How to Become a Freelance Editor in 10 Steps

A freelance editor reads, reviews, and corrects writing for a variety of different clients to get stories ready for publication. A freelance editor is a contractor and works on a project-by-project basis for their clients. From content to structure to grammar, editors work on different aspects of a written work depending on the type of editor they are.

The type of work a freelance editor does depends on what kind of editor they are. There are several different types of editors who focus on different aspects of a manuscript:

1. 1. Freelance developmental editor: A developmental editor looks at the big picture, reviewing content, structure, and flow.
2. 2. Freelance copy editor: A copy editor will look more at the mechanics of the text, checking grammar, fixing sentence structure, and reviewing word choice. Their job sometimes includes fact-checking for a non-fiction book or article. This is also known as line editing.
3. 3. Freelance proofreader: A proofreader checks a written work for typos and other errors before publication.

In general, an experienced freelance editor will do the following:

• Reading: The first step for any editing project is to read the draft of a manuscript several times through.
• Content editing: An editor will give the writer feedback regarding content, flow of information, and story structure.
• Fixing editorial problems: Using their writing skills, an editor will fix spelling, punctuation, and grammar, generally following the rules of an official style guide, like the Chicago Manual of Style or the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook.
• Helping shape the style: An editor can help a writer develop their voice and their writing style. Occasionally, an editor can also become a ghostwriter when major rewriting and restructuring needs to be done.
• Adjusting language: An editor reviews word choice to make sure text is clear and simple so a wide audience can comprehend the story.

Full-time freelancing takes hard work and a lot of pounding the pavement early on to find new clients. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most professional editors live in New York, which also happens to be home to the headquarters of many magazine and book publishing companies. But you can live anywhere and make a living as a freelance editor. Once you’re up and running, freelance work can be rewarding, offering a diversity of interesting projects and a chance to set your own work schedule. Follow this step-by-step guide if you’re interested in becoming a freelance editor:

1. 1. Go to school to learn how to be an editor. While some editors get a bachelor’s degree in the English language or creative writing, there are no formal education requirements for becoming an editor. To really learn the skills you need, take editing courses at a local college or writer’s workshop to familiarize yourself with the editing process.
2. 2. Read a lot. A good editor has their finger on the pulse of the literary scene. You need to know what types of stories are trending and what readers are looking for. Read anything and everything you can to help guide the writers you work with craft a story that readers will buy, enjoy, and share with other readers.
3. 3. Start your editing career at a company. Consider starting down your career path working for a traditional publishing company, a magazine, or a newspaper. Get a few years of experience and develop your editing skills under other professional editors to learn the ropes. Work your way up from an entry-level editing position, like an editorial assistant. If you enjoy the stability of working in-house, you can move up the ranks: from an assistant editor to managing editor to a senior editor and, finally, to the editor-in-chief, also known as an executive editor.
4. 4. Start looking for editing work. Once you go off on your own as a freelancer, take a lot of the small editing jobs that come your way to build up your experience. Try a proofreading job, even a freelance writing gig. You may try looking on job listing websites designed for creative professionals to find additional work. The greater the diversity of work you do early on, the better editor you’ll become.
5. 5. Determine what type of editor you want to be. After you’ve worked on a variety of jobs, decide what kind of editor you want to be. Do you enjoy working on the fine details of copy editing or the big, structural fixes of developmental editing? You can take a broad approach to editing and specialize in more than one type, but focusing the scope of your work can help you hone that particular editing skill.
6. 6. Decide the type of writing you want to edit. While you don’t have to take just one kind of writing client, it’s good to have a type of manuscript in which you specialize. If you’re a freelance book editor or fiction editor you’ll work with indie authors and fiction writers on book projects with a 50,000 or more word count. If you’d rather specialize in academic writing, you’ll do more fact-checking and sourcing of information.
7. 7. Build a network. Grow your community of editors. Join professional organizations like the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA). The more contacts you have, the greater the chance work referrals come your way. Connect with a self-publishing group to meet writers who will need an editor to review their work.
8. 8. Create a portfolio of projects you’ve worked on. Once you’re up and running, have a portfolio of selected work to show potential clients. You should also have a complete sample edit to show them as well as client testimonials to demonstrate you’re the right editor for the job
9. 9. Market your professional editing services. To make it official, start marketing yourself as a professional editor. Start by creating a website. Use keywords for search engine optimization (SEO) to build traffic. You might consider starting a blog about editing to increase the chances of people finding your site. Start contacting literary agents and publishing houses who might be able to send clients your way or hire you on a contract basis. Remember to print up business cards and to always have them on you, ready to hand out.
10. 10. Start taking on your own clients. Before you know it, clients will begin reaching out, and you’ll be making a living as a successful editor. You might even have the opportunity to work on a book that becomes a bestseller. Remember to put that one at the front of your portfolio.

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