Editing

 Editing is a great skill. Very few people would agree with this opinion of mine. That is because like a brilliant translator, a good editor is visible by being invisible. No, that is not a quibble on words. A good translator is like a clean, superior glass that is so transparent that none notices it is there at all. So does an editor function. She/he weeds out all the unnecessary stuff.

It is indeed a tough job. Every author loves each word that flows spontaneously from her/his pen, or rather the laptop. Weeding out the repetitive, the non-essential would be the editor's job. 

An editor knows that writing lasts forever, and it is not merely the spontaneous overflow of powerful emotions. It is rather the recollection in the tranquility that makes it less senti-n-mental.  A good editor scissors out all such superfluous stuff.

The best example of such unique creative editing is the final version of "The Waste Land", an iconic poem that celebrated its century last year. Ezra Pound edited the original text in to its present avatar, which is reduced to almost one third of the original. T.S. Eliot accepted the master editor's contribution, and dedicated the final version to him.

An editor can make or mar a book. Look at the fate of Harry's book. It is jeered as verbal diarrhoea because it apparently runs away with the silliest details. Rather like loose motions, there is no check on the looseness of sensational smelly leaky leary details. The Americanisms, if the quotes are to be believed, are not weeded out either which is funny as the ghost writer seems to have forgotten that a British royal is supposed to write it. As a result, a confession that was to win him sympathy has got him extreme bad press.

I suppose, actually, the best editor has to be one's own self. All sorts of negativities are sure to emerge throughout our lives, in most all of our relationships. We must ourselves weed out the negative characters, bold the best experiences, and underline the nicest people who love us, stand by us, correct us, celebrate us.  The Book of Life would thus be a great read/lead forever!

Pratima@Editing is the best metaphor for intelligent and sensitive (ideally self-)  control!