How to implement editing?

How can I get paid for editing?

• Friends and family are always asking me to edit things they've written. In the last week, I've edited a college essay, a scientific paper, and a screenplay. I enjoy helping friends and family and derive satisfaction from doing something I'm good at, but I've heard that there are people who actually get paid for this sort of work. Could I ever become such a person? I have a day job but would like to edit things on a freelance basis as well. The problem is that I lack credentials. My only formal experience consists of a few editing jobs in college, for the student newspaper and the alumni magazine. How do I convince someone that my editing skill is worth paying for?

• Answer:

  Start by finding out if the work you've done for friends and family really can translate into professional editing, make sure that you have *all* the skills a professional editor needs, and get some credentials. You can do all three at once by starting with a course in editing. Many postsecondary institutions offer such courses. Then join an editors' association. Those will typically offer a mix of services to editors, including job postings, freelance directories, workshops, newsletters, online discussion with other editors, and discounts of various kinds. You'll also need to learn what it takes to run a freelance business: you are becoming not only an editor but also a business owner. Some editing associations run seminars on the business side, but you may want to look into other ways of learning what is involved too. After all that, you may be ready to actually hang up your shingle and advertise your business.