An editor, like anyone else, often uses a notebook and a pen. I tend to use a mechanical pencil, but try finding a stock photo of that.

Acquisitions editors (sometimes known as acquiring editors) are responsible for obtaining and evaluating manuscripts for a publisher. Their job is divided into four parts. The fourth part is sometimes optional depending on the publisher.

Soliciting manuscripts: Soliciting manuscripts is the job of bringing in submissions. In some cases, acquisitions editors may read unsolicited manuscripts that have been sent in. For the most part though, acquisitions editors deal with agents or authors that they believe produce work in line with their publishing needs. This search may come in the form of formal book proposals, meetings or phone conversations. It is the acquisitions editor’s job to know the field or topic in which they publish and to know the players involved.

Evaluating manuscripts: Acquisitions editors (sometimes with the help of an assistant) read the manuscripts they receive and decide which ones would be good for publication. In general, they have set criteria (such as writing quality, saleability and compatibility of topic) that they judge manuscripts by. The acquisitions editors must then defend their choices to the ultimate decision makers, such as senior editors, the editor-in-chief, the publisher or an editorial board.

Purchasing manuscripts: Once the decision to purchase the rights to a book is made, it is the acquisitions editors who negotiate the deal. They have a set range that they can offer for a particular book and they negotiate the final deal with the agent, author, or author’s legal representative.

Editing manuscripts: In most cases, the acquisitions editor is the main manuscript editor, working with the author to improve the book and get it ready for release. In this part of the process, the editor does what is traditionally considered to be an editor’s job, making manuscript corrections and giving suggestions to the author. For some publishers a separate manuscript editor does the lion’s share of this work instead of the acquisitions editor.

What skills and experience do acquisitions editors need?

Most acquisitions editors work their way up to that position. They may start the field as an editorial assistant or a manuscript editor and move up through promotion. Very few advertised positions are available for those without experience.

An acquisitions editor should have a degree (often an advanced degree) in English, creative writing, or the field in which they are an editor. An acquisitions editor for biology books, for example, often has a degree in biology.

Good acquisitions editors are also proficient copy editors and proofreaders. They are familiar with the process of acquiring book rights and copyrights. They are skilled negotiators. Acquisitions editors tend to have good social skills and like working with people.

Knowledge of the process of digital publishing (audio books, online books, etc.) is also frequently a requirement for acquisitions editors.

Where can you find acquisitions editor jobs?

Major publishing cities such as New York, Boston and Chicago are where the majority of acquisitions editor jobs are located. Other good employment sources for acquisitions editor positions are universities and colleges, which usually have one or more small publishing operations.

This is a list of the average salaries for a number of writing and editing professions. The figures represent typical scales for a mid-sized metropolitan area in the United States. Larger markets tend to pay more and smaller markets tend to pay less. Remember that these are typical salaries for people who are employed by other companies. There is a much greater income variation among people who freelance or own their own businesses.

Note: These figures were compiled using a variety of sources including salary information at indeed.com, salary.com, stc.org and labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov.

• Acquisitions Editor: $37,000 to $57,000
• Assistant Editor: $26,000 to $40,000
• Associate Editor: 33,000 to 44,000
• Blogger: $17,000 to $38,000
• Copy Editor: $21,000 to 42,000
• Copywriter: $41,000 to $63,000
• Editor: $37,000 to $54,000
• Editorial Assistant: $24,000 to $38,000
• Editor-in-Chief: $51,000 to $95,000
• E-learning Developer: $42,000 to 75,000
• Fact Checker / Researcher: $25,000 to $37,000
• Grant Writer: $35,000 to $47,000
• Junior Copywriter: $29,000 to $44,000
• Junior Technical Writer: $31,000 to $42,000
• Legal Editor: $36,000 to $45,000
• Managing Editor: $37,000 to 49,000
• Managing Editor: $40,000 to $64,000
• Medical Copy Editor: $29,000 to 44,000
• Medical Editor: $37,000 to 52,000
• News Editor: $25,000 to 35,000
• Newspaper Reporter: $24,000 to $51,000
• Online Editor: $31,000 to $50,000
• Proofreader: $29,000 to $41,000
• Proposal Writer: $41,000 to 69,000
• Public Relations Writer: $34,000 to $46,000
• Publications Assistant: $25,000 to $37,000
• Senior Copywriter: $54,000 to $80,000
• Senior Editor: $42,000 to $66,000
• Senior Technical Writer: $56,000 to $81,000
• Speech Writer: $51,000 to $73,000
• Technical Copy Editor: $36,000 to $52,000
• Technical Editor: $36,000 to $57,000
• Technical Writer: $42,000 to $63,000
• Web Editor: $22,000 to $44,000

After our recent comments discussion, I thought it would be a good idea to compile a small, publishing-related glossary, so we agree on our terms. Please note that these definitions are geared toward book publication and our discussion is geared toward the publication of poetry books.

