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