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If you are wondering how to become a commissioning editor, below are tips and advice on training for and beginning careers within publishing and journalism, as well as job prospects in the UK.

The Job Description
A commissioning editor plays a key role in the success of a book publishing company. The job involves selecting new authors and titles that will sell well (known as building the 'front-list') and monitoring the performance of titles already published (the 'back-list') to make sure the company stays profitable.

As a commissioning editor your work would include:

keeping up to date with trends in the book market
identifying future markets and new products
deciding whether to accept submitted manuscripts
developing ideas for books and identifying suitable authors
preparing publishing proposals, including costings, and projected sales and revenue
issuing contracts to authors and agents
making decisions on reprinting, revising, producing new editions or putting titles out of print
making sure that schedules are followed and deadlines are met.
You would work closely with other departments, such as sales and marketing, and production. You may also supervise editorial staff.

Person Specification
The key personal attributes of good commissioning editors include:

excellent spoken and written communication skills
negotiating skills
planning and organisational skills
financial management skills
the ability to work to deadlines and within budget
projects management skills
commercial flair
administration and IT skills.

How to become a commissioning editor
You would usually need to start in a junior position in a publishing company. This could mean starting as an editorial assistant, progressing to copy editor and then to commissioning editor.

In academic and professional publishing you might be able to go straight into a commissioning editor position if you have a high level of competence in your subject area.

You can also take a degree or postgraduate qualification in publishing. This is not essential, but will help you develop your knowledge and skills. For details of degrees, see the Publishers Association website. For specialist areas, such as scientific or medical publishing, publishers may prefer you to have a relevant degree.

Competition for jobs is strong, so you may need to do job shadowing or work experience before applying for your first job. This is also a good way to develop contacts and network, as many jobs are not advertised.

Keeping up to date with industry developments is essential. You can do this by visiting book fairs, reading trade publications such as The Bookseller (available in reference libraries) and by subscribing to Publishing News Online.

Training and Development
When you are employed as a commissioning editor you would need to keep your skills up-to-date. One way to do this is to complete short and distance learning courses which are run by organisations such as the Publishing Training Centre and the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP).

Joining professional bodies such as the SfEP, Women in Publishing and the Publishers' Association would give you opportunities for professional support and networking. As a full member of SfEP your details can be entered on the society's directory, which is used by companies needing editing services.

The Pay (a rough guide)
Commissioning editors can earn between around £18,000 to around £28,000 a year.
At senior level earnings can be up to £40,000 or more.

Job Prospects
Most large publishing companies are in London or the south east, although academic publishers are also based in university cities.

You could be employed in general or consumer books (popular fiction and non-fiction books, which account for the majority of book sales), academic, educational, technical, medical and professional books or children’s books.

If you are wondering how to become a magazine journalist, below are tips and advice on training for and beginning careers within publishing and journalism, as well as job prospects in the UK.

The Job Description
Magazine journalists write news and features for publications that can range from 'glossy' consumer magazines through to specialist trade journals.

As a magazine journalist your work would vary depending on the type of magazine, but would normally include:

attending meetings to plan the content of the magazine
suggesting ideas for articles that will be of interest to the magazine’s readers
interviewing and researching to collect material for articles
writing articles in the magazine’s house style
keeping up to date with developments and trends in subject area of the magazine.
You would usually have specialist knowledge in the subject area covered by your publication. Types of magazine include:

consumer magazines – aimed at the general public, these could focus on anything from fashion and beauty to motoring or sport
specialist consumer magazines – aimed at people with interests in a particular subject, such as travel, arts and crafts or cars
professional magazines – for those working in a particular career such as human resources, or management
business magazines and trade journals
in-house company magazines.
As a freelance journalist you would normally write for both magazines and newspapers. Some magazines have a related website, so you might also create different versions of your articles for the web.

Person Specification
The key personal attributes of good journalists include:

excellent writing skills
listening and questioning skills
an enquiring mind and a lively interest in people, places and events
research skills
an interest in the subject of the magazine
self confidence and the ability to put people at ease
the ability to absorb information quickly and write it up in a style which is easy to understand
determination and persistence
keyboard and IT skills.

How to become a magazine journalist
There are no set qualifications for becoming a magazine journalist, although most people applying for this job role have a degree.

A common starting point is to work as an editorial assistant for a magazine publishing house. This route allows you to develop your skills and make contacts in the industry. See the Editorial Assistant profile for details.

You could do a pre-entry journalism qualification or degree before looking for work. Although this is not essential, it will give you the opportunity to learn about the magazine industry and to develop the skills you will need as a journalist. Qualifications which are recognised by the industry are accredited by:

Periodicals Training Council, which is the training section of the Periodical Publishing Association (PPA)
National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).
Visit the PPA and NTCJ websites (in Further Information below) for details.