• Acquisitions Editor: An editor whose job it is to find new books and authors to publish.
• Advance: Money paid by a publisher to an author for the right to publish a book. It is called an advance because it is payment on “potential” royalties in advance. In other words, until your book sells enough copies to generate a percentage of profits above what you have been paid in advance, you will not receive any more money.
• Backlist: A list of books, published more than twelve months earlier, which are available for sale from a publisher.
• Best seller: A fairly ambiguous term that will be applied by a publisher to just about any book that makes a profit.
• Book proposal: A sales tool consisting of information about a possible book that an author sends to a publisher. The proposal often includes sample chapters, an outline, a discussion of possible markets and a list of the author’s credentials. The goal of the author is to persuade the publisher to pay to produce the book and to share the profits with the author.
• E-book: A book produced digitally, often in the absence of a printed book.
• First printing: The number of books produced in the initial print run.
• In print: A book that is still available to be ordered directly through the publisher.
• Independent bookseller: A locally owned book store that is not affiliated with a large chain such as Barnes & Noble or Borders. Independent booksellers, in general, are more likely to display and sell books by local authors.
• ISBN: Short for International Standard Book Number. This number is required if a book is to be stocked or available to order by a major chain or sold through an online publisher. If a book is only going to be sold directly by the author (such as at readings or through a personal web site) an ISBN is not required.
• Midlist book: A book acquired by a publisher for a relatively small advance and given a smaller print run and less publicity than a book that the publisher expects to be a best seller.
• Niche book: A book that is aimed at a smaller market of possible buyers. Most books of poetry are considered niche books because few of these books sell more than 5000 copies. Many “how-to” books also fall into the niche category.
• Out-of-print: A book that can no longer be ordered directly from the publisher.
• Print-on-demand: A book publishing process mainly associated with self-publishing, in which a book is printed in small runs (sometimes as small as a single book) from an electronic file. This process makes it possible to produce niche books more cheaply.
• Publisher: A company or individual who is in charge of producing, printing and distributing a book or other material.
• Publishing: The process of producing, printing and distributing a book or other material.
• Review Copy: A free copy of a book that is sent to the media with the hope that the book will be reviewed.
• Royalty: The percentage of book sale profits paid to the author.
• SASE: Self-addressed, stamped envelope. Often used when submitting a query to make it easier for the editor/publisher to respond.
• Self-publishing: The production, printing and distribution of a book (or other material) by the author of the book or at the author’s expense, rather than by a third-party publishers.
• Slush pile: Unsolicited (not requested) queries/manuscripts that may or may not get read by the editor or (more likely) an assistant.

My recent blog about self-publishing prompted a response from an Acquisitions Editor for a publisher called WinePress Publishing. She wanted to point out that many publishing companies who offer self-publishing do screen manuscripts for quality and do not simply accept anything that comes to them. They do this because they want the work published by them to be of a certain quality.

I understand her point. Some publishing companies will only publish work that they find suitable, even though they charge a fee for publishing. I have no problem with that.

My problem comes when publishers present their acceptance as being anything other than the willingness to publish for a fee. If at any point the author is lead to believe that their work was accepted as part of a competitive process, then I do have a problem with the publisher’s tactics. I also have problems with publishing companies that accept work on the contingency that the authors pay them to edit the work. It is acceptable to offer editing services, but it is not acceptable to force them on authors.

My main point remains the same as before. There is nothing wrong with self-publishing as long as the author is fully aware of what they are agreeing to and is fully aware of the problems associated with self publishing. I believe, however, that the author should solicit paid publishers on a competitive basis rather than the other way around. My problem is with publishers who use deceptive tactics in order to solicit business. By no means do I wish to imply that all paid publishing operations are scams.

The list of jobs a writer can hold will never be complete. You’ll find writers who are programmers, stock traders and business executives. Below is a list of some of the most likely and probably most satisfying careers for people who love to write.

Acquisitions Editor
Most often associated with book publishers, an acquisitions editor supervises the process of finding potential writers to write for their publisher. They often are in charge of negotiations with the writer.

Advertising Writer
See copywriter.

Agent’s Assistant
An agent’s assistant does whatever tasks need to be done for a literary or talent agent. They often act as manuscript readers for an agent, who generally receives far more manuscripts than they have time to read.

Assistant Editor
An assistant editor serves under the managing editor or editor in chief. The generally take over some of their duties, such as managing writers or making story assignments. Often they are assigned a specific section within a publication or broadcast. If so, they may also be called a section editor.

Author
An author is what people classically think of when they think of writers. An author writes books. These books can be fiction or non-fiction.

Columnist
A columnist is the writer of on ongoing, regularly scheduled feature for a publication. They may also syndicate their articles to multiple publications.

Copy Clerk
See editorial assistant.

Copy Editor
A copy editor prepares text for publication. They proofread articles and often act as fact-checkers as well.

Copywriter
A copywriter writes advertising and product descriptions (know collectively as copy) for print and online catalogs, commercial scripts, brochures, direct mail and so forth.

