An editor is a person assigned to edit different media, such as video, sound, image or language in order to prepare them for publication or public viewing. The process of editing refers to selecting and modifying certain products, by correcting them, or better organizing or bringing computerized modifications to them, as it is the case for film editing, for example. This is an extensive process that starts with properly grasping an author's concept and goes through all the necessary steps for reaching a final result that has the editor's approval and that meets certain market needs or artistic standards.
Most often, editor jobs refer to print media, such as books, magazines or other type of publications. So, if you are a big fan of reading and you have the ability to pay attention to details, but you can also focus on the big image of the product's final consumption, then you have all it takes to be an editor.
Types of Editors
In printing media, there are generally two types of editors in discussion. The first is copy editor, or the professional that corrects a text for spelling, grammar and consistency of the subject of matter. They have to make sure that the language used is in the best shape and that the style is consistent, but also that the substance of the text doesn't suffer from unintentional mistakes that slipped the mind of the author. This is a very important task of proofreading and assuring the public of a quality product. The copy editors are employees of a newspaper or a magazine, they might have to write headlines and decide upon more substantial matters, such as style or message or the periodical theme of a magazine.
The other general type of editor is the acquisition editor. Acquisition editors have more complex responsibilities. They are usually employees of publishing houses and they are in charge of tracing successful writers and buying their books or discussing with them potential subjects and offering writing contracts to them. They deal directly with the author and with the literary agents that represent them and they negotiate manuscript development and terms of publication. They have to collaborate with the author throughout the writing process and make sure that they respect deadlines and that the subject comes out as established. There is also the case of ghost writing, when the interference of the editor in the writing process is substantial.
In the book publishing field, there can also be volume editors, or scholar editors, which have to organize anthologies of texts on different subjects or to produce complete editions of an author's work. Learn about author salary here: Salary for Author.
Other types of editor jobs include the production editor, or the editor that chooses layouts for publications and communicates with the printer department in order to obtain the desired final product. The managing editors at newspapers have to deal with more administrative aspects, but they also support managing newspaper sections.
Editor Jobs Related Pages