How to Start a Freelance Editing Business: 10 Actionable Tips
How to Start a Freelance Editing
Business: 10 Actionable Tips
It’s an exciting time
for freelance editors: the needs of professional writers are constantly
increasing, and as a result, the number of quality freelancing jobs are also on
the rise. Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been freelancing for
years, you’re probably thinking about how to maximize your clientele and
profits. This all begins with learning how to start an editing business
and securing those sweet, sweet jobs.
But first, some background…
No matter your
previous experience, the process of starting your own freelance business can be
daunting. The first thing to know is that there are several varieties of
editing to consider as you decide how to focus your business. Here's a quick
overview of the different kinds of editing and the necessary skill set for
each.
1. Developmental
editing is the process of dissecting a piece to examine
its style, structure, plot, and characterization, and making
detailed suggestions on how to improve these elements. Developmental editing
jobs can be very labor-intensive — some manuscripts require weeks or months of
work to perfect. However, if you’re tenacious and passionate about shaping
creative work, developmental editing is the specialty for you.
With these types of
jobs, it's not unusual to speak with the author — sometimes before, sometimes
after, sometimes both — so naturally, they require some amount of talent for
client care.
2. Copy editing looks
for inconsistencies on a smaller scale than developmental editing. Rather than
overhauling the plot, copy editing ensures the story gets told in a smooth,
error-free manner. Errors you’d look for might be clashing or
unexplained details, as well as run-of-the-mill spelling and
grammar mistakes. You need a sharp eye to take on copy editing jobs, plus
the ability to stay focused on minutiae for many pages in a row.
A typical copy editing
job would require you to deliver a line-edited manuscript (often using track
changes) and perhaps even a stylesheet to ensure that proofreaders don't undo
your intentional edits.
3. Proofreading is
the icing on the editing cake. As a proofreader, you’ll look at work that’s
basically finalized for any overlooked typos: missing commas,
uncapitalized names, etc. Remote proofreading jobs are great for
freelancers with limited time, since they don't require as much of a time
commitment as, say, developmental editing work. That said, you still have to
pay close attention to detail, since proofreaders have the final word on the
text.
In a standard
proofreading job, you can expect to receive a copy of the manuscript in digital
form — even if the author prefers to write longhand. You will also receive
a copy of the stylesheet unless the author and copy editor have strictly
adhered to a standard style guide (CMOS, for example).
For more information,
check out our post about the sorts of rates that proofreaders can command.
Now that we’ve covered
the various types of editing, let’s get down to business (literally!). The
following tips will guide you through how to successfully build your
business and market yourself as an independent freelancer.
10 tips for starting your freelance editing
business
1. Find your niche
In order to form any
thriving business, you need to figure out your niche. This entails analyzing
your competition to determine what you can offer that’s valuable and
unique. For example, when her publishing company acquired a cookbook
imprint, editor Perrin Davis learned more about cooking
so she’d be able to give her clients the benefit of insider knowledge.
“I learned as much as
I could about food, mostly in the interest of making myself a better cookbook
editor,” Perrin says. “It was an incredibly humbling experience, but it was so
worthwhile. My lesson is this: embrace each challenge, because something that
seems insurmountable at the time might end up being your specialty.”
Honing and
capitalizing on your niche demonstrates your specific expertise
to potential clients, and prevents you from biting off more than you can chew
with any given freelance editing job. That’s why, as you begin building your
business, it’s ideal to start with a small pool of clients and provide them
with the best service possible: quality over quantity.
2. Be patient, but proactive
Small businesses don’t
grow overnight. If you’ve been in the editing industry a few years, you might
have some prior clients you can round up to give your business a boost. But if
you’re completely new to freelance editing, it’ll definitely take some time to
get together any number of clients, so don’t let the wait
discourage you.
The magic formula for
your building-a-business outlook is patience + proactivity. You
have to put yourself out there if you want to gather new clients! That means networking
with other professionals, shamelessly asking for referrals, even outright
advertising — whatever it takes.
