialogue
    Editing
    Editorial Tips
    Editorial Tools
    Editors On The Blog
    Erotica
    Fiction
    Fiction Editing
    Freelancing
    Free Stuff
    Getting Noticed
    Getting Work
    Grammar Links
    Guest Writers
    Indexing
    Indie Authors
    Lean Writing
    Line Craft
    Link Of The Week
    Macro Chat
    Marketing Tips
    Money Talk
    Mood And Rhythm
    More Macros And Add Ins
    Networking
    Online Courses
    PDF Markup
    Podcasting
    POV
    Proofreading
    Proofreading Marks
    Publishing
    Punctuation
    Q&A With Louise
    Resources
    Roundups
    Self Editing
    Self Publishing Authors
    Sentence Editing
    Showing And Telling
    Software
    Stamps
    Starting Out
    Story Craft
    The Editing Podcast
    Training
    Types Of Editing
    Using Word
    Website Tips
    Work Choices
    Working Onscreen
    Working Smart
    Writer Resources
    Writing
    Writing Tips
    Writing Tools

    ARCHIVES

    March 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

    RSS Feed

Alliance of Independent Authors
Picture
Picture
CIEP Advanced Professional Member
The Publishing Training Centre
INFO ABOUT ME
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions
Contact form
Code of practice
Qualifications
​Portfolio ​ 
​Bio page
Louise's fiction
About Louise