Critic
See reviewer.

Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-chief is in charge of the overall content and production of a publication. This is a managerial position more than an editing position.

Editorial Assistant
An editorial assistant provides administrative support for editors, associate editors and writing/editorial staff. They often perform scheduling, filing, note taking, and other administrative duties. They may or may not perform writing and editing tasks.

Editorial Secretary
See editorial assistant.

English as a Second Language (ESL) Instructor
ESL instructors teach the basic or advanced skills of speaking and writing in English to students who did not learn English originally. They often work in foreign countries.

English Teacher
And English teacher generally works with high school or junior high school classes to teach them English grammar and writing.

Fact Checker
See researcher.

Gag Writer
A gag writer writes for cartoonists, comedians or shows needing humor, generally in short form.

Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is employed to write on behalf of another person and give the authorship credit to that other person.

Grant Writer
A grant writer researches and responds to grant opportunities for an organization, often a non-profit one. Grant proposals must often adhere to strict rules spelled out by the organization providing the grant.

Indexer
An indexer analyzes the text of a book or other published materials and creates an alphabetized or otherwise organized list of key terms and their locations.

Journalist
A journalist collects, writes, edits, and presents news or news articles for the Internet, magazines, radio, television and newspapers. A journalist may or may not be a permanent employee of a publication or media outlet.

Joke Writer
See gag writer.

Lecturer
See speaker.

Literary Agent
A literary agent represents an author in their dealings with publishers. It is their job to get a manuscript read and sought after by the right people.

Managing Editor
A managing editor administers and directs the editorial activities of a magazine, newspaper, book publisher or other media outlet.

Manuscript Evaluator
See manuscript reader.

Manuscript Reader
A manuscript reader reviews submissions from writers. Generally it is their job to weed out less suitable work and pass on the best of the submissions to an editor such as an acquisitions editor.

Monologist
Much like a storyteller, this person writes and then performs an anecdote or series of anecdotes. Monologist is considered a more prestigious title than storyteller. The term is usually applied to people who perform for an adult audience.

Press Agent
See Publicist.

Production Editor
Production editors often have duties similar to that of a copyeditor, but they are focused on putting the article into its printed form, often using page design packages such as FrameMaker, PageMaker, or Quark Express.

Public Relations Writer
A public relations (PR) writer creates materials that establish and promote a business or other entities’ image and relationship with the public.

Publicist
A publicist’s job is half public relations and half advertising. A publicist promotes an individual, business, or group. They arrange for and often write newspaper articles, and schedule interviews, lectures, or other public appearances. They may also arrange for paid advertising if the client desires it.

Publicity Writer
See Publicist.

Publisher
The publisher is in charge of a publication. Often, the publisher is an owner or has some financial stake in the publication. It is their job to oversee the preparation and distribution of printed material for public sale such as books, magazines, and newspapers. The also tend to set editorial policy, often with the aid of an editorial board.

Reading Tutor
A reading tutor teaches reading skills to young or underdeveloped readers.

Researcher
A researcher must provide or confirm information for published materials written by other people. They do not receive writing credits for their work.

Resume Writer
A resume writer works with job seekers to create resumes, cover letters and other materials that will help them find a job.

Reviewer
A reviewer evaluates the quality of things such as books, films, food, art or theater.

Scriptwriter (Business)
A business scriptwriter writes sales scripts and presentations.

Scriptwriter (TV, Film, Radio, Theater)
A scriptwriter writes copy to be used by an announcer, performer, or director in a film or broadcast.

Speaker
A speaker lectures on a topic or series of topic for an audience, often in an educational or motivational capacity.

Speechwriter
A speechwriter writes presentations, lectures, and speeches for other people.

Staff Writer
A writer employed by a business, publication, or broadcaster to write articles and rewrite press releases or other information.

Storyteller
A storyteller is a performer who generally writes and then performs aloud the telling of a story. This is often associated with children’s tales. When the performance is mainly for adults the performers are generally called monologists.

Technical Editor
A technical editor reviews the work of technical writers or technical professionals to make sure it is accurate from a technical legal, and editing standpoint.

Technical Writer
A technical writer analyzes and writes about specialized subjects such as computers, engineering, science, medicine and law.

Translator
A translator rewrites in one or more languages materials originally created in a different language.

Writing Consultant
A writing consultant is a sort of editor-for-hire that examines someone’s writing for ways that it can be improved upon.

Writing Instructor
A writing instructor generally works at the college level but without tenure. They are hired to teach one or more writing classes that are generally focused on composition or grammar.

Writing Professor
A writing professor is a tenured instructor who has generally been published many times. They are often required to teach only two or three classes a semester and spend the rest of their time writing new materials for publication and mentoring students.

Writing Tutor
A writing tutor works individually with another person to improve their writing. Unlike a writing consultant, the writing tutor focuses on a person’s general writing skill rather than a specific piece of writing.