How to Work From Home as a Proofreader

Last Updated on October 24, 2023 by Lori Pace

We’re taking a look at the exciting world of online jobs (or working from home – as we call it), and in this article, we explore the best proofreading jobs. Do you feel like you’re the human version of Grammarly? Do you need to read your writing assignments repeatedly to make sure every word and comma is perfect? 

Are you bothered after reading a blog post or even a news article that has far too many typos? Do you enjoy finding all of those typos? Do you also have a keen eye for attention to detail? 

Well, if your answer was yes to all of these questions, then proofreading may be the perfect job for you! 

What do Proofreaders do?

The proofreader is the final set of eyes that view an article, a book, a blog post, and any other forms of writing material before being released to the public. It is the proofreader’s job to make sure that there are no mistakes, like spelling errors or grammar errors, and even the sentence structure needs to be perfect. 

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, online proofreading is a job in demand due to increased online business. Now that many jobs are moving towards working from home, this may be the perfect time to consider starting your career as a proofreader who works from home! 

Requirements to be a Proofreader 

You do not need a qualification to be a proofreader (Uhm… WOW!), but if you do have a degree in English, writing, editing, or a specific field, it may be advantageous. 

An important requirement of a proofreader is to have proficient writing and editing skills. The proofreaders are tasked with finding spelling mistakes, typos, incorrect grammar, missing punctuation, inconsistent layout, and ensuring that the reading experience is enjoyable and nothing is ruining it. An online proofreading course may help you perfect your skills and gain a proofreading certificate that will help you secure a job.

Experience as a proofreader will also be advantageous but not essential as some online proofreading jobs accept applicants who do not have experience. That being said, if you do have the experience, you are more likely to get hired in the first place, but if you can prove to your client that you can provide the best results and keep the client happy, which is what matters the most. 

Finding your Niche 

There are various styles and layouts used across many professions and different types of print. For example, a news article about Flu remedies will have a completely different style and tone than a romance novel. Therefore, it makes sense to have a proofreader whose niche is news articles. 

Choosing your niche as a proofreader will give you an advantage as it allows you to focus on a specific industry and eventually master it. There are a variety of niches professional proofreaders can choose from, some include; 

• News articles 
• Essays
• Website pages
• Court reports 
• Transcripts 

How Much do Proofreaders Make?

A freelance proofreads national average annual salary is $51,391 and an hourly rate of approximately $25. 

5 Websites for Working From Home Proofreading Jobs

Domanite.com

Domanite.com is the best option for a beginner proofreader looking to gain experience, but they are among the lowest-paying freelance options. This is a good start if you have no experience as a proofreader and you are battling to get your foot in the door.

To apply, you will need to fill out a Freelance Writing Job Hire Form, and this form includes you submitting a writing or editing sample and basic contact information. 

Visit the Domanite.com website for more information.

Word Advice 

Word Advice began in 2013 and has since worked for 570 medical centers, universities, research institutes, and many other institutions. They pride themselves on achieving customer loyalty through customer satisfaction. 

Word Advice requires all applicants to have a minimum of 2 years of proofreading experience. All applicants will also need to have a graduate degree or are currently enrolled and working towards gaining their graduate degree. 

 Visit the Word Advice website for more information.  

Scribe Media

This website assists with writing and marketing books as they believe that everyone has a story to tell, and they want to support those that would like to share theirs. They’ve also been recognized as one of the best companies to work for in America! (Incredible!)

When joining Scribe Media as a proofreader, you have the option of either joining them as a full-time or a freelance proofreader. To apply for a position, you will need to keep an eye on the Career page on their website.

Visit the Scribe Media website for more information.  

ProofreadingPal

What sets ProofreadingPal apart from other proofreading services is its two-editor approach to ensure they produce the best and most accurate work for their clients. ProofreadingPals ensures their employees are experienced and have the necessary qualifications to deliver customer satisfaction. 

ProofreadingPal applicants will need to either be enrolled as a graduate or a postgraduate at an accredited US university or college. Your GPA needs to be a minimum of 3.5 and have a minimum of 5 years of proofreading and editing work experience. ProofreadingPal employees earn between $500 to $3,000 per month. 

Visit the ProofreadingPal website for more information. 

CACTUS 

CACTUS is a niche orientated proofreading service, and they request their proofreaders have a degree in the fields that they are interested in proofreading or editing. The fields included are; biology, physics, engineering, medicine, humanities, and pharmaceuticals. 

CACTUS has been in the Top 20 Companies with Remote Jobs for the past 3 years. (GO CACTUS!) With CACTUS, you have the option of becoming a full-time proofreader; this can be a remote position or a freelance proofreader. 

Visit the CACTUS website for more information. 

Recent Home Proofreader Job Posts 

Freelance Editor: Word Advice

Duties:

• Make revisions while maintaining the original meaning of the work 
• Proofread and edit admissions essays, academic papers, and other documents ensuring there are no grammatical errors 
• Ensure work has a natural flow of communication
• Make marginal comments and notes to explain revision and an overall comment on the work.
• Meet deadlines
• Communicate and assist clients 

Skills and Qualifications Required: 

• Proficient English 
• Completed a graduate degree program or currently enrolled in one
• At least 2 years of proofreading experience
• Understanding of different formatting styles
• A keen eye for attention to detail 
• Passionate about writing and editing
• Driven and self-motivated

To apply for the Freelance Editor position or to view more information, click here. 

Scribe (Ghostwriter)

Duties:

• Writing 
• Editing 
• Interviewing 
• Woking on book projectors for approximately 4 months

Skills and Qualifications Required: 

• You need to be a great writer and editor with excellent experience.
• High-level book experience as a booking agent, at a publishing house, or even experience, writing your own book.
• Good people skills for the interviewing process, there is a lot of interaction with authors, so you will need good communication and interviewing skills. 
• Organized and have a keen eye for attention to detail.

To apply for Scribe (Ghostwriter) position or to view more information, click here. 

Freelance Proofreader/Editor: ProofreadingPal

Duties:

• Meeting deadlines
• Proofreading and editing documents including; academic documents, business documents, books, manuscripts, personal documents, resumes, and also cover letters. 

Skills and Qualifications Required:

• Graduate, postgraduate or enrolled in an accredited US college or university
• Minimum GPA of 3.5
• Minimum of 5 years of proofreading and editing experience 
• Google search skills
• Knowledge of writing styles
• Time management skills 

To apply for the Freelance Proofreader/Editor position to view more information, click here.

Freelance Editor: CACTUS

Duties:

• Editing and proofreading STEM papers with scientific English used
• Formatting manuscripts as stated by target academic journal when necessary  
• Adhere to subject-specific conventions

Skills and Qualifications Required:

• Bachelors, Masters or Ph.D. degree
• Specialized in either; biology, physics, engineering, medicine, humanities, and pharmaceuticals
• Proficient English
• Excellent editing skills
• Editing experience is advantageous but not required

To apply for the Freelance Editor position to view more information, click here. 

3 Tips for Proofreaders Working From Home

Refresh your Skills 

Take advantage of all available resources, like free online proofreading courses that will also help sharpen skills. 

Make use of Grammarly. 

There are days where you may miss a few grammatical errors; you are human after all but thank the internet for Grammarly! Therefore, using Grammarly will ensure that you don’t miss any minor errors in your work. 

Make use of Ginger

Ginger is a tool similar to Grammarly; however, it does pick up more advanced issues and is definitely worth using as a proofreader. 

In conclusion, there are tons of working from home jobs, and if proofreading is not for you, try searching for online bookkeeping jobs and more.