Quote:
Originally Posted by Moejoe
There's no 'career path' for that job as there is for accountancy, no way to tell if one editor's choices are any better for the writer than another - at the very best an editor is an opinion giver, a gambler on other people's tastes (not so much a nurturer of talent any longer) You'll probably say 'it's the experience', but these editors that are around at the moment don't have any experience in the digital (or very little) so there's an even keel for anybody who wants to call themselves 'editor' now.
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Actually, in the U.S. there are degree programs that specialize in editing, just like there are degree programs that specialize in accounting. There are also non-degree programs and there are specialized certification programs, particularly in the sciences, that require extensive focused training over months to years. There is a "career path" for editors. Of course, experience helps, too. One can be a great doctor but a poor writer or editor, just as once can be a great writer or editor but a poor doctor. Not everyone has the skillset to be a good editor any more than does everyone have the skillset to be a good writer.