Proofreader Career Guide and Counseling

Question: How can I get a job as a copyeditor or proofreader without a degree in journalism? I am interested in working for an online magazine, newsletter or any form of publication as a copyeditor/proofreader. But I don't have a degree in journalism, my degree is in accounting. I would like to freelance most likely, and am looking for ways to find such jobs.

Answer: Start small. About as small as you can. Without a degree, you have to build up a good job history.

Question: Should I send my manuscript to a proofreader before submitting it to an agent and/or publisher? I am about to complete my manuscript after countless revisions and drafts. I believe I am ready to send it to an agent. Should I send it to an agent without hiring a proofreader? Or do some agents or publishers perform the proofreading for you?

Answer: First, proofread it yourself. Then send it to a proofreader--this can be a friend, a family member, a teacher--doesn't matter, because once they're done, you should proofread it again yourself one final time before submitting it to an agent or publisher. You can never be too careful. And be careful which editor you use! My first editor didn't do his job at all and it ended up costing me a lot in the way of angry reviews...so I fired him. =)

Question: How can I become a legal proofreader? I have a BA in journalism. I have a Master's in an unrelated field. I am tired of the politics of professional life. Could I become a legal proofreader? If so, how?

Answer: You should join a legal proofreader course where you will be taught the following proofreading skills:- 1. Adopting a critical attitude 2. Entering the proofreading mode 3. Proofreading in stages 4. Proofreading techniques 5. Basic usage rules in the following areas: Spelling Abbreviations Word division Number expression Omissions, additions, and typos Capitalization Punctuation Number accuracy Subject/verb agreement Pronoun reference and agreement

Question: What is the difference between Medical transcriptionist and Proofreader? I wish to know the difference between a Medical transcriptionist (MT) and a Proofreader (PR) in details...Plz let me know complete details of the above designations..the nature of the work done, the difference between the too, and how come an MT is different from a PR.....Urgent plz...

Answer: Links for Medical Transcriptionist and Writers/Editors (where Proofreader falls under) are given below:

Question: What do I need to do to become a proofreader? Can anyone tell me what is involved in becoming a proofreader, and can proofreading be done online?

Answer: Well...first you need to master at least 2 languages...

Question: I am tired of reading books with multiple errors. How can I become PROOFREADER AT HOME? I read 4 books a week and every one of them have errors like using the opposite word of the one the author means to use. Another common error is "He said." as a sentence. I am about to retire and would like to be a work at home proofreader.

Answer: Medical and technical book publishers do farm out work to at-home proofreaders and copy editors, but the stuff is so dull you'll wish you died from one of the diseases you're reading about. To work as a proofer or copyeditor (and if you're correcting "He said." you're copyediting, not proofing), you can offer your services on places like craigslist or monster.com. Don't overcharge ($12 an hour for proofreading, up to $20 an hour for copyediting; 12-15 pages an hour for proofing, 25-30 pages an hour for editing) and you could establish a nice little retirement business. Good luck with it.

Question: How do you find a proofreader? I need someone to look at my writing and give me some feed back on it. I have no one to do that for me. How does one go about finding a proofreader? And I'm not in school so I can't go and ask a teacher. . . .

Answer: Just use your spell checker. Turn on all grammar and style check settings and let it rip! You will be amazed how much advice your spell checker has to offer. Email me a sample also. I'm not published but have completed several works, been doing it a long time and pretty good. I'm sure I can offer some constructive thoughts. nokilleye@yahoo.com Also: try browsing publisher websites and loook at instructions for submissions and stuff like that. A lot of publisher websites offer some surprisingly good advice. You can find proofreading services on line or offered by self-publish houses but all they will do is use a spell checker anyway. http://www.nokilleye.com/110000.htm

Question: How do you become a professional proofreader or critique books? I love to read and I think it would be interesting to read books for a living, critiquing them. I can't think of the specific job title that would be, because "editor" is not quite it, but something along those lines.

Answer: Many of the publishing houses actually do have proofreaders. Many have a post secondary education with a major in English Lit (or similar). The degree is not necessary for all jobs in the field but due to the variety of publications (from romance and childrens to technical manuals), it really helps. You need knowledge of sentence structure, grammar, spelling, punctuation. Most people have forgotten the grammar and proper punctuation after leaving school and many high schools do a poor job of enforcing proper language skills. This is a problem for the post secondary institutions.

