Editor

Job overview
At the lower end of the scale, an editor may be simply checking the content of a book, journal, or other written article for accuracy, grammatical errors etc.

At the other end, someone like the editor of a national newspaper, will be responsible for seeing that each issue of the paper meets previously agreed criteria for style of writing, subjects suitable for publication, political slant, layout etc.

Book editing is a specialised job, too.

An experienced editor in a publishing company, will advise a writer, particularly a beginner, on whether his/her book is likely to sell well and will offer suggestions as to how it might be made more saleable.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
An effective editor should have good written and verbal skills and a thorough knowledge of the language concerned.

What qualifications are needed?
The basic qualification is, as described above, a thorough knowledge of the language, but in addition a comprehensive knowledge of that language's literature is a great advantage.

This is gained by wide reading, but can be supported by a course in literature, either at a university or a post-secondary college.

A course in journalism, too, at a university or otherwise, can be a valuable asset.

Finally, nowadays it is essential to be computer-literate.