Book editor to critic
A book editor already meets 28% of what the critic role asks for. The move turns on 15 required skills not yet in the profile.
76.8/ 100
1 How much of what a critic is expected to do is already part of a book editor’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the critic role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A critic role treats 7 of its required skills as things a book editor already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply grammar and spelling rules
- consult information sources
- copyright legislation
- develop professional network
- grammar
- spelling
What stands in the way is 15 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 13 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A critic role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a book editor background worth leading with.
- already held rewrite manuscripts communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held check correctness of information information skills
- already held literature arts and humanities
- already held writing techniques arts and humanities
- already held desktop publishing information and communication technologies (icts)
- already held apply desktop publishing techniques working with computers
All 13 carried skills, including the 7 the critic role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 40 missing skills fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn build contacts to maintain news flow required
- still to learn critically reflect on artistic production processes required
- still to learn evaluate writings in response to feedback required
- still to learn interview people required
- still to learn participate in editorial meetings required
- still to learn use specific writing techniques required
- optional, not held create online news content optional
- optional, not held promote one's writings optional
- optional, not held write captions optional
- optional, not held write headlines optional
- optional, not held address problems critically optional
- optional, not held attend performances optional
- optional, not held provide written content optional
- optional, not held read books optional
- optional, not held watch video and motion picture production products optional
- still to learn analyse the comments of selected audiences required
- still to learn follow the news required
- still to learn stay up to date with social media required
- still to learn study topics required
- optional, not held analyse trends in the food and beverage industries optional
- optional, not held manage writing administration optional
- still to learn editorial standards required
- still to learn interview techniques required
- still to learn rhetoric required
- still to learn write to a deadline required
- optional, not held manage personal finances optional
- still to learn follow ethical code of conduct of journalists required
- optional, not held art history optional
- optional, not held history of dance style optional
- optional, not held musical instruments optional
- optional, not held musical theory optional
- optional, not held film studies optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- optional, not held musical genres optional
- optional, not held photography optional
- optional, not held types of literature genres optional
3 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a critic role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 analyse the comments of selected audiences practise this
- 02 build contacts to maintain news flow practise this
- 03 critically reflect on artistic production processes practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 13 skills that carry over
- already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
- already held consult information sources skill
- already held copyright legislation knowledge
- already held develop professional network skill
- already held grammar knowledge
- already held spelling knowledge
- already held writing techniques knowledge
- already held apply desktop publishing techniques skill
- already held check correctness of information skill
- already held desktop publishing knowledge
- already held literature knowledge
- already held proofread text skill
- already held rewrite manuscripts skill
The 3 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held food materials optional
- optional, not held food science optional
- optional, not held press law optional
- optional, not held food hygiene rules optional
25 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held analyse trends in the food and beverage industries optional
- optional, not held art history optional
- optional, not held create online news content optional
- optional, not held food hygiene rules optional
- optional, not held food materials optional
- optional, not held food science optional
- optional, not held history of dance style optional
- optional, not held manage personal finances optional
- optional, not held manage writing administration optional
- optional, not held musical instruments optional
- optional, not held musical theory optional
- optional, not held promote one's writings optional
- optional, not held write captions optional
- optional, not held write headlines optional
- optional, not held address problems critically optional
- optional, not held attend performances optional
- optional, not held film studies optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- optional, not held musical genres optional
- optional, not held photography optional
- optional, not held press law optional
- optional, not held provide written content optional
- optional, not held read books optional
- optional, not held types of literature genres optional
- optional, not held watch video and motion picture production products optional
19 held skills the critic role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role analyse texts to be illustrated skill
- not needed by the target role assess financial viability skill
- not needed by the target role attend book fairs skill
- not needed by the target role conserve new media skill
- not needed by the target role establish collaborative relations skill
- not needed by the target role implement marketing strategies skill
- not needed by the target role interpret illustration needs skill
- not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
- not needed by the target role manage contracts skill
- not needed by the target role network within the writing industry skill
- not needed by the target role perform market research skill
- not needed by the target role provide support to authors skill
- not needed by the target role publishing market knowledge
- not needed by the target role read manuscripts skill
- not needed by the target role select illustration styles skill
- not needed by the target role select manuscripts skill
- not needed by the target role show diplomacy skill
- not needed by the target role suggest revision of manuscripts skill
- not needed by the target role use word processing software skill
16 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn editorial standards required
- still to learn interview techniques required
- still to learn rhetoric required
- optional, not held art history optional
- optional, not held food hygiene rules optional
- optional, not held food materials optional
- optional, not held food science optional
- optional, not held history of dance style optional
- optional, not held musical instruments optional
- optional, not held musical theory optional
- optional, not held film studies optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- optional, not held musical genres optional
- optional, not held photography optional
- optional, not held press law optional
- optional, not held types of literature genres optional
Other moves recorded from book editor
Common questions about this move
Can a book editor become a critic?
Yes, and it is a career change move. A book editor already covers 28% of what a critic is expected to do: 13 skills carry over, 7 of which the critic role treats as required.
What skills does a book editor need to become a critic?
15 required skills are missing, plus 25 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is analyse the comments of selected audiences.
How hard is the move from book editor to critic?
Its learning distance is 76.8 out of 100, which is the career change band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.