How to Become an Editor: 6 Steps to Build a Successful Career

So you’ve decided you want to become an editor. You dream of wielding your mighty red pen — or, let’s be honest, the “track changes” feature of your chosen word processing tool — and shaping manuscripts into masterpieces. But where do you start? Here’s how to become an editor in six steps, with tips from top editors who have been through it all themselves.

1. Read, read, read

If you want to edit words, you’ve got to love them. Read anything and everything — novels, blogs, cereal boxes (yes, even those). Get familiar with different writing styles, from poetic prose to business reports. Pay attention to how sentences flow, how ideas connect, and where mistakes sneak in.

Start reading like an editor. This means noticing when a sentence could be smoother, catching typos like a grammar ninja, and figuring out what makes good writing work. The more you read, the sharper your skills will become!

Some useful questions to ask yourself while reading are:

• Do these sentences have enough structural variety?
• Are there any fragments or run-ons (that aren’t intentional for stylistic purposes)?
• Can I understand everything that’s happening? If not, is there a valid reason — like an unreliable narrator who’s building up to a twist?
• Am I enjoying reading this? If not, am I at least getting valuable information? (It’s a red flag if the content accomplishes neither!)

Then after finishing a novel, short story, or even an article, think about things like:

• How you might change the structure to make it more impactful
• What could make the writer’s voice more distinctive or consistent throughout
• Whether any tangential thoughts or superfluous subplots/characters could be cut
• If the “central idea” ultimately comes across

Constantly asking questions like these will turn you into a more “instinctual” editor, which will be crucial for efficiency down the line. But don’t worry; we’ll also talk about more “official” ways to hone your editing skills later in this article.

2. Research your ideal role

“Editor” doesn’t just describe one job — it can be broken down into a variety of roles which are all quite different. That’s why another one of the first steps to becoming an editor is to think about which type(s) of editing appeal most to you. Here are some of your choices:

• 🧩 Developmental editor: Are you interested in big-picture issues? Developmental editors help shape a narrative, ensuring it has a coherent structure.
  
  
• ✍️ Copy editor: Love perfecting sentences? Copy editors polish grammar, punctuation, clarity, and style. 
  
  
• 🔍 Proofreader: Got an eagle eye? Proofreaders are the last defense against typos before publication.
  
  
• ⚙️ Technical editor: Knowledgeable about your subject? Technical editors worry less about language and more about the accuracy of scientific, medical, or other technical content. (This is similar to a fact checker, but rather than simply pointing out any factual errors, as a technical editor you would actually be making the corrections in-text.)

You’ll also need to think about what types of texts you want to work with. Books, magazines, academic papers, legal texts, and websites are just some of your options.

Of course, you don’t have to make a decision now and stick to it. Sometimes, you only know what you like (or don’t like!) by trying it out. Alyssa Matesic, a developmental book editor, didn’t know developmental editing even existed as a job until she started working in the industry and found herself drawn to the foundational aspects of storytelling, such as plot structure, character development, and pacing.

Freelance or in-house?

Yet another important career decision is whether to try and find a salaried in-house position or strike out on your own as a freelancer.

Working in-house has the advantage of a steady income, although it is possible to earn just as much or more as a freelancer. The main benefits of freelancing are that you can set your own working hours, be pickier about projects, and work from anywhere. However, you’ll also have to serve as your own accounting and marketing departments.

That said, Alyssa Matesic found that her previous in-house job required her to do a lot of administrative tasks too. She says, “Transitioning to freelance editing allowed me to dedicate more time to what I'm actually passionate about: working directly with authors to strengthen their stories.”

Read job descriptions

Once you’ve narrowed down the scope of “professional editor” and set a more specific career goal, it’s time to figure out exactly what skills you need to thrive in the industry. Even if you want to work freelance, it’s a good idea to read job descriptions of roles similar to your desired niche and determine the skills and knowledge required.

For example: 

• What software(s) do clients want you to be familiar with?
• Which style guides do you need to know?
• Does your niche typically require an advanced degree?
• What kinds of people are actually looking for your services?
  

By staying on top of industry trends and requirements, you can tailor your learning and early experiences to your dream job.

Regardless of the editing path you choose, certain skills are absolutely essential. Rebecca Heyman has been a developmental editor for over 15 years. We asked her to name the 3 most important skills all editors need. She says: 

“Subject mastery, compassion, and clarity. It's never enough to wonder if your feedback is accurate; you should know — and you can't know if you don't have subject mastery. Editors should generally assume authors are doing their best, so a mean-spirited, snarky or annoyed attitude is never appropriate. 

 

Clarity ties into subject mastery, but it also means being able to articulate a philosophy of narrative development in a way that will help your authors grow. A good editor doesn't rely on tired adages like ‘show don't tell,’ instead reaching into their deep well of knowledge to provide useful, actionable feedback.”

3. Acquire the necessary skills

So how do you achieve that subject mastery? One option is to get a relevant master’s degree. However, this is not essential by any means. Lots of very successful editors only have a bachelor’s degree — and not necessarily in a related field.

