Being a Professional Editor: The Do’s and Don’ts

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In today's modern time, there is a growing need for leisure and relaxation. One way of doing that is by reading a good book, magazine or a newspaper. These reading materials provide the necessary venue to gain knowledge and information about a variety of things. Thus, good editing is a much needed characteristic and quality of a gripping write up. And an editor takes all the responsibility by providing its reader a great set of write-ups.

An editor not only gives you quality work, a great editor is also never afraid to share whatever knowledge he may have.

Great editors are never slave drivers. They respect their co-workers' schedule and do not impose more work than the writer can handle. They do not delegate. They try to understand their employee's situation, especially if the writer would have to have his deadlines extended. Editors give room for improvement and are open to feedbacks. That being said, an editor must have a multitude of qualities in order to do an amazing job.



The basic job description of an editor is to edit and supervise a writer's written work. He or she must have ample knowledge of basic grammar and punctuation along with different writing styles. His main responsibility is to avoid plagiarism in the material, for this may lead to possible termination of employees as well as a messy court battle involving the company. Also, a good editor has to have up-to-par English communication skills and average, if not excellent writing skills as well. Editorial positions are of various subtypes that include the following: the associate editor, editorial assistant, chief, book editors, and various other types depending on the kind of publication he or she works in.

For a person to be able to gain the qualities of a good editor, one should obtain a college degree in English or any other related course. Editorial positions are not menial tasks and require a great deal of intellectual capacity.

A high-quality editor must be a great writer first and foremost. Being an editor is supposed to be the main goal of each and every writer who is willing to work in the field. He also must have a firm command of the English language, which covers everything from basic usage and grammar to punctuation and sentence construction. A great editor also must possess a keen eye for detecting mistakes, especially in formal writing. This is an extreme necessity for proofreading.

Verbal skills also are of great importance for interviews and interaction with co-workers and colleagues alike. This is a vital element in editorial professions.

It will be a definite advantage if the editor is able to attend seminars and skills training prior to and after the acquisition of the job. Skills training and seminars in journalistic correspondence prove to be very useful in editing. In addition, training for book editors also provides insights not only into the world of literary works but also in terms of inter-personal relationships with co-workers.

Furthermore, having prior work experience in both writing and editing proves to be of massive aid when it comes to dealing with work-related difficulties. An editor with robust work experience will not have difficulty comprehending the various tasks that may be handed to him as editor. Journalistic skills also can be very useful.

There is actually a colossal need for writers as well as editorial staff both in the real and cyber world. Print media together with publishing entities necessitate the hiring of these people for the smooth creation and establishment of the main end product. Broadcast and communication also require these types of services.

The income varies in degree in terms of position or company level. Entry level employees may receive minimum wage on a per article basis. Magazine writers are paid per article on entry level and per page as they increase in skill. The wage policies differ with each company. A prestigious magazine would certainly pay a lot more for budding local newspaper editors.

Being an editor is both difficult and rewarding at the same time. It may be hard to grasp the concept of having to criticize someone's work but as time proceeds you will surely realize how easy and fun it could be as you grow both in skill and experience. It is also important to remember that a good editor works with his employees to further improve their skill and capacity to produce quality articles.
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