Beginning Editorial Services

Services the Beginning Freelance Editor Can Offer

Jul 5, 2007 Karen Reiser

Interested in freelance writing or editing? Do you have editorial experience? Consider offering these services on a freelance basis.

When marketing oneself as a freelance writer, there are many options to consider. After all, writers can offer a number of services to their clients, including copywriting, press release writing, resume writing, web content writing, just to name a few. However, writers should not overlook the possibility of offering editorial services as well. After all, if you have some editorial background or an eye for detail, this could become a profitable niche.

Freelance editors can work for magazines, newspapers, book publishing companies, and writers. This will require becoming familiar with a few style guides. You'll want frequent access to the Associated Press Stylebook and The Chicago Manual of Style to start out, and if you decide on a more technical niche, you may need others as well.

The following are a few editorial services a beginning freelance writer or editor can start out offering.

Copyediting

A previous article discussed the copyeditor's work in greater detail. This is most likely where a book or magazine publishing company will start you out as a new freelancer with possibilities for more advanced editing assignments later. Knowledge of grammar and style as well as a sharp eye are necessities for this position. The copyeditor will check a manuscript for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, and ensure consistency with industry standard style.

Line Editing

Some manuscripts require more work than others, and those needing more than a copyedit will receive a line edit. The line editor's work is similar to that of a copyeditor, but the edits made are a bit more invasive. The line editor will handle manuscripts that require heavy copyediting and edits on the sentence level like correcting excessive use of passive voice. The line editor will also look at the overall structure, flow, and readability of the manuscript and make recommendations for minor structural changes that improve the readability of the manuscript.

Proofreading

Many will use the term proofreader as one who make light edits, less than that of a copyeditor. However, in publishing, the proofreader reviews the typeset copy (either a hard copy or an electronic copy, usually in PDF format), often comparing it word for word with the manuscript to identify deviations. Proofreading, for some publishers, will also consist of checking the copy for minor punctuation or spelling errors, incorrect word breaks, widows (very short line at the top of a page), and orphans (a single word or part of a word at the end of a paragraph that is shorter than a paragraph indent). The proofreader is often the last person to see the copy before it goes to print.

These are a few editorial services you can offer clients as you begin freelance editing. As you become more experienced, clients may offer opportunities for more advanced editing projects and even more specialized technical projects.

The copyright of the article Beginning Editorial Services in Editing is owned by Karen Reiser. Permission to republish Beginning Editorial Services in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.