Freelance work is seeing a boom worldwide, and especially in the United States, where over fifty-seven million Americans consider themselves freelancers.
There are so many benefits to freelancing, such as setting your own work schedule and working wherever you want. And, there are so many different jobs that you can do as a freelancer, like becoming an aspiring freelance editor.
If you’re interested in becoming an aspiring freelance editor, you’re probably wondering where you should start. Freelancing means it’s up to you to find your work and organize it successfully. Keep reading to learn four tips on becoming a successful freelance editor.
1. Find Your Niche
A great way to find jobs when just starting out freelance editing is to be a specialist. If you have a particular niche that you are an expert on or a particular genre, authors are more likely to want to hire you over someone that is more generalized.
To find your niche, you should evaluate how many books you’ve edited, the commercial success of those books, and how much you enjoyed editing them. Depending on what books fall into all three categories, that could show you your niche.
Make sure you love what you edit, and consider that the books you like to read in your spare time might not be the same as those you like to edit.
2. Master Time Management
Mastering time management is essential for anyone who is self-employed. You don’t want to take on too many projects and be completely overwhelmed, working all night and getting burnt out. This will not help you be a successful freelancer in the long-term, so take on the projects you know you can do and learn to say no to others.
Using a spreadsheet, schedule, or calendar to track your projects and time is recommended for any freelancer, but especially an editor. Your brain can only edit for so many hours a day before your work becomes sloppy.
3. Keep Track of Your Money
Because you’re doing freelance work, there will be no one but you to track your income. This is important not only to know how much money you have but also for when tax time comes around.
You can create a pay stub easily with this online pay stub generator, which can help you keep track of it all in one place without the hassle of doing constant calculations and messing with confusing forms.
4. Networking Is Important
Though it’s not any contract editor’s favorite thing, networking is essential to continue getting the jobs you want. Attending conferences is a great way to meet people who might want to work with you.
You should also create social media accounts and follow clients and authors that you want to connect with. This could make the difference and help you get that job you’ve been dreaming of.
Becoming a Freelance Editor
Working as a freelance editor is a fulfilling, exciting career that might be perfect for you. If you are ready to put in the work and set up your new editing business, consider the tips above to get you started.
It may seem overwhelming at first, but once you get the ball rolling, you will be surprised how fast your jobs can start coming in. If you would like more articles like this, check out the rest of our website today!
