Get your editing and proofreading business up and running

Learn about the start-up phase of running an editing and proofreading business with these resources.​
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​Scroll down the page or click on an icon to go straight to a section. Want to learn about a different topic? Select the green icon to return to the main library page.​
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RETURN TO LIBRARY
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ARTICLES
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BOOKS
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FREE BOOKLETS
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FREE WEBINARS
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COURSES
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PODCASTS

Articles about starting a proofreading and editing business

Scroll down to see what's available in this section.

Find your national editorial society

There are national and regional editorial societies all over the globe! To find one that fits your journey, and discover what it has to offer in terms of resources, community and training, click on the button below.

Books about building a business and editing fiction

​Notes from the Podcast

This five-part book series supports editors and proofreaders throughout their professional journey – from starting out to building a sustainable business and leaving a legacy, plus guidance on how to make that business visible.

Visit the books' page to find out more.

Business Planning for Editorial Freelancers

​This book is for those with no prior publishing or editorial experience. The practical guide takes new proofreaders and editors, step by step, through the basics of planning their career.
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​Visit the book's page to find out more.

Marketing Your Editing and Proofreading Business

Discover why marketing needn't be difficult, overwhelming or boring. Then learn the core principles of developing and implementing an effective marketing strategy that will get you noticed and generate business leads.
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Visit the book's page to find out more.

Editing Fiction at Sentence Level

Fiction is about flow, rhythm, mood, voice and style. But mostly it’s about story. When writers self-edit at line level with confidence, story is elevated by the sentence, rather than buried beneath it.

​Editing Fiction at Sentence Level shows you how to hone your line editing craft so that your author's narrative and dialogue compel readers to turn the page.

Visit the book's page to find out more.

Free webinars

How to Start a Fiction Editing Business

This webinar introduces you to the different types of fiction editing, the types of clients you're most likely to be working with, the language they'll use when searching for editorial support, finding work, and some suggestions for training and skills development.

​Unboring Business Planning

Learn why business planning is worth investing time in, and needn't be boring when it's framed around 2 questions:
  • What do you want?
  • How will you get it? 

Courses to help you get your business off to a flying start

Marketing Toolbox for Editors

Here's what you get:
  • Webinar: 10 Ways to Make Your Editing Website Better
  • Template: Create your own brand book
  • Mini guide: Blog Post Blueprint
  • Book: Marketing Your Editing and Proofreading Business
  • Book: How to Develop a Pricing Strategy

Editor Website Essentials

This course teaches you how to craft a visible, loveable editorial website! The 10-step framework takes you through the essentials of SEO, navigation, structure, visitors, UX, branding, web page copy, home page design, content and analytics.

Style Sheets for Fiction Editing

This self-paced course teaches editors and proofreaders how to create and use branded style sheets that improve efficiency and consistency, and demonstrate professionalism. Includes a style-sheet template that's ready to go.

Switching to Fiction

Move from non-fiction to fiction, and edit at sentence level with confidence. Visit the course page to find out more about what's included. It comes with a copy of Editing Fiction at Sentence Level too! Listen to the taster below.

Free resources for new starters

Proofreading checklist

I've proofread over 500 books for the mainstream publishing industry. The checklist is based on the house guidelines provided by the publishers I've worked for, and is for anyone checking final designed page proofs. 

It's free when you sign up to The Editorial Letter!

Why proofreading isn’t an ideal side hustle

Proofreading has long been touted online as a good way to supplement a regular income – the side hustle. This booklet examines the notion, and explores the challenges.
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​Click on the cover to download the booklet.

Guidance on inclusive and respectful writing

Explore resources that help editors and writers work to actively consider whether the words in a novel are driving story forward and enriching readers, or causing unintended harm. 

​The tools linked to in this booklet aim to help you apply good editorial judgement to fiction from a conscious-language perspective.

Get my best advice straight into your inbox

The Editorial Letter comes out once a month. Get my best advice on fiction editing and editorial business building.
Sign up and you'll get my 
​free proofreading checklist – a one-stop resource for reviewing designed page proofs!

Listen to The Business Tips Collection

Listen to these episodes of The Editing Podcast in which Denise and Louise discuss various business tips for editors and proofreaders.