Anyone do writing/copy editing from home?

[blessedby3]

My dd graduated this past weekend with a degree in print journalism. She has been looking for a job and is having a hard time finding a writing job in her area (but her fiance has found his job so she needs to stay in the small area they will be living in). We had thought about her trying to get a job writing/copy editing from home, but I didnt know if anyone else does this and how to find legitimate companies to contact. There are so many when you google it. Thanks for any help

 

[pintamino]

My dd graduated this past weekend with a degree in print journalism. She has been looking for a job and is having a hard time finding a writing job in her area (but her fiance has found his job so she needs to stay in the small area they will be living in). We had thought about her trying to get a job writing/copy editing from home, but I didnt know if anyone else does this and how to find legitimate companies to contact. There are so many when you google it. Thanks for any help

I work as a communications specialist and have been in the field for about 4 years - got my degree last fall and started my Master's in my specialty area, defense, yesterday. Without experience, it is very hard to find freelance work. I would really suggest your daughter start a blog to showcase and improve her writing, and contact newspapers (especially smaller, local ones - the one in my parents town pays $10 to cover a township meeting).

My major was print journalism but I wanted to work, and do work, in a more PR/PA type position. If she wants to stay in journalism, I had friend who had to move anywhere from 2 to 10 hours away from home for an entry-level journalism job. I relocated to a major market. The good news is if they're in a small area, it may be a small market and easier to break in to.

It's a hard field to get in to at the moment - the blog is my biggest suggestion. GL!

 

[QVCshopper]

I was a writing major in college and have worked as a writer for many years now. She's going to have a hard time starting out if she's not in a major market. I suggest she look for an entry level job at a large company that has a communications and marketing department. I started entry level at a big mutual fund company and worked my way up to editor and writer. My coworkers had been there for years; it's a career path that you have to work at to get into. My current company is a little easier to get into, it is also a big one, but everyone has at least some experience.

She could also go the route of the small newspaper, but I'm not sure how stable that is and how well it will pay and offer as at as benefits.

 

[MineMail]

Some of the college-prep services employ freelance writers to help students with their college application answers and essays. Sort of like tutoring and editing.

 

[Marnm02]

Have her check out Demand Media Studios, Scripted, Remilon, and Writer's Access. I've been able to do part time work with all these companies while staying home with my toddler.

 

[pumpkinmomma]

My sister is an english major and she does editing and website work for a catalog and internet home decor company. She helps write and edit the catalog descriptions and webpage descriptions for their products. I know some of their writers are freelance and work from home. My sister works at the office since she mostly does the webpage and editing stuff.

She might try thinking outside the box a bit. My sister doesn't get to write as much as she would like, but it's a good job with steady pay and we are not in a big metro area so she was really lucky to find it.

 

[blessedby3]

Thanks for the replies.

Have her check out Demand Media Studios, Scripted, Remilon, and Writer's Access. I've been able to do part time work with all these companies while staying home with my toddler.

I checked out some of the ones you listed. I am going to have her look at the sites. Do they pay well? Are there any fees that you have to pay to join? Is the work steady or hit and miss?

My sister is an english major and she does editing and website work for a catalog and internet home decor company. She helps write and edit the catalog descriptions and webpage descriptions for their products. I know some of their writers are freelance and work from home. My sister works at the office since she mostly does the webpage and editing stuff.

She might try thinking outside the box a bit. My sister doesn't get to write as much as she would like, but it's a good job with steady pay and we are not in a big metro area so she was really lucky to find it.

This sounds interesting, but how did she find out about something like this? Im just not sure where to look. Thanks

 

[Princess Dolly]

Thanks for the replies.




I checked out some of the ones you listed. I am going to have her look at the sites. Do they pay well? Are there any fees that you have to pay to join? Is the work steady or hit and miss?



This sounds interesting, but how did she find out about something like this? Im just not sure where to look. Thanks

Shouldn't your daughter be looking?

I have a degree in PR but work out of field (my choice and I still get to use my skills). I started out as a journalism major and switched because it's so tough out there. Does her college have alumni resources she can check into? I know part of why I got my job is because of where I went to college (same place as my boss).

 

[blessedby3]

Shouldn't your daughter be looking?

I have a degree in PR but work out of field (my choice and I still get to use my skills). I started out as a journalism major and switched because it's so tough out there. Does her college have alumni resources she can check into? I know part of why I got my job is because of where I went to college (same place as my boss).

She is looking. As her mother, I want to help and investigate options myself. We are also in the process of planning her wedding for July. Just busy around her and I want to help. She has been getting insight from her college and professors. A big problem is that she can not relocate, so options are much more limited.

 

[Disneefun]

I work from home as a freelance writer but I was only able to do that (and pull in a full-time income) after about 10 years in the corporate world. To work from home (and make more than the paltry mounts paid by the "content mill" websites, she'll do best to work a "real" job for a while. That will give her a nice portfolio to show potential clients, and a lot of contacts that may become potential clients.

Many of my clients today are people that I either worked for or met during my years in the corporate world. That, or they are friends of friends of people I met or worked for.

Freelance writing (and making good money) isn't easy or the "slam dunk" job that some people think it is. They're aren't really companies that you can contact, except the content mills that pay pennies per word. It's not like call center work where there are firms that hire stables of freelancers. She'll have to network, get her own clients, develop her portfolio/area of expertise, or find an employer that will let her work from home.