The NCTJ also runs distance learning courses, including Writing for the Periodical Press, which gives a basic understanding of the magazine industry.

Whether or not you have journalism qualifications, you will have to be pro-active and persistent to get started in magazine journalism, as many jobs are not advertised. The key to getting into the industry is to gain practical experience. You could contact magazines directly to see if they will consider you for unpaid work experience. Other ways to get experience and build up a file of examples of your published work include:

contacting editors with ideas for articles relevant to their magazine
writing reviews of films, plays or products
volunteering to work on newsletters run by not-for-profit organisations.
Visit the PPA website for advice on finding work experience and applying for jobs.

To become a journalist with a specialist magazine it will be an advantage (and often essential) to have knowledge of the subject covered by the magazine. The more specialist the magazine, the more likely you are to need appropriate knowledge or experience.

Training and Development
As a new magazine journalist you will develop your skills on the job. Big publishing houses often have structured on-the-job training schemes, but this is less likely in smaller organisations.

If you are a member of the Periodicals Publishing Association (PPA) you can take the PPA Professional Certificate in Journalism. This qualification is aimed at new and recent recruits, and covers both printed and online publications.

PPA and the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) run a variety of short courses which will help you to develop your skills and knowledge.

As journalists are increasingly expected to write for online as well as printed publications, you may find it useful to do training in technical skills such as HTML, Java, Javascript or ASP, and perhaps in web design packages such as Dreamweaver. A number of colleges and private training providers offer short and part-time courses in these subjects.

The Pay (a rough guide)
Magazine journalists can earn between £18,000 and over £23,000 a year.

Job Prospects
More than 9,000 magazines are published in the UK. As well as the well-known and 'glossy' titles that are sold in all newsagents, these include magazines covering a very wide range of subjects, such as crafts, computers and gardening.

Other possible employers include business to business titles, in-house magazines for companies such as retailing chains, and free magazines, such as those included in customer loyalty packages.

Large magazine publishing houses are mainly based in London and the south-east, but there are opportunities with specialist magazines all over the country.

There is a lot of competition for jobs, especially on the better-known magazines. It may be easier to get started on a specialist publication, trade or business publication, especially if you have knowledge of the area it covers.

Vacancies are advertised in publications such as The Guardian on Mondays and by specialist recruitment agencies. However, as many vacancies are not advertised, it is important to develop a list of contacts in the industry so that you can find out about opportunities.

When you have built up your contacts and knowledge of the industry you may be able to work freelance, writing features for a number of magazines. With experience you may also be able to progress to an editing position, or move into another area, such as newspaper journalism, radio or TV. 

If you are wondering how to become a writer, below are tips and advice on training for and beginning careers within publishing and journalism, as well as writing job prospects in the UK.

The Job Description
Writers produce a variety of types of creative work, including novels, short stories, children’s books, plays and poetry. They also produce feature articles for newspapers and magazines, non-fiction work, such as biographies or educational books, and material for radio, television and film.

As a writer you would:

choose your subject matter based on personal interest or be given a commission by agents or publishers
come up with themes, ideas or plots
research, draft and revise your work
submit your draft to a publisher, either unsolicited or usually through an agent
rewrite your work (sometimes several times) if necessary after getting feedback.
As an established writer you could also attend book signings, readings and discussions of your work, or run workshops for other writers. You would be self-employed, so you would deal with your own tax and National Insurance.

You are likely to have to do other work to supplement your income, as only a small percentage of writers make a living from writing.

Person Specification
The key personal attributes of good writers include:

literary skills
self discipline and motivation
perseverance and determination
willingness to work alone for long periods
the ability to accept criticism objectively
excellent research skills
the ability to meet deadlines
IT skills
the ability to market and promote your work.

How to become a writer
To succeed as a writer you do not necessarily need academic qualifications. You will need to be able to come up with ideas that will sell, to have good research skills and to be able to express ideas in a style suited to the intended audience. You may also need specialist knowledge, depending on the type of writing. It can be an advantage in some types of writing if you have experience in journalism.

As a new writer you can develop your writing skills on a wide range of courses, from workshops to degrees and postgraduate courses. You can find out what is available by contacting your local college, university or adult education centre or by checking:

The Writers' Handbook and The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook
the Writernet website
the National Association of Writers in Education website.
See Further Information for links to the websites. The Writers' Handbook and The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook are published each year, and are usually available in local reference libraries as well as in bookshops.

You can study some courses by correspondence, and you can also do residential courses on all aspects of writing with advice from experienced writers through the Arvon Foundation in Inverness-shire, Shropshire, Devon and West Yorkshire. See Further Information for contact details.

