Freelance Editor

3 Freelance Editor Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: October 8th, 2024

Freelance editing is a great business idea for those passionate about language, grammar, and literature. As a freelance editor, you will review and improve written materials, whether novels, articles, reports or resumes.

To start a freelance editing business, you will need excellent communication and editing skills and a keen eye for detail. It is also helpful to have a background in writing or editing, although this is only sometimes necessary.

To run a successful freelance editing business, you must establish a robust online presence through a website or social media platforms. You will also need to market your services to potential clients through networking or paid advertising.

One of the main benefits of starting a freelance editing business is flexibility. You can work from anywhere, anytime, as long as you have a computer and an internet connection. You can work around other commitments, such as raising a family or pursuing other interests.

Freelance editing is a great business idea for those looking for a flexible, rewarding career that allows them to use their skills and expertise to help others. This could be the perfect business opportunity if you have a passion for language and a keen eye for detail.

In this list, you'll find real-world freelance editor success stories and very profitable examples of starting a freelance editor that makes money.

1. Reedsy ($24M/year)

Ricardo Fayet, CMO of Reedsy, didn't come up with the idea for the book publishing services marketplace. His co-founder Emmanuel mentioned it to him in university, and it stood out as a promising idea that leveraged the growing self-publishing trend and freelance economy movement in traditional publishing. They validated the idea by talking to industry experts and built a core team to bring it to life.

How much money it makes: $24M/year
How much did it cost to start: $40K
How many people on the team: 38

How Our Book Publishing Services Marketplace Hit $1M/Month In Gross Merchandise Value

Reedsy, a book publishing services marketplace that connects authors with freelancers, has driven over $1m in GMV, features over 1,500 vetted freelance professionals, and sees over 1,000 projects every month.

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2. Daniel Waldman Writing ($42K/year)

Daniel Waldman, a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience in marketing and PR, started his own writing business after experiencing burnout from running his own agency. With a strong network and referrals from Fiverr's Pro program, Daniel brings in around $3500/month offering a variety of writing and editing services, including blogging, article writing, website copy, and video script writing. He is now exploring producing events in addition to his freelance writing work.

How much money it makes: $42K/year
How many people on the team: 1

Leaving The Agency Grind To Start My Own Freelance Writing Career

Daniel Waldman started his freelance writing business over three years ago and has since earned an average of $3,500 per month, mostly through referrals and Fiverr - offering blogging, article writing, website copywriting and editing services.

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3. Piktostory (now known as Piktochart) ($24K/year)

Ching, the co-founder of Piktostory (now known as Piktochart Video), came up with the idea for the business while realizing the fragmented nature of the video space and the need for a consolidated video editing tool. With the goal of simplifying video editing and repurposing, Piktostory (now known as Piktochart Video) was born. Despite facing challenges and being self-financed, the company has gained traction through successful Product Hunt launches and partnerships, and is focusing on adding more features and expanding its user base.

How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300K
How many people on the team: 6

I Created The Simplest Video Editor Ever & Earn $2K/Month

Piktostory co-founder, Ai Ching Goh, divulges how she created a simple video editor with customizable captions and integrated "highlight" clipping features, attracting over 350 early adopters and focusing on promoting through Facebook communities and Product Hunt to acquire new paying customers.

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Read by 3,930 founders