What kind of editor are you?

description

Acquisitions editors are often the most public face of university presses—meeting with authors at conferences and speaking on panels about how to publish your book. But many kinds of editors support and enable the book and journal publishing processes. And even acquisitions editors' jobs are often misunderstood. "You don't read manuscripts all day?" People ask in surprise. Becoming an editor may be touted as an “alt-ac” career option to graduate students, but without much information about where to start, how to advance, and the full variety of editorial work out there. Similarly, scholars are often under-informed about how they might further engage in editing, e.g. as series editors, journal editors, or even editorial board members. This panel will bring together a diverse swath of editors to highlight and discuss different kinds of editorial roles and labor, both in-house and freelance, from the initial development stage to production. In shedding light on these roles, the panel aims to demystify the publishing process, including for in-house staff who may feel siloed in their respective departments; to build mutual understanding and solidarity; to illuminate different possible professional paths for early career folx; and to reflect on the ways different kinds of editors build commitments to equity and belonging into their work.