Post on 11-Aug-2014
description
How to Be a Better
Writer & editorProfessional
Development Guides
from
We know you want to
BE AWESOMEat your job!
So, we picked the brains of a team of editorial experts to find out how they've gotten so good.
emma SiemaskoContent Marketing Specialist at Grasshopper
Melissa McCreeryCo-founder and
Former Editor-in-Chiefof The Daily Muse
Adrian Granzella LarssenEditor-in-Chief of
The Daily Muse
emily ChauAssociate Product Editor at Rodale
And compiled it all into the
ULtiMAte GUide to ProFeSSioNAL deVeLoPMeNt FOR WRITERS & EDITORS.
Are you ready for it?
it'll be a HUGe help to your career.(And only take a LittLe time to flip through.)
Whether you’re just getting started or you’re ready to move to the top,
First, we’ll talk about the skills you need.
And then we’ll give you the resources to make it happen.
Let'S Get StArted.
So what skills does one need to develop to be a superstar writer or editor?
Well, there are
tHe oBVioUS oNeS.
You certainly need to be able to WRITE well.
You certainly need
to be able to
Write WeLL.
Write, as much as you can and for as many sources as you can. Don't worry about being the best writer who has ever roamed the earth—just write. The more you write, the better and faster you
will get at it.
You should also understand the ins and outs of
GrAMMAr.
But there are other skills that people tend to
oVerLook.
Writers and editors often have to understand
the basics of
MArketiNG.
They’re responsible for:
Coming up with clickable titles
Thinking about content that people will want to share
Working to increase a publication’s reach
It's also useful to know a little bit about Seo.
AFTER All: What does good content matter if people aren’t
finding it?
You need to balance branding and good
writing with improving natural search.
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<p> These days, it’s important for writers and veditors to have some
basic TECH SKILLS.</p> </td>
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<p> These days, it’s important for writers and editors to have some
basic teCH SkiLLS. </p>
Understanding how to work a CMS
Learning the ABCs of HTML
Knowing the basics of analytics
All of these come in handy in today’s world
of digital media.
Editorial is no longer just about copy. You need to know about the
systems you're operating in and how to measure traffic if you're going to come
up with a great editorial strategy.
Perhaps one of the most important skills you should have as a writer or editor is the ability to
NetWork & BUiLd reLAtioNSHiPS.
Find new writers and people to contribute
guest posts
Collaborate with other
publications
Make people fans and advocates of
your work
The media world is pretty small, but it's all about connections.
When looking for possible outlets to write for, or, as an editor, for
potential writers and columnists, the more people you know,
the better.
As you grow into editorial leadership positions, you also
have to be pretty good at
M A N AG e M e N t .
You’re in charge of:
Keeping writers on track
Giving them regular feedback
Making sure projects are in order
Keeping a solid publishing schedule
Early in my career, I invested a lot of time in coaching writers, which meant putting
my thoughts into words, including the specific things each writer needed to do to improve a given piece. I had to learn to spell out a vision and the concrete changes needed to bring an article
closer to that vision.
Now that we're on the same page about the skills you need, let's talk about
HoW to Get tHere.
We asked our experts what resources have been helpful along the way
and pulled together an
oFFiCiAL reSoUrCe GUide for your editorial and writing development.
"The AP Stylebook is the bible for style, grammar, and spelling. And if you're going to be a writer or editor, you have to care
about all this little stuff."
AnyOtherBOOk yOu WAnt
BookS to reAd
Most of the books I read are novels. Novels, much more than most“professional development“ books, are written to tell stories,
and learning to tell stories well is at the heart of what a good writer or
editor needs to do.
As a writer, I think it's really important to read anything you can find, even if it's not directly relevant to your job.
It's crucial to see what sorts of styles are out there.
I think Medium is a great concept to help writers get their work out, especially if they don't have a personal blog. It's a really collaborative way of getting writing in front of people's eyes.
BLoGS & MAGAZiNeS to reAd
Read everything you can get your hands on, especially publications that are in the same general format yours is or accomplishing
things you want to accomplish.
But also think critically about the editorial choices that go into what you read. What is
the structure of the publishing schedule or the magazine layout for the brands you admire? What choices do they each make about the
mix of features and special projects vs. bread and butter“content? What do you think of
each of these?
I'm attending the INBOUND conference run by HubSpot to get the Inbound
Marketing Certificate, which is really exciting for me.
CoNFereNCeS to AtteNd
I got my start as a writer by taking Mediabistro's onlineclasses. There's a class for pretty much anything related
to writing, reporting, social media, and copywriting. They're pretty intense and deadline driven, too, so you get
a sense of what it's like to write on a tight schedule.
CLASSeS to tAkeWriting & Grammar
Grammar and Punctuation
Bootcamp for Journalists
Advanced Copy Editing
CLASSeS to tAkeMarketing & SEO
Cultivating an Online Community for Your Brand
Introduction to SEO
Content Marketing for New Marketers: The First Steps
8 Steps to Discovering and Creating Content Your Audience Will Love
Best Practices for Integrated Con-tent Marketing and Social Media
Google Authorship: Why You Need It and How to Implement It
CLASSeS to tAkeTech Skills
Web Fundamentals
HTML Tutorial
Google Analytics Essential Training
eXPertS to FoLLoW
Follow writers you love. You'll get a daily sense of their voice and style, and it's a great source
of inspiration.
Now—it's time to go out into the world and get better at roCkiNG yoUr CAreer!
(We know you can do it.)
And, if you want a little more help along the way?
Keep up with for the advice you need to build the career you've
always dreamed of.
Get Career Advice
Browse Editorial Jobs
Sign Up for Classes
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