Characteristics of a Good Editor

You dont have to work for a magazine or newspaper to benefit from the help of a good editor. Even if she seems nit-picky with her line edits, remember that the editor is on your side. A good editor addresses your writing style and creative content, among many other details. Editing styles will vary, so find an editor that gives you the safe space to be creative and make mistakes simultaneously.   The Editor and the Writer Carl Sessions Stepp, the author of Editing for Todays Newsroom, believes editors should practice restraint and refrain from immediately reshaping the content in their own images. He has advised editors to read an article all the way through, open your mind to the logic of the [writers] approach, and offer at least minimal courtesy to the professional who has dripped blood for it.   Jill Geisler of The Poynter Institute says a writer must be able to trust that an editor respects the writers ownership of a story and can resist the temptation to completely write a new and improved version. Says Geisler, Thats fixing, not coaching. ... When you fix stories by doing instant rewrites, there may be a thrill in showing off your skill. By coaching writers, you discover better ways to craft copy. Gardner Botsford of The New Yorker magazine says that a good editor is a mechanic, or craftsman, while a good writer is an artist, adding that the less competent the writer, the louder the protests over editing. Editor as Critical Thinker Editor-in-chief Mariette DiChristina says editors must be organized, able to see the structure where it does not exist and able to identify the missing pieces or gaps in logic that bring the writing together. [M]ore than being good writers, editors must be good critical thinkers who can recognize and evaluate good writing [or who] can figure out how to make the most of the not-so-good writing. ... [A] good editor needs a sharp eye for detail, writes DiChristina.   A Quiet Conscience The legendary, shy, strong-willed editor of The New Yorker, William Shawn, wrote that it is one of the comic burdens of [an] editor not to be able to explain to anyone else exactly what he does. An editor, writes Shawn, must only counsel when the writer requests it, acting on occasion as a conscience and helping the writer in any way possible to say what he wants to say. Shawn writes that the work of a good editor, like the work of a good teacher, does not reveal itself directly; it is reflected in the accomplishments of others. A Goal-Setter Writer and editor Evelynne Kramer say the best editor is patient and always keeps in mind the long-term goals with the writer and not just what they see on the screen. Says Kramer, We can all get better at what we do, but improvement sometimes takes a lot of time and, more often than not, in fits and starts. A Partner Editor-in-chief Sally Lee says the ideal editor brings out the best in a writer and allows a writers  voice  to shine through. A good editor makes a writer feel challenged, enthusiastic and valuable. An editor is only as good as her writers, says Lee. An Enemy of Clichà ©s Media columnist and reporter David Carr said the best editors  are the enemies  of clichà ©s and tropes, but not the overburdened writer who occasionally resorts to them. Carr stated that the perfect traits of a good editor are good judgment, an appropriate bedside manner and an ability to conjure occasional magic in the space between writer and editor.

Autobiography Of Cancer Essay - 1600 Words

Everyone hears the word â€Å"Cancer† and automatically thinks death? Imagine being told you have cancer a month before Christmas and having to start chemotherapy right away. That was me at age 16 barely a junior in High School, they say high school is supposed to be a great experience. And it was at the beginning which was my freshman and sophomore year. I was that girl athlete with lots of friends who went day by day not caring about my health I would eat lots of junk food and stay up late at night. I come from a Hispanic family single parent my mom and 4 siblings 3 girls and one boy. Two had already gotten married and there was only 3 left at home including me. My mom would work out in the fields so sometimes she d come home late, therefore†¦show more content†¦And thought to myself how I wish I could be on vacation instead of waiting for results. Then I snapped out of my dream with the sound of the phone ringing, we were about 30 minutes from home and my mom looks at me. I automatically knew something was up as she hung up she turned to me and said: â€Å" Will be packing bags they want us to stay in the hospital.† Still so confused and anxious about what they had found they didn t say anything over the phone. We got to the hospital and sat down with the doctor and an interpreter. and that s when he dropped the bomb â€Å"You have a brain tumor† it almost felt as if I was on a rollercoaster the one where it drops so fast to the ground that you feel your organs fell, I cried and I wished we never came. My mother she was in tears as much as she tried to hold back they bursted out. Later then they settled me and my mom in a room its was all colorful and I felt as if I were in a little kids room except it was a hospital room. The next day I get scheduled for a biopsy and I was pretty terrified and they explained th e process to me as if I were to be less scared. They weren’t going to open my skull, go through my nose to take a little chunk of the tumour, then examine it and see if it was malignant or benign. I got the results that it was malignant and I would soon start my chemotherapy. On November 14, 2015 I started my first chemotherapy I was anxious, afraid and shaking I didn’t know what to expect I went oneShow MoreRelatedEssay on James Langston Hughes891 Words   |  4 Pagespoetry. His first published poem was also one of his most famous, quot;The Negro Speaks of Riversquot;, and it appeared in Brownies Book. Later, his poems, short plays, essays, and short stories appeared in the NAACP publication Crisis Magazine and in Opportunity Magazine and other publications. One of Hughes finest essays appeared in the Nation in 1926, entitled quot;The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountainquot;. 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Coco Fusco Cultural Commentary free essay sample

