Editing

An editor's job begins when a manuscript is complete (or nearly complete) and finishes when that manuscript is ready for publication.

Editing requires many skills — and some editors may be better in certain areas than others — but all editors need a functional grounding in:

• Structural editing?
• Copy editing?
• Proofreading?

Editors should also have strong interpersonal skills to use when negotiating with authors and contractors. Excellent computer skills are more and more becoming a necessity, as is a knowledge of the publishing process (both print and online). Some editors make the effort to learn professional publishing programs like Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress, or web editors such as Adobe GoLive or Macromedia Dreamweaver.