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How to Start a Paper Re-writing/Editing Service Business

Perhaps you want to provide re-writing and editing services to college/university students, book authors or to just about anyone who needs your skills. You may have observed that writing service companies have swarmed online offering editing, copywriting, ghostwriting, indexing, among other things.

It's also your chance to engage in this lucrative venture.

Freelance Writing at Home

The first thing to do to start is open a web site or blog in which you will advertise the services you’re offering. There are tons of sites that provide free web tools, free hosting, and design (template and easy-to-alter) that you can choose from. You don’t need to have your own Dot Com site, a simple Blog will do. The business of re-writing and editing papers can be done right at home and all you need is a dependable computer, reliable Internet connection, HTML or Web design skills, and don’t forget your expert writing, re-writing and editing skills and available time. With all these at hand, you don’t even need to have a start-up capital to begin with.

Since you’re a freelance writer, you don’t need to bother with putting up license and registration permits unless you really want to start big and come up with a partnership or corporation. However, you still need to pay your taxes. As a self-employed person, you need to pay as much as 15%. Get advice from a tax advisor or indicate in the IRS schedule C all your deductible expenses like paper, computer, postage, writing/book/magazine club memberships, seminar fees and travel expenses incurred related to your work. To qualify for home office deductions, have a room in your house as an “exclusive” office for your writing job. Here you can add in a percentage of electric, mortgages, telephone and other bills. Without formal contracts, draft simplified agreements with your clients citing the agreed terms of the work and the fees involved. Some charge at around $0.10 per page while some have flat rates of around $50. If you have solid writing skills, you can charge more (negotiable rates) but don’t overcharge your clients or they might get someone else to do the job.

Deliver Professional and Expert Skills

To attract more clients bank on your professional writing/editing skills. Load yourself with knowledge and skills needed to enhance your services and make your portfolio extensive. As a beginner, start with college students with simpler re-writing and editing demands. Unless you’re confident to re-write and edit a professional book, novel or research paper, stick to simpler tasks and learn progressively. Develop relationships with the media – (magazines and newspapers) – to cultivate other venues for income and learning. Don’t dive into unknown waters. Choose your re-writing and editing clients/jobs wisely. Remember that some pay less for taxing work while others pay more for simpler work. Some jobs can be entertained, though, regardless of the pay if they give you your much needed learning and connections.
 

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8 Comments

  • Molly Green said on April 28, 2009
    This line of business sounds very interesting, I am willing to research more on this. Can you give me more information please.
  • vidhya said on May 14, 2009
    hi, i am a MBA student. your business idea has caught my interest. can u please share some more details. i will be waiting for your response.
  • Pam said on July 22, 2009
    I am looking to start a home-based business in this field. I have a very good grasp on the English language and am a stickler for detail. I am very interested in knowing more about starting this type of business and would be grateful for any further information you could send my way. Thanks for your time.
  • Satheesh said on February 8, 2010
    Hi i am a mba student. i am interested in this line of business, i would like to know the way in which or know some info about various strategies that can be adopted to become more successful. waiting for your reply. thank you.
  • Brenda said on June 10, 2010
    This article was quite useful for me, since I am looking to expand a home(or office)-based service/business as a freelance translator. Thank you
  • Ramya said on December 15, 2010
    Hi I am currently working as a freelance content writer for a college in bangalore I am interested in of business. I would like to know more about this business. waiting for your reply. Thank you.
  • Jenn said on July 10, 2013
    I currently edit reports as a part-time job. I am very interested in expanding what I do as a business. Toronto, Ontario Canada
  • Preeti said on September 17, 2013
    I stay in Mumbai. I am a graduate and having 9yrs of experience in insurance operations. I hv quit my job to tk care of my son. Nw I want to start my own business. I hv good communication skill and computer knowledge. Can u suggest me some good ideas to start my on business.

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