I’m talking about my journey as an editor today so that anyone interested in editing can get an idea about what might be involved, but I want to preface my story by saying something about editing.
Editing means so many different things: an in-house book editor does something very different than what a magazine editor or even a freelance book editor does, and a copyeditor is another animal completely. Even within the book industry alone, there are different levels of editing an editor can specialize in. So, spoiler: my story leads to me becoming a freelance editor who does developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading for books and other documents.
There are also many different ways to come to editing, but I came to editing after attempting to pursue a more traditional (read: acceptable to my immigrant parents) job and discovering that my heart lives permanently in the world of books. After that discovery, here are the steps I took to get to where I am today.
I got my bachelor’s degree in English.
This is by no means necessary, and in fact, I didn’t take a single editing course as a part of my English coursework. English is, however, the department where you’ll find a lot of future editors because that’s where the books are, and editors love to read.
I did a publishing internship.
I am lucky to live in Minneapolis, which is a fantastic literary city. Because publishing and editing don’t have a degree associated with them, internships are a great way to learn on the ground. The most important things I learned during my internship are how traditional publishing works and how a manuscript becomes a book. I highly recommend doing an internship if you are able to.
I’m doing a certificate in Editing.
I am currently pursuing the Editing Certificate from the University of Chicago’s Graham School. I only have one class left, and I would have been done a long time ago except that I keep choosing to take extra classes instead of finishing. That’s how great the program is. The classes I have taken have been really hands-on and informative, and my instructors have been resourceful and helpful. I also like this program over others because of its authority: the University of Chicago is where the Chicago Manual of Style comes from. (Get in touch if you have more questions about this program or if you sign up and would like advice about choosing instructors!)
While you don’t have to do a certificate program, you do have to find a way to learn the knowledge. So, if you’re interested in editing books, you need to find a way to learn Chicago (yes, we nickname our favorite book!) If you’re interested in editing something besides books, there is another style manual you’ll need to learn. Learning this technical information is what will make you an editor—this is the one step in this list you can’t do without.
Those are the professional things I’ve done to prepare myself for a career in editing. But there are other things I’ve found immensely helpful, and I highly recommend them if you have the opportunity and are interested in becoming an editor.
I’m a volunteer reader for a local publisher.
I’ve been doing this for a year now, and I really enjoy it. I read a manuscript once a month and write a reader’s report, either recommending acquisition or not. It’s an opportunity for me to practice my critical reading and writing. I have to consider not only what makes manuscripts successful or unsuccessful but also what makes them right or wrong for the publisher I read for.
I review books at Muslim Reads.
Starting this blog is one of the best things I did for my career as an editor (and as an aspiring writer). Writing about books has helped me become a more critical reader and has helped me learn a lot about the Muslim #ownvoices industry: what we have, what we don’t, what we’re doing right, and what we’re not doing as successfully. If you’re interested in becoming an editor or a writer, reviewing books (on a blog or another social media platform) is a great way to learn about the industry.
And that’s it. I’ve bared the workings of my editor soul. Let me know if you have any questions! I’m more than happy to answer if I’m able to. Also let me know what other topics you’re interested in hearing about!
jessicahassaneditorial.com 