This performance was intended to mock Western concepts of the exotic but instead took on a different facade when most audiences did not realize it was a performance piece. Their cage became â€Å"a metaphor for [their] condition, linking the racism implicit in the ethnographic paradigms of discovery†[1]. Reactions and commentary received throughout a span of two years allowed Coco Fusco to gage an even stronger sense of â€Å"otherness† where she was looked upon as a specimen instead of a human being. Being dehumanized in such a form cannot be easy to handle even when taking into account the fictional situation she and Gomez-Pena were in. However, the prevalent â€Å"otherness† for Coco Fusco wasn’t exclusive to the performance piece; as a Cuban-American she had already encountered that denial of one’s actual presence within society. As a young child her family hid the reasons for and meaning of comments/looks made as a way of protecting her from the harsh realities. We will write a custom essay sample on Coco Fusco Cultural Commentary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Even in later years when Coco Fusco returned from her study abroad trip to Paris, her family was exuberant by the thought of her speaking French. She anecdotes thinking that her â€Å"newly acquired French impressed everyone much more than [her] English ever had†[2]. This inadvertently established that languages of the Western world were superior to her vernacular Spanish. The implication was that if she relinquished the use of Spanish or even the hybrid Spanglish she would be more successful in life. In a reading covered by Professor Alba-Salas the author reaffirms this notion by saying that â€Å"those who achieve success have done so within social and educational systems that favor the use of English over Spanish†[3]. Coco Fusco’s family was consumed by the same fear most immigrant families have; the fear of being marginalized as the â€Å"other† and never really reaching the viable potential one can have. Soon after Coco Fusco comes to realize the immense â€Å"culture clash† she had been living. She realizes the implications of those stares and the thoughts brought upon by her speech. It is then when she takes in upon herself to at least attempt to dispel or even clarify the misconceptions of the population through her performances. In the Two Undiscovered Amerindians performance it is clearly seen how two conflicting cultures create animosity where the privileged, in this case the audience, attempt set the standard for the normative. Coco Fusco notes that as she and Gomez-Pena assume their â€Å"stereotypical role of domesticated savage[s] and many audience members [feel] entitled to assume the role of the colonizer†[4] where as to continue the already rampant cycle of discrimination. After a particular performance one young woman came back to share her discontent, claiming that Gomez-Pena was â€Å"ungrateful for all the benefits he had received thanks to multiculturalism†¦ Gomez-Pena responded that multiculturalism was not a gift from the white but a result of decades of struggle by people of color†[5]. In this discourse Gomez-Pena reinforces the idea of this â€Å"culture clash† in America and how the privileged still see themselves as that standard that enables them to pass judgment. Nevertheless both â€Å"culture clash† and this sense of â€Å"otherness† within communities creates a harmful effect in society but equally harmful is the alienation that appears as an outcome of their presence. The other tends to feel this alienation most when realizing there is disengagement between them and their society, work, and even at times themselves.

