So you want to set up as a home-based freelance
proofreader? Great!
Proofreading is in many respects the ideal home-based
business. You can work any time that suits you,
perhaps fitting it around domestic commitments. You
can start part-time and go full-time later if you
wish. And while you won't make a fortune, you can
certainly make a very good living.
Few special tools or equipment are required to set up
as a proofreader. The following are really all you
need to get started:
* You will need a supply of colored pens (red, blue
and black) for marking up proofs. Modern gel ink pens
are ideal for this, though good-quality fiber-tips and
the more expensive ballpoints which will not trail
blobs of ink are also acceptable.
* Pencils are needed for writing queries on proofs.
For example, if the author spells another writer's
name as LARSSON in the main text but LARSSEN in the
bibliography, you will need to put a note on the
proofs that the correct spelling should be confirmed
with the author.
* You will also need a good-sized desk or table on
which to work. The kitchen table might be OK at first,
but it is much better to have your own desk where you
will not have to clear away all your papers when
mealtimes come around! Try to put your desk near a
source of natural light. Especially if you plan to
work at night or in the evenings, a good quality
reading lamp (preferably an angle-poise which can be
adjusted into a wide range of positions) is highly
recommended.
* Together with the desk, you will also need a comfy
chair, preferably with a padded seat and adjustable
height and backrest. A plain dining room chair is
likely to become uncomfortable after long periods,
interfering with your concentration.
* You should also have a telephone so that publishers
can contact you with offers of work and you can call
them with any queries. As soon as your budget will
stretch to it, a telephone answering machine will
ensure that you never miss out on work due to being
away from home. Alternatively, your telephone service
provider may offer a voicemail service you can use
when you are out.
* You will need a good dictionary. Not only will
dictionaries help you with spellings, they also advise
on correct usage, capitalization, italicization, and
so on. Don't be tempted to economize here -- any
dictionary you obtain should have at least 150,000
word definitions. Shorter dictionaries (e.g. pocket
and student editions) are simply not good enough.
* Other reference books. If you intend to seek work
in a specialist area of publishing such as medicine or
the law, a dictionary of the relevant specialist terms
will be an asset. You may also find it useful to
purchase some basic guides to grammar and punctuation.
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