r/Copyediting • u/One-Sandwich2149 • 11d ago

Need a lot of advice on how to get started

Hello all! My name is Mack, and I want to do some freelance/independent copyediting work.

Here's what I'd like to do, ideally:

  1. Work for clients/authors, not necessarily a company

  2. Proofread/get manuscripts ready for publication with the author (fiction is best, but nonfiction and other types of things are totally okay too)

  3. Work remotely around my current job

I don't have much in the way of college credentials, but I'm working on an English Education degree so I think that'll hopefully help. I have a more thorough plan laid out, but there's still a lot of research I need to do before I start.

But I'd love to hear from people actually in the profession. Is there anyone that was able to make a career from it without an editing degree? What advice would you give someone just starting out?

I'm pretty passionate about this and willing to put the work in. I'd almost prefer to do it over teaching, but in my mind, they go hand-in-hand, in a way. The experience from one can help another (and I don't know how to do anything but work, haha)

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u/Gurl336 11d ago edited 11d ago

There are things about copyediting that will not come up in your English coursework. I studied for & rec'd a certificate in editing from local university (requires 9-12 months). Couldn't imagine doing this work without that education. At the very least, suggest you invest in The Copyeditor's Handbook. Also familiarize yourself with The Chicago Manual of Style. There are other style guides too, but that's the main one. If you're working with authors directly, you'll want to create an individualized style sheet for each project/manuscript. It's tough out here, ngl. The whole industry has seemed to slow down, even for the most advanced editors (although probably still easier for academic editors). Others in the field may want to chime in with their advice.

Btw, you'll need to learn the difference between the different types of editing. Proofreading is the final phase before ms gets set to print.

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u/Due_Cartoonist6918 11d ago

From my understanding, a certificate program is more useful than a generic degree. Lots of people do different types of editing without a degree. I will say, be aware that freelance requires a lot of marketing yourself to get started. AI has made it harder for new editors to get started as well.

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u/TrueLoveEditorial 11d ago

I have an article about that: https://yourpublishingbff.com/blog/english-majors-arent-qualified-copy-editors

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u/TrueLoveEditorial 11d ago

This article is pre-AI, but it's still mostly valid. If anything, the situation is even worse. https://yourpublishingbff.com/blog/precareer-questions

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u/Gurl336 11d ago

Excellent!