Are you looking for flexible work-from-home job? Or probably, a job where you can work from anywhere in the world with minimum or no experience?
If so, then proofreading can be the perfect job for you!
Becoming a freelance proofreader online can be a great way to supplement your income. Even better, it can be a side job that can be turned into a full-time career!
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How to Become a Proofreader
Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Caitlin Pyle from ProofreadAnywhere.com to learn more about how to become a freelance proofreader.
Caitlin has been very successful in the proofreading field. Her passion for proofreading started since she was in college and later on she turned this passion into a very successful proofreading career.
In 2014, Caitlin was able to make over $40,000 as a freelance proofreader and all this by being able to travel to other countries and proofreading from anywhere!
Now, Caitlin teaches others how they can start a successful proofreading business from scratch as she did!
So, without further ado, here is the interview, enjoy!
Caitlin, please tell us about yourself. What do you do and how did you get started?
Hi, Shirley! My journey began when I was unceremoniously fired from my job. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because getting fired pushed me to begin freelance proofreading for court reporters. And that that led me to creating ProofreadAnywhere.com and my transcript proofreading course.
Fast-forward to three years later, and I’m now the owner of BCP Media, a multimillion-dollar media company. I help people build businesses that allow them to live the lives they deserve, and I couldn’t be happier working with such amazing entrepreneurs every day!
What are the skills needed to become a proofreader?
The most important skill to have that can’t be taught is a natural ability to spot errors. If you could not care less if a word is misspelled or a sentence is missing proper punctuation, proofreading is probably not your best option.
However, if typos make you cringe or you’re known among your friends and family as the “Grammar Police,” proofreading could be a good fit for you.
Other traits an excellent proofreader should have are attention to detail, a love of reading a variety of material, a willingness to always learn new things, the ability to research, and a positive attitude.
How much money can a beginner expect to earn working as a freelance proofreader?
This is one of the most frequent questions I get asked! And people aren’t always thrilled with my answer that the amount of money they can earn solely depends on them. But it’s the truth! If you put in the time and effort and do excellent work, you’ll make as much money as you want. And keep in mind that that amount is different for everyone since success looks different for everyone.
I have some students who are happy with making a few hundred dollars a month, while others have replaced their full-time jobs. It’s completely up to you how far you want to take your freelance business.
Here is a FREE video training to help you decide if proofreading is right for you!
How do proofreaders obtain clients?
One of the biggest fears I hear all the time from potential students is that they won’t be able to find clients once they complete the course. I know this is a common roadblock for people, so I made sure to include extensive material in both of my proofreading courses on exactly where and how to find clients.
The sky’s the limit on the ways proofreaders can snag clients once they’ve got the proper training under their belts. The key is that you must put in the effort, do excellent work, and provide great customer service. If you do that, you won’t have any issues finding clients.
What kind of personal benefits does the proofreader profession offer?
Becoming a freelance proofreader can quite literally change your life. I know that’s a big statement, but I’ve seen it happen with my own eyes with so many of my students!
The sense of accomplishment learning a new skill, the ability to contribute to their family’s income, paying off debt, being their own boss – I could go on and on.
I’ve even had students quit their full-time jobs because they make MORE money proofreading. We all dream of getting paid for doing something we love, and proofreading is that for many, many people.
You offer a free 7-day course, what could someone expect to learn from this?
My free 7-day course is a perfect, risk-free way to determine if proofreading is right for you. I go over ALL the details on how to become a freelance proofreader, including how to tell if proofreading is right for you and how to market your business, plus I give real-life examples of some of my students’ successes. But the best part? I answer ANY question you throw at me ANYTIME. My team and I are here to make sure you have all the tools you need to be successful!
Finally, what advice would you give to someone who wants to become a freelance proofreader?
Take the plunge! Don’t let fear or doubt get in the way of pursuing your dreams. It IS possible to be your own boss, work from home, and make an income doing what you love.
If you aren’t totally sure if proofreading is right for you, I have two FREE options for you to help you decide. You can watch my free 76-minute webinar and/or sign up for my FREE 7-day course I mentioned above. What have you got to lose?!
Thanks Caitlin for the interview!
Are you interested in becoming a Freelance Proofreader? Caitlin goes a lot into details about becoming a freelance proofreader in her FREE workshop. To learn more about this lucrative career, check out Caitlin’s FREE 76-minute Workshop here.
