Editing Methodology
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As Editor-in-Chief of The Muse, I am the final set of eyes on a story prior to the copy draft. Due to this, I devote time and energy to ensure my edits are quality and thorough. I also check that the piece meets or exceeds the standard of our publication to maintain professionalism and fulfill our due diligence as journalists. While editing, I explain why I am making the edit to help instill growth and understanding in the content-producer. Additionally, I review my edits with the staffer or editor I edited for in-person or over the phone to explain why I made the edit and answer any questions. I want my editing to serve as a coaching experience so the staffer can take away knowledge that they can apply to future projects.
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When I was Coverage Editor my sophomore year, I edited the first draft which primarily consisted of angle refinement, structural changes, requests for re-interviews, and additional big-picture edits. I ensured that the staffer or editor I edited for would send back their draft once the first rounds of edits were applied so I could read through the piece again and provide additional feedback. Through the first draft, I also mentored and taught my staffers in class to go over the edits and help them brainstorm and action a game plan if the edits were more extreme and required re-interviews or angle refinement.
To ensure the draft process is organized and that all content goes through the full draft process, both The Muse and Marquee utilize Trello. Content Team Editors are responsible for creating Trello task cards at the start of each content cycle so staffers can move their card as they complete each draft. I oversee the implementation of Trello to make sure everyone on staff is resourcing the platform and that it is updated accordingly for all content.
Trello
Slack
On both The Muse and Marquee we utilize Slack to communicate staff-wide. Since The Muse is an over 50-person staff, we are spread out across three class periods, so Slack is integral to ensure cross-period communication is taking place. Through Slack we notify when content is moving through the draft process, to share coverage opportunities, and breaking news opportunities.
Proofing
As Proofing Editor on the Marquee yearbook, it is my role to ensure all content on the page is accurate which including name checking, fact checking, and proofing for grammar and style. Proofing is conducted during the staff's proofing stay-afters where we collectively make and apply proofs on the spread. To help aid staffers through the proofing process, I created a design and copy-specific proofing checklist which includes design style and AP style copy rules to check for when proofing pages. Proofing is the final time to edit content before pages are printed, so it is critical that I hold myself and staffers accountable to do a thorough job. To inform the staff about the importance of proofing, I created and presented a presentation that goes over how to proof and why we proof.
Pre-Draft Presentations and Think Sheets
As Co-EIC of The Muse, I placed an emphasis on pre-planning prior to content production. In order to facilitate this extensive planning and prior research, I refined and strengthened the Pre-draft presentation and think sheets on staff. For print assignments, staffers are required to fill out a print think sheet for their respective section. This think sheet encourages staffers to flesh out their angles, sources, and other components of planning prior to starting their first draft. Alongside this, those working on print are also required to create a pre-draft presentation that works similarly to Shark Tank. Staffers further expand on their ideas with all collaborators for a print story to create a comprehensive pitch that is administered during class while everyone wears shark headbands.
For staffers producing web content, they are required to fill out a web think sheet that is more detailed than the print think sheets. The planning resource is broken up by section and all collaborators of a story work on the same document, filling out information for their respective section. This think sheet is required to be approved by a Content Team Editor to ensure it includes quality detail.