Do you have editing skills? If so, consider a freelance editing career: editors are in high demand, and if you promote yourself effectively you will get hired both by writers and by publishing companies.
As publishing companies cut back on staff, I've noticed that more freelance editing jobs are being advertised on the outsourcing sites.
This can be an opportunity for you. If companies are advertising on the outsourcing sites, it means that they're desperate. Usually they'd hire people they know, so all you have to do to get unadvertised editing jobs is to become someone that they know.
Try this process.
1. What Specialties Do You Have?
Firstly consider your specialties. Publishing houses need specialists when they hire editors. If you've been writing articles for parenting magazines for example, you can consider yourself a specialist in parenting topics. Therefore, approach publishing houses which publish parenting books. Parenting is an extremely wide field, with many opportunities.
2. Make Contacts Via Social Networking
A freelance editor friend told me that she got her last three editing jobs via Twitter.
The social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook have become hugely popular in the past few months. They're being used as serious tools by companies.
Big tip: before you start using these sites, do ensure that you have a Web site of your own which describes the work that you do. If possible add testimonials; testimonials are vital because they offer social proof of your skills.
3. Approach Writers Directly
Every professional writer knows that one of the benefits of working with large publishing houses is that you get to work with great editors. An experienced editor can turn a rough-diamond manuscript into a sparking gem.
Many writers hire freelance editors to help them to get their books ready for publication, because nowadays, a book has to be as near ready for publication as possible even before it's sent to an agent or a publisher.
You can make contact with writers easily: approach them through their Web sites. Ensure that any writers you contact have been published by a traditional publisher; professional writers understand the value of good editors.
3. Get Testimonials -- They're Vital
We've already said that you need testimonials, but it bears repeating, because if you don't have testimonials, you'll find it very hard to get work.
Here's how to get testimonials: complete some jobs on the outsourcing sites, solely with the aim of getting testimonials for your work. It's well worth the effort.
Follow Angela Booth on Twitter
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