A production editor manages the publishing process from start to finish, working with authors, publishers, and vendors to ensure timely completion. They must be organized, have good communication skills, and stay within project budgets. Computer skills and marketing knowledge are also important, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications is usually required.
A production editor oversees the entire process of publishing books, manuscripts, magazines, newspapers or online information from inception to final publication. He or she works with authors, songwriters, publishers, vendors, artists, and the company’s marketing department to ensure a smooth transition from an initial idea to delivering it to readers. A person in this position must keep communication flowing between all necessary departments and keep an eye on project costs.
Production editors work under deadline conditions to coordinate the timely completion of tasks during all stages of the publishing effort. This means he or she must be highly organized and have good communication skills to keep a project moving along according to a predetermined schedule. He or she also needs some financial savvy to stay within budgets set for each project and exceptional skills in developing good working relationships with the various individuals involved in the publication.
These roles require a production editor to schedule frequent meetings to ensure that everyone working on a publication is running cohesively and according to plan. He or she may meet one-on-one with authors, the marketing department, and suppliers of materials needed for the project. Joint sessions with representatives from all departments may also be required. He or she is the liaison between typographers, proofreaders, and artists who will provide the drawings or photographs for the book or article. He or she is responsible for the accuracy of the final print, video or online product.
If the production editor works for an online publication, computer skills are also required. It helps if he or she has a deep understanding of marketing. This will allow him or her to take advantage of the huge audience available on the Internet.
Most companies are looking for a production editor with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or a native language of the country in which the company exists. Relevant experience that shows the candidate can handle production editing duties may also be required at larger publishing houses. These larger companies may want their top candidates to have a master’s degree in the field. Many people in this position start out as writers at small publications and work their way up the corporate ladder.
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