Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
If your home business is doing well or if you are thinking of expanding, you may want to invest in hiring a part-time freelance proofreader. This person usually has credentials that include a bachelor's degree in English, journalism, or communication as well as several years of experience in proofing business or professional documents.
A proofreader usually finds and corrects surface errors in a document's grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Content errors, on the other hand, have to do with the meaning or style of a written document, and an editor more often handles these changes. However, the two roles can overlap, so when hiring a proofreader, be sure to specify exactly what you want him or her to do with the written work you provide for review. For example, do you want the proofer merely to find errors or do you prefer that these be corrected?
The pay for a proofreader can vary depending on the region where you live and the person's experience. A typical hourly rate is $12 to $15, but it can go higher, especially with impressive credentials or many years of experience. Find out ahead of time how much a proofer will charge and then get an estimate for each project, especially until you find out how well the person handles the task.
A proofreader should be familiar with and make use of conventional proofreaders' marks. These can be found in many dictionaries or style guides. If an alternate marking system is used, be sure you know what it is. In some cases a mark may become a matter of preference, like the serial comma that journalists prefer to omit.
Get a sense of where your writing weaknesses are in terms of grammar or spelling and punctuation. Then ask the proofreader to mark a document for errors and omissions. Check the work to see if you agree, and if not, try to understand why not. If you have asked the proofer to correct your materials, you may want to read them over again to get a feel of whether they are truly accurate. You can even ask the proofer to explain why something was changed.
Proofreaders may be able to work online. That is, you can send a document for review by email and then receive it the same way when it is finished. Be sure to find out ahead of time how long the proofreader estimates it will take to complete a certain work. Then you should work out payment arrangements via PayPal or another method to ensure timely paying of invoices that the person may send after completing each job.
Hiring a proofreader can help to remove errors from office documents and forms, ensuring greater accuracy. This becomes even more important when sending information to a client, such as a letter or a product description. Annual summaries or reports also should be accurate and error-free, as government officials or other businesses in addition to customers may read these.
A good proofreader or editor often can quickly scan your writing for weaknesses and correct them promptly. Why not locate a proofreader to help you make the most of the written word in your business?
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