Editing in the Publishing Industry

In a world of increasing technology and screen-oriented media, the publishing industry may seem in peril. Publishing houses produce books in hard copy: bound pages with covers and margins, illustrations and carefully considered fonts, of a certain size and weight with a tangible nature important to English majors and other literary connoisseurs. The emergence of ebooks from Amazon and Apple spurs some of us into a preservationist tirade. We like to dog-ear our pages, scribble our notes in the free spaces and collect more than one edition of a favorite text. Or for those who prefer their library pristine, carefully preserved and leather-bound works may be a bookshelf staple considered an essential element of one’s personality. It’s tempting to see the world in black and white: with the dawn of ebooks, real books are doomed. In fact the issue presents daunting complexities, but nothing indicates that the publishing industry and the iPad or Kindle cannot find a way to live in harmony.

Careers in publishing persist. Authors are getting published; editors have plenty of submissions to consider and the resources to produce them.
Book designers and marketers have new and exciting tools at their disposal. People worry in our depressed economy that work is unavailable, but the freeways remain clogged at 8 am and 5 pm as employees in all industries do their thing. Certainly the publishing industry, and every other establishment incorporating the new technology that emerges at a fast clip these days, is changing. Rather than despair over the death of our childhood dreams, those of us graduating and looking towards our future must recognize that it is up to us to adapt and sustain in our respective fields.

Writing a report on an industry in limbo presents a challenge: I can’t tell you what kinds of positions will be created as publishing companies incorporate new distribution technology, or what kinds of new duties an editor may acquire in the next ten years. I can present to you the industry and the position of editor as it exists now, and how you can enter the field and become a part of the transition. I must acknowledge that many publishing companies are downsizing, and fewer editorial positions are available today than in the past. But the jobs still exist, and the turn to outside contractors provides opportunities for an entrepreneuring freelance editor.

Editors play many roles at a publishing house, with various titles and responsibilities. Bookjobs.com has short explanations of the work acquiring editors, development editors, copy editors and managing editors perform. These titles reflect working with authors and develop texts, commissioning manuscripts and review unsolicited submissions, checking for grammatical, spelling and factual errors and for consistency, and overseeing the process of bringing a text to fruition, including managing planning and budget. Editorial departments have to work closely with the design, marketing, production and sales departments. These positions exist but in smaller number than in the past, as publisher look to outside contractors more often for their editing needs.

Publishingcareers.blogspot.com has information on the industry, including a survey of 100 freelance editors to enlighten us on this editorial possibility. Freelancers have as much variety in their titles and duties as in-house editors. Many respondents claimed more than one title to explain their work. They copyedit, develop texts, manage projects, and index. Many freelancers formerly worked in-house and turned to freelancing when their companies downsized. Others did it as a side job, because of the convenience of working from home, and because they were unhappy in their former careers. We will explore the working conditions of freelancers in more depth after reviewing the work of in-house editors.

Just as editors command a wide range of position titles and responsibilities, the publishing companies at which editors work vary from small businesses to large corporations and may produce trade books, textbooks, technical manuals and a number of other kinds of literature. According to the authors of Career Opportunities in the Publishing Industry, at the large publishing houses in New York, Chicago, Boston and other urban areas, there are fewer lucrative editor and editor-in-chief positions, but there are more entry level positions and higher salaries available. In smaller markets it may be more difficult to find an entry-level job because there are fewer publishing houses around, but once you’re in, the possibilities to ascend the ladder after working with the close-knit staff of a smaller operation may increase. At smaller publishers salaries may not be as lucrative as the large companies offer but the sense of community and independent business is worth it to some people.

Publishing is an apprenticeship industry, where most of the experience that earns you a career comes from an entry-level assistant position rather than an advanced degree. Workplace experience trumps educational experience when you begin. Unpaid experience like internships and time writing at a school newspaper is valuable (Bookjobs.com). Personal and business connections made during internships and assistant positions provide resources that formal education can’t match. However, as a person moves into the high levels of the editing careers, Master’s degrees in literature, publishing and business are more common and expected. Publishing presents the option to begin a career with your Bachelor’s and pursue higher degrees after you have some experience in the industry.

The common entry-level position for a college graduate is as editorial assistant. “The job consists of a combination of secretarial tasks and some editing functions…The Editorial Assistant is expected to move up the ladder, after one to three years, to assistant editor” (Yager 158). Editorial assistants often begin shortly after receiving their Bachelor’s degree in English, journalism or communications.

The experience expected for an editorial assistant includes office work under a supervisor from whom you take orders; computer skills such as familiarity with Word, Excel, and web design programs; and internships at a publishing company or at a school newspaper. Excellent spelling and grammar are necessary, and interpersonal skills such as a good telephone manner and the ability to work well with others are essential. Of course, enthusiasm about the publishing industry will go a long way, both for your own contentment in your career and for your supervisors to recognize your interest and willingness to work (Yager 158).

Editorial assistants work for an individual editor or the editing department of a publishing house. Secretarial duties include answering the phone, arranging meetings and appointments, filing and contributing to the company’s web site. Editorial duties call for copyediting and proofreading, screening manuscripts, preparing acquired manuscripts to share with the production department, securing rights, researching, and aiding communication between various elements of the publishing team (Bookjobs.com).

