Are editing jobs on your radar, but you’re not sure where to begin?
Do you get a buzz from fine-tuning bloated paragraphs so they hammer home the writer’s message?
Does your heart sing at the thought of waving goodbye to the 9 ‘til 5 and living the digital nomad lifestyle with a diverse and fulfilling career?
Then freelance editing could be exactly what you’re looking for!
This post will walk you through what it entails, how much you can earn, and where to find work, even if you have minimal editing experience.
Let’s dive in.
What Do Freelance Editing Jobs Involve?
As a freelance editor, you’ll improve content for readability or visual appeal.
You’re essentially a fixer-upper, helping content live up to its full potential.
Editorial tasks include:
- Restructuring a piece so the points flow in a more pleasing or persuasive manner
- Ensuring the brand or author’s tone is consistent throughout
- Tidying up grammatical errors and language inconsistencies
- Taming unwieldy syntax
It may also involve rewriting sections to:
- Add more value
- Improve SEO
- Better serve the reader
Exceptional editors have both writing and editing skills, helping them get ahead of the competition and command higher rates. So, if you’re already a professional freelance writer, you have an unfair advantage.
What Editing is Not
Proofreading and editing are two different roles.
Editors look at the big picture, while proofreaders are razor-sharp grammar checkers.
Editing roles can involve proofreading serivces, so it’s helpful to be an all-around word nerd, but it isn’t essential.
That said, online proofreading jobs still pay a pretty penny and are worth looking into if becoming an editor isn’t exactly your jam.
The TLDR; a proofreading job and an editing job are similar but different — proofreading focus on the nitty-gritty grammar details while editing looks at content (including grammar) through a wider lens.
What Kind of Editing Jobs are There?
The world of editing is rich and diverse.
Whether you want to edit for the world of academia, publishing, business, or for print or the web, there’s a freelance editor job up for grabs.
And there’s a huge demand for your editing services if you’re a:
- Copy editor
- Content editor
- Social media editor
- Photo editor
- Video content editor
- Book editor
If you’re not an English language all-star, focusing on types of content editing such as photo, audio, and video editing could be your way into this dynamic field.
Do Editors Make Good Money?
ZipRecruiter reports the average annual pay for an Online Editor in the United States is $52,107 a year.
A deeper dive into the figures reveals annual salaries as high as $104,000 and as low as $19,500. The majority of online editor jobs pay between $31-57,000, suggesting that opportunities are ripe for advancement and increased pay based on skill level and experience.
In other words, the more of an experienced editor you are, the more money you’ll bring in.
Learn more about getting paid in The Definitive Guide to Freelance Contracts, Invoices, & Taxes.
Ready to find a lucrative online editing job?
It’s time to hit the job sites!
The Top 17 Sites for Online Editing Jobs
Whether you’re looking for part-time academic editing, a full-time remote editing job, or anything in between, our curated list will help you find your next job opportunity.
1. Freelancer
Freelancer connects businesses with freelancers.
Start by setting up a free account. Add work samples to show off your skills, and then bid on editing jobs. When your bids are accepted, do the work and get paid.
Don’t be discouraged by low-paying jobs initially.
Build your credibility, and apply for the Preferred Freelancer program to enjoy daily invitations to high-paying jobs from Freelancer’s dedicated recruitment team.
2. FlexJobs
Flexjobs is similar to Freelancer with one key difference: they vet all of the job postings so that you only see the very best freelance and remote opportunities. Whether you’re an assistant editor, senior editor, or the Editor-in-Chief, Flexjobs makes it easy to find editing jobs.
Their professional career coaching and resume reviews will help level up your application. And their in-depth employer research will ensure you only apply to the companies you really want to work with.
3. Cambridge Proofreading and Editing LLC
If editing academic papers and business communications sets your heart alight, blaze a trail to Cambridge Proofreading and Editing. They do the nitty-gritty by linking you up with job proposals, allowing you to focus solely on the editing.
You’re in control of your schedule, and a full spectrum of academic subjects are covered allowing you to work on projects you’re passionate about.
4. The Muse
The Muse believes the key to job satisfaction is aligning your values with those of the company you work for. To aid you, they provide a regularly updated job board (featuring roles from startups to Fortune 500 companies), careers advice, and detailed information about every company’s culture.
Searching their job postings is easy. Type in your preferred job title (e.g. “managing editor”), and set the location to “flexible/remote” to see all of the roles available right now.
5. Reedsy
If booking editing has always been a dream of yours, become a Reedsy editor!
They’re selective about who they let in, so you’ll need to sign up and apply. If you’re accepted, you’ll work with best-selling authors and publishers, and you’ll be in control of your rates.
Their free courses and tools will help you improve your skills and get the job done with ease.
6. Wordvice
Wordvice helps ESL (English as a Second Language) students achieve their goals. You’ll edit essays, theses, and term papers for mechanical issues, grammar, and improved readability whilst maintaining the author’s voice and meaning.
A fast turnaround time is expected, along with a bachelor’s degree, working knowledge of popular style guides, and 2 years of professional editing experience. In return, Wordvice promises a steady flow of work, flexibility, and ongoing training and feedback.
7. Scribendi
Scribendi’s editors work on all kinds of written material within academia, business, and publishing.
Freelancing can be lonely, but that needn’t be the case. Scribendi’s online forums encourage you to interact with other freelancers and their in-house staff.
