5 Things You Should Remember When Looking For Editing Jobs

Online editing is one of the most popular freelance careers and for a good reason. It is a flexible way to make extra cash and you are in control of every aspect of your job. If you are good with the language, you have a good chance to succeed in online writer jobs as an editor. With so much content generated for online consumption, the demand for highly experienced editors keeps on growing. If you have a good grasp of English grammar, you have a great opportunity to succeed in online editing.

This article explores some crucial tips collated from the best online editors to help get your editing career off the ground. Keep reading.

Learn An Editor’s Job Description
There are various misconceptions about editing which tarnish the good name of this profession. You see, most people believe editing is all about identifying errors in a text but this is wrong. Unlike in freelance proofreading jobs where proofreaders focus on grammatical mistakes, the work of an editor is broader.

As an online editor, you have to improve the overall quality of the text, enhance the language used, make expressions clearer, remove errors and inconsistencies and ensure the text has the desired impact. You have to align the overall structure of the work to create a bigger impact and this requires intense understanding of the writer’s objectives. As such, editing is more than just identifying errors.

It Takes More Than Writing to Become an Editor
Most writers believe they can edit their work and this inevitably leads to embarrassing mistakes. Well, it is understandable because every time you see a “copywriters needed” advert, clients will also add editing skills as a requirement for the job.

As a writer, your focus is mostly creative output and in most cases, you have no time to keep counterchecking what you have just written. The best writers experience bursts of creativity and keep going and as an editor, your work comes later in correcting grammatical mistakes and improving the overall structure of a text.

You Should Narrow Down Your Focus
Like with any other type of freelance writing jobs online from home, editing for a beginner is tough and you have to do any work that comes your way. As you grow in the industry, it is important to narrow your focus and specialize in a few niche areas. To excel as an editor, it is advisable to focus your energies on a specific area and build a reputation in that industry.

Networking is Crucial
Networking is important in online editing as it guarantees you always have work coming your way. Create a great LinkedIn profile and make sure you give your contacts to clients for referrals. Never lose a contact and instead create a database of potential clients.

Patience is the Rule of the Game
To succeed as an editor in content writing jobs, you have to resists the temptation to rush through a text to earn more. Spotting errors and inconsistencies in a written text takes time and you need to be patient. Patience is the most crucial quality of a great editor and it ensures you deliver perfect copy every time.

Use these tips to get your online editing career started and keep learning to progress further.