Content Editor and Proofreader at Barbell Publishing

Barbell Publishing is a publishing company that specializes in a wide range of literary genres, including novels, poetry, and children's books. They work with a diverse group of writers to help them bring their unique voices and stories to the world. The company is dedicated to publishing high-quality works and providing the best to the readers.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Content Editor and Proofreader

Location: Nigeria
Employment Type: Full-time

About the Role

• We are seeking to employ Content Editor to maintain publishing standards and ensure writers deliver high-quality stories with consistent daily updates.
• You will be the gatekeeper between our writers and publication, responsible for enforcing deadlines, improving story quality, onboarding new talent, and ensuring every piece of content meets our editorial expectations before approval.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure writers post daily updates without fail
• Proofread and edit romance, fantasy, thriller, and webnovel-style stories
• Evaluate plot strength, pacing, emotional impact, grammar, and readability
• Reject or approve submissions based on quality benchmarks
• Instruct writers to revise, rewrite, and self-proofread before final approval
• Maintain story standards (retention, hooks, cliffhangers, engagement)
• Onboard and vet new writers
• Provide critical editorial feedback that improves storytelling
• Maintain organized tracking of submissions, approvals, and revisions

Qualifications

• Candidates should possess a Bachelor's Degree or HND with 1 year experience.

Required Skills & Competencies
The ideal candidate must have:

Technical/Editorial Skills:

• Expert-level English grammar, proofreading, and copy editing
• Strong understanding of story structure, pacing, hooks, and cliffhangers
• Ability to give critical, non-sugar-coated feedback that improves writers
• Familiarity with webnovel, serialized fiction, and romance storytelling
• Ability to maintain quality without rewriting the author’s voice

Soft Skills:

• Extremely organized and deadline-driven
• Firm communicator who can enforce consistency
• Eye for story potential and marketability
• Ability to onboard and guide new writers
• Ability to track multiple stories at once without dropping standards

Barbell Publishing Standards (We value):

• Consistency over talent
• Critical thinking over validation
• Story quality over speed
• Engagement over perfection.... If you can uphold these without compromise, apply now.

Salary
N100,000 - N150,000 / Month.

Application Closing Date
28th February, 2026.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Applications to: Hrmanager.barbell@gmail.com using the Job Title and Location as the subject of the email.

What Applicants Must Submit
To be considered, candidates must send the following to the application email:

• Writer evaluation report: A short breakdown assessing plot, pacing, engagement, readability, and areas for improvement
• CV/Resume
• A written paragraph answering: “How will you enforce daily updates and maintain story quality at scale?”

Sample Story Passage for Editing Test
(Applicants must edit this and attach feedback comments in their submission)

• “He grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. ‘You think you can run from me?’ His voice was low. She swallowed hard. The rain soaked through her clothes. Lightning cracked. ‘I’m not afraid of you,’ she lied. He smiled slowly. Too slowly.”

Evaluation Criteria for the Test
Applicants will be judged on:

• Grammar accuracy
• Sharpness of editorial feedback
• Understanding of tone, tension, and pacing
• Ability to critique without rewriting the story unnecessarily
• Professional clarity and attention to detail