Anyone do proofreading from home??

[IntergalEGGticWalrus]

You might have read my thread about our dire financial situation, and about how I was considering doing nights as well as looking after the DSs full time. Anyway, DP has put his foot down and said I can't do nights because I'll be wrecked and we don;t need the money that badly (erm, we do, because otherwise we'll have nowhere to live)

So, he suggested proofreading. Why this didn't occur to me before, I'll never know. I used to work as a proofreader for a publishing firm, so I have relevant experience. I'd quite like to get into the music side of things if I can, as this is most relevant to me, but I'll happily read Bee Keepers Monthly or Spanner Enthusiasts Weekly if it earns us some wonga.

Where can I look for jobs? Are they as rare as rocking horse shit?

can't help on where to look, but have a friend who did this and most of her work came from contacts at her old firm - is this an option?

Try www.workingmums.co.uk or www.motheratwork.co.uk.

Also, I don't know how the proofreading market works, but I would suggest just writing to people and saying what you can do.

When i was doing freelance tech PR, I saw an ad in the local paper for a really junior PR person. I was much more qualified than what they needed, but I know that when people recruit, they usually leave it till the last minute and are short staffed. By writing to them and saying that I could help out while they found someone else, they hired me at my appropriate level.

So give it a go - just write to some companies you want to work for.

DP works for the same publishing firm (it's where we met) and is going to ask tomorrow if they have any stuff they need to outsource.

I will look through the papers, I just know though that there are some dodgy buggers about!

InergalEggticWalrus

What kind of things do you proof read and how much do you want to charge?

IEW - get a current(ish) copy of the Artists' and Writers' Yearbook (it's an annual publication). Practically every publisher in the UK is listed in there. Pick some you like the look of and get your CV out to them (ring first to see who to send it to and try to get their attention a bit). There is plenty of work out there - if you have any specialist interests/hobbies, try looking in those areas first. Just don't expect to be reading any Booker Prize winners for your first few jobs!

Going rate is 12-15 pounds per hour (in my line anyway - environment/development/academic publishing).

Thanks guys. I'll get the artists and writers yearbook. I hadn't thought of that! (You'd never guess I actually used to work in publishing, would you?!)

Elf, I'll proof read anything to be honest (should I have a specialist area do you think??)

I think having a specialist area can look a bit better on your CV. If it turns out there's not enough work in that area, just adjust your CV accordingly... What sort of publishing did you work in before?

It was a firm that produced free cinema magazines for Odeon/Vue etc. Not really bigshot.

Approach publishers direct. Can you edit too?

IEW, is that the same thing as 'consumer' publishing? 'Cos there are loads of outfits like that out there. Might be a good place to start?

Don't know why I'm giving out advice here, should be chasing the work myself...

I read this as proo freading, I thought WTF is proo freading???
sorry!!

I can edit too, yes.

Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow?

My CV is piss poor after 3 years of being a SAHM

SGK!

Good luck.

It's not madly wellpaid but keeps wolf from the door, I find: I do some editing.

IntergalEGGticWalrus - the only reason I asked is because I have something you could proof read, if you fancied it!