Working from the bottom up The bottom rung of the publishing ladder is the editorial assistant, a glorified secretary to an editor. An assistant takes care of all of the editor's clerical tasks, setting appointments, writing letters, reading and assessing manuscripts, and most of all soaking up the mechanics of the editor's job. Assuming they don't burn out, assistants spend about two years at this level before becoming promoted to assistant editor. Editors at major book publishing houses get to make stars out of new writers. At the highest level, editors command six-figure salaries and rub elbows with the most famous people in the literary world.
Magazine editors enjoy similar benefits.
They dictate the creative direction of a magazine and work with art directors, photographers, and writers to execute their vision. Newspaper editors, especially those at large dailies like the New York Times , enjoy much of the same prestige as famous magazine editors. Section and managing editors are also treated well, as they are in charge of large amounts of content and employees. Editors are bibliophiles and workaholics and though they find little time to rest their eyes, they claim to be among the happiest professionals in the world. An editor's career often begins with an internship at a magazine or a publishing company to establish contacts.