Make a Full Time Income Proofreading – How to work from home and earn a full time income as a proofreader. Yup, you can make money from home as a proofreader while being a stay at home mom.
Are you the grammar police? Do you find errors in emails, blog posts, magazine articles, and it just grinds your gears? Are you voted most likely to send a “you misspelled…” text to your friends and family?
If you’re great at finding and editing grammatical mistakes and inconsistencies in other peoples’ work, a work-from-home proofreading job may be perfect for you. Yes, it’s a real thing – you can learn how to work from home as a proofreader.
And something else that’s amazing about this side hustle or even full-time gig, but Proofreaders are actually in high demand. Not just for print, but also for online businesses – blogs, magazines, email, Facebook posts, etc. And because you can proofread from anywhere, it’s a great option for making money and earning from home.
Other than working on a deadline for a project, you can choose to work on your own hours, on your own schedule, and essentially be your own boss.
Does this sound like you? Here’s what you need to know about making money from home proofreading!
One of the most intriguingside hustles that I’ve found in my searches might be proofreading and court reporting. I’ve been called a “grammar freak” in the past (but don’t go through this with a fine-toothed comb looking for errors… I’m sure there are many!), so the idea of getting paid to proofread really got me excited and I knew I needed to learn more!
I actually got lucky enough to sit down with Caitlyn Pyle from Proofread Anywhere and talk to her about how she teaches people how to make money proofreading.
True story though: I’ve actually been lucky enough to speak with Caitlyn quite a few times, and each time I send her an email, I cringe thinking about a number of errors she’ll find!
But that’s her job! She’s an incredibly talented woman who saw a need for training for other people just like her to get started proofreading. Despite the fact that now her job is to teach other people how to make proofreading their jobs, Caitlyn herself started her proofreading career and was able to quit her full-time job that she hated!
She’s incredibly modest in our interview, but she really downplays how amazing it is to make a full time income proofreading or court reporting. And not just the freedom of being your own boss, but also the income that she is able to earn and the income that she has helped others earn has been incredible!
Before we start, you can sign up to see a FREE Workshop from Caitlyn all about proofreading to see if it’s really something you want to do. You can sign up for it HERE!
How to Make Money Proofreading with Caitlin Pyle
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog?
I actually got started by getting fired from my 9-5 job! I worked at a court reporting office and had started proofreading for some of the reporters there. When I got fired, I kept proofreading for the reporters just as a freelance proofreader. This gave me time to study to become a personal trainer. I personal trained for a few years, but I didn’t like how I was tied down to appointments and specific gyms.
My family and friends encouraged me to start teaching others how to proofread for court reporters, so I decided to start sharing that knowledge with others. That push was what I needed to start turning my knowledge into an online course and to start blogging!
How did you get started as a proofreader?
I started general proofreading back in 2007. I have always loved to travel, so while I studied abroad in Germany, I proofread for non-native English speakers at the university I was attending. Then in 2009 I started working at a court reporting office as a receptionist. When my boss noticed I had a knack for proofreading, she got my name out to the court reporters I worked with. I would proofread their transcripts when I got home from work.
As I moved up at my job, I learned all I could about the court reporting world. When I got fired from my job in 2012, I started full-time proofreading. For the next three years, proofreading was my primary income.
You can learn some more about if proofreading is for you in this FREE video training!
What do you love most about being able to make money proofreading? How has it helped open doors for you?
I love being in charge of my own life! I’m not tied down to a desk working a 9-to-5 job for someone else. I have the freedom to work when I want to, even if that’s early in the morning or late at night. My life doesn’t have to wait to get crammed into my precious after-work evening hours.
If I need to stop and get laundry done, I can. I can go pick up groceries whenever I want and even take a nap if I need to. And I never have to request time off! Essentially, I set my own schedule, and it has freed up my life to spend it how I want, not how a corporation tells me I have to.
What is a court reporter? 
If you like to watch crime shows on TV, you have probably noticed a man or woman sitting at a little desk in a courtroom listening closely and typing on a keyboard. That’s a court reporter!
They take down word for word what is being said during a court proceeding. Afterward, what they typed up in court is turned into a transcript. And that transcript is what proofreaders look over before it’s turned in to whomever requested it.
Why proofread specifically for court reporters?
