By Alice Akers University of Nebraska-Lincoln The stereotype associated with editing is that it is a boring desk job. However, Meghan Rabbitt shows that it can be quite the opposite. She has traveled around the globe as an editor and writer. Rabbitt is a senior editor at Yoga Journal magazine in Boulder, Colorado, where she travels extensively, edits, writes and works with writers. She is a full-time editor and also writes stories for the magazine, as well as freelances for national media outlets. “In addition to working on some amazing assignments, the fun part about being an editor is that it is a job that can oftentimes happen remotely,” Rabbitt said. Over the last year, Rabbitt, 39, has traveled to places such as Zambia, Africa; Paris; Krabi and Hua Hin, Thailand; and Ubud, Bali— all in the name of work. She secured a job at Yoga Journal because of her experience as a magazine editor and trained yoga teacher. While she loves traveling, Rabbitt sometimes turns down trips for personal or ethical reasons. “I only accept press trips where I am on assignment knowing I will write something about the trip, which I think is just ethical, as most press trips are all-expenses covered,” Rabbitt said. Although her life appears glamorous on social media, it’s not for lack of hard work. Rabbitt discusses how she juggles work and really dives into experiencing a destination when she’s on a press trip. “Nobody sees the 5 a.m. starts or the late nights when I’m in some amazing location, but also have a big deadline,” Rabbitt said. Rabbitt also enjoys working with writers. “One of my favorite parts about editing is working with experts and freelance writers, helping them craft a story and express themselves in a way that not only provides service to readers, but also helps the author shine,” Rabbitt said. “Editing is not simply the work of adding colons and periods. Instead, it’s a relationship one develops with a writer. A good editor creates a dynamic relationship where they can truly impact somebody's writing.” “I like helping someone make sense of what they are trying to say and give them a flow that is logical to help the readers follow along,” Rabbitt said. Rabbitt has worked on many significant pieces throughout her career. In 2016, she met the founder of Give Back Yoga at a Yoga Journal conference in Estes Park, Colorado, and learned about female prison inmates being taught how to be yoga teachers. Rabbitt was inspired by the encounter and later assigned a story on the topic to a writer. Her writer joined for portions of this first-ever yoga teacher training in a Maryland prison and spoke to the inmates about how it was transforming their lives. Rabbitt edited the final piece, which turned into an award-winning feature story that she is proud of. “It was an important story and one that was conceived when I had an interesting conversation with someone and did the journalistic thing by asking a bunch of questions,” Rabbitt said. Rabbitt has always turned to writing to expressing herself. “I feel like I always wrote,” said Rabbitt. “It is how I processed the world.” Rabbitt dreamed of being a doctor until she encountered chemistry in high school, which steered her towards a possible career as an English teacher; both her parents were educators. However, while choosing classes with her college adviser, she found herself in a journalism class to satisfy a college requirement. Two weeks into the class she changed her major to journalism and shortly after started working for the newspaper at the University of Delaware. After 17 years in journalism, Rabbitt had some advice for aspiring journalists:
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A note about the content: This site showcases the final projects of University of Nebraska-Lincoln editing students. Each semester, students pick a journalist or communications professional to profile. This is their work.
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