Editing Cleans Up the Garden
“One shortcoming of so many writers today is that they do not take pains; they do not recast their flawed sentences; they do not edit their copy for the sense of it; and they wind up with what I have come to call mangles and dangles.” (James J. Kilpatrick)
We must always pore over our writing to remove every weed so it can be a beautiful and clean garden. It may not be the greatest writing the world has ever seen, but it can be presentable and neat.
We should never send it out to be judged by the world without taking great pains to make the final product the best it can be. Showing respect for our writing and our audience will transform both of them to a better, brighter place and keep them coming back to our garden.
Our gentle readers deserve the best we can possibly provide because their time and attention are limited. Earning their appreciation is infinitely better than earning a byline.