Short courses and certifications offer an equally good pathway into editing. Book editor Aja Pollock has a degree in Medieval Culture, and developed her editing skills through foundational courses in copy editing, proofreading, and developmental editing. “[These courses] allowed me to develop a consistent process for each type of editorial work, and understand the expectations for each role,” she says.

Certification programs can be a useful way to acquire essential editing skills, but even they aren’t mandatory if you want to become an editor. Maggie Lyons, who studied modern languages and public communication at university, says she has never been asked if she has any certification. Instead, she is consistently hired based on her proven abilities and/or personal recommendations. 

Also remember that you can acquire a lot of editing skills for free! A couple of tactics we’d recommend are reading reference books and style manuals at your local library, or listening to editing material like The Editing Podcast.

4. Apply your learning

Even if you have qualifications coming out of your ears, you’ll be hard-pressed to land an entry-level job without relevant experience. Here are some ways to improve your résumé — with or without a qualification:

• 📰 Edit a school or university magazine, like Alyssa Matesic did. Or, if you’re no longer in education, try a church newsletter or a local community bulletin.
  
  
• 👨🏻‍💻 Volunteer to edit friends’ or family’s blogs. Mairi Bunce started out proofreading as a favor to a friend, and she’s now six years into a successful copy editing and proofreading career
  
  
• 💼 Do some work experience at a publishing house near you. While Big Five internships can be very competitive, it’s always worth approaching smaller companies — particularly independent publishers and small presses — for more informal or one-off work experience.
  
  
• ⌛ Carry out short-term gigs on freelance sites like Upwork and Fiverr. These will even be paid… although rates are notoriously low. These sites are good for gaining some initial experience, but you probably won’t want to use them forever.
  
  
• 📝 Start a blog in which you edit sample pieces. Make sure you don’t break any copyright laws, though! One bold strategy could be to sample-edit books from the public domain. Sure, they’re classics for a reason, but who’s to say they can’t be improved?

Whenever possible, don’t forget to ask for feedback. The best way to improve is by learning what works and what doesn’t!

5. Showcase your expertise

You have the skills and the experience — now you have to prove it to potential employers or clients!

First off, make sure everything that can be traced back to you is 100% error-free: your résumé, your emails, and everything you put on social media. Nobody will hire an editor who can’t proofread their own writing!

After that, the main way to showcase your skills is to create a website which can serve as your portfolio. You don’t have to worry about attracting tons of site traffic; all you need is a simple, professional site to which you can direct people. Include samples of your editing, links to anything published online that you’ve edited, and testimonials from satisfied clients — even if it’s your mom’s friend and you weren’t paid!

If you’re applying for in-house roles, a website may be enough. However, if you want to go freelance, you need to establish a greater online presence on social media — mainly LinkedIn, but potentially also X, Instagram, etc. Get your name out there in writers’ and editors’ feeds. 

Don’t put pressure on yourself to post unique content all the time. Just commenting on other people’s posts consistently will help get you noticed. Plus, following top influencers in the industry might teach you something useful too! Some good accounts to follow are:

• Jane Friedman - The Hot Sheet 
• Joanna Penn - The Creative Penn 
• Louise Harnby - Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading 
• Suzanne Sherman - Memoir Coach & Editor

6. Network with other publishing pros

Finally, another great way writers and companies find editors is through word-of-mouth referrals. That’s why it’s essential to build positive relationships with other editors, writers, and publishing professionals. Here’s how to get started:

• 🤝 Join a professional association. Groups like the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) not only offer networking opportunities, but also excellent advice and training for new and experienced editors alike. Elizabeth Thurmond, who has proofread for Rick Riordan and Eoin Colfer, also uses the EFA’s annual survey to determine her base rates.
  
  
• 📅 Attend industry events. Besides events for editing professionals, attend book fairs, writing conferences, and industry workshops where you might find potential clients. Get chatting to everyone and have the link to your website handy, perhaps on a business card.
  
  
• 📧 Send speculative applications. Sometimes, reaching out to a company (even if they’re not hiring) can land you an opportunity. If you don’t ask, you don’t get! Ian Gibbs got a lot of freelance work by cold emailing editors, but he also got ignored regularly. As well as not giving up, his advice is: “Put yourself in the shoes of your clients. Understand that they do not create the budgets but merely have to work within them, and they are overworked and underpaid just like you. As much as possible, try to keep your communication concise and agreeable.”
  
  
• 🗨️ Keep in contact with clients. Book editor Tracy Gold says, “At the end of a project, I always ask my clients to keep me posted. Then, a couple times a year, I go through my closed projects and check in with any clients I haven't heard from recently.” Maintaining a friendly relationship is more likely to result in repeat business, and to keep you at the top of writers’ minds when they are asked for recommendations. Be careful not to overdo it, though — you don’t want your clients to wish you had an unsubscribe button!

The more people you know in the industry, the more doors you’ll find flung open. Be friendly, professional, and ready to grab opportunities when they come.

Becoming an editor isn’t about having a fancy degree — it’s about honing your skills, gaining experience, and putting yourself out there. So keep reading, start practicing, and get networking. Good luck!