However, you might
also get frustrated by how hard it is to build a reliable client base, or feel
intimidated by more experienced freelancers. Don't be. It’s a delicate balance
to strike, but just remember to stay the course and remember the magic formula.
Patience + proactivity = perfection
when starting a freelance business
3. Don’t just build a website — build a brand
Though a
great website is a must for any freelance business, you
can’t just slap your name and contact info on a Wordpress template and expect
clients to come running. You need your website to reflect your best
professional work as well as your individual personality in order to to appeal
to clients. In other words: you need to build your brand.
Naturally, you want to
highlight your portfolio on your website, but don’t neglect your “About” page
or description! Use these features to genuinely connect with people — talk
about your life, where you live, your family, even your pets! Reedsy
editor Randall Klein’s brief bio demonstrates a good
balance of personal and professional:
I'm a professional
editor with ten years in the publishing industry under my belt (Random House,
then Diversion Books). I have edited authors across genres, with a focus in
mystery / suspense / thriller and romance. I am also a published author, with
my book, Little Disasters, published by Viking in May of 2018. After thirteen
years in New York, I now live in Charlottesville with my wife and our very
photogenic dog.
Writers like to know
that they’ll be working with a real person, not just an editing robot. You
might even consider putting an introductory video on your site so clients can
actually see you! If you to score that editing job over
another freelancer, anything that helps you stand out from the crowd is worth a
try.
4. Segment your clients
Even within your
professional niche, you’ll still get a wide range of clientele, all of whom
have different needs. It’s important to segment these clients
into groups so you can address them appropriately.
Try to categorize
clients in two primary ways: by editing needs and communication
needs. Again, even within your particular niche, writers will have certain
elements that require more attention than others. So if you’re a developmental
editor, you might need to separate your clients’ editing needs into structure,
style, or plot categories. Each of these calls for a different approach if you
want to make constructive changes.
Communication is
critical when it comes to the writer-editor relationship, so make sure you
understand your clients’ communication needs as well. You should segment
clients based on how often you’ll be in contact, and through what medium:
email, phone, Skype, etc.
As for how to
determine your clients’ needs, the answer is simple: ask them. Send
each potential new client an inquiry asking about their work, what they’re
hoping to improve, and how best to communicate with them. This initial
understanding will clarify expectations and reduce stress for the both of you.
Here’s an example of a
standard new client questionnaire, containing questions about their work as
well as guidelines for communication:
5. Be smart about pricing
Pricing is one element to definitely consider before you
launch your business. You want your pricing to be consistent from client to
client, and to accurately reflect the skills and experience you bring to the
table. Novice editors working on a freelance job typically charge about $20/hour,
while more advanced or established editors may charge upwards of $50.
However, even if
you’re a beginner, don’t underestimate your abilities! “If you're good at what
you do, you should charge a fair price, not what you think the author expects,”
editor Christina Roth explains. “If you charge
far less than other freelancers, you could risk looking cheap and
inexperienced.”
You should also always
ask for upfront payment, or at least a deposit, so you know your client is
committed to your relationship. You may switch to installments after that — but
still, never hand over the full extent of your work without being compensated for
it.
As for methods of
payment, consider what’s optimal for you: a mailed check, an electronic wire
transfer, or a virtual payment service like Venmo. Create a custom invoice
sheet for your business and use it for every transaction to strengthen your brand,
as well as to keep your affairs in order (which brings us to our next tip).
6. Stay organized
Organization is
crucial to running any business, especially one that operates virtually. You
may not have tangible records for your work, but for every freelance editing
job you take, you'll need to keep track of your schedule, forms, and
correspondences effectively.
