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How do I become an editor?

There is no set path to becoming an editor, but a national system of accreditation for editors has recently been introduced. Information about this can be found on the website of the Institute of Professional Editors, IPEd, at www.iped-editors.org. Most editors have at least one university degree, many have worked in publications for many years and enjoyed the benefits of in-house training. A few have a qualification in language, linguistics, writing or editing.

The best way to investigate editing as a career is to join your local Society of Editors, attend the general meetings and take advantage of the training opportunities offered to members. An interest in editing is all you need to be accepted into the Canberra Society of Editors as an associate member.

You can download the membership application form from www.editorscanberra.org/members.htm.

If you live somewhere other than Canberra and its immediate surrounds, we encourage you to contact your own State Society of Editors (there is one in each State, and you can find them listed on www.editorscanberra.org/links.htm ).

Membership of the Canberra Society of Editors entitles you to a free monthly newsletter and discounted fees for training courses. A general meeting is held at the Friends' Lounge of the National Library at 6.00 pm on the last Wednesday of each month. It is open to the public, so please come along if you wish to check us out. You can find details of the next meeting, and of planned training courses, on our web notice board at www.editorscanberra.org/notices.htm.

The training offered by the Canberra Society of Editors is typically in the form of day and half-day courses. It covers topics such as proofreading, copyediting, web editing, on-screen editing, and so on. Courses are run in response to demand from members, so the actual content varies from one year to the next.

Formal training, leading to a recognised qualification, is available from the following institutions:

* Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia www.curtin.edu.au

* Deakin University www.deakin.edu.au

* Griffith University, Queensland www.gu.edu.au

* Macquarie University, NSW www.ling.mq.edu.au

* Monash University, Victoria www.monash.edu.au

* RMIT University, Victoria www.rmit.edu.au

* University of Southern Queensland, Queensland http://www.usq.edu.au www.usq.edu.au

You should approach these institutions directly for more details.

If you are thinking about starting up as a freelance editor, then get some training, get some good business advice and become an active member of your local Society of Editors to avoid the oft-reported problem of professional isolation faced by freelancers from many industries.

Cathy Nicoll, 27/7/09