|
If your dream job involves overseeing the many facets of
producing a magazine, you may wish to become a magazine editor. The path to
becoming a magazine editor can be fairly long, beginning for many people in
college. To begin your quest to become a magazine editor, you should get a
college-level degree in a relevant area. You should also get experience by
completing internships and contributing to local publications. Finally, you
should take an entry-level job at a magazine and work your way up to an
editorship.To begin your quest to become a magazine editor, you should get an
undergraduate or master’s degree in a relevant area. As an editor, you will need
strong writing, proofreading, research, and critical thinking skills. A degree
in journalism, English, or creative writing can help you develop these skills.
If you know that you would like to eventually work for a highly specialized
publication, you might consider also taking classes in that area. For instance,
if you want to edit an architecture magazine, you will likely find it helpful to
take a number of architecture classes. Before you can become a magazine editor,
you must also gain practical experience. Consider completing an internship at a
local magazine. As an editor, you will need to have an in-depth understanding of
the many different facets of magazine publishing. Therefore, during your
internship, you should try to observe the workings of all the different
departments of that publication, including such areas as art and advertising.
Even if your internship is unpaid, you may find that the experience and contacts
it provides are highly valuable. In addition to completing an internship, you
should also spend some time during college building a portfolio of published
work. For instance, consider contributing articles to your school paper. Be sure
to save clips of everything you publish. Not only will publication help you hone
your writing, editing, and research skills, but it can also provide concrete
evidence of your talent and experience to potential employers. Once you have
completed your studies, you can continue your quest to become a magazine editor
by taking an entry-level editing job at a magazine. Often, entry-level
candidates are hired as copy editors or editorial assistants, jobs which may
involve polishing and fact-checking articles and researching potential story
ideas. As you gain experience, you will become eligible for higher-level editing
positions, such as associate editor or department editor. In time, you may
eventually rise through the ranks to become a managing editor or even an
editor-in-chief. |
