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Editor

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AVG. SALARY

$48,310

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EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree

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JOB OUTLOOK

Decreasing

What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Arts, Audio-Video Technology and Communications cluster Journalism and Broadcasting pathway.

Education Level

Education training and experience are required at different levels for success in different occupations.

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, or English, combined with previous writing and proofreading experience, is typically required to be an editor.

Insider Info

Additional Information

Book editing is a very competitive line of work, so the more education you have, the better.

A degree in English and a strong background in literature are necessary, says Florida-based freelance book editor Laurie Rosin. Degrees in communications are also common for book editors.

"It's a very competitive field, so as much preparation as possible is desirable," she says. "A prospective editor should be a voracious reader -- as a kid, I used to read the back of cereal boxes while I ate breakfast, and I always had my nose in a book. I suggest reading the classics as well as contemporary best sellers. You must be an expert in editing, as well as a careful reader."

Work experience also helps. Opportunities like apprenticeships or internships can help you gain experience.

Ben Schafer, executive editor for a New York publishing company, says that you have to start at the bottom and put in your time to get to the top. He's been editing for 17 years and says it can take a long time to advance in the field.

"I worked for a writer who had a small staff managing his life, travels and reading engagements, and kind of segued into book publishing from there," he says. "I worked at a small independent publisher first, then in a big publisher's publicity department, then in children's editorial, eventually switching to 'adult' editorial within the company."

Carol Gaskin owns her own editing business in Florida. She says that there is no one easy way to becoming a book editor, and she doesn't know anyone who started out as a book editor. Most worked their way into the position.

"Editors who specialize in a certain field -- medicine, business or sports, for example -- have a background in that area," she says. "You have to learn your craft -- in writing either fiction, non-fiction or both -- and you need to learn how the publishing industry works. There's no single path."

Contact

  • Email Support
  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900
  • North Dakota Career Resource Network
    ndcrn@nd.gov | (701) 328-9733

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