How does one become a book editor?
March 11, 2010 5:58 PM Subscribe
Asking for a friend. What are publishing houses looking for in a book editor?
A friend is presently employed as a copy editor with a newspaper and looking to make a move into the book publishing industry as an editor. What do book publishers want in a candidate as a book editor? What will set her apart from the undoubtedly dozens of applicants? How would she break into that business?
A friend is presently employed as a copy editor with a newspaper and looking to make a move into the book publishing industry as an editor. What do book publishers want in a candidate as a book editor? What will set her apart from the undoubtedly dozens of applicants? How would she break into that business?
I think in general, at the entry level, publishers are looking for people who care about books, can discuss them intelligently -- bonus points if they're familiar with the books published by that company -- can write reasonably well, can get along with people, are well organized, and can learn quickly.
When I applied for my first job at my company, I had to read and analyze several short texts as
a sort of entry exam. Some of my colleagues had to write sample flap copy or discuss possible sales handles for hypothetical books.
posted by cider at 6:29 PM on March 11, 2010
When I applied for my first job at my company, I had to read and analyze several short texts as
a sort of entry exam. Some of my colleagues had to write sample flap copy or discuss possible sales handles for hypothetical books.
posted by cider at 6:29 PM on March 11, 2010
Experience. If your friend doesn't have any professional experience, she should volunteer. Lots of charitbale organizations would love someone to produce a newsletter for them.
Taking courses will also help. In Toronto, Centennial College has a publishing program (which I took myself) and so does Ryerson Polytechnical. The Editor's Association of Canada offers courses and seminars and a few years back they launched the Professional Editor's Certificate program, which involves sitting four exams, for which one can take prep courses and/or seminars.
Oh, and pass whatever tests the publisher gives you.
Basically, a job applicant needs to give a potential employer reason to believe that she or he knows how to edit. Everyone thinks they can edit, but they are almost always wrong. Most job applicants fail my company's editing tests.
posted by orange swan at 8:30 PM on March 11, 2010
Taking courses will also help. In Toronto, Centennial College has a publishing program (which I took myself) and so does Ryerson Polytechnical. The Editor's Association of Canada offers courses and seminars and a few years back they launched the Professional Editor's Certificate program, which involves sitting four exams, for which one can take prep courses and/or seminars.
Oh, and pass whatever tests the publisher gives you.
Basically, a job applicant needs to give a potential employer reason to believe that she or he knows how to edit. Everyone thinks they can edit, but they are almost always wrong. Most job applicants fail my company's editing tests.
posted by orange swan at 8:30 PM on March 11, 2010
The UC Berkeley Extension certificate got me a job. Just sayin'.
posted by vickyverky at 9:49 PM on March 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by vickyverky at 9:49 PM on March 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
I would also add that her experience as a copyeditor would probably be helpful, but that she would probably still have to start as an editorial assistant (or an intern) -- it's highly unlikely that she'd be able to come in at the editor level.
She may be able to get her foot in the door as a (possibly freelance) copyeditor at a publishing house, but it may be difficult to make the transition from copyeditor to editorial assistant.
posted by cider at 6:44 AM on March 12, 2010
She may be able to get her foot in the door as a (possibly freelance) copyeditor at a publishing house, but it may be difficult to make the transition from copyeditor to editorial assistant.
posted by cider at 6:44 AM on March 12, 2010
Depending on what KIND of an editor she wants to be, her experience will be valuable. She will be asked to take a copy editing test. If she wants to work in non-fiction trade, her newspaper experience will absolutely be valuable. If she wants to work in higher ed or science/medical/technical it will be as well. If she wants to work in fiction, it will come in handy but the more important thing in fiction is knowing how to find and build a list (as your goal will eventually Publisher), which simple copy editing doesn't give you. But if she wants entry level, I don't think our company would ever outright discard a resume because the particular copy editing experience was newspaper. She should try.
posted by spicynuts at 8:04 AM on March 12, 2010
posted by spicynuts at 8:04 AM on March 12, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
This said, our very own Ocherdraco has created a blog about this very topic.
posted by smoke at 6:13 PM on March 11, 2010 [1 favorite]