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Monster: What made you want to be a Production Editor?
Alex: I originally wanted to get into magazine publishing because of the writing – the Production Editor role lends itself to this perfectly – so I started at an entry level position and worked my way up. It has a great balance of creativity and organisation, and allows me to sub other people’s work as well as write my own.
What skills and education are essential to your job?
A degree is essential, although it doesn’t have to be in English Lit or Creative Writing. Experience is also key – you need to have between 1-2 years experience in magazine publishing before reaching the level of Production Editor.
A good knowledge of the English language and grammar is necessary and attention to detail is a must.
What advice can you offer someone wanting to become a Production Editor?
You will need to start at the bottom and work your way up. However competent you are at writing, knowledge of magazine craft is paramount and that is something that can only be learned over time and with training.
Concentrate on learning your trade and becoming the best at it – take courses in magazine publishing and look to other market leaders for ideas, inspiration and writing styles.
What are the best and worst things about your role?
These will vary depending on what type of work you value, but for me the writing is the best part. Making a caption or feature work well is so satisfying.
The worst bit? There isn’t really one, although it’s frustrating when mistakes make it through to print, but it just means that you have to tighten up your proofing skills. After making a mistake once, you never make it again. It’s a quick learning curve.
Are there any perks to the job?
We get to test lots of products for our features, which is great fun. The industry is quite glamorous, so we occasionally get to mix with recognisable people at events, launches and award ceremonies.
What is the end goal in your career?
I’m going to continue to work my way up the ladder, gaining as much experience as possible. After that I would either like to take on an editorship, or move into a solely creative role where I can concentrate on writing.
Finish this sentence. "This week I have been mostly..."
“…sending two national magazines off to press.”
Fancy following in Alex's footsteps? Check out our latest Production Editor jobs. |
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