Attending courses will help you to gain writing skills, but will not guarantee that you will be a successful writer, as talent and creativity cannot really be taught. You might find it useful to join local writers' groups for support and feedback on your work. Your local library may have details of these, or you could contact your local Regional Arts Board.

Training and Development
Books
You can download a factsheet on getting your work published from the Booktrust website (in Further Information). This includes a list of books about writing and getting published which you should be able to find in your local library.

For fiction and general non-fiction, most publishers will only consider noncommissioned work if you submit it through an agent. You can find lists of agents and details of how to submit your work in both The Writers' Handbook and The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook.

For most other types of writing, you may find it easier to approach publishers direct. It is important that you research which publishers are likely to be interested in your work. You can find contact details for the major publishers and their main areas of interest in the two books mentioned above.

You will usually be expected to submit one or two sample chapters and an outline of the complete work. You are likely to have to wait several months for a reply, and need to be prepared for the possibility of rejection or not receiving a reply.

Radio and Television
You can find information on writing and submitting scripts for radio, TV and film by visiting the BBC Writersroom website (in Further Information).

Many writers for TV and radio have gained experience in theatre. You can find a list of theatres willing to look at unsolicited work on the BBC Writersroom website (in Further Information).

There is intense competition for TV work for both original commissions and working on existing soaps and series. It will be useful if you have a track record in another area, for example having a radio or stage play performed, but it can be difficult to get producers or broadcasters to look at your work if you do not have an agent. See The Writers' and Artists' Year Book for details of agents who will consider unsolicited material.

The Pay (a rough guide)
Freelance writers negotiate and agree a set fee for each piece of work.

The Writers' Guild negotiates minimum rates for TV, radio, film and some theatre. Details of these are on the Guild's website (in Further Information).

There are no collective agreements between writers and publishers as there are with broadcasters, producers and theatres, so the Writers' Guild does not negotiate rates of payment for book writers.

Job Prospects
You could work freelance on a piece by piece basis, or be commissioned and receive a financial advance and royalties. You could increase your earnings and promote your work through literary competitions and prizes. Some institutions also offer awards, bursaries and fellowships. You could set up your own website to promote your work.
Once you have had work published you may apply to the trade union, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain for membership.

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If you are wondering how to become a newspaper editor, below are tips and advice on training for and beginning careers within publishing and journalism, as well as job prospects in the UK.

The Job Description
Newspaper and journal editors, sometimes known collectively as print editors, manage the style and content of written publications such as newspapers, magazines and trade journals. They may oversee the overall editorial direction of a publication, or they may be responsible for an individual section.

Editors will:

commission articles
decide which articles will be included
decide how they will be laid out for publishing
consider submissions for inclusion from freelance journalists, photographers and illustrators.
Editors work closely with sub-editors, designers, production staff and printers to make sure that all aspects of a newspaper, magazine or journal are ready for the publication deadline.

Editors of local newspapers may help to write and sub-edit the publication, while on larger titles the role may be purely editorial. Some editors have responsibility for other matters such as budgetary control, hiring staff and liaising with advertising and production departments.

Person Specification
The key personal attributes of good newspaper or journal editors include:

a good command of English with strong writing and IT skills
planning, organisational and staff management skills
creativity and good visual sense
financial skills and commercial flair
some legal knowledge regarding the content of publications
an eye for detail and the ability to implement change where necessary
an understanding of target audiences
negotiating and decision-making skills.

How to become a newspaper editor
While there are no standard entry requirements, most newspaper editors have wide experience in journalism. Editors of specialist titles have qualifications or previous experience in that particular field.
For details of how to get into journalism or publishing, see the Editorial Assistant, Newspaper Journalist and Magazine Journalist job profiles.

You can take degree courses in publishing, and multidisciplinary degree courses with publishing options. On top of the usual entry requirements, some courses may ask that you have passes in specific subjects, particularly English. Check with your chosen college or university for details.

Information can also be found on the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and Periodicals Publishers Association (PPA) websites.

Training and Development
Short and distance learning courses in various aspects of publishing are provided by organisations such as the Publishers Association and the Publishing Training Centre.

The Pay (a rough guide)
Editors can earn between £30,000 and £80,000 a year.
Experienced editors working for a national newspaper can earn over £80,000 a year.
Pay scales vary depending on experience, position, and the type and location of employer. Freelance editors negotiate a set fee or daily rate.

Job Prospects
Competition for jobs is fierce in all areas of journalism, particularly on national newspapers. Employment may be available with contract publishers who work with a number of different clients, and some large companies, particularly in the retail or service sectors which produce regular publications of their own.