Online Side Hustle #2 – Editing

You can’t talk about writing (Online Side Hustle #1) without mentioning editing. The two go together like ham and chow-chow. 

As a writer, you typically spend some of your time editing your own work — after all, it’s one of the ways to make sure you produce your best possible piece of writing, one that expresses exactly what you intend to say.  Call it quality control.  Naturally, others have the same goal for their writing and for written content that will appear on their sites. And they’re willing to pay for it.  

Editing is more than just reading a sentence and figuring out whether it is grammatically sound. In addition to that, editing is partially about ensuring that the content meets the publication’s standards and partially ensuring that readers get value from it.

Here are a few of the places you’re most likely to find freelance (and part-time contract) editing jobs.


1. MediaBistro
Designed to be a one-stop shop for journalists looking for freelance gigs, MediaBistro also caters to content writing and editing. Some of their postings will require a degree, but the postings are flexible and pay exceptionally well.

2. Brafton
An excellent place for editors to land constant work is Brafton, one of the oldest and most well-established content production companies. Their editorial rates are competitive, and you’ll likely be dealing with many clients in different industries. If you like editing a wide range of work, this might be the right fit for you.

3. Cactus Communications
Just like writing, if you niche down into editing, you’ll land many lucrative jobs. Cactus Communications doesn’t offer as wide a range of topics as the others, mainly dealing with pharmaceutical and medical device companies, but their payment schedule more than makes up for the limited scope. 🙌🏿 💯


Contractual vs. Freelance Work
While you can land editing jobs as a freelancer, a few companies might want to bring you in on contract.  You might think this is a downside, but it’s just the opposite.  Offering your services directly to clients on contract is a freelancing goal. Retainer contracts ensure that you get paid every month, and it’s the best way to guarantee income as a freelance editor. The Write Life does a good job of explaining why retainers are such vital tools for the budding freelancer. 💸

If you’re not inclined towards language, don’t worry. There are still MANY more options for landing jobs in numerous professions online.  In the next article in this series, we’ll look at how graphics and design can earn you some small change and where to find the best clients for that side hustle.