Mastheads™
Studio
All ten editorial desks
Desk VII of X

Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief gives every article a fresh final editorial read.

  • Every article
  • One desk, one job
  • Live
Where it sits
  1. IEditorial Director
  2. IISource Desk
  3. IIIPlanning Desk
  4. IVWriters Desk
  5. VFact Desk
  6. VIQA Desk
  7. VIIEditor-in-Chief
  8. VIIIStandards Desk
  9. IXArt Desk
  10. XProduction Desk

The Editor-in-Chief receives the article from the QA Desk and hands it to the Standards Desk.

What it does

The Editor-in-Chief is the Mastheads editorial desk that gives an article its final read and asks one question: would a reader finish it and return tomorrow? It reads once, with fresh eyes, and does not inherit another desk's verdict.

The Editor-in-Chief is the checking desk that rewrites. It strengthens a flat opening, tightens a loose close, untangles crowded sentences and restores the publication's voice. Without this pass, the facts could be sound while the article stays hard to read or not worth finishing. Every rewrite stays within the facts already established.

One desk, one job. Nothing inside it is split into roles.

What it takes in

The Editor-in-Chief takes in the article, the research record and your choices for tone, persona, opening, close, reading level and format. It is also shown any paragraph that is harder to read than intended, any needlessly repeated figure and any note addressed to the writer instead of the reader. It reads once with fresh eyes, without inheriting another desk's verdict.

What it hands on

The Editor-in-Chief hands the Standards Desk the revised article and an editorial verdict. Every name, figure, date and quotation used in a rewrite already appears in the article or research record. Source names, links and sourced figures remain. Any claim of first-hand testing or personal opinion introduced during a rewrite is removed, and the headline and headings stay as set. If the desk approves, the article may publish automatically. If it does not, the article waits for a person with the reason beside it, and anything beyond the paragraphs that still needs attention is recorded for review.

What it guarantees

5 things it holds to, on every article it touches.

  • Facts stay faithful to the research.

    Every name, figure, date and quotation used in a rewrite already appears in the article or research record.

  • Sources stay credited.

    Source names, links and sourced figures survive the rewrite.

  • The article stays reporting.

    Any claim of first-hand testing or personal opinion introduced in a rewritten paragraph is removed.

  • Headlines and headings stay set.

    The desk works on paragraphs and leaves your headline and headings unchanged.

  • The Editor-in-Chief makes one complete pass.

    Anything beyond the paragraphs that still needs attention is recorded for a person to review.

One example

A paragraph contains three long sentences with several ideas in each. The Editor-in-Chief turns them into shorter sentences, one idea at a time, and keeps every name, figure and link. The reader gets the same facts with less effort.

On your article

The revised paragraphs carry the same established facts, source names, links and sourced figures in clearer writing. If the desk does not approve the article, it waits for a person with the reason beside it, and anything else that needs attention is recorded for review.

Live. It works on every article.

Questions

What people ask about the Editor-in-Chief.

What is the Editor-in-Chief in Mastheads?
The Editor-in-Chief is the Mastheads editorial desk that gives each article a final editorial read. It asks whether a reader would finish the article and return tomorrow, and it rewrites the paragraphs that fall short.
What happens during the final read?
In Mastheads, the Editor-in-Chief reads the article once with fresh eyes and asks whether a reader would finish it and return tomorrow. It does not inherit another desk's verdict, so the read is its own judgement.
Does the Editor-in-Chief rewrite the article or only check it?
The Mastheads Editor-in-Chief is the checking desk that rewrites. It strengthens a flat opening, tightens a loose close, untangles crowded sentences and restores the publication's voice, always within the facts already established.
How does the Editor-in-Chief improve readability?
The Mastheads Editor-in-Chief is shown any paragraph that is harder to read than intended and turns crowded sentences into shorter ones with one idea at a time. The same facts, names, figures and links remain after the rewrite.
Can the Editor-in-Chief change facts or add new ones?
No. Every name, figure, date and quotation the Mastheads Editor-in-Chief uses in a rewrite already appears in the article or the research record. A rewrite stays within the facts already established.
Does the Editor-in-Chief keep my sources and links?
Yes. After a Mastheads Editor-in-Chief rewrite, source names, links and sourced figures remain in the article. The writing gets clearer while the credit to each source stays.
Can the Editor-in-Chief change the headline or headings?
No. The Mastheads Editor-in-Chief, the desk that rewrites weak or crowded paragraphs, works only on the paragraphs. Your headline and headings stay as set.
Which settings guide the Editor-in-Chief's rewrite?
The Mastheads Editor-in-Chief takes in your choices for tone, persona, opening, close, reading level and format, and the rewrite follows them. It remains bound by the facts already established.
Does the Editor-in-Chief add personal opinion or first-hand testing?
No. If a rewritten paragraph in Mastheads contains a claim of first-hand testing or a personal opinion, the Editor-in-Chief removes it. The article stays reporting.
Where does the Editor-in-Chief sit among the Mastheads desks?
The Editor-in-Chief is the seventh of the ten editorial desks at Mastheads. It receives the article from the QA Desk and hands it to the Standards Desk.
Does every Mastheads article get an Editor-in-Chief read?
Yes. The Editor-in-Chief gives every Mastheads article its final editorial read. It reads once with fresh eyes, and its approval allows automatic publication.
What happens if the Editor-in-Chief does not approve an article?
If the Mastheads Editor-in-Chief does not approve an article, the article waits for a person, with the reason beside it. Anything beyond the paragraphs that needs attention is also recorded for review. Approval is what allows automatic publication.
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