An Ultimate Guide To Build A Career As Copy Editor

A creative written piece is loved by all. It compels the reader to show their interest in the content but what will be the scenario if the content is not correct in terms of grammar, structure, and other writing rules etc. Readers will not be able to understand the true meaning of the content. Therefore, it is very important to edit the copy to make it readable. This copy editing work is done by a copy editor. The job title may sound interesting and exciting but the copy editor job description demands him to be an all-rounder. You must possess copy-editing skills to become a successful copy editor. 

This will not be possible if you have no idea of what the job of copy editor looks like. Copy editors are the gatekeepers who look after the authenticity, readability, quality and connectivity of the content or the copy. Once the copywriters complete their work and build a nice copy, it’s the work of copy editors to give it the finishing touch and convert the work into a masterpiece. This article will help you in understanding the job and skills of a copy editor. 

Roles and Responsibilities of a Copy Editor

Copy Editor works in various areas of the industry and performs activities like content editing, proofreading and fact-checking etc. to make sure that the content is free from any sort of grammatical, punctuation and syntax error. He is the one who makes sure that the content flows in the right direction and has clarity that will help the readers in getting the essence of the copy. Copy editors have a wide range of options in the field. If you want to become a copy editor and build your career in this field, you can go in both public as well as the private sector. You can also provide copy-editing services as a freelancer. 

His role and responsibilities involve proofreading the text, making the text error-free, verifying the factual data such as statistical data and dates etc., making sure that the copy is as per the editorial policies and guidelines, editing and rewriting the text if needed to improve its clarity and readability. He is also responsible for arranging the page layouts of photos, advertisements and articles. His job descriptions demand him to be creative so that he can make eye-catching headlines and titles of the content.

Skills That a Copy Editor Must Possess

You can be a great copy editor, you must possess copy-editing skills. Your skills will decide how well you can contribute to any organization. Hence, you must work on your skills to be successful and reach higher in the field.

Writing Skills

Your writing skills must be exceptionally amazing and you must have an in-depth knowledge of the language. Your writing skills can add value to any copy and make it easy to read. Therefore, you must work on this skill. Doing this will help you in making the content connective and communicative. You must be able to read and analyze the content. You must make sure that the content is logical and clear in terms of understanding. At the same time, you should take care of the requirements of the style guide and editorial guidelines.

It is your responsibility to make sure that the content is well-structured and grammatically error-free along with having correct punctuation. Your writing skills will help you in determining if the tone and voice of the content are correct or not. If you find anything inappropriate, you can use your writing skills to turn the copy into a masterpiece.

Relationship Building Skills 

The copy editor job description demands him to be good at making and maintaining a relationship. Therefore, must maintain a cordial connection with people of different departments, your clients and writers. You will be required to work with clients and writers to get the details of the content as well as to know what your client wants to communicate through the content. Hence, you must have interpersonal skills. You must provide guidance, instructions to the writers and encourage them to do well.

You must understand their perspective, your clients and the organization's goal and align everything together by using your copy-editing skills and creating content that is in favour of all.  If you are good at building and maintaining relationships, communicating and socializing, you can achieve great heights in your career. At the same time, you will be highly demanded in the industry. 

A Creative and Curious Mind 

You must be curious to learn more about your field, different subjects, language, writing rules and everything related to the content, you are going to work on. If you are a curious mind then only you will take a step ahead and try to gather more information. You should be a good researcher so that you can get into the details of the content and gather all the required information. This will help you in editing the copy and making it as per the demand of the client and the organization. Along with being a curious person, you should be a creative soul. Then only you will be able to create amazing, creative and attractive headlines, titles and lead-in sentences.

If you want to work as a copy editor in the advertising and marketing field then being creative is essential. You will have to create contents that are eye-grabbing and which can be helpful in brand awareness. You should be able to edit the copy in such a way that it grabs the attention of prospective audiences.

Keen Observer 

Your sole responsibility is to provide content that is error-free and structurally sound. The copy edited by you must be as per the objective of clients and the organization. Therefore, you must be a keen observer. Then only you will be able to find the minute details and errors. If you give your full attention to the content and analyze it properly, you will be able to discover small grammatical, punctuation and structural mistakes. It is your responsibility to adhere to the rules and guidelines of writing styles.

Therefore, you should proofread every copy with great attention and observation. You should be exceptionally dedicated to your work. If you are a hard and dedicated person, you will be able to provide content that is free from glitches.  

Conclusion 

A copy editor is a person who can make content magically by using his copy-editing skills. If you want to be successful in this field, you have to be an all-rounder. Copy editor job description demands him to be creative, curious, researchers, communicator and an observer etc. Therefore, you must work on these skills and develop them to build a strong personality that suits the job title. If you want to fly high, then work hard and achieve your goals by understanding the field.