Finding a Freelancer
Find a freelancer who will love your work
So, you think you're in a good place with your work and you're ready to take the next step. You've spent hours Googling where to find an online proofreader to help you finalise some of the finer details and you're drawing a blank.
The truth is, there are lots of places to find a competent editor or high-end proofreading services and it can be a bit mind-blowing if you don't know exactly what you're looking for.
In the editing and writing fields, freelancing sites can get a bad rap. And it's true, you can find people there who are willing to do the worst job for the lowest price. But actually, freelancing websites can throw up some real gems too, you just need to know what to look for when hunting for the best editing skills.
How Can I Trust a Freelance Proofreader?
A ‘freelancer' on a website such as Fiverr or PeoplePerHour, is someone that sells their services for a set fee. Some of them are trained professionals, experts in written content, whilst others are just earning a little extra cash proofreading or writing on the side. What you need to do is separate the ‘haves' from the ‘have nots.'
The First Things to Look For with a Freelancer
Star Rating
This is the most obvious way to tell if someone is trustworthy or not when it comes to editing and I'm sure it's the first thing you thought of too. Check out an editor's reviews on whichever website you choose. Don't just go for rating either. Having a perfect 5-star rating can actually be a sign of a novice editor.
Sure 5 stars seems great on the face of it, but what if they only have one review that just happens to be a 5-star? Most freelancing websites offering proofreading or copy editing will only display the overall rating as an average of all reviews. Having one 5-star will still show that person as a top-rated proofreader even though they've only had a single person that was happy with the work so far. Having a 4.9-star rating over 200 reviews shows that 199 people were happy with that person's service.
Look for a freelancer with good reviews and a positive attitude
Responses
The next step is to see how they respond to those odd few clients that left a bad review. Their responses when things don't go to plan really say a lot about that person and there's a lot of ways they can go:
Ignorance
You can tell that an editor is a novice if their response displays a lack of understanding for the client's issue. If a client has written a negative review and the editor responds with a simple ‘sorry,' this usually means that they don't really understand the issue.
Arrogance
Arrogance is the worst form of review response, and frankly, a person that you want to avoid. These editors feel that they know what's best for the work and won't accept the writer's opinion. They're there to make suggestions for excellent writing based on experience but should never tell the client that they're wrong for disagreeing.
You might see an arrogant editor say something like, ‘the way I've done it sounds better, so I don't agree with your review.' While they might think this, a good editor will work out the kinks and see it through with you so you're totally happy.
No Response
Negative reviews should always receive a response to acknowledge the dissatisfaction and work towards a resolution. An editor that doesn't respond to negativity gives the impression that once they've delivered your project and you've paid, then it's no longer their problem. A professional editor cares about your work, work on any errors and will continue to communicate until you're satisfied.
Set up a call or meeting with your editor or proofreader
Profile & Qualifications of a Freelance Proofreader
All editors and proofreaders, no matter which freelancing site you choose, will have a bio or homepage that displays their skills. This is how you determine whether the editor is a professional, or just someone who's looking for a little extra to line their pockets.
A professional will generally have completed courses or have qualifications within their field, which they'll display on their profile. This shows that they spend time progressing their career and are likely to have more expertise, excellent attention to detail and the ability to write themselves. A freelance proofreader with extra qualifications will provide and error free final draft because they care about the writing and intend to further their career based on your positive feedback.
Job Offers
Have a browse over their job offers. Each freelancing site will have a minimum job description where you can buy services for a set fee. Take a look through what's on offer. It should describe in detail what services they offer, lay out their responsibilities and what the final product will look like. They're also likely to state their areas of expertise. Make sure what they offer is what you need. If they offer a proofreading service, just looking at spelling, grammar, punctuation and language use, but you want a critique of your work, then they're probably not going to be the right one for you.
Also look at how the offers are written. If they're written badly, with spelling errors then they might not be right either. If they can't provide edits for their own writing, how are they going to do a good job of yours?
Website
Lastly, does the editor have any portfolio pieces on offer? Most professional editors will have pieces available that they've written (much like this one), or that they've edited for others and have permission to display. These could be listed as part of their profile, or they could have a separate website with an online portfolio. If they have a dedicated website, it indicates that they're a professional in proofreading or copy editing circles and also acquire clients from elsewhere. That's great news, as it means they're serious about the work they do and take pride in it.
Freelancers are often flexible with their time
What's Next?
The next step is to actually make contact. And there are even more things to consider here.
Ask the right questions
You need to understand what type of editor they are. There are lots of different types of editors that can provide different levels of service. Ask what type of copy editing or proofreading they do and discuss timescales. You need to find someone that will do what you need in the time you need it. Also cost it out. Find out exactly what you're paying for. You don't want any nasty surprises if the work takes longer or is more than the editor originally quoted.
Provide the right information
Your editor isn't psychic. You need to make sure that they have all of the information about your writing to give you an accurate quote and timescale.
Make sure you send them:
- A copy of your work prior to commissioning them.
- A full explanation of exactly what you need from the project.
- What your desired outcome is.
- Your target audience.
- Your deadline.
Once your editor is fully informed of your expectations, they may ask you a few questions to help them along the way, which is great. It means they're serious about providing the best for your readers.
When you're using a freelancing site there's always an option to place an order right away without speaking to the editor. DON'T! Always use the contact options to communicate prior to placing your order. That way, both you and your editor are happy with the scope of the work, the deadline and the cost so you can move forward together.
