"If you're not a writer, this sort of compulsiveness may seem well nigh pathological. You may even be thinking, "What's the difference?" But if you are a writer, you'll realize what a gift the editor gave his old friend. Had not a word been changed, the essay would still have been excellent. Each of these "tweaks"-there were perhaps a hundred, none more earthshaking than the ones I've quoted- made it a little better, and their aggregate effect was to transform an excellent essay into a superb one." (Atwan 34)
While reading The Importance of Being Edited, it began to come very clear to me how critical editing and re-editing is. When Fadiman states, "Each of these "tweaks"-there were perhaps a hundred, none more earthshaking than the ones I've quoted- made it a little better, and their aggregate effect was to transform an excellent essay into a superb one." It ensures us that even the best authors must be edited. Editing takes your first ideas and transforms them into a magical masterpiece of writing. Editing your paper can be a grueling and never ending process, but in the end, it makes all of the difference. It allows your creative side to come out. Your first draft is mainly for getting all of your ideas on the paper. Once you can edit your work, it allows your imagination to go wild. You can add words, change words, fix grammar, add ideas, change sentences, anything you need to make your paper improve. It is also beneficial to have someone else edit your paper. A new person's ideas can really bring your paper to life. They will have the ability to think of something differently that you would. Your editor will interpret things differently than what you may have meant. They will be able to help you take your paper leaps and bounds. Another important point to make, is that you should edit your paper more than once. It should be corrected numerous times. The more you change things and fix errors, the more positive the outcome will be. Corrections will take some time, but in the end the benefit out-weighs the time. In the end, editing has nothing but a positive effect on your essay. The repetitive process can be somewhat overlooked, but it shouldn't be. Authors of all calibers use this process because it makes their writing go to the next level. It is, in my opinion, the most important part of the writing process.
