How to become a magazine editor

According to the BLS, a bachelor’s degree or higher in English, journalism or communications is required of most magazine editors. These degree programs provide training needed in writing, editing and proofreading that are essential to the position.

If you want to be a magazine editor, the path is long and can be difficult. You will have to pursue the right education and spend years building your skills as a writer. With years of dedication, however, you should have a solid shot of landing the role of a magazine editor.

Magazine editors are communication specialists who plan, manage and produce magazines for readers. They create editorial calendars, develop story ideas, manage writers, edit content and manage the production process by the effective delegation of tasks.

Editors often work with minimal supervision and may be expected to make decisions on their own. For the right person, this level of independence can be very rewarding. Many freelance editors enjoy the freedom to work from home, set their own hours and choose their own projects—which takes discipline.

The average income for an editor has reached $69,480 as of May 2018, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics. Equally important is the future outlook for editors.

Yes, you can become an editor without a degree.

As with the first section, define what an editor is. After that, we learned about the skills necessary to become an excellent and successful editor. Some of those skills are quite evident and obvious that an editor needs them, like strong language skills.

You may be concerned that since proofreading jobs are lucrative to many people, the market may be oversaturated. Fortunately, this is not true. The demand for proofreaders is always on the increase.

How Much Money Can You Make Proofreading? According to salary.com the median salary for an online proofreader is $52,202 per year. Keep in mind that the amount of money a proofreader makes will be dependent on how fast they work per hour. Some proofreading freelancers make anywhere from $25-$50 per hour.

There are no certification or licensure requirements to work as an editor. How long does it take to become an editor? It takes most people around four years to earn a bachelor’s degree. Those who pursue graduate publishing or editing degrees or certificates will take another year or two to complete their education.

Career Outlook for Editors

Demand for Editors is expected to go up, with an expected 30,039 new jobs filled by 2018. This represents an annual increase of 3.79 percent over the next few years.

The employment outlook for book editors is good. There will be job opportunities to meet the growing demand for books. However, because this is a small field, competition for these jobs will be keen. Those with the ability to edit business, technical, or trade publications will have the best opportunities.

College degrees: Most editors have at least a bachelor’s degree, usually in English, communications, or journalism. Some have graduate degrees, but it’s not a requirement. More important than the specifics of your education are a passion for reading and an aptitude for editing.

In general, an editor will work anywhere from ten to 16 hours daily, six days a week while a film is in production, and when it is approaching completion or release. How many hours do you have?

Book Editor Job Description

Book editors review manuscripts and book proposals to decide whether books should be published. They also review and edit drafts and oversee the publication process, working closely with authors to perfect the manuscript.

Editors are responsible for checking facts, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. They are also responsible for ensuring that an article corresponds with in-house style guides and feels polished and refined when done.