TaraAre you thinking about becoming a freelance editor but don’t feel like you have the background to make it work? Or maybe you think you’re too old or it’s too late to get started?
Unfortunately, these are common misconceptions when it comes to freelance editing. Let’s bust five common myths people believe about freelance editors.
1) You need a college degree/major in English or journalism
This is definitely the most common myth when it comes to freelance editors. You might think in order to be an editor–and a good editor at that–you have to have a college degree and a major in English or journalism. But that’s 100% not true.
I do not have a degree in English or journalism, and I didn’t even start my career in those fields (I was a meeting planner). I was an avid reader and was constantly finding typos, but I never actually thought book editing was something I could do…until someone hired me to do it. If you believe it’s something you can do, you don’t have to have a degree in order to be successful. You just have to be willing to learn and take action!
2) You need to live in NYC if you want to work on books
In fact, you don’t even need to live in a big city! I love helping women from all over the globe learn how to build their freelance editing business from the comfort of their homes. There is no need to live in New York City to edit!
3) You have to adore all the classics
While you might love to read the classics, they’re simply not my favorite to read. You don’t have to love all the books you see other editors or writers rave about.
4) You want to write your own book
Editing and writing are not the same thing. I love to read and edit, but writing is definitely not my strong suit. Just because you edit books doesn’t mean you have to write them. If you don’t want to write a book, you don’t have to. You can still have a successful career as a freelance editor without ever writing a book yourself.
5) You’re too old/too far down a certain path to get started
This is a common misconception as we get older. Because we didn’t start when we were in our twenties, we feel like we can’t get started later on in life. But you definitely don’t have to be a certain age to get started. I didn’t get started until I was in my very late twenties. If this is something you want to do, you’re never too old and it’s never too late to get started!
