“I don’t think I have the patience for it,” I told him. "I'd like to stay on the path I'm on."
That was my response for two reasons. First, I didn’t think
I wanted to sit at a computer most of every day. Second, I liked what I was
doing—publishing process management. So I was privileged to continue meeting
the challenges of editorial process, working with editors, intersecting with other disciplines in
the house like sales and marketing, and making publishing plans for books and Bibles. I eventually became
an executive managing editor.
But that didn’t mean I didn’t want to edit. I did! I took an
editing correspondence course and did well. I soaked up everything I could from
the experienced and skilled editors I worked with. At one time I led an
in-house team that provided editing services to the sales and marketing teams, and I tackled some of that work myself. I loved all those aspects of my job and those
experiences. In addition, I was permitted to freelance edit books on a
non-compete basis.
Fast-forward to 2011, and it was time to not only move
closer to family, which meant giving up my job, but to…wait for it…sit at a
computer most of every day! I was finally ready to edit full-time.
I launched Bloom in Words Editorial Services in fall of 2011, and I love it. I continue to learn—to "become"—through each experience, by reading books on writing and editing, by occasionally attending writers' conferences, and from both freelance and in-house editors who send me projects.
I’m sometimes asked how to become an editor. The path is
different for everyone. Mine started when I was given a temporary editorial
assistant job at a publishing house that turned into a decades-long career. But
this is my advice: search the internet with the words How to become an
editor. You’ll find scores of articles, like this
one. And if you want to take some courses, look for sites like The Christian Pen.
If you have an aptitude for editing (or proofreading, a
great way to start), I believe you will uncover it with every effort and
opportunity you take.
photo image: https://publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=150062&picture=laptop-man