It’s a great niche to work in! Unlike general freelance proofreading, you aren’t competing on Fiverr or Upwork for work that you end up only getting paid a few dollars for. Court reporting is a popular occupation for people to be going into! Which means there will always be work for transcript proofreaders.
What kind of income can be made as a proofreader for court reporters?
This actually depends on the individual. When proofreading court transcripts, you are paid by the page. So it really depends on how messy the transcript is, how heavy the topic is, how quickly the proofreader can read and mark up a page, and how much you charge per page. The method of proofreading you use can also make a big difference.
If you’re using a slower method of proofing, like printing out the transcript pages and marking them up by hand, you will make far less per hour than you would if you used your iPad to make corrections. Most of my students tend to make about $17 an hour from the start. As they get faster through experience, their income naturally increases.
Can you make moneyproofreading for others as well as from court reporting?
Sure! You can still make money through freelance proofreading. But the potential you have to make more money is significantly better than just general proofreading. Court transcript proofreading is more technical and requires specific knowledge and training to be proficient at it. Because of that, though, the competition out there is not nearly as high!
Can everyone make money proofreading?
Honestly, it’s not for everyone. And that’s okay! You don’t want to force yourself into yet another profession you aren’t passionate about.
Those who could be a good proofreader are patient. They love words and all the nerdy grammar rules. They’re always spotting errors. They are self-motivated. And they enjoy working on their own.
On the flip side, it probably isn’t a good fit for you if you have a hard time using punctuation and have always struggled with spelling. If you have a hard time sitting and reading for extended periods of time as well, you probably would have a difficult time being a proofreader.
If you need some more help deciding if it’s right for you, check out this FREE guide right here!
Why do you need training to do proofreading?
As I taught myself to proofread transcripts, I learned the really hard way and with lots of trial and error. Through my mistakes in the past, I learned you definitely need specific training to be a good, efficient proofreader.
Particularly with court transcript proofreading, it isn’t just about knowing how to spell and the difference of when to use “there” and “their.” It’s about understanding the court reporter profession, knowing the basics of court transcripts, how to market to court reporters — and so much more!
I make sure I cover all the bases in my course, so all my students graduating from my course have not only the knowledge but the practice under their belts to go out and become an excellent proofreader.
What if you’re not positive that proofreading is a good fit?
A lot of people ask that question! So I created a free 7-day intro course to help you find out! It’s packed full of a LOT of different tips, including a guide on how to set up a website and how to get started as a freelancer.
It also gives an introduction to transcript proofreading. It’s definitely different from general proofreading, and I go into how it’s different to help you get a feel for it. Plus we test you on your abilities!
You get the opportunity to see just how good your grammar skills are. I don’t want people signing up and spending money on something they won’t like or won’t be good at. So I make it my priority to help you make sure this could be a good fit for you.
What are the specific steps that a person needs to take to make money proofreading?
I cover this extensively in my course. Of course, I’m not going to give away the secrets on how to market yourself and get clients here. 🙂 It’s extremely important before a proofreader starts marketing themselves that they have the training needed to make themselves excellent. My course goes through eight modules of extensive training and testing before we even start talking about how to go out and find clients and start making money!
As I mentioned above, my free intro course gives some pointers on how to get started with general freelance proofreading. If you are interested to know, be sure to sign up!
How much does it cost in starting to make money proofreading and how much will it cost to maintain it?
The supplies and costs are minimal! All you need is the price of the course + an iPad to get started and maintain your side hustle.
Are there any other tips that you have for someone who wants to make money proofreading like yourself?
Stay on top of your emails! It’s important to be prompt with your correspondence. It shows you are not only available but reliable as well, and that you take pride in putting the client first.
You can sign up for Caitlyn’s free 7-day course here and see if proofreading is for you!
If you want to find more ways to make money from home, check out some of these ideas:
- How to Start Selling on Amazon FBA and Make a Full-Time Income
- 10+ Easy Ways to Earn $500
- 5 Side Hustles That Pay For My Groceries (and More!)
- How I Earn Money as a Stay-at-Home Mom
- 30+ Real Ways to Earn Money From Home
- How I made $25,871 in one month staying at home with the kids
- How to Become a Virtual Assistant and Make a Full-Time Income Doing It!
- Make Money as a Freelance Writer
- How to Start a Profitable Blog the Right Way
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