Learning how to become an editor requires more than a passion for the written word. An editor must also have excellent grammar skills, insight into the pulse of publishing and savvy business sense when it comes to assessing what will sell and what will not.
Education And Skills
An editor should have at least a bachelor's degree in either English or journalism, with plenty of hands-on experience in writing, editing and assessing content. Many editors worked on the college paper as writers and editors, working to decide the best angle of a story or rejecting sub-par submissions. College is also a fine place to hold an internship with a publishing company and gain solid experience in the publishing world. It's helpful for an editor to have knowledge in a variety of areas, from politics and psychology to sports and science.
Other important skills include interpersonal communications. Editors must work with a range of personalities in authors, graphic designers and printers. A good book editor will need to be organized and self-motivated, as she will be juggling many different projects at once, and she will need to keep other members of the team in line. But, most of all, a book editor must be able to work under a deadline so the book project moves forward.
Job Duties
You can choose from several editor positions in the media world. Book editors can work exclusively as acquisition editors, who scout out new writing talent, develop relationships with authors, analyze the market and make decisions on what projects the publisher should take on. As book publishing grows more competitive, a successful acquisition editor will have a finger on the pulse of the next reading trend.
Production or content editors are more involved with making the book and getting it out to readers. They act as the point person for the journey a project makes from raw manuscript to finished, bound book. A content editor is responsible for keeping a book under budget and on time, often with authors, graphic designers, photographers, copy editors, proofreaders, printers and marketers throwing up obstacles along the way. Most editors work as employees of a publishing house, although there are avenues for freelance work within certain niches.
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