Formerly, editorial assistants spent a good deal of time weeding through the slush pile of unsolicited manuscripts. Recently many publishing houses have stopped accepting unsolicited manuscripts. This change may make it more difficult to establish yourself “as someone able to pick out a winning new author before anyone discovers him or her” (Yager 159). Some editorial assistant may be assigned to read commissioned manuscripts and produce a report. Editorial assistants make between $28,000 and $30,000 a year, depending on the company. This position sees relatively high turnover as assistants move on or get promoted, and jobs are often available at this level, especially in New York and other urban publishing hubs.

After one to three years of work as an editorial assistant, a promotion to assistant editor will command more responsibility and a higher salary. $30,000 to $45,000 is the standard range (Yager 155). Assistant editors may commission manuscripts and oversee the process from acquisition through proofreading, editing, design and production stages (Yager 156). This position involves more contact with the author as an assistant editor keeps him or her up to date on changes in the manuscript and works on concepts and outlines for new projects. Organization and management skills are essential, as is a keen eye for precision and detail. At this level and beyond, a graduate degree in English literature is recommended for work with fiction, and non-fiction publishers benefit from degrees in the area of specialization they work with, such as travel, biology, history or technology.

The next step up, to editor, introduces more responsibility and control and also more administrative and management duties. Editors work closely with authors through the entire publishing process, from conception to production. The salary ranges from $41,000 to $62,000 (Yager 152), and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “median annual wages for salaried editors were $49,990 in May 2008”. At this level in the editorial career ladder fewer jobs are available because there is less turnover: people who reach this position tend to hold on to their jobs. But “the job of Editor is one that is necessary for the evolution of a book” (Yager 153), and whether that book gets published in print or as an ebook the necessity remains. “Editors should be well-read, so read as much as you can and also work on your editing, proofreading, and writing skills. You may be the one who has to write up a book for the catalog or present it at a sales meeting, so work on your presentation skills as well” (Yager 154). The wide range of duties assigned to an editor, including possibly overseeing an editorial department, vary from company to company.

The position of editor in chief, entailing supervision of all the editors and editorial activities at the company, generally requires 10 to 15 years of experience. Editors in chief hold a powerful position and represent their company in the media. At a smaller publishing house, the editor in chief may also be the president, owner or CEO of the company. This position draws $80,000 to $166,000 per year depending on location and size of the publishing house. Few positions exist for editor in chief at the largest companies, and increasing profits, producing quality work and developing a reputation are essential to achieve this prestigious position.

As you move up into the higher editorial positions, reading manuscripts becomes a smaller element of your duties as administrative and management roles increase. In addition to being a strong reader and writer, a career as an editor will require computer, marketing and people skills. Taking orders and, later down the line, managing employees under your supervision will be essential. A sense of the literary scene and current trends allows an editor to advise his writers on topics and content. The position also involved some legal knowledge and keeping up with copyright issues. Maintaining connections with other elements in the industry and personal relationships with authors, printers and distributers will be required. An editorial career combines literary and administrative skills and requires an organized and hardworking personality.

Most large publishing houses operate in urban hubs, and much of the book industry is headquartered in New York. Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and other urban areas with major book publishers offer job opportunities. Smaller cities, towns and suburbs also house publishing companies, but the salaries and job opportunities may be more limited outside the larger markets. However, the connection offered by the Internet and telecommunication, combined with increased freelance and contract work desired by publishers, makes it easier to work from any area of the country. A freelance copyeditor or editor faces different challenges than an in-house employee. Freelancing requires maintaining strong connections with clients. A freelancer must meet deadlines and produce excellent work to make up for a more distant personal connection with authors and publishers. This option also denies salary and benefit opportunities, but success as a freelancer can be just as lucrative as working in-house.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that “employment of authors, writers, and editors is expected to grow 8 percent, about as fast as the average for all occupations, from 2008 to 2018” (“Authors, Writers, and Editors”). They take into account the increasing number of freelance positions available with the increase of Internet-oriented marketing and publication for all industries. When technology companies, design firms and other non-writing oriented establishments turn to the Internet to reach their increasingly technology-friendly market, they will have to hire outside help to compose and edit their website content. In fact, in this respect the increasing focus on screen-based media will be a boon to writers and editors whose have skills other fields lack. “Online publications and services are growing in number and sophistication, spurring the demand for authors, writers, and editors, especially those with Web or multimedia experience.” (“Authors, Writers, and Editors”). Everything that ends up online has to be composed and checked by someone, and that need will create jobs especially for freelance editors and copywriters.

The publishing industry, like many other fields affected by increasing technology and the depressed economy, must adapt to new conditions and find a way to maintain profits. Editors will always play a part in the creating of literature, and this career is an excellent choice for college graduates looking to work with books and authors and also organize, manage and strategize in the business world.

-- Eleanor R. Brown


Works Cited

"Authors, Writers, and Editors." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web. 11 May 2010.

Bookjobs.com: Book Yourself a Career. The Association of American Publishers. Web. 11 May 2010.

Greco, Albert N., Clara E. Rodrigues and Robert M. Wharton. The Culture and Commerce of Publishing in the 21st Century. Standford University Press, Standford, California. 2007.

Hand, Lori Cates. Publishing Careers.. Web. 11 May 2010. publishingcareers.blogspot.com/>.

Yager, Fred and Jan Yager. Career Opportunities in the Publishing Industry. Ferguson, New York: 2005