How to Become a Proofreader and Work Anywhere

Proofreading is a very popular way to earn money at home or wherever you wish, so lots of people are wondering how to become a proofreader and work anywhere you want.

Most proofreaders are freelancers, but they can also be employees of a company. Proofreaders can work at home, work while traveling or even proofread while living abroad.

As a proofreader you can earn a full-time income, or you can bring in some money on the side to pay the bills, put into savings or spend and enjoy.

Ideally, every written document, both print and digital, should be proofread by someone other than the writer because a second set of eyes can notice mistakes that the writer may not. The field of proofreading should be around for decades to come.

Here is how you can become a proofreader!

HOW TO BECOME A PROOFREADER

Proofreading definition:

Proofreading means carefully looking for and correcting errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation and sometimes formatting in written or digital documents.

What exactly do proofreaders proofread?

Proofreaders can be hired to proofread almost anything, including:

• books
• ebooks
• research papers
• website content
• business letters
• contracts
• magazines

+ many more types of print and digital documents.

How much do proofreaders earn?

Most proofreaders who proofread online are paid by the hour. Here are the average hourly rates for proofreaders in five different countries, according to PayScale.

The United States – 17.82 U.S. dollars per hour

Australia – 25.95 Australian dollars per hour

India – 400 Rupees per hour

The United Kingdom – 18.25 British pounds per hour

Canada – 20 Canadian dollars per hour

The Philippines -101.74 Philippine pesos per hour

What qualities does a successful proofreader need?

If you’re interested in earning money as a proofreader, it helps if you:

• have a love of reading
• have a love words
• are good at spotting errors
• are detail oriented

What proofreading skills does a successful proofreader need?

Some proofreading skills may come naturally to many people. You can take proofreading training to teach you skills that you don’t possess.

Proofreaders need:

• to have excellent spelling, grammar and punctuation skills
• to be a native or completely fluent speaker of the language you are proofreading
• familiarity with the vernacular of the text. For example, if proofreading medical, legal or technical documents, you should be at least somewhat familiar with the jargon.

Suggested reading: 10 proofreading tips 

How can I learn proofreading skills?

There are many proofreading courses on the internet. If you’re serious about earning money proofreading – either full time or as a side hustle – you should be serious about getting the right training.

The right training can set you on the path to have as much proofreading online work as you want or need. You’ll also be able to set your rates to match your high level of skill.

The most popular proofreading training – completed by thousands of successful proofreaders – is the Proofread Anywhere online training course. To learn more about this course, listen to their free webinar here.

How can I find proofreading online jobs?

Maybe you want to earn money proofreading from home. Maybe you want to travel the world and earn money while you’re traveling. Maybe you want to move to another country. When you’re a freelance proofreader, you’ll be working on the internet, so you can work anywhere you want.

There are lots of places online where you can find proofreading jobs. Just a few of these are:

• Upwork
• Fiverr
• Freelancer
• LinkedIn Jobs

Freelance proofreading is a great way to earn money working for yourself if you have what it takes. Now that you know how to become a proofreader, don’t hesitate to start if this is what you want to do.

Want to learn more about freelancing? Enroll in my free 7-lesson mini-course Get on the Right Path to Freelancing here. 

Cover image by PourquoiPas