Rebel Pebble wrote: ↑Tue Dec 05, 2023 12:30 pm
Those proofreading courses have been around since forever, long before "side hustle" was even invented as a phrase. I remember the old newspaper/magazine ads for them. They all used to say something like "If yuo can spot the rrors in this thex YOU could make muney as a proofreader". That said, I do know an actor who did some kind of course during lockdown and has managed to get proofing work off the back of it.
I did a 1-week sub-editing course at City University back in the early 00s when my roleplay stuff was slow. I did end up scoring two weeks work off the back of it, at some legal magazine. I didn't really enjoy it that much, then they took fucking ages to pay and then my training stuff took off so I never did any more.
I have a bit of an issue with some side hustles, specifically voice over ones. Quite often, because people have other sources of income and it's "just a bit of fun" or whatever, they price themselves disgustingly low (Fiverr and People per Hour are riddled with them) which drags down rates in a race to the bottom/takes away work from people who actually, you know, do it for a living.
Yes I'm sure i've seen ads for these courses previously, of course now they can be promoted quite heavily and cleverly on t'internet.
I'm not sure its for me but you don't know until you find out etc etc. If I got a bit of work and made a few extra quid, great.
But yep Rebs, the competitiveness of side hustles does mean people can charge peanuts for professional work. My Mum had to bid at obscene rates to win some admin work so she was price-competitive against bidders for whom English wasn't their first language. She got some term clients in the end but it can be a battle and dispiriting.
Jesus loves you. Everyone else thinks you're an asshole.
Kenickie wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 6:36 pm
I reckon the money is in courses teaching proofreading rather than the proofreading itself, unless you've got really specialist knowledge.
Yeh possibly, but then there is a challenge of finding a cohort of potential proofreaders.
Sorry, wasn't suggesting you run a course, more that I don't think it's likely to be worth the investment!
If your back's against the wall, turn around and write on it.
There's an issue with people charging peanuts in the crafting world too. Just because you can charge only the materials for something that took you 6 hours to make doesn't mean you should. People who want to make a living from it find it so difficult.
It's the same in translation - people charging nothing, barely speaking English, blablabla.
I'm thinking about selling a couple of spare patchwork quilts I made for babies on Etsy, but I'd have to charge, like, £300 for one and I don't think people are actually going to pay that. :lol:
Etsy actually told me to up some of my prices as I was setting them low compared to others. It wasn't a bad shout as after postage and their fees, there isn't always much left. And then somebody bought a scarf at the higher price after it had been sat there for ages not selling!
Kenickie wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 6:36 pm
I reckon the money is in courses teaching proofreading rather than the proofreading itself, unless you've got really specialist knowledge.
Yeh possibly, but then there is a challenge of finding a cohort of potential proofreaders.
Sorry, wasn't suggesting you run a course, more that I don't think it's likely to be worth the investment!
You could very well be right, Ken.
Jesus loves you. Everyone else thinks you're an asshole.
I’m having a conversation right now with a friend who has an Etsy shop. She sells gorgeous hand knitted snoods for sight hounds in beautiful colours and donated some of the proceeds to a greyhound rescue but on the whole people don’t want to pay for good quality items. She set it up during lockdown when she couldn’t work and hoped it would take off more than it has.
If it helps your friend I'm doing most of my Christmas shopping on Etsy, Folksy and at craft markets this year and hope to do so from now on. I really love buying handmade stuff. I think sight hounds might be quite specialised though so perhaps she needs to market them a bit wider?
"You first have to find out who you are. Then you have to be it like mad."
There is also Not On Amazon, which is a platform for handmade goods that doesn't skim off £££ from the sellers. It was crowdfunded and just opened in November, but is getting well-populated now. I've ordered a couple of presents from there, and it may be a better bet for crafters than Etsy (not to mention Amazon!). I don't know how much of a reach it has at this stage, but it's a great idea and the guy who set it up is very keen that it doesn't go the way of Etsy and have lots of mass-produced tat on it - you would be competing with other crafters.
Etsy is such a disappointment now. Anything that's not personalised is highly likely to be a 1000% mark-up on something bought off Ali Baba, probably sold by dropshipping too. :(
I’ve only bought a few things off Etsy and I’ve had a personal service luckily. I just had a ad story pop up on Instagram for Holly & Co which is a spin off of Not on the high street. Curated bespoke gifty stuff.
I'm doing most of my Christmas shopping on Etsy, Folksy and at craft markets this year and hope to do so from now on. I really love buying handmade stuff. I think sight hounds might be quite specialised though so perhaps she needs to market them a bit wider?