First and
foremost, never be late on a deadline. Though
communication is important, work comes first in terms of timing. Turning in
edits even a day late can ruin your entire business reputation, especially if
you’re just getting started. So keep meticulous track of deadlines, working
diligently to meet them ahead of schedule, even if you don’t think they’ll take
long — it always seems that way before you’re scrambling to get through those
last 20 pages.
Secondly, manage the
“business” side of your business in a timely manner. Respond to clients as soon
as you see their emails, send invoices
promptly, and file your taxes on time. All of this
contributes to your professional reputation, and staying organized will make
you feel better, too.
7. Market effectively
Once you’ve got a
solid client base and regular work coming in, keep that momentum going by marketing! You’re
already ahead of the competition with your personalized branding, so now it’s
time to employ even more tactics to market your business.
Frequently update your
website, social media, LinkedIn, and any publications for which you’re
currently guest writing. You might also try using a mailing list; this can be hard to
expand beyond your current clients, but it’s a worthwhile endeavor if any of
them write series and need continual edits — you can even run promotions this
way!
Finally, don’t
discount the benefits of “offline marketing,” such as in-person networking events
and conferences. These can result in some of the most personal, valuable
connections you make in the publishing industry, and are a great opportunity to
generate some positive word of mouth around your editing business.
8. Take a holistic approach
Remember that not just
your organizational style, but absolutely everything attached
to your name can get back to your business. With that in mind, venture out into
the Internet with great caution: you’re responsible for maintaining your good
name!
Never badmouth
clients or breach their
confidentiality on any platform, even in a private message — you never know
what might come out over time. Also keep communication with clients
professional, even if it’s just a friendly exchange about your weekends. (For
example, there’s no need to give them a detailed account of that crazy night
you had with your friends.)
Of course, the flip
side of this equation is that you can use your web presence to enhance
your brand and gain business! Cultivate your social media to be polished
yet friendly (striking the same tone as your website), continue to take
advantage of guest posting opportunities, and be courteous to everyone with
whom you interact online.
Use social media to boost your brand!
#businesstips #freelancelife
9. Further your skills
Your business is
booming, marketing strategies are panning out, and clients are pouring in from
every direction — but there’s always more you can do! Once you’ve gotten your
freelance editing business up and running, you might consider expanding your
qualifications and skill set even more.
If you’ve never
undergone formal editing training, there’s no time like the present. You might
opt for an exhaustive, publisher-run course, or you could do an editing crash
course online with sites like Proofreading Academy and The Edit Center. Just remember that even for
a seasoned editor, there’s always something to learn!
Additionally, you can
add specific skills to your repertoire that may come in handy, such as revising query letters for your clients
or marketing your services to a new demographic. As long as you’re not getting
in over your head (recall our first tip!), there’s no reason you shouldn’t be
able to go above and beyond for your clients.
10. Join a marketplace
One of the best ways
to successfully establish your business and find freelance editing jobs is
to join a marketplace. This gives you access to a preexisting
wealth of clients, as well as an instant sheen of professionalism.
You may want to start
with a marketplace like Upwork, where it’s fairly quick to sign up
and get connected with clients, without having to go through too intensive a
screening process. After gaining some experience you might then move on to a
marketplace like Reedsy,
which includes more assistive services for you and your clients.
Regardless of which
you choose, many freelancers regard joining a marketplace as one of the best
things they’ve done for their business. Says Mark Swift,
a freelance editor on Reedsy since 2016: “My time on Reedsy thus far has
provided me with some of the best work and feedback in my career and has been
very fulfilling… I hope to keep exploring these opportunities for many years to
come.”
Joining a freelancing
marketplace is a great way to easily brand yourself, attract and communicate
with relevant clientele, and keep your business organized all at once. But no
matter how you go about it, now that you’ve read this article, your freelance
editing business should already be well on its way to success.
• What kind of editing do you want to do? Just proofreading or will you also offer copyediting or developmental editing services?
• Who are your ideal clients?
>Publishing houses or self-publishing authors?
>Newspapers and magazines?
>Academics?
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