FAQs
Why do I need an e-book on freelance typing to guide me?
If you’re new to freelance transcription and only just starting out, be very cautious before you proceed any further. If you don’t have high quality, tailored information to guide you through the process, you might fall foul of making one of three very common, and very costly, mistakes:
- Thinking, ‘I’ve got the skills already; I can just find the information I need on the internet for free.’ (What’s that saying? Ah yes: There’s no such thing as a free lunch.)
- Applying for work as a freelance agency typist/transcriber with various companies without having done any background research into what’s actually required, what the company are looking for, what skills and equipment you might need. They can probably spot you’re a rookie straight away and your emails/applications are likely to go unconsidered, or simply ignored.
- Last but not least, and indeed the worst course of action, is that you come fresh out of your secretarial/PA or typing role having never done any freelance work before and begin to start offering new clients or potential clients business services via a way of working you’re NOT actually familiar with and get way out of your depth very quickly.
Reasons why the above are all bad business decisions:
- These mistakes can make you look extremely unprofessional, and that may tarnish your reputation before you’ve even begun.
- Making these rookie errors will give your confidence a knock. No one likes to be turned down or disappointed, and it can sometimes be very hard to get back up from this again. I don’t want this to happen to you and I CAN help you avoid it. Don’t let these things tarnish your goals or dreams and affect your energy and confidence.
Yes, you can indeed find a wealth of information on the internet regarding transcription work. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that not all sources are reputable or trustworthy. Some don’t even come from first-hand experience – the text is simply recycled from elsewhere to cobble together content to fill an article. As such, many articles or material may be false or misleading, and the information may not even be correct, up-to-date, or written by experts actually in the industry.
Business guides written by the experts themselves can also be deliberately vague, simply skimming over the surface but never actually giving you the real bird’s-eye view on everything you need to know. I don’t skimp! I provide up-to-date, in-depth and only relevant information, cutting out all of the BS, to give you an insight into everything you need to know. And what’s more, with my free ongoing coaching that comes along with every purchase of the e-book, if something’s not in print in the book, you can just email me and ask!
I’ve made my guides comprehensive, clear, and easy to navigate so that you can skim through to get an overview, and then refer back anytime you need to on any particular topic or coaching points. Don’t forget, you also get access to ongoing personal coaching from me when you purchase The Home-Based Typist e-book, so you have access to tailored support as you go along on your journey.
The methods contained within the e-book are authentic. They are tried and tested, and come from my own real and honest experiences. The path to being successful at a transcription career can be tough and near impossible without the right coaching – many, many people fail miserably. Without help, you’ll likely encounter huge learning curves and pitfalls along the way (despite all of your excellent transferable skills) – situations I can guide you to miss! I’ve included everything I can think of that helped me stay the distance with some of the larger agencies requesting extremely high standards, and soon after launch my own freelance business with several of my own clients (all after only one year). I worked intensively, learning everything I could about the industry so that I could deliver the best service to my clients and other agencies, who I still work with to this day.
I’ve been in business with my own paying clients full-time, with this as my sole source of income since 2011, and have served many clients on countless interesting and wide-ranging topics, in industries such as medical, legal, science, tech, research, plus several individuals looking for ad hoc support, students and charities.
If I can do it, you can too (and you don’t even have to be full-time – you can work as much or as little as you need to!)
What kind of skills do I need to have, bare minimum?
Good typing skills are obviously essential! You can improve your typing skills by practising online. I make recommendations in the e-books to the best online resources available. You can also test your typing speed and accuracy online, and I tell you exactly the best place to do this for free and get certified. (Further information on improving typing speeds and accuracy are included in The Home-Based Typist e-book).
A good knowledge of grammar and English language usage is essential. Again, this can easily be improved upon. I recommend the best free or inexpensive resources both online and in printed format to quickly and easily help you understand usage principles that you can add to your growing knowledge!
Initiative! As a freelancer, you will be expected to take care of your own workload, so you will need to be proactive and organised. (More about this a bit further on.)
If you are interested in learning this is the career for you. It may be a huge learning curve, and you will be expected to show initiative. It might seem like hard work – and it is! But think how fresh and rewarding this transition will be for those who’ve previously been engaged in jobs of a repetitive nature, with not much in the way of autonomy, flexibility or change. You can use your existing skills and transfer them into a new career, gain autonomy, change, variation, flexibility, a boost to your self-esteem and confidence – all while working from home! Amazing!
I can personally attest it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done in my working life. It has opened up so many doors for me, provided me with so many opportunities to meet and make connections with lots of new and interesting people – from all over the world, and all kinds of professions and backgrounds, researching and studying all kinds of topics. I gain so much satisfaction from jobs well done and receiving lots of lovely reviews from satisfied clients, and I do this all from the comfort of my own home. It’s like a dream come true!
You can do it too, and I can show you exactly how.
What if I have little to no money to invest, and/or no previous business or entrepreneurial experience?
Previous to starting my business, I wasn’t an entrepreneur. I didn’t have a clue about being self-employed, marketing or business plans! My last employed position before freelancing was particularly dreadful, and it 100% gave me just the push I needed to use my valuable skills gained from my entire career and turn them into something different, to effect change.
I had no previous business experience, but I did have a lot of skill and experience in touch typing and acute attention to detail from years of working in the medical and legal fields, along with a lifelong interest in the English language and grammar.
As far as business start-up costs go, setting up as a transcriber has to be one of the lowest out there. I had little money to invest to begin with. I started with the bare minimum, buying only the bare necessities. After a while, I saved money to be able to do the other things I needed to improve my chances of growing my business. There are lots of great resources, low-cost services and free tools you can use to market, grow and support your business. I guide you through many examples of these in depth in the e-book, so you can get a good idea of what might work for you – even if you have very little (or even nothing) monetarily to invest.
“Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.“
Chinese Proverb
As a result of success with my first business, I now own a second business. I’d never have had the confidence to do that if it hadn’t been for my experiences in taking the leap to start up on my own as a freelancer. Who knows where it will lead you? I’ve been part of so many interesting projects and met so many interesting and inspirational people.
I want to help others by imparting my knowledge and wisdom. There’s plenty of work to go around for everyone. Transcription work is plentiful and can be well paid, but like everything needs hard work and dedication. But in the end, it’s well worth it for the ability to be able to be flexible, work for yourself – as much or as little as you’d like to – and with no commute, bonus!
“Untapped potential is the difference between where a person is now and where he or she can be.”
Bo Bennett
I’ve seen courses online that promise to teach me all the skills I might need – does that mean they’re more detailed or in-depth than an e-book?
I keep a keen eye on the transcription coaching industry, and based on the reviews and course content, I’d say it’s mostly a waste of time to sit an expensive online course promising you certification at the end of it. Unless you’re going into a very specialist area, the likes of court reporting, it’s not necessary to be certified. It sounds great and impressive, but it’s not necessary for anyone wishing to do general transcription work, even across a vast range of sectors.
Online courses do indeed have audio files that you can download which many other e-book style courses don’t include. So, I’ve now included these too, and I direct you to links where you can download sample files. I also provide the transcript fully proofread so you can get an idea of the various different types of format you may be asked to produce (verbatim/non-verbatim styles) and ideally what companies or clients will be looking for, and why (most of which is lacking in a lot of the courses out there).
I explain in The Home-Based Typist in great detail why the transcripts are produced a certain way and how you can easily understand and produce them yourself to a high standard. I also include in my e-book a helpful easy to reference Lucky 7 list that you can keep beside you when completing interview files. It chronicles all of the common errors that people make – reminding you to avoid them – and regular things that crop up within transcription that you absolutely will not find inside agency manuals (and that clients won’t be able to assist you with because you’ll naturally be expected to know!)
Most courses are, in my opinion, vastly over-priced and it’s not necessary to spend hundreds (or even thousands – yikes!) on instruction on getting started. All you need is your at-home setup and a few lists of companies hiring, some sensible guidance, then you can apply and get started almost immediately. Most places do not look for certification, all they need is someone with the right skills and availability, willingness to learn and proactive approach to their work.
I’ve gathered the information I need to get set up online already, why do I need to purchase your e-book?
You’ve got everything all set up – great! Now the hard work begins. The software you now have at your fingertips is very sophisticated, but it doesn’t end there – you’ll actually now be expected to know how to use it to get the best out of the audio recording! You’ll soon find that the vast majority of transcription agencies or clients simply don’t have the time or inclination to provide you with perfect quality audio. As a freelancer, you won’t be spoon-fed, and you’ll naturally be expected to sort out any audio issues yourself.
“The absence of any feedback can inadvertently keep you stuck…”
Fiona Frame, Author of The Home-Based Typist
Being a freelancer means you have to take responsibility for your own workload. As a freelancer, you have to impress. There are often no promises that the work will be sent to you in future. It’s not like being formally employed with an employer-employee relationship, where training and leeway is given. You will likely get little to none of this type of dispensation: as a freelancer, you are expected to be established and prepared. The good news is, I can help give you the tools to make sure you have the best possible chance to succeed.
There are a few companies out there who can provide training and guidance, but the type of feedback provided on your work can vary from agency to agency. Sometimes full and accurate feedback is given. Sometimes no feedback is given at all, so you have no idea how you are performing. The absence of any feedback can inadvertently keep you stuck at a certain level, which can detrimentally affect your chances of work elsewhere with another agency.
For example, a company who is keen to get through vast amounts of audio and who have a full team of proofreaders can accept ‘acceptable’ level transcripts or documents. No feedback is provided to you. You then apply to another company for work and they reject you, ripping apart your work which is littered with feedback points. You’re surprised as you incorrectly thought that because you had no complaints about your work previously, everything was okay. Don’t let this happen to you!
It’s fine not to know everything – you don’t have to be an expert, but you do have to have your wits about you. To have a high rate of accuracy, it will require some time and effort, but it’s achievable with the right coaching. I provide you with all of the easy to reference tips and information sheets to keep you on the right track – no matter the style of feedback you are receiving from the company you’re working for. You’ll always have the peace of mind that you’re performing well.
You need to be proactive and make sure that you know what is likely to be expected of you and make sure that you are performing correctly.
I provide a whole section in the e-book to help you align your attitude and adjust expectations to help settling into being a freelancer where you previously have no experience in this area easier – something that is likely to be missing from most guides or courses you will find online. It’s a shame that this is seldom, if ever, mentioned in any of the guides out there claiming to assist new transcribers, as it’s precisely where many people fall down flat – exactly the kind of blow that I can coach you to AVOID!
New transcribers to the arena understandably have no idea what exactly is expected of them and where they now fit into the bigger picture. I dispel a lot of myths and tell you a few hard truths (gently but firmly!) to help you adjust your expectations and get you on the right track for how to deal with potential clients and other agencies you might be liaising with on a regular basis.
It’s a rewarding, flexible career, where you can gain a lot of positive feedback and satisfaction. I can help you get there. The e-book will coach and motivate you to move forward effectively, always making it clear what the natural next steps are, and providing encouragement for any hurdles that you might encounter.
“This e-book is an ideal way to focus your mind on what you need to do when it comes to starting your own transcription business. If you’re just starting out on this road and you need some guidance, this is the ideal book for you.”
Review of The Home-Based Typist e-book
Ready to take the next step? Let’s Do This!