If overseeing the many aspects of magazine production is your dream job, you might want to consider becoming a magazine editor. The road to becoming a magazine editor can be long and winding, with many people starting in college. To begin your career as a magazine editor, you should obtain a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. Internships and contributions to local publications are also good ways to gain experience. Finally, you should start as an intern at a magazine and work your way up to becoming an editor.
To begin your career as a magazine editor, you should obtain a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant field. You’ll need strong writing, proofreading, research, and critical thinking skills as an editor. These skills can be developed with a degree in journalism, English, or creative writing. If you know you want to work for a highly specialized publication in the future, you should take classes in that field as well. If you want to edit an architecture magazine, for example, you’ll probably benefit from taking a few architecture classes.
You must gain practical experience before you can become a magazine editor. Consider working as an intern at a local publication. As an editor, you’ll need a thorough understanding of the various aspects of magazine publishing. As a result, during your internship, you should try to observe the operations of all of the publication’s departments, including art and advertising. Even if your internship is unpaid, the experience and contacts you gain may be extremely valuable.
You should spend some time during college, in addition to an internship, building a portfolio of published work. Consider writing articles for your school newspaper, for example. Make a point of saving clips of everything you post. Not only will publication help you improve your writing, editing, and research skills, but it will also give potential employers concrete evidence of your abilities and experience.
After you’ve finished your studies, you can pursue your dream of becoming a magazine editor working as an entry-level editor for a publication. Copy editors and editorial assistants are frequently hired as entry-level candidates, with responsibilities that include polishing and fact-checking articles as well as researching potential story ideas. As you gain experience, you’ll be able to apply for higher-level editing positions like associate editor or department editor. You could advance through the ranks to become a managing editor or even an editor-in-chief in time.