3 steps to becoming a successful contributing editor

How to become a writer that readers will trust

Being a contributing editor is a highly rewarding way to build a journalism career and promote yourself as a thought-leader. This role has many benefits: It can help you to grow as a writer, connect you with many interesting and talented people in your niche and provide inspiration from other writers.

It takes work and determination to become a successful contributing editor – a source of information and knowledge in your niche that readers will trust and return to.

Focus on these three steps to become the best contributing editor in your industry.

Create your business persona.

To become a contributing editor, you will first want to focus on your professional image – the way other people perceive you. You want others to view you as a top thought-leader in your industry. Use your professional background and experience to build your persona online and offline. Your persona is what grabs the attention of potential publications and readers.

Be an expert in your niche.

To be a trustworthy source of information, you need to know your industry. Keep track of trending topics in your area of expertise. Research top blogs, magazines, newspapers and other publications or use Google Trends or other popular sources like Digg.

Improve your writing.

Always work on improving your writing. Your writing style has to grab readers’ attention. Your topics must be on trend. You have to be able to convey your knowledge and expertise in the most interesting ways. By sharing your ideas and expertise, you can also educate and help others in your industry.

A contributing editor is a title that varies vastly in its responsibilities. To be able to perform this role, you must become an industry expert with impeccable writing skills and be aware of the top industry trends so you can draw your readers’ attention to your topic.

Axia Public Relations can help you get the most out of your content writing and other inbound marketing efforts. To grow your brand, we recommend you download our inbound marketing e-book today.

Yulia Dianova is a public relations professional who is skilled in building relationships with target audiences. She provides counsel to organizations that seek PR help to further their growth and reach their goals. Yulia earned a master’s degree in public relations management from University of Maryland University College. She is fluent in Russian and English and is always looking for a new challenge. Yulia has worked for Axia Public Relations since July 2015. Learn more about Yulia Dianova. Connect with Axia on Twitter @axiapr or tell us what you think in the comments below.