Trees and the Forest
I am not a Stephen King fan. I am, however, in complete agreement with his statement below:
“When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.” ~ Stephen King
The Writer-Editor Interaction
“Editing should be, especially in the case of old writers, a counselling rather than a collaborating task. The tendency of the writer-editor to collaborate is natural, but he should say to himself, ‘How can I help this writer to say it better in his own style?’ and avoid ‘How can I show him how I would write it, if it were my piece?'” ~ James Thurber
A Dilemma
When you face extraordinary challenges that life presents to you, yet you have several beautifully composed manuscripts on your desk, waiting to be edited in the same professional way you have been accustomed to delivering . . .
Memes Speak Volumes These Days . . .
Meme courtesy of kellieelmore.com
Once again, back from fishing . . .
“If you re-read your work, you can find on re-reading a great deal of repetition can be avoided by re-reading and editing.” ~ William Safire
A Famous Sentiment on Writing (Creatively)
“A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”
~ Thomas Mann (1875-1955)
Writing and Editing, 59
“A good editor is someone who cares a little less about the author’s needs than the reader’s.” ~
Unfortunately, authors too often allow their ego to take the front seat. The matter is not even about what a writer “needs”. The want takes over. The editor then faces the risk of being viewed as an adversary.