How Long Does It Take To Proofread 1000 Words? + Pro Tips!

If you’re just starting as a proofreader, you’re probably wondering how long does it take to proofread 1000 words.

Or you might be wondering how many words can you proofread in an hour.

I had all these questions when I first started as a proofreader!

While I don’t proofread as much now and spend more time on my blogs, proofreading will always have a special place in my heart because it was my first remote working role!

When I first started my journey into freelancing, the first two jobs I tried were writing and proofreading. I can safely say that these two skills are still very much useful in my daily life, helping me bring in a high income.

I am forever grateful for learning about this side hustle as it put me on a journey to achieving financial freedom!

To cut to the chase – depending on one’s level of experience, proofreading 1000 words can take 15 minutes to 60 minutes.

I’m here to answer all your proofreading questions, let you know how much you should charge, and share tips on how to excel as a proofreader!

After this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of how long does it take to proofread 1000 words, and be able to proofread this very article with confidence!

Ready? Read on!

Affiliate Link Disclosure

Some of the links here are affiliate links, and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. I hope you find the information here useful! Thanks!

If you want to know how to become a proofreader online but need some training, the Proofread Anywhere course helps you transition into a full-time proofreader/editor and run it as a well-paid business.

The Proofread Anywhere course begins with proofreading basics and then goes on to share advanced proofreading methods, how and where to find jobs, what rate to set, and common mistakes to avoid.

Caitlin is the lady who runs the course and she has been a proofreader since 2007. She turned her love for proofreading into a full-time job and now helps others do the same.

The Proofread Anywhere course is packed with 40+ lessons in 8 modules, grammar-specific worksheets, and real-life example jobs.

After passing with 90% or higher on the final exam you will receive a Certificate of Completion and access to the Self-Publishing School Preferred Outsourcer Rolodex.

Ps; Caitlin is offering a FREE Proofreading workshop that will help you learn the basic skills and decide on whether freelance proofreading is for you. Perfect if you want to know how to become a proofreader with no experience and if you are looking for proofreading courses online for free.

How Long Does It Take To Proofread 1000 Words?

Rough estimate : Proofreading 1000 words can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 60 minutes.

Honestly speaking if you want to know how long it takes to proofread 1000 words, the real answer is there isn’t a specific duration.

It depends a lot on experience, the subject matter, and the type of document you’re reviewing.

For example, taking a proofreading course would help you improve your proofreading skills, cutting down the time you need to proofread 1000 words.

But if you need a gauge, then proofreading 1000 words can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 60 minutes.

Can you go faster or slower? Absolutely!

But if you’re ever at a loss when asked about your proofreading speed, you can simply give a time for how long does it take to read 1000 words for a start.

What Is Proofreading?

Proofreading refers to the act of reading through written work to spot typos and mistakes, typically in the form of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Proofreading requires one to look at the text extremely closely to check for things that might have been missed when the text was edited by an editor.

Proofreading also tends to happen toward the end of publication at the final stage of the editing process.

The difference between editing and proofreading is that editing focuses on improving the readability of the text, while proofreading comprises more surface-level corrections.

How Long Does Proofreading Take According To Proofreading Experts

According to proofreading experts on how long does it take to read 1000 words, an experienced proofreader can go through 2,500 words an hour.

This means that if you want to know how long does it take to proofread 1000 words by an experienced proofreader, it works out to about 25 minutes to do so.

However, if the proofreader is extremely well-versed with the subject matter, it is in a familiar format, and the editing process was done properly, this could even go down to 15 minutes.

Proofreading Rates

As with most freelance-based work, you can set your proofreading rates based on several factors:

Per word
Per hour
By project

For those who proofread and charge per word, it can start from $0.01/word and could go up to $0.04/word for more specialized niches like medical documents.

Per hour wise, it can vary, but one way I used to set my rates was to see how other freelancers on sites like Upwork were pricing their services.

The current rate for proofreaders on Upwork is $18 to $35 an hour.

Lastly, this is slightly uncommon for proofreading work, but you can also choose to charge a flat project rate.

You can determine your project rate by deciding how many hours you’re likely to dedicate to the client for that month or project period.

After you have an estimated number of hours you’ll likely spend on the client’s project, multiply it by your hourly rate to get a project rate.

How Much Is 1000 Words?

1000 words typed out using a standard font size 12 with double spacing will work out to be about 3-4 pages, whether it is on Microsoft Word or Google Documents.

Typing out 1000 words will typically take someone about 30 minutes, or longer if they’re writing something from scratch – like what I’m doing now!

Depending on what someone asks you – how long it takes to type 1000 words, edit 1000 words or proofread 1000 words – the response can vary quite widely.

So the next time your client asks you this, clarify what they’re asking for – is it content writing, editing or proofreading, so you can quote them your price accordingly!

Tips To Improve Your Proofreading Speed

If you’re new to proofreading and you’d like to learn how to improve your proofreading speed, here are five ways to go about it:

1. Expand Your Vocabulary

The more words you know, the better you’ll be able to read and understand copies when you proofread them.

You should also intentionally learn about commonly-misspelled words so you can spot them quickly.

One example is the word ‘too’ which might get misspelled as ‘to’ but doesn’t get picked up easily by spell-checkers or with the naked eye.

2. Don’t Rely Heavily On Spelling And Grammar Checkers

Get into the habit of spotting the errors on your own. Training your proofreading skills is like practicing for a sport or skill you want to get good at.

Practicing more will help you get better.

3. Don’t Rush The Process

Yes, I know you want to go fast, but going fast will cause you to miss words especially if you are new.

