Does a good Journalist have the skills of being a creative writer, proofreader and editor?
Answering your question directly, a good writer will not necessarily make a good editor or proofreader, though some do. A good writer needs to have the abiltity (and educational background) to write creatvely. That’s where a good liberal arts education comes in — history, political science, psychology, maths, English and business. Editors (and subeditors) are often mechanics — in the sense that they know how to tweek a story, filling holes in a story, checking facts, fixing spelling and grammar. They’re often paid a bit more than writers. Chief editors, on the other hand, are the bosses of the news department — assigning stories, hiring, sacking, determining the direction of a story and placement in a newspaper. Bottom line: Gat a good liberal arts education if you want to become a journalist. The more you know, the more valuable you are to your employers and yourself.
