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The Pros and Cons of Freelance Proofreading

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Freelance proofreading involves providing proofreading services on a project-based or contractual basis. In this arrangement, proofreaders may review a variety of written content, however they work independently rather than being employed by a single company or organisation.

Before you venture into freelance proofreading, it’s crucial to weigh the pros and cons first to ensure you’re well-prepared for the freelancing journey. Read on.

Pros of Freelance Proofreading

  • Flexibility: You can work anytime, anywhere as long as you meet your clients’ deadlines. If you have other commitments or you’re doing proofreading as a side hustle, this setup is preferable.
  • Low start-up costs: You don’t need a big investment to start up. All you need is a computer, internet, and proofreading software. 
  • Opportunity for a variety of projects: You have the discretion to work with diverse clients and a wide range of proofreading projects such as proofreading academic documents, books, and student documents. This variety can keep the work interesting and help you develop your expertise in different subjects.
  • Potential for high earnings:  You can command high rates especially if you’re an experienced proofreader with a niche. This means you can potentially earn more compared to traditional employment.

Cons of Freelance Proofreading

  • Inconsistent income: This is one of the challenges of freelance work, especially when you’re still starting. Freelancing comes with unpredictability. Demands can vary from high to little to no work which makes financial planning challenging.
  • Self-marketing: Self-marketing: Since you’re working independently, you are responsible for marketing your services and finding clients. Unless you already have a big network, it’ll be very challenging for newcomers in this industry. For example if you want to make flyers to hand out to students
  • Isolation: Yes you have a sense of privacy when working remotely. However, there’s a lack of social interaction in this kind of setting and this can affect your well-being.
  • Business management responsibility: Business management responsibility: You take care of everything including invoicing, business poster making, bookkeeping and tax payments. Staying up-to-date with the trends is included.

In conclusion, freelance proofreading offers both advantages and disadvantages, so you need to weigh these factors carefully to identify if they align with your plans or goals.
Are you looking for freelance proofreading opportunities? Visit Findaproofreader now and list your business!

29/05/2024 | Michael

Focussed or Focused?

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The term ‘Focussed’ or ‘Focused’ illustrates the classic language variation between British and American English. Wondering when to use each one? Read on to find out.

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Definition

‘Focussed’ or ‘focused’ is the past participle of the word ‘focus’ and can function as both a verb and an adjective. This word signifies ‘the act of bringing something into focus’ or ‘giving significant attention to a specific thing’.

Understanding the Two Different Spellings

The two spellings are a result of the doubling rule. The doubling rule is like a spelling trick. It says that for certain words, you should double the last letter when adding a suffix that starts with a vowel. This usually happens when the following conditions are met:

  1. The word has a single vowel before the final consonant.
  2. The final consonant is preceded by a single vowel.
  3. The word is one syllable or has the stress on the final syllable.

Interestingly, “focus” doesn’t meet the third condition because the primary stress in the word “focus” is on the first syllable, not the last part, yet people sometimes double the final “s” anyway.

When to Use “Focused” vs. “Focussed”

Both versions are correct, but the spelling choice depends on the variety of English you are using.

So, the common spelling used globally is ‘focused’ with one ‘s,’ which is the American spelling. When it comes to making English easier to spell, especially in American English, they’ve sometimes left out an extra letter, like in “focused.” And this way of spelling has been more popular around the world for many years.

‘Focussed’ (with double ‘s’), on the other hand, is the British spelling and follows the doubling rule.

Now, let’s look at the examples:

As a Verb:

  1. British English: She focussed her attention on the spreadsheet.
  2. American English: He focused his attention on the task at hand.

As an Adjective:

  1. British English: The editor’s feedback was concise and focussed.
  2. American English: The final review ensured a focused and error-free document, ready for publication.

Alternatives to ‘Focussed’ or ‘Focused’

  • Concentrated
  • Attentive
  • Engaged 
  • Dedicated 
  • Absorbed 
  • Immersed 
  • Fixated 
  • Committed 
  • Mindful 
  • Devoted

If you’re not a native English speaker and unsure which one to use, sticking with ‘focused’ is a safe choice. For added assurance in your work, you may also consider hiring a professional proofreader.

03/10/2023 | Michael

Exciting times ahead for Find A Proofreader

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Under new management

We have some exciting news! The site is under new management and we aim to expand our offering so that you get even more Get A Quote emails from a variety of different fields including academics and students, businesses and novelists.

How are we improving Find A Proofreader?

Well, let’s just say the new management are pretty good at search engine optimisation (SEO). The owner has over a decade of experience in the field. This will mean the site attracts more targeted traffic, resulting in a wider variety of proofreading job leads.
We are also optimising the get a quote form to attract more enquiries, boosting our marketing efforts and now have a dedicated customer support agent to answer any questions you may have by email from Monday to Friday, 9 am-5.30 pm.

We are also improving the usability of the site to make it easier to create a listing and get a quote.

I’m sure you will agree that’s a lot of value for just £40 a year for a standard listing. You can add your business by clicking here – https://findaproofreader.com/create-listing/

18/01/2023 | Michael
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