Why My Focus is on Freelance Editing (+ Why I Stopped Freelance Writing)

Why My Focus is on Freelance Editing (+ Why I Stopped Freelance Writing)

Freelance editing is what I am made to do! 

My focus is now on freelance editing instead of freelance writing.

Do you think you’re made for editing instead of writing?

I have always loved words and I have always loved writing.

When I first started blogging and got an offer to write an article a month for Dear Blogger, I decided to try my hand at freelance writing. This was all before Wording Well was born… back in 2013. 

When I founded Wording Well in 2014, I started out offering only freelance writing services. It wasn’t until later that I began offering editing services. Looking back, I realize that I should’ve had my focus on freelance editing all along. It’s what I love to do most of all!

Is freelance editing “your thing”?

If you want to become a freelance editor, check this out!

There are so many awesome things about being an editor. These are 12 benefits of being a freelance editor that I get to enjoy EVERY DAY.

How I Built Up My Freelance Editing Reputation

I used to get free books from authors I met online in exchange for my promise to write a book review for them.

I did this for many authors. Most of them were relatively unknown… but I really lucked out when the famous author, Lisa Jackson, saw that blog post, sent me a Tweet, and then took me up on this offer!

I was thrilled when she sent me an autographed book because she has been one of my favorite authors for years!

Lisa Jackson's autograph on my copy of "Tell Me"

While reading books published by authors I met online, I noticed that many of them didn’t have a good editor. I ended up editing their books for them!

At first, I did this for free. This is how I started to build my reputation as an editor. (Remember, I was an unknown editor back then!)

Why I Began to Diversify My Services to Focus on Freelance Editing

After editing for free for a while, I realized two things:

1: It takes a lot of time to edit a novel. (It takes longer to edit a novel than reading it does!)

2: My time was valuable. Read More

12 Benefits of Being a Freelance Editor

 

A picture of me as a freelance editor with a red editing pencil - for the article called 12 Benefits of Being a Freelance Editor

Almost everyone knows that I am a freelance editor.

(Yes, that’s really me in the picture, too!)

I love editing. I love words and I love making them perfect.

Every time I read something, I am constantly editing what I read. I can’t tell you how many books I have read in which I have found mistakes! I have often thought of contacting the editors at the publishing houses and informing them of the mistakes I found, but I have never taken action on doing that. I probably should.

Instead, I have decided to offer my editing services to others as a freelance editor. I’ve been doing this since 2014… and I love it!

I love the freelance lifestyle and all that it offers. In particular, I love the benefits of being a freelance editor.

Here are 12 benefits I enjoy as a freelance editor:

Editor Benefit #1: I can work at home.

I live in a city that has very cold weather for the majority of the year. For about five or six months of the year, we have snow and sub-zero temperatures. For that reason, I like staying indoors. The freelance editing lifestyle I lead allows me to work from home. Not having to commute to work is an excellent benefit for me!

Editor Benefit #2: I can set my own hours.

We all have schedules in our lives that we generally follow, but no one has my exact schedule. I often work in the wee hours of the morning, when it is super quiet.

I like being a freelance editor because I can work whenever I want.

Editor Benefit #3: I get paid to learn new things.

Depending on the type of book that I am editing, I often learn new things. For example, in the last book I edited, I learned what drag litters were. For those of you who don’t know, drag litters are fashioned out of tent poles that are lashed to the sides of a horse with the opposite ends dragging on the ground, which are attached to some kind of platform that can be used to transport gear such as tents and food or to transport injured people.

Sometimes I even learn new words. Just because I am a freelance editor does not mean that I know every single word in the dictionary!

Sometimes I learn other things, too, depending upon the subject matter of the book I am editing. When I edit non-fiction books, I reap the benefits of learning whatever it is the author is teaching others. Being allowed to read such things for free is an honor. And even better than reading them for free is the fact that I get paid to read them!

Editor Benefit #4: I get to keep my skills sharp.

I am a certified English teacher by trade, and doing freelance editing allows me to constantly use my skills. As a result, my skills never wane. Instead, they are kept sharp by the constant work that I do.

Editor Benefit #5: I don’t have to look for work.

Many freelance writers and editors often struggle with finding work. Not me. I have never looked for a freelance editing job! Instead, people come to me.

The reason they come to me is that I have received excellent testimonials from others. While I initially offered free editing services in my attempts to market myself as a freelance editor, I now simply respond to emails I receive and give a sample edit to those potential clients. If they like my work, then they will hire me (as long as they can afford me!), which is usually the case.

I’m also listed in this hugely popular list of book editors. Many of my clients have mentioned that they found me there. (Thanks again, Dave!)

Because editing books is a time-consuming process, when I accept a huge editing gig, it generally means that I am going to be busy and employed for at least 2 or 3 months.

Generally, during that time, I receive inquiries about other editing gigs and so I schedule them for when I am finished my current one. That way, I never have to look for work! It is already lined up for me! Read More

How to Make Money as a Writer (Infographic)

How to Make Money as a Writer in 2018

People wonder if freelancing is a lucrative career or if they can make money from writing.

I know many freelancers who support themselves simply by writing, so the answer is YES!

YOU CAN EARN A LIVING FROM WRITING!

There are the tons of people who contributed to my “Freelancer in the Spotlight” series. They ALL make a living from freelance writing!

And I’m sure you’ve heard the stories about all the bloggers who make a million dollars a minute or the copywriters who are able to write from their second home in Mexico? You see their friendly faces in advertisements that pop up in your Facebook feed, promising to give you instant riches if you just sign up to a program for a gazillion dollars a month.

But you don’t need to take their programs. You can take ones that have been PROVEN to work.

Take Elna Cain, for example. She teaches others how to make a living from freelance writing. (Look at her course, How to Write Your Way to Your First 1K.)

Then there’s Gina Horkey. She teaches people how to achieve freelancing success in 30 DAYS OR LESS! She also teaches people how to make a living from being a virtual assistant… also in 30 days or less!

Can you do both? Sure, you can!

There are many opportunities to make money as a writer in 2018. You just need to know where to look!

Opportunities for Writers in 2018 and Beyond

From blogging and copywriting to editing and freelancing, there are jobs to suit all different types of writing skill and interest.

The infographic by Global English Editing (below) shows you all the opportunities you have as a writer in 2018 and beyond. It provides you with a detailed summary of your options, as well as examples of just how those successful writers make their money consistently.

You will notice that blogging is mentioned too. That’s because blogging is a means to an end (the end being MAKING MONEY, of course)!

You might enjoy the related posts:

7 Common Blunders to Avoid when Business Blogging

Blogging Resources + How To Start a Blog (if you don’t already have one)

The Essence of Blogging (+ How to Earn Money Online)

Whatever you do, you’ll be able to find the path that feels right for you and venture down it. And who knows where it will take you? With a lot of hard work, it might just be all the way to that second home in Mexico. 😉

Read More

Why Copywriting Really is an Art

Why Copywriting Really is an Art

I always pay attention to is the quality of the writing of the people I am talking to!
I can never shut off my inner editor!

Words Matter

Have you ever considered the written content of a website or an email? Copywriting really is an art when you consider the burden that is placed on its shoulders because it is used as part of a marketing strategy. This will mean that it has to work in a particular way, but it also has to deliver a message that will result in people taking action?

When words are delivered in such a way, they grip the reader and they make them want to behave in the desired way – this is exactly why it is an important tool in the marketing world.

Copywriting is huge. In fact, its importance should not be underestimated because the biggest businesses in the world rely on it to work for them. When they require a creative message that they want to be delivered to their customers, they simply use a copywriter. Read More