What is an editor-in-chief? What does an editor-in-chief do? If you have ever asked yourself these questions, it is a good time to get these things straight. An editor-in-chief plays a key role in a publishing organization, whether it is a newspaper, magazine, television program, or an online platform. Such an editorial leader should possess a number of characteristics, which help sustain general writing consistency along with media/visual elements.
Nowadays, an online editor-in-chief position is equally alluring in regard to print publications. Online resources have grown and developed due to paper editions’ high cost and labor-intensive character. This, in turn, gives a head start to internet publications in relation to classic printed media. Owing to the internet’s unique usability, digital media leads in terms of scope and availability, and thus have an impact on populations all over the world.
The above-mentioned aspects give credit to online writing and editing jobs. As a result, sooner or later, a wise periodical owner feels the need to have a responsible and creative person, who has not only mastered writing skills, but also is able to run a fruitful cooperation between staff members, publishers, and the owner himself or herself in harmonious coexistence. This is where a competent editor-in-chief comes in handy.
If so, what should you do to be an editor-in-chief? Let’s take a closer look at this position:
- As you may admit, an editor-in-chief is responsible for almost every aspect related to content. Furthermore, such a person should know the ins and outs of a certain publication, and smoothly combine together all the stages of launching. Feel free to plunge into the kind of publishing you find the most appealing to have the selected field down pat.
- It is crucial to choose a type of publication according to your liking or education. For example, a science editor-in-chief is likely to have a master’s degree or even a Ph.D. in a corresponding field of study. Your background, however, can somehow substitute the lack of a theoretical basis.
- Besides, an online editor-in-chief should be able to not only deal with an ordinary set of duties, but also to keep pace with social media trends, blog posts, emails, online articles, business plans specificities, etc. Being a jack-of-all-trades is not only a responsible role, but also tedious at the end of the day.
- Considering to a post’s complexity, such traits as vitality, a positive attitude, an easy-going character, and perfect communication skills are a must. These features will not suffice, though, without technical proficiency, writing dexterity, and strategic unity.
- Supervising a deputy editor-in-chief, senior and junior editors, polishing their text up to standards, ensuring sources are valid, and approving final version to boot.
If you are not scared to death so far, let’s list an editor-in-chief’s main duties as follows:
- Writing editorials
- Mentoring staff activities
- Reviewing outlines and final versions, editing them in terms of style, punctuation, and grammar errors
- Keeping content in a coherent manner
- Selecting material to post among written text by assigned staff members
- Attending social events as a firm’s representative
To sum up, editors-in-chief are individuals who have managed to climb the career ladder due to their knowledge, persistence, and leadership abilities. They are both smart strategists and people who resonate with digital trends.
No one is born a professional editor, but each l of them have become one because they rolled up their sleeves. If you feel this is where you belong and this position may give a push and reveal your potential to the full extent, give it a shot!