From 8-5, I am an editor. And in my off-hours I'm an editor too. To justify my vicious editing of a friend's work, I have written an apologia of my task.
The task of the editor is a fundamentally problematic one. He must analyze and critique the thoughts of those more knowledgeable, more mature, and more wise than himself. His job, then, requires a certain level of presumption. Aside from spell-checking and grammar-scrutinizing, what could he possibly contribute? How could he possibly correct the musings of his superiors? The editor must quell these nagging doubts and press forward, dutifully following wheresoever his editorial instinct might lead him. He must be subjective, nitpicky, and arbitrary—maddeningly so. He must waste hours upon hours pondering the placement of a modifier. He must mercilessly mutilate the wording over which the author so lovingly labored. Any editor worth his proverbial salt must be a tireless bloodhound, a heartless butcher, a red-pencil–wielding fiend. That is his job.
Posted by jonsligh at October 26, 2004 08:21 AMWell that's the last time I walk through the editorial department.
I've been inspired to add a description of my job, well, just because.
I am a compositor. I am the slave of the editor. Mine is not to ask why such and such is changing, but simply to know how to change such and such, and to change such and such at the whim of the editor even if he decides to change such and such back in the next galley. My margins must be perfect, all alignment correct to the milimeter, so that the editor has plenty of room to mark all of the other minute details I failed to correct. And all mistakes, once it is out of the author's hands, are solely my fault and responsibility. The idea that the editor made a mistake is unthinkable.
Bitter? Who's bitter? Not me. :0)
Posted by: momtoast at October 26, 2004 09:10 AMHa! I knew you were a bloodhound! But I will risk my life for you, because you did so for me at the river tree.
Posted by: apple at October 26, 2004 09:30 AMI hate red pen markings...my teacher loves to mark my paper with red pen markings. Red markings make me sad. And they lower my grade too : (
Posted by: Vincero at October 26, 2004 10:16 AMactually, i'm not one really, although i think maybe i could be one... your title "meinE Aufgabe" persuaded me to write. :o) why a german title?
Posted by: another editor :o) at October 26, 2004 01:15 PMYou noted the irony, Plumstead. Are you a native German speaker?
I grew up in Germany. That is not why I chose German for the title, however. The rule of thumb for Writer's Block when you are choosing a title is "Pick a title that is either (1) random and entirely irrelevant to anything in the essay, or (2) foreign."
Posted by: sligh at October 26, 2004 01:35 PMwell, the thought crossed my mind that the title did fit, your being an editor and all.
i'm not a native german speaker, but i speak the language every day.
whereabouts in germany did you grow up?
Posted by: plumstead at October 26, 2004 01:49 PMWiesbaden. The ol' Dad was a pastor of an American military church.
They currently are in a little town called Ernstfeldt, in the southeastern part of Germany, close to the Czech border and the Austrian border.
Posted by: sligh at October 26, 2004 01:53 PMJon,
I like your blog. You are a great writer! And you would also make a great German! You have my undying affection and support.
Like editor guy, I am a huge fan of you, Jon. Keep up the great work.
Posted by: fundy at October 26, 2004 04:05 PMShoot, as long as everyone is pledging their allegiance, I will too. Jon, my heartfelt praise to shifting sand.
Posted by: skater at October 26, 2004 04:07 PMJon,
Die Bezirksausschüsse sind lokale Organe der Landeshauptstadt München zur Erörterung und Durchsetzung stadtbezirksbezogener Anliegen der Bürgerinnen und Bürger!
You are all welcome to join the Jon Sligh fan club "Wir lieben Jon". The yearly dues are 29.99. Thank you!
Posted by: Profit-maker at October 27, 2004 07:59 AMBut the editor paradox is probably only valid in certain settings that bear the mark of "Unusual" and/or "Opportunity." My guess is that most anywhere else, the editor is the most read, most knowledgable person on the staff. But then again, I've never existed in a literary setting outside of watching Emma (the Gwyneth Paltrow version in case you were wondering).
Posted by: sam at October 28, 2004 08:36 PMI will happily join the fan club as long as I get a free t-shirt. =)
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Posted by: prom dress at February 2, 2010 04:17 AMPlease note: Comments will not appear immediately. Your comment will appear upon approval by the blog's editor. We had to implement this to decrease the amount of spam that our site receives. Please forgive the inconvenience. We are looking into other, friendlier options.