Apply if you’re a fast working native English speaker, have a relevant degree, and 3 years of experience. In return, you’ll get the freedom to choose your projects and how many hours you work.
8. LinkedIn
If you’re not on LinkedIn, you’re missing out! Once you’ve opened an account, turn on the “open to work” feature, link up with everyone you know, and gear your profile towards landing editing jobs.
LinkedIn also has a jam-packed job board. To find remote editing jobs, simply select “remote” from the drop-down location menu in the search box.
9. Scribbr
Want to help students graduate? At Scribbr you’ll edit students’ work to enhance the language, structure, and clarity while coaching them to become better writers.
Scribbr provides a vibrant community online via Slack, and at offline meet-ups, so you can geek out over the Oxford comma in good company.
Scribbr editors are expected to have a bachelor’s degree and be available at least 10 hours per week. On the plus side, the average Scribbr editor earns €20-€25 (22.50 – 28.00 USD) editing 1,700 words an hour.
Sounds too fast? Don’t worry! Scribbr provides training and software to supercharge your workflow.
10. Writer Access
Writer Access connects companies to top-tier freelancers.
They’re choosey, so you’ll need to apply by setting up a free profile. Only 50 freelancers in each category are allowed to join, so get in quick. Here’s a full list of creative professionals they’re looking for.
The good news? Editors are in demand!
Once accepted, you’ll get the opportunity to work with some fantastic companies. If you wow them, they’ll add you to their “love-list,” giving you first choice on future gigs.
11. CareerBuilder
Search and apply for jobs in seconds on CareerBuilder.
Upload your resume, find the role you want, and use the Quick Apply feature to fire off an application.
They list openings for copy editing, video content editing jobs, and more.
Their free resources will help you boost your skills and provide detailed salary information. Discover how much others in your dream role are earning and what you need to do to get those higher rates.
12. Jobs For Editors
Jobs For Editors is a great place for beginners to cut their teeth and get paid to learn. You don’t need a degree nor be a native English speaker. They even train you so you know exactly how to edit the texts.
You could be editing academic papers, resumes, business plans, and more. Choose your area of expertise or do a bit of everything, the choice is yours.
They pay twice monthly and award bonuses for competency and speed.
13. Freelance Writing Jobs
Don’t be put off by the name, Freelance Writing Jobs has opportunities for editors too!
With new openings being posted daily, keep checking back to find the gig you’ve been waiting for to get your editing career off the ground.
Set up by writers for writers (and editors), they support the community by sharing a wealth of information for both the seasoned freelancer and beginners alike. You’ll find business advice, get help setting up your online editing portfolio and receive job hunting tips.
14. Guru
Guru connects employers with freelancers, including freelance editors. Their job search function is easy to use and fully customizable, with options to narrow your search based on payment terms, how many quotes they’ve received, etc.
Guru boasts the lowest freelancer fees in the industry and helps take the pain out of being paid with SafePay. Employers fund the shared account before work starts. Then, when the work’s complete and the employer’s happy, the funds will be released to you.
15. Kibin
Kibin’s committed to helping students become better writers. Their editors improve essays while maintaining the integrity of the student’s voice and offering suggestions to help expand or streamline their ideas.
It’s easy to get started. Just sign up, and take their pre-timed test to prove your mettle.
Kibin welcomes everyone to apply, especially if you’re in a different time zone to the US/Canada or are available for overnight hours.
16. Polished Paper
Polished Paper edits a variety of documents from academic papers to screenplays. Consequently, they hire editors from diverse backgrounds covering a wide range of fields, including business, nursing, and science.
If you have an excellent mastery of the English language and the expertise to buff up a rough diamond, register and take their 35 question editor test. Applicants are encouraged to use resources such as popular style guides (available for free download here).
17. Remote.co
Remote.co shares “all things remote work.” You’ll learn about companies hiring remote workers, get your questions answered by peers, browse useful online courses (many of which are free), and find remote jobs.
Many of the editing gigs listed here are permanent and contract positions, but every one of them is a remote job. Experience is often required so be sure to have a robust portfolio; if you haven’t got it in years, prove it with ability.
How Do You Get a Job Editing?
When you’re a beginner it can be hard to know how to open the door to a new career.
The good news is that anyone with the passion and know-how can make money editing just as easy as they can make money writing.
Begin by honing your skills and creating a portfolio. Edit content for colleagues, friends and family to showcase your abilities.
Next, launch your own website! Decide what you want to edit, share your portfolio, and include a contact form to start receiving leads.
Don’t sit around twirling your red pen, though. Be proactive and leverage social media sites like LinkedIn to advertise your services.
Consider joining ACES Society for Editing or the Editorial Freelancers Association for a supportive community of fellow editors, job opportunities and tips on how to improve.
Start Finding Online Editing Jobs Today!
Now that you know exactly what editing jobs are and where to find freelance work, it’s time to turn your passion for reading and reshaping clunky text into a fulfilling, well-paid career.
Sign up to a few of the job sites, set up a job alert, win some gigs, sharpen your editing skills, and build your online presence.
Once you gain some experience, those kick-ass editing jobs will be flying in thick and fast.
Who knows, you may even find yourself heading up a team of writers or editing the next Pulitzer.
Go ahead, find your dream job today!