At the start, break up your process and copies.

Break a document up into many parts and proofread each part individually with breaks in between.

While proofreading each part, check for one error at a time only. Start with spelling, then go onto grammar, and punctuation next, whichever works for you.

4. Take A Proofreading Course Run By Proofreading Experts To Learn From Their Best Practices

If you’re new to the proofreading game, you’ll benefit from experts who would have developed their own tips, hacks and methods to get faster at proofreading.

I took the Proofread Anywhere course when I first started out because I didn’t know where to start and I benefited a lot from Caitlin’s experience (from 2007!) and teaching methods.

5. Read Backwards

When you read from the start repeatedly from the start, your brain has a tendency to skip words and phrases because it feels it is familiar with the information.

Switch things up by reading from the back to catch errors you may not have caught the first time round.

How To Increase Your Proofreading Rate

So you’ve set your proofreading rate, but you want to learn how to increase your proofreading rate with your clients?

Here are three ways you can go about it:

1. Research Current Market Rates

Sometimes you might start off at a lower rate because you’re still gaining experience.

However, if it’s been a while since you’ve revised your rate, use the market rate as a basis to negotiate a higher rate.

2. Ask For Client Reviews And Testimonials

Having shining past client reviews can help with bringing on new higher-paying clients on board by helping them see how you can potentially value-add.

3. Educate Current Clients

Clients who are unfamiliar with the proofreading process may not understand the level of work and skill that goes into it.

They might think – it’s just editing, right?

Educate these clients by letting them know what proofreading is about, how you have taken courses to upskill, and how it requires strong attention to detail and solid experience.

While educating them and negotiating a higher rate, always be firm and unapologetic – you should be paid for what you think you deserve.

But ensure you have a small FAQ prepared to justify your rate increase, whether it’s your hourly rate, project rate, or rates per 1000 words.

Tools To Help You With Proofreading

There are many tools around that can help you with proofreading. These are my tried and tested tools that I’ve found useful over the years:

Grammarly – This is a proofreading tool that acts like a second pair of eyes for me. It’s mainly free to use!

Proofread Anywhere – This is a course by a proofreader Caitlin who educates you on basics, advanced methods, and how to set your rates.

If her paid course is too pricey, you can always try her free proofreading workshop first to see if it works for you.

Udemy Proofreading Courses – I typically go for the highest-rated yet affordable courses like this one right here, if I want a quick skill upgrade.

If you’re keen to improve your proofreading skills by taking on more proofreading courses, I go into my top few favourites here.

FAQs On How Long Does It Take To Proofread 1000 Words

How Many Words Can You Proofread In An Hour?

If you want to know how many words can you proofread in an hour, it depends on the text and the topic, most proofreaders can go through 2,000 to 4,000 words an hour.

This works out to about 8 to 16 pages per hour.

Of course, there are some proofreaders who can go faster, especially if they are familiar with the subject matter, but anything from 2,000 words is a good start.

Taking a proofreading course is also a good way to increase the number of words you can read in an hour.

How Much Should I Charge To Proofread 1000 Words?

Not sure how much should you charge to proofread 1000 words? You should charge $13 to $16, assuming your proofreading rate is about $0.013 to $0.016 per word.

You can certainly charge more, but it would depend on how fast you can turn around the piece, how much experience you have, and whether it’s a niche you specialize in.

It is also not uncommon to add a rush fee if you’re asked to proofread within a shorter time period.

How Many Words Can You Proofread In A Day?

If you want to know how many words can you proofread in a day, most experienced proofreaders can easily go through 10,000 to 15,000 words.

You might be tempted to multiply your usual proofreading hourly speed by 8 hours (the typical number of working hours in a day) to get your daily speed.

But won’t forget to factor in the need for breaks – proofreading is a skill that requires a lot of attention and focus!

This proofreading course taught me some really good proofreading methods that helped me increase my daily speed.

How Long Does It Take To Proofread 100 Pages?

Not sure how long does it take to proofread 100 pages, it’s 2,500 words per hour, it will take you ten hours to proofread 100 pages.

This is on the assumption that it would take 1 hour to proofread 10 pages of 250 words each.

Of course, 10 hours for 100 pages is just a rough gauge.

Other factors like the format of the document, subject matter and experience of the proofreader must also be taken into consideration.

Is Proofreading A Hard Skill?

Wondering is proofreading a hard skill? It takes a lot of hard work, effort and dedication, but it is not difficult to pick up as long as you have the right resources on hand.

You also need to have a strong interest and a strong command of the language you intend to proofread for.

Can these all be cultivated and taught? Most certainly, but I will say it takes a lot of hard work and consistency to get good at.

What Is A Fair Rate For Proofreading?

Not sure what a fair rate for proofreading is? It should be around $0.013 to $0.016 per word for proofreading.

This number can go up or down depending on the proofreader’s experience.

However, if anyone tries to charge you less than the typical fair rate, make sure you’re not being scammed and ask for a rate review once you’ve delivered good work.

Remember, just because you start at a certain rate doesn’t mean you’ll need to stick with it for your whole career as a proofreader.

I increased my rates as I got more experience, and had more clients.

I hope you’ve found clarity if you were wondering how long does it take to proofread 1000 words!

The length of time required to proofread 1000 words is typically used as a marker for proofreaders and clients to estimate how much time they might need to allocate for a project.

As you upskill, gain more experience and do more proofreading, you’ll find that your proofreading speed for 1000 words will improve over time.

So don’t get too disheartened if your speed isn’t quite at the numbers I’ve mentioned above yet!

Did my article help you in your proofreading journey? Let me know!

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