Fighting for your words

An editor and a writer share a common goal, but arriving there with egos intact can be a challenge.
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Image via shapeways

Henry James called editing “the butchers’ trade”, a term understood by any writer who has had their delicately crafted words hacked and trimmed by a zealous editor. The editor’s first loyalty is to the reader, and not the writer. The relationship is a diplomatic one, fraught with veiled defensiveness, errant semi colons and carefully worded suggestions.

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Emma Clark Gratton
About the Author
Emma Clark Gratton is an ArtsHub staff writer.