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This question is about copy editor jobs.
Is being a copy editor a good career?
Yes, being a copy editor is a good career. It's a good career path for someone with a good eye for detail who enjoys reading and correcting errors. Like any job, there are both pros and cons to being a copy editor.
Many different organizations use copy editors, and each one has different roles and responsibilities. In general, working as a copy editor means being the first eyes on a piece of copy and editing it for basic grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. More senior editors will notice any major mistakes you missed.
Overall, there is typically not a lot of glamor to being a copy editor. Many consider it a fairly thankless job - you usually don't get noticed unless you make a mistake (or let a mistake slide through). Working as a copy editor is not a high-paying job, but you make decent money averaging around $47,000 a year.
The day-to-day work of a copy editor is often pretty boring - a lot closer to busywork than anything challenging on an intellectual level. However, it's good practice for concentration.
When you can spot a typo during your seventh hour of reading, you're doing something right. It's good training for writing - plus, if you're reading and editing good writers, you'll absorb plenty of lessons by osmosis.
However, working as a copy editor is a great stepping stone into an exciting career in publishing. A copy editor position is often the first rung on the ladder for whatever organization you're in. Lots of people start as copy editors. Most copy editors move up or move on within 1 to 2 years, but sometimes in as little as six months.
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