Editors and Editing
Editing advice from writers and professional editors.
Harold Ross on Editing
"Editing," Harold Ross once said, "is the same as quarreling with writers--same thing exactly." In the following excerpts from Thomas Kunkel's "Letters from the Editor: The New Yorker's Harold Ross," we see that for the most part these were lovers' quarrels.
"Editing," Harold Ross once said, "is the same as quarreling with writers--same thing exactly." In the following excerpts from Thomas Kunkel's "Letters from the Editor: The New Yorker's Harold Ross," we see that for the most part these were lovers' quarrels.
An Editor's Five Rules of Thumb
An editor at "The New Yorker" magazine for almost 40 years, Gardner Botsford worked with many notable writers of creative nonfiction. In his memoir "A Life of Privilege, Mostly" (St. Martin's Press, 2003), Botsford offered these "conclusions about editing," with a few good lessons for both teachers and students of writing.
An editor at "The New Yorker" magazine for almost 40 years, Gardner Botsford worked with many notable writers of creative nonfiction. In his memoir "A Life of Privilege, Mostly" (St. Martin's Press, 2003), Botsford offered these "conclusions about editing," with a few good lessons for both teachers and students of writing.
Lillian Ross on Helpful Editors
Try measuring your editor (or teacher or colleague) against Lillian Ross's list of "helpful" qualities.
Try measuring your editor (or teacher or colleague) against Lillian Ross's list of "helpful" qualities.
Wolcott Gibbs's Theory and Practice of Editing
The average writer, said Wolcott Gibbs (1902-1958), "is ornate to no purpose, full of elegant variations, and can be relied upon to use three sentences where a word would do." To combat such tendencies, Gibbs set down 31 rules for the benefit of his "semi-literate" colleagues at "The New Yorker" magazine.
The average writer, said Wolcott Gibbs (1902-1958), "is ornate to no purpose, full of elegant variations, and can be relied upon to use three sentences where a word would do." To combat such tendencies, Gibbs set down 31 rules for the benefit of his "semi-literate" colleagues at "The New Yorker" magazine.
The Editor of the Breakfast Table, by Charles J. Shields
In this article, composed "after making a presentation about writing to high schoolers," biographer Charles J. Shields thanks his father for a gift that long went unappreciated--the gift of editing.
In this article, composed "after making a presentation about writing to high schoolers," biographer Charles J. Shields thanks his father for a gift that long went unappreciated--the gift of editing.
James Thurber on Writing and Editing
Some observations from humorist James Thurber on reading, writing, and editing.
Some observations from humorist James Thurber on reading, writing, and editing.
The "Don't List" of Bennett's "New York Herald"
In July 2008, the "New York Herald" was brought back to life as an online newspaper. To mark the event, we're reprinting the "Don't List" prescribed a century ago for the reporters on James Gordon Bennett's popular and controversial newspaper.
In July 2008, the "New York Herald" was brought back to life as an online newspaper. To mark the event, we're reprinting the "Don't List" prescribed a century ago for the reporters on James Gordon Bennett's popular and controversial newspaper.
Quiller-Couch's Rough Rules for Combating Jargon
The two main vices of jargon, said Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, are "that it uses circumlocution rather than short straight speech" and "that it habitually chooses vague woolly abstract nouns rather than concrete ones." Fortunately, in lecture five of what he called his "course in First Aid to writing," he offered a few "rough rules" for combating jargon.
The two main vices of jargon, said Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, are "that it uses circumlocution rather than short straight speech" and "that it habitually chooses vague woolly abstract nouns rather than concrete ones." Fortunately, in lecture five of what he called his "course in First Aid to writing," he offered a few "rough rules" for combating jargon.