The Perfect Generosity of Prince Vessantara

Jataka describes Prince Vassantara as one of the reincarnations of Buddha. It is possible to note that Prince’s all actions are driven by his desire to give away. This desire makes him give away his treasures, his kingdom and even his family. More so, he is ready to give away his self if it is necessary.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Perfect Generosity of Prince Vessantara specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is seen as the highest manifestation of virtue and Jataka describes last reincarnation of Buddha in this way to stress one of the major values of the religion. Admittedly, liberality is seen as one of the most important characteristics of a righteous man. Jataka tells the story of Prince Vassantara to give people the model to follow. The desire to give away appeared in Prince Vassantara when he was in his mother’s womb making his mother crave â€Å"to have six almshouses built† an d give a lot of gifts, â€Å"every day to give six hundred thousand gold coins† (Cone Gombrich 8). Jataka stresses that it is a very virtuous desire as the king and all his advisors understand that the queen has the future deity in her womb. The king is ready to give lots of gifts as well. The king’s advisors claim that the deity in the queen’s womb â€Å"will never be sated with giving† (Cone Gombrich 8). This is a great blessing for the king who is happy to have such a righteous child. The Prince lives up to the advisors’ words from the very first years of his life. The Prince tends to give away his possessions from his early years. For instance, when he is only four or five, he takes the ornaments from his rooms and gives them away to his nurses. Again, the king is fascinated with this and claims that the nurses should keep the gifts as those are â€Å"holy† gifts and what is given by the Prince â€Å"is given well† (Cone Gombri ch 10). The child does the same nine times and makes his parents and the whole kingdom even happier (Cone Gombrich 10). However, these gifts cannot be compared to what Prince Vassantara is ready to give away. At the age of eight, the Prince understands that it is not enough to give away things which are â€Å"external† to him (Cone Gombrich 10). He is surrounded by beautiful and valuable things which can be abandoned. Admittedly, the Prince understands that he does not need things and valuables to be happy and enlightened.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, he does not consider those gifts to be enough. His idea of liberality goes beyond the world of material values. He claims, â€Å"I want to give something of my very self† (Cone Gombrich 10). Jataka depicts Prince Vassantara as the most giving man who is ready to give literally everything. The Prince bec omes a symbol of liberality and, at the same time, the symbol of rightfulness. Describing the Prince’s determination, Jataka stresses that this is the way to live in the world as â€Å"Sakka, the king of the gods, snapped his fingers in approval† (Cone Gombrich 10). Jataka also describes the manifestation of the god’s approval as â€Å"the sky . rained down a sudden shower† (Cone Gombrich 10). Notably, rain has always been seen as a symbol of the gods’ approval and gods’ blessing. Thus, the idea of complete selflessness is primary as the gods approve of such attitude towards life. It is necessary to note that Jataka describes Prince Vassantara in the way he does to give people the model to follow. In other words, Jataka provides an example of a holy and righteous life. Clearly, Jataka addresses people and stresses that they should try to follow the example given. Jataka teaches people to be selfless and focus on spiritual development rathe r than material values. Jataka states that the Prince manages to live a righteous way and to give everything away. For this, he is blessed and deities help him to reach his major goal in life and remain a righteous man. The Prince gives everything away to people who are in need. This story should be regarded as a model and everyone is supposed to try to give something ‘external’ and even more when there are people in need. Jataka’s story teaches people to strive for spiritual development. Those who strive for enlightenment should follow the Prince’s example and to be ready to give away their own selves. To sum up, Jataka tells a story of one of Buddha’s reincarnations. Prince Vassantara is led by his desire to give away everything he can (e.g. his treasures, his kingdom, his children, his wife and even more).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Perfect Generosity of Prince Vessantara specifically for you for only $16 .05 $11/page Learn More This desire is seen as one of the greatest virtues and all people as well as deities bless the prince. Jataka tells the story to give an example of a rightful life which all people should lead. Prince Vassantara is an example of a person who understands what liberality really means. Those who want to achieve enlightenment should try to be as righteous as the Prince. Works Cited Cone, Margaret and Richard F. Gombrich. The Perfect Generosity of Prince Vessantara. Oxford: Claredon Press, 1977. Print. This essay on The Perfect Generosity of Prince Vessantara was written and submitted by user Carl0s to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.