11.3.08
Something in the cycle of content writing and editing is funny in an annoying kind of way. The whole idea of someone deemed to be the expert content writer writing the material then a bunch of technical editors making revisions one after the other until the original writer can’t even recognise his own writing anymore sound really pointless to me. Something is just awfully wrong. It’s either the writer is just plain useless or the editors are just too obsessive-compulsive.
Or is it the number of editors? Before a material reaches a reasonably good state to go public, how many should actually have a look at it? Who gets the last say? I never thought that a statement as simple as “the ball is on the table” can take ages to hit the printer. Passing it on and on from one hand to another can transform it to something completely different from what you originally had in mind. Dealing with conflicting views from so called experts can be traumatic. Especially that they often just refer to the same thing, but they say them differently, reflecting their differences in culture, expertise and personal preferences.
I’ve come to realise that good writing, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone has his own opinion on what reads better. The disparity lies on who gets the authority to impose his opinion and how far that authority sits from the end of the writing and editing chain.
Or is it the number of editors? Before a material reaches a reasonably good state to go public, how many should actually have a look at it? Who gets the last say? I never thought that a statement as simple as “the ball is on the table” can take ages to hit the printer. Passing it on and on from one hand to another can transform it to something completely different from what you originally had in mind. Dealing with conflicting views from so called experts can be traumatic. Especially that they often just refer to the same thing, but they say them differently, reflecting their differences in culture, expertise and personal preferences.
I’ve come to realise that good writing, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone has his own opinion on what reads better. The disparity lies on who gets the authority to impose his opinion and how far that authority sits from the end of the writing and editing chain.
// posted by jaena*** @ 16:21 
