Editors
Researched by Megan M. 2002-03	RESEARCH REPORT  MY INTERVIEW  BIBLIOGRAPHY  ABOUT THE AUTHOR  PROUDUCTS I CREATED DEDICATION  WHY I CHOSE THIS TOPIC  SELF-EVALUATION  THANK YOU

An editor is someone who works in the world of words and print. Generally working 40 hours a week in an office, an editor writes and corrects other’s writing. Every type of publication in print or production has some type of editor. The use of computer technology is changing the job of editors today to a more technical career.

The word "editor" means… 
1. Somebody who’s in charge of the publication of a book, or magazine.
2. Somebody who’s in charge of a newspaper or magazine.
3. Somebody who prepares a text for publication by correcting errors and improving accuracy and clarity. 
4. Somebody who prepares a final version of a movie, deciding it’s length, and order of shots and scenes. 

The word "editor" came from the Latin word "edere" or "editum" and means supervising or directing the preparation of text.

A magazine publishing company employs magazine editors. These editors are responsible for writing or finding people to write articles, for getting the photographs to go with the print, and to arrange the layout of the articles. They also are responsible for making sure everything is spelled correctly and is written correctly.

A newspaper editor assigns, edits, reviews, and rewrites articles that are printed in newspapers. When an editor arranges an advertisement they just proofread it, they do not make changes. The daily schedule of a newspaper puts a lot of pressure on editors. It is a very fast-paced job with lots of stress.

A book editor is someone who works for a company that publishes books. The editor will work on manuscripts to help the authors get them ready to print into books. When they receive a manuscript if it does not reach expectations they will send it back.

The tools an editor uses are: computer technology, software, pictures on computer, tape recorders, and all types of travel including places to stay away from home.

The salary range varies for the different types of editors. A Copy Editor makes between $18,000 and $25,000 a year. A Book Editor Assistant makes about $18,000. A Book Editor with 5 years experience can make $30,000. A Senior Book Editor makes around $44,000. The top paying Book Editor job is the Supervisory Editor who can make up to $60,000.

Salaries for Newspaper Editors vary depending on the type of paper they work for. A small circulation newspaper pays editors between $18,000 and $24,000 per year. A large circulation newspaper pays editors $26,000 to $37,000. In a large circulation newspaper Senior Editors can make up to $60,000.

In the magazine business an Assistant Editor makes between $20,000 and $28,000 yearly. An experienced magazine editor makes between $25,000 and $43,000 while a Supervisory Editor makes between $33,000 and $57,000 a year.

According to the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, in 1996 the beginning salary for editors was $21,000. The 5-year experienced editor made $30,000 and the Senior Editor made $67,000 per year in 1996.

Most editing jobs require college classes and degrees, however, some entry-level editors have only a high school diploma. English, journalism, and communication courses as well as training in word processing and computer technology are common requirements in the industry. Generally editors study and possess a range of knowledge including: public relations, liberal arts, foreign languages, social studies, history, philosophy, and social sciences. All editors need to be able to write well and be able to type very well.  Some gain experience by writing, editing or doing photography for high school or college newspapers.

A personal skill that an editor needs is to be a good reader. They can improve by reading more and getting used to reading other people’s work. It is also good if they are knowledgeable and are a perfectionist so they can find the mistakes easily. Being a good writer is another personal skill that will help an editor.

To become an editor you must begin as a copy editor to get experience. In the year 2000 there were 122,000 editors. Some books every editor should read are:  "Editors on Editing" by Gross, Gerald on some of the greatest editors that ever lived philosophies and techniques. "The Elements of Editing: A Modern Guide for Editors and Journalists" by Plothik, Arthur. "The Elements of Style" by Strunk, William Jr. and E.B. White.
 
 
 

Who I Interviewed And What I Learned On December 3, 2002 I interviewed Brent Clement at Columbia, Publishing in Yakima, Washington. Mr. Clement was the founder of Columbia Publishing and has been since 1975. (That’s 27 years.) Mr. Clement first became interested in editing because it was easier for him to express himself and he was more confident in writing than speaking. After high school he attended six years of college and has a master’s degree from Brigham Young University in Utah. One of the things Mr. Clement enjoys about being an editor is to travel to different cities and meet new people. He interviews people and then he edits his notes from the interview. He uses computer technology to assist him in his work even when he travels. This is one of the things that has really improved in the years he has been an editor. When Mr. Clement began editing he used an old manual typewriter and a stack of papers. Now he can use a laptop computer when he travels. He can also use software like spell checker to help edit his work. Another thing that he enjoys is the work environment that he has as an editor. He gets to work in a nice office and does not have to worry about the weather. There are many different kinds of editors and most are able to work in offices that are a good environment.  One thing that is new in the field of editing today is that it is easy to find editors now. However, since more people are editors, one problem they are facing is that editors are not getting paid enough. If the publication that they work for is not dong well, that company will go down and the editors will lose their jobs. The main thing that Mr. Clement said would be good to do if someone wanted to be an editor is to write. If you write a lot and practice editing everything you write, you will get better. Editing is really checking up on writing to make it as correct as it can be. It would also help to go to college and to take computer classes. Some beginning editing jobs can be found right out of high school, but to get hired with a good solid magazine you need more education. The future of editing will change as the technology improves. Even now they are able to get pictures for articles from the computer. How they receive articles changes with the technology. The editing job is becoming very computerized.

Bibliography  Clement,Brentt. Personal interview. December 3, 2002. "Editors." Career Information Center, 7th Edition.1999. "Editors." Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance. 2000. Field,Shelly.  100 Best Careers for the 21st Century.  California: 1999. pp. 162-165. "Magazine Editors." Career Discovery. 2000. "The Journalist’s Road to Success." 2002: pp. 15.

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