From time to time I receive emails from people interested in becoming a freelance editor or proofreader. They ask how I set up and market my own proofreading and editing business, and they seek advice on how they might go about doing the same.
I usually point them in the direction of a guest blog post I wrote for Louise Harnby’s The Proofreader’s Parlour blog some years ago: Building a Freelance Proofreading Business – The Usefulness of Objectives. In that blog post, I detailed the initial steps I took to establish and market my editorial business:
- Obtained an industry-recognised qualification in proofreading
- Registered my business name
- Set up an office space and office systems
- Set up a Facebook business page
- Obtained business cards
- Networked online
- Networked locally
- Contacted publishers
- Joined professional organisations
- Designed and published my own website
- Didn’t give up!
You can learn more about the above steps by reading the full guest blog post.
New freelance proofreaders and editors might also find Louise’s books Business Planning for Editorial Freelancers and Marketing Your Editing & Proofreading Business very helpful.
If you have any additional advice for new freelance editorial entrepreneurs, then please share it in the comments below. Many thanks!
Related posts:
5 marketing tips for the freelance editor or proofreader
Marketing resources for editors, proofreaders, authors and freelancers
Setting up an editing business: lessons learnt
Book review: Content Marketing Primer for Editors & Proofreaders