ADD ADVICE TO FAVSub-editor
Sub-editors edit journalists’ copy and prepare it for publishing.
What sub-editors do
- check copy for accuracy, spelling and grammar
- ensure that stories are clear of legal problems
- write headlines, process illustrations and may lay out pages.
Key skills
- an eye for detail
- good knowledge of the law
- ability to work to deadlines.
Training to be a sub-editor
Training is usually on the job, supplemented by short courses run by professional-training organisations. Most sub-editors start their careers as an editorial assistant.
Salaries
Few graduates can expect to enter the industry as a sub-editor; most have to start as an editorial or publishing assistant, in order to gain skills and experience before progressing further. Starting salaries for editorial assistants can be low, between £16,000 and £18,000.
