In my new business, I'll proofread your writing. Wait. Hold on a minute.

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By JOHN E. BIALAS

I'm LinkedIn loopy.

The feeling is from spending hours on the site looking at the posts of copy-editing and proofreading proprietors and somehow believing I could start my own copy-editing and proofreading business for helping writers.

I planned to run it on this blog, of all places, as a home-based sole proprietorship. Call the business Put This Editor to Work.

• Services offered: editing, proofreading
  
  
• Genre: nonfiction
  
  
• Main areas of expertise: memoirs, business books, newsletters, blog posts

Then I ran into reality when I read articles about how to launch a copy-editing or proofreading business.

It turns out that too much business is involved.

• You have to form a legal entity.

• You have to register for taxes.

• You have to open a business bank account and apply for a business credit card.

• You have to set up accounting for your business.

I was overwhelmed seeing all of those requirements, which are listed at TRUIC (The Really Useful Information Company).

LLCs, DBAs, permits, licenses. No thank you.

I would be up and running without the business side of my idea.

One of the reasons I would operate Put This Editor to Work is my frustration with Fiverr and Upwork. Since the spring, when I signed up for Fiverr and Upwork, I've found out they are weeks-long timewasters in my freelance job searches.

 
I've had zilch from Fiverr. My Upwork resume is limited to just one book chapter and one unsuccessful tryout, but the two writers I edited were impressed with what I did for them, 

I crave steady part-time work during my retirement, which began in 2017 to close out a 45-year newspaper career (I was going for 50).

In the working version of this post, I copied what I wrote in my profile at both job sites and pasted it here intending to get the word out about my qualifications. After a day or two of thinking it over, I deleted the copy-and-paste because it wasn't a great idea.

Instead, you're welcome to look at my Upwork and Fiverr, and if you're interested, I hope to hear from you. I will keep the accounts open until I swim in cash money from them.

You can also contact me at my LinkedIn and I promise no loopiness. I'll be all business.