Question: I would like to become a freelance proofreader. How would I locate proofreading jobs? I read constantly and am appalled at the amount of errors in today's books, some of which are from well known authors. I need to be able to work from home.

Answer: Search Hotjobs, careerbuilder, monster and craigslist for "proofread". Good luck.

Question: What are the requirements to become a Proofreader? Do you need a four year degree or is there some kind of training program? I realize that a good command of english and spelling is necessary, I'd like to hear from someone who knows what is essential. Thank you to all who answer.

Answer: There are certifications out there, but typically, you'd want a degree in English or a related field (wouldn't have to be a B.A. for all jobs, but it wouldn't hurt) and some prior experience (like editing a school newspaper or lit mag or community newsletter).

Question: Can one become a proofreader without being an editor ? Is that a known paid position ? I can always find mistakes in all I read whether it is a book or a magazine or instruction manual. I've always done the proofreading for friend writers or where I've worked but to get paid to stay home & read, er, proofread would be a dream come true.

Answer: There is always a demand for proofreaders, but you'll have to prove yourself more adept at writing: "a book or a magazine or an instruction manual" [fault of zeugma], "for friends who write or for people for whom I've worked..." [coordinate conjunctions imply parallel structures]. Proofreading does not pay well enough to live on, I'm afraid, and many of the jobs involve correcting the grammar of non-English speakers who don't want to pay what the job requires and who make the kind of faults that will, as Mark Twain once wrote in another context, make you swear your teeth loose. Look at the illiterate questions asked on Yahoo Answers--many of them one cannot begin to correct because they are too indefinitely conceived, are based upon dubious or clearly erroneous premises, and come from people who simply can't be bothered.

Question: Is hiring a professional proofreader getting into plagiarism if you are a college student? I would ask my friends but they a little time to give.

Answer: A proofreader should just be checking for basic spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. The proofreader should not actually be writing any part of your paper. Therefore, it is not plagiarism. You might check to see if your university has a Writing Center. That's a place where you can go and get someone to look over your paper and talk to you about how to be able to revise, edit, and proofread your own papers. It's a wonderful resource.

Question: How to source clientele for a Freelance Editor and Proofreader? Bearing in mind that I have the skills and the resources but NO capital really... I work from home and have limited access to finance. Got the computer, the fax, the web, the printer and all that. Business is already registered.

Answer: guru.com elance.com getafreelancer.com odesk.com all of the above are on-line market places for freelance service seekers and providers. take your time. look around and find the best for you. they offer paid premium services but i believe as a starter you can go with the basic services. Have a Good one!

Question: How and where can I obtain certification as a professional Proofreader? I want to pursue proofreading as a full time professional occupation and obtaining certification in the field would provide me with additional credibility with potential employers.

Answer: I don't think there's certification for it - it's just identifying mistakes. I too am interested in working as an editor/proofreader, but I've never heard of certification - I think it's just practice and experience that is important. I just took a proofreading quiz for a job the other day - I think that's how most companies measure whether or not you're a good proofreader, not by just taking your word for it. I don't know if you have/haven't gone to college, but there are emphases within English majors that will help you to strengthen your proofreading skills.

Question: What is the best way to become a certified professional proofreader? I'm interested in taking online courses from a reputable school that also has job postings. I think this would be a good way to earn some money for a soon to be stay-at-home mom. Does anybody have any suggestions? Thanks.

Answer: I've never heard of that job - but - I have heard of work study or being a private tutor at universities for certain classes. In any event, credentials will be important to you.....

Question: What questions should you ask an editor/proofreader when presenting a manuscript? For example: should you ask if there might be legal concerns with any place or people names mentioned in the story? Should you request the person to concentrate on anything in particular? Or anything else? Thank you

Answer: Ask for their honest opinion about the book. And then, when they give it to you, don't get defensive. They've been doing it for a lot longer than you, and know how the business works. Regarding the other question: If you haven't copied the name from anyplace, you're fine. Google the character names if you're worried.