With more people turning to remote work and freelance opportunities, it can feel like it is a very competitive field to be in. However, there are still plenty of opportunities, with more jobs and contracts being posted regularly.
If you decide to move into the freelance field from an in-house position, there is a lot you will need to think about. This article will go into detail on what you need to know, so let’s get started.
Steps to Becoming A Freelance Editor
1. Understanding Target Audiences
As an editor, especially one that is not in-house, it will be up to you to understand the piece’s target audience. The type of work that clients and customers expect will be different as they are aiming content at different groups.
For example, you may be editing a piece for a client who is targeting content at those aged 45+, but you may notice that the language used is unsuitable. As an editor, it will be your job to change it up to fix the language and tone used. If you feel like it requires a complete rewrite, you may need to send it back to them, with your feedback on what needs to be done.
2. Understanding International Spelling
If you are planning on editing in any freelance capacity, then it’s important you consider how to approach international spelling and grammar. Of course, international spelling will be vastly different because it is a different language, but it’s important to know the differences within the same language, especially cultural differences.
For example, while those from England and America speak the same language, there are key cultural differences between certain words. For example, you will have ‘realize’ and ‘realize’ with Americans having much more emphasis on using ‘z’ in their words. There will also be different words for some things, such as ‘rubbish’ and ‘trash.’ As an international freelance editor, it will be your role to ensure that you understand these differences and avoid using the wrong words.
It can be slightly more complicated when it comes to completely different languages and how you edit these workpieces. Some international editors will simply throw the pieces they are editing into free translation tools, which aren’t only inaccurate and highly unprofessional. This all means that you should understand how to undertake a translation project.
Not only should you learn the benefits of a translation project, but you should learn the difference between editing and proofreading. Editing is more about reviewing text you have received, whereas proofreading is about reviewing the final draft to ensure there aren’t any small mistakes hiding in. As an editor, this will be key to your work, and learning to be an expert in editing and proofreading will put you in a good position as a freelance operator.
3. Understanding How To Feedback Work
As a freelance editor, there will be plenty of different types of clients you could be working for. However, you can do some work from home. You may be working with established businesses to help run through their documents, or you may be working with an individual to run through their work before they send it off somewhere else.
In other cases, you may be working within a large and small business on a short-term contract, which means you have workers underneath you in the business pyramid. However you edit, you will need to understand how to feedback on any work. Modern editors aren’t expected to edit a piece and send it back simply. They need to work with the individual to show them what they changed and why.
When you are providing feedback to someone, you need to ensure you are doing it in a way that is not belittling and is actually constructive. You shouldn’t only focus on the writing and grammar when feedbacking, you should consider feedbacking on the entire process. It can seem difficult to provide feedback, but you should aim to provide actionable feedback to help improve performances and the process in the future.
As a freelance editor, this may help you secure more work in the future, as you have shown interest in the work and showcased what you can bring to the table. This should hopefully put you over the competition when it comes to your industry.
4. Understanding How To Secure Work
That takes us nicely to the next section. If you are just starting as a freelance editor, it can seem difficult to find work. Sometimes, you just need a bit of luck to get your foot into the door, and sometimes your work will speak for itself.
A lot of the time, businesses and individuals will work with editors and copywriters based on references and reviews. This means that you should start small and build a network of clients who all refer each other. Eventually, you will be able to build up your client’s list to the point that word of mouth starts getting you to work.
You can also sign up to agencies and organizations that can send you work when it’s available. This could be to help you get started, or this could be used to help enhance your workload. It all depends on where you are in your current working situation and where you wish to aspire to be.
