Careers in Publishing: What Editors Do and Why It Is Important

Consider a world without editors. Suddenly the quality of every form of writing whether in magazines, newspapers, or online would deteriorate rapidly. Without editors to preserve the continuity, tone, and quality of content in paper and online media, we would see a massive communication breakdown between writers and readers.

Editing is extremely important in terms of how news and information is disseminated to the public. Proper editing means an audience who is effectively informed; but improper editing leads to confusion and a loss of profitability.

Quick Look at the Life of an Editor

While some people view editors as hunched over behind a desk scribbling unintelligible markings in page margins with a red ball-point pen, the reality is quite different. Marking up documents with proofreader's marks is only a small part of the editor's daily duties.

The editor's job is to review the work of other writers and suggest changes according to punctuation, writing style, and grammar. Editors also make sure that all documentation is consistent in tone and quality. And perhaps most important in terms of presentation, the editor must make sure all documentation matches the company's business goals.

Major newspapers including the Washington Post and the New York Times have senior editors overseeing what stories are placed on what pages of the newspaper and when. This is highly important in terms of the company's reputation and profitability, so it is important that the editors plan each and every story placement with careful consideration.

Editing on the Web

Web editing is similar to traditional print editing with some changes in methodology that make documents easier to read and find on the internet.

Online editors review the work of web writers and suggest changes based on tone, grammar, style, search engine optimization (SEO), screen readability, consistency, and adherence to company goals.

Editorial Requirements

While editing documentation, editors must adhere to specific requirements from their superiors. These requirements including article timing and placement ultimately impact the company's bottom line. For example, a breaking political scandal with nationwide impact will have more of a chance of bringing in revenue than a story regarding theft of a lawn mower.

Editorial Resources

To adhere to publishing industry standards, editors in news print media such as newspapers generally follow editorial guidelines as set forth in the Associated Press Stylebook.

Editors in the information technology industry may choose to follow the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications. And editors of journals, books, and electronic publications may decide to follow the Chicago Manual of Style.

Editing is very important to maintain the quality of written communications. Without proper editing, our entire system of disseminating clear, understandable news and information would suffer, leading to a very confused audience and a drop in profitability.