Become a Professional Copyeditor
Copyediting is a very in-demand skill that can pay fairly well. A college education goes a long way, but may not be necessary if you can prove your skills. This may be more true in the newspaper industry than in other, less demanding fields.
Steps
- A local newspaper may be the best place to start your career. Check the paper's classified listings to see if any job openings are posted.
- If your location isn't flexible, get to know someone at the local paper. They'll be able to tell you if and when a position is open. A good way to get to know a copy editor at your paper may be calling the paper after business hours and asking for the copy desk chief. Tell them why you're calling and offer to buy them dinner in exchange for their advice on how to become a copyeditor. As hokey as it sounds, most people enjoy being reminded that is desirable and sought after.
- Once you get the interview, you better know your Ps and Qs. To brush up on your skills, check out "When Words Collide: A Media Writer's Guide to Grammar and Style" By Lauren Kessler and Duncan McDonald. Also know your AP style: is it a website or a Web site?
- Pass the test. Most papers have a copy editing test that requires you to perform well in spelling, punctuation, grammar, and general knowledge.
- Stay informed! Copy editing isn't just about grammar, it's about fact-checking too. Do the numbers in that graphic add up? Is that ragweed, or is it goldenrod in that photo?
- Have a dirty mind. Seriously. Copy editors have to be aware of pop culture connotations to avoid embarrassing headlines or worse.
- Know computers.
- Know a few programs. Most copy editors also layout pages, especially in the newspaper industry. Learn Adobe InDesign or QuarkXpress if you want to make yourself competitive with college grads.
Tips
- Treat everyone with respect.
- Learn how to fact check. A good copyeditor needs to know how to write, edit and fact check under pressure.
Warnings
- Copy editing can be a pretty thankless job sometimes. You can work late hours and weekends and may have to make late-night calls to editors or reporters, who often don't like being awakened. Just a warning.
- Good copyeditors need to be able to work under tight deadlines and stressful conditions.
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