Editors select and prepare material for publication or broadcasting and supervise writers. Writers first select a topic or are assigned one by an editor. They then gather information through personal observation, library research, and interviews. Writers select and organize the material and put it into words that effectively convey it to the reader, and often revise or rewrite sections, searching for the best organization of the material or just the right phrasing. Newswriters prepare news items for newspapers or news broadcasts, based on information supplied by reporters or wire services.
Columnists analyze news and write commentaries, based on personal knowledge and experience.
Editorial writers write comments to stimulate or mold public opinion, in accordance with their publication's viewpoint. Reporters and correspondents, who may also write articles or copy for broadcast, are described elsewhere in this section of the Handbook . Technical writers make scientific and technical information easily understandable to a nontechnical audience. They prepare operating and maintenance manuals, catalogs, parts lists, assembly instructions, sales promotion materials, and project proposals. They also plan and edit technical reports and oversee preparation of illustrations, photographs, diagrams, and charts.