It's a good life, but probably not too realistic for someone just out of school without extensive contacts and a large portfolio of work. The harsh truth is that she'd do better to focus her efforts on finding a corporate job, even if that means living away from the fiance for a while.

 

[blessedby3]

I work from home as a freelance writer but I was only able to do that (and pull in a full-time income) after about 10 years in the corporate world. To work from home (and make more than the paltry mounts paid by the "content mill" websites, she'll do best to work a "real" job for a while. That will give her a nice portfolio to show potential clients, and a lot of contacts that may become potential clients.

Many of my clients today are people that I either worked for or met during my years in the corporate world. That, or they are friends of friends of people I met or worked for.

Freelance writing (and making good money) isn't easy or the "slam dunk" job that some people think it is. They're aren't really companies that you can contact, except the content mills that pay pennies per word. It's not like call center work where there are firms that hire stables of freelancers. She'll have to network, get her own clients, develop her portfolio/area of expertise, or find an employer that will let her work from home.

It's a good life, but probably not too realistic for someone just out of school without extensive contacts and a large portfolio of work. The harsh truth is that she'd do better to focus her efforts on finding a corporate job, even if that means living away from the fiance for a while.

Thanks for the input. She is getting married in 2 mos, so definately cant relocate as that wouldnt be a good way to start a marriage. Her fiance has a full time position and they have a lease signed for a year. I think she unfortunately have to look in another area for now, I was just looking for suggestions while she is looking at what is available for her now. I appreciate your honesty about how hard things could be.

 

[poohfriend77]

I work from home as a freelance writer but I was only able to do that (and pull in a full-time income) after about 10 years in the corporate world. To work from home (and make more than the paltry mounts paid by the "content mill" websites, she'll do best to work a "real" job for a while. That will give her a nice portfolio to show potential clients, and a lot of contacts that may become potential clients.

Many of my clients today are people that I either worked for or met during my years in the corporate world. That, or they are friends of friends of people I met or worked for.

The bolded part struck me, because I am a freelance writer/editor currently working on a piece about the importance of networking. Most jobs of this type are not advertised. They go to someone who "knows someone." That's how I got my job.

If they don't absolutely need her income/benefits right away, she might want to consider volunteering to work on newsletters, publications, and websites for her church, local charities, schools, or her alumni association. She'll meet people and gain experience, and she can let those people know she's looking for more permanent work.

She also could contact her professors, letting them know she is looking for editing work. Many college departments hire copy editors on contract. I would think she'd have more luck finding work through "real people," rather than filling out applications with web-based companies. Good luck to her!

 

[disprincessatheart]

I think she might want to look at entry level marketing communications jobs. She will be able to get some experience writing a lot of different things if it's a big enough company - newsletters, brochures, ad copy, web content, etc. I've seen a decent amount of those types of jobs advertised in my area since I'm looking for the same type of work, but not entry level.

 

[tar heel]

I worked as a freelance writer/editor/pr person for 20 years while I was raising my family. It is going to be really challenging for someone with no experience to get any decent work. As prior posters have said, getting the work is about networking, but it is also about experience. A portfolio of work is much more important than a degree in this field. There also are many unemployed journalists at the moment.

When my first child was born I was working for a large university, and I had previously worked for the local newspaper in that town. I got most of my initial work from people I had known through those two jobs. I also networked with other freelancers and got a big project because one of them didn't have time to do it. I had several clients for a long time -- the longest was for 16 years! I also had a couple that make me cringe just thinking about them. I would probably still be freelancing a little bit if my last client hadn't been my least favorite.

It worked really well for me because our family had benefits through my DH's job and I was only trying to make a supplemental income. My goal was to be a mostly stay-at-home mom.

 

[Lizzybean]

I have been freelancing as a writer, copy editor, and message board mod for more than 4 years now. I majored in poly sci and criminology in college, worked in the corp world as a project manager for a little over a year and have been working from home since. So, with some due diligence it CAN be done. The best opportunities I found were actually on Craigslist for smaller businesses, start-ups etc. People knock CL but it is very easy to avoid scams, especially when applying some common sense. Simply focus on telecommute and look at all major cities, not just your local area.

I do well for myself and work very few hours. If I wanted to work full time I could make substantially more, but I enjoy my freedom. Networking on twitter and forums has produced many leads for me as have the websites odesk, workplacelikehome and wahm. My motto was always finding a job is my job until I find one so I put in 25-40 hours a week researching and applying. I believe that was a key to my success.

Hope that helps!

 

[blessedby3]

I have been freelancing as a writer, copy editor, and message board mod for more than 4 years now. I majored in poly sci and criminology in college, worked in the corp world as a project manager for a little over a year and have been working from home since. So, with some due diligence it CAN be done. The best opportunities I found were actually on Craigslist for smaller businesses, start-ups etc. People knock CL but it is very easy to avoid scams, especially when applying some common sense. Simply focus on telecommute and look at all major cities, not just your local area.

I do well for myself and work very few hours. If I wanted to work full time I could make substantially more, but I enjoy my freedom. Networking on twitter and forums has produced many leads for me as have the websites odesk, workplacelikehome and wahm. My motto was always finding a job is my job until I find one so I put in 25-40 hours a week researching and applying. I believe that was a key to my success.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for this info

 

[Lizzybean]

Thanks for this info

You're welcome! I hope it helps!