There are many types of traditional and freelance copy editor jobs available, thanks to advances in technology that have led to a wide variety of publication choices. In general, copy editors plan, coordinate, research, correct and organize materials for publishing in many formats, from print to electronic. The most common copy editor jobs are news publication editors, book copy editors, online copy editors, technical copy editors, and advertising copy editors.
News publication copy editors work for print and electronic newspapers, journals, and magazines. Work may be a combination of gathering news stories and researching the facts surrounding local or regional events. News editors may be in charge of writing, designing, and editing large sections of the publication, therefore news copy editor jobs can be very demanding and require seasoned professionals.
Advertising copy editors serve an important purpose with both print and online news and advertising operations. Advertising copy editors are responsible for graphic advertisement design and typesetting, among other duties. Advertising copy editors must be able to create accurate ads for clients to ensure they get the most favorable results for their ad dollars.
Book copy editor jobs are generally found with publishing houses and independent publishers. While jobs of this type may be in-house or virtual, the work requires being able to review, correct, and fact check long documents before they can be published. Many book copy editors choose to freelance because of the increasing number straight-to-digital projects compared to print book formats.
The Internet has dramatically increased the number of online copy editor jobs. Web copy editors are responsible for drafting, researching, and editing much of the content that appears on websites. Web developers often hire freelance web copy editors to work with client information to create digital copy that performs well in search engine results.
Technical copy editor jobs are also in demand to manage the highly detailed writing, illustration, editing, and fact checking that goes into the design of technical and instructional materials for products. In many cases, technical copy editors have a broad understanding of technology from previous experience in the areas in which they specialize. Technical copy editor jobs exist in all areas of technology, including with scientific, medical, research, product development, and information technology companies.