Editing Process Overview
Formerly the Editorial Collective Playbook, this page explains each step of the process for everyone.
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Formerly the Editorial Collective Playbook, this page explains each step of the process for everyone.
Last updated
Was this helpful?
The editorial collective (EC) meets as necessary (typically bi-weekly) over Zoom to talk through article selections, editorial voice and style, design, and anything else people want to bring to the group. We use a Google Group to communicate via email. The EC is open to anyone that wants to join, and we provide training for primary editing as well as for technical editing and copy editing/proofreading for new members. At least once per volume, even if no one new joins, we hold a two part refresher for all EC members. All new editors (for primary editing as well as technical editing and copy/proof) must be onboarded and trained prior to serving as editors for the magazine. Those with previous editing experience must also undergo the training process in order to ensure consistency our approach to editing across the print and online magazine.
Are you looking for help about what to do next? You should also check out our editor checklists!
Looking for tips on how to approach editing? Check out our advice section!
Note: Lead and co-editors should carefully read this detailed version of the editing process and use this checklist to guide their workflow.
After the call for proposals has been closed, the editorial process is as follows:
Our first step is to review submissions and decide what to accept for the issue. This typically is done over two weekly Zoom meetings, the first to discuss general thoughts and ideas about the issue composition, and the second to finalize or significantly narrow down the selection. Proposals are accepted by a voting process, and discussion happens on the Google Group throughout the review and voting period. At this point, interested editors should fill out the editor survey and start thinking of which pieces you'd like to help edit.
Total time: 2ー3 weeks
Editors are assigned to articles depending on their time commitment and areas of interest—typically, editors take care of 2 articles, but see here for more detail. The lead editor then messages the authors, including the other editors and fact-checkers/copy-editors if these have been assigned. The introductory email (template here) should contain:
Introductions from the editors including any feedback on the aritcle (JoEllen's Guide to Accessible Writing has some great pointers on this)
Author brief: Editors adjust the bracketed info and other details in this template as needed. Place a copy in the "Article Draft" folder.
A deadline for a first draft (typically two weeks from the initial contact date)
The managing editor (ME) also sends authors an email notifying the authors that their article has officially been accepted. This email will include a demographics questionnaire to help us track and stay accountable for publishing the work of marginalized and BIPOC voices, as well as any payment information or more technical requests. The magazine publisher will later contact authors with a contract agreement for the commission of their work.
Total time: within a day of making editing assignments
Be sure to read the pages on editing advice, how to use Google Docs and how to update the master spreadsheet before you start the editing process.
When first drafts are received, the editor-at-large (EAL) or the ME will also review with each editor pair to discuss shape of the piece and how to approach edits.
Authors are responsible for turning around drafts in a timely manner. Typically, the time between drafts is around one to two weeks on the authors end, although as the process goes on and edits become more specific, this time window should shorten. Editors should provide feedback within 72 hours (ideal) to a week (at absolute most). The lead editor is responsible for maintaining regular contact with the authors, but the actual editing is done collaboratively.
To keep the magazine on track, it's critical, when communicating with fellow editors, technical editors, copy editors, and authors is to always set deadlines and clearly state them. Do not assume your sense of urgency is shared by your collaborators, and don't feel bad about nudging people.
Expect to review 3-4 drafts before sending the article to technical editing. Before each article goes into fact-checking, but when editors both feel it may be close to final, send a new document copy to the EAL assigned in the spreadsheet. They will review the article for overall flow, flag any problematic arguments, and suggest any areas to reorder, cut, or expand.
If at any point the authors are unresponsive or not receptive to feedback, or you have other conflicts/questions, contact the EAL and the ME immediately.
Authors cannot make substantive changes to their draft (order, content, etc) after this stage.
Total time: 2-3 months
Once near-final (usually after a third or fourth draft), articles are sent to a technical editor for fact-checking. The editors should alert the technical editor once the draft is sent to the EAL. Authors are responsible for documenting their sources and providing access to any that are hard to access (can be through photographs or screenshots).
Technical editors (TE) will typically send back a draft within a week with suggested rewording or changes for accuracy that the author will need to respond to. When fact-checking is complete, keep the document with all comments from the TE and send a copy of this draft to the author ("keep comments and suggestions") to respond to any questions or comments.
If you have trouble reaching or hearing back from your assigned TE in a timely manner--or if your author is pushing back on making factual changes--email the Technical Editing lead and Managing Editor immediately
Total time: 2 weeks
Articles are ready to go into copy editing once the editors, EAL, TE, and authors have signed off on the article. Each article is assigned a copy-editor and proofreader who work in tandem to assure that the style guide is followed and that there are no mistakes in the text or source formatting. Lead editors should email the assigned copy-editor and proofreader once fact-checking has begun so they know to expect a draft. At this point, the article can also be sent to the translation collective if it has been selected for translation.
Copy editors get a new copy of the document and make edits as suggestions. They then initial the master spreadsheet.
Occasionally suggested edits for clarity may raise questions for the author. Copy editors should contact the lead and co-editor to relay questions to the author. Once the proofreader has reviewed, they initial their work in the spreadsheet and send the final document back to the lead editor. The lead editor creates a new, final copy of the manuscript, adds it to to the Final Drafts folder, and notifies the Managing Editor.
Authors cannot make sentence-level changes after this stage.
Total time: 1-2 weeks
Once the article is out of copy-editing and all outstanding edits have been addressed, the article is sent to the proofreader. Lead editors should email the assigned copy-editor and proofreader once fact-checking has begun so they know to expect a draft.
Proofreaders work to make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes and that citations are properly formatted. Proofreaders do not make changes to wording or language beyond fixing mistakes. Once the proofreader has finished their review, they initial their work in the spreadsheet and send the final document back to the lead editor. The lead editor creates a new, final copy of the manuscript, adds it to to the Final Drafts folder, and notifies the Managing Editor.
Total time: 1 week
Once all articles and content are complete, the managing editor makes the table of contents to send to the designer. The designer creates the PDF for web/print subscribers. Lead editors and authors will receive their articles and contributor bio pages in layout (plus link to the final Google Doc) to check for errors. Proofreaders (the same assigned to the Google Doc) will also get a PDF. Everyone will submit feedback to the Copy Editing Lead and the ME via email or as comments in Adobe Acrobat. The ME and Copy Editing Lead will collate all corrections into Adobe and work with the ME to send back to the designer.
Copy Editing Lead and Proofreaders will review subsequent drafts of the PDF until we catch no more errors and it is ready to be finalized for release/print.
Total time: 3-4 weeks
