What a brilliant post. You left me full of energy. You do such a great job of pinpointing exactly why the conversation about taste and judgement necessitates someone with cultivated taste and judgement to lead it. I've been thinking about how much I could benefit from an editor to just tell me the truth about where I can improve or where I'm being lazy, even if, like Andy, it would require some personal growth to take in. This is a truly great post that articulates so much of what I have been thinking about in terms of what we aim towards when we write. Also, The Devil Wears Prada is my favorite movie haha.
I'd be curious to know if you think there's any solutions, or any way that this "editorial" model could somehow be integrated into Substack or new media? I wouldn't even know where to find a good editor if I wanted one.
Thank you so much, Elena! Definitely relate to you about sometimes wanting an editor to give me a second opinion about my writing! One idea I had was that Substack writers could maybe borrow the “beta reader” concept from fanfiction—someone whom you trust to give you feedback on your writing before you publish it. Also, I think it would be nice to see more people start sort of informal magazines here on Substack!
Great piece and pertinent points. I agree with your take on Miranda that it is not just about ego or arrogance. It is ultimately about mastery and experience, having a discriminating eye and gut instinct. We need that in all areas, including medicine. I gave up googling symptoms because most of the time it was wrong, and a seasoned doctor would tell me it was something else, minor thankfully, not even mentioned in Google’s doom list. I suspect LLM algorithms have the same issue.
That’s a great analogy—I think the Internet and our tech-centered culture tries to diminish the importance of expertise (you don’t need an editor—just write and publish things on your own; you don’t need a doctor—just look up your symptoms online), but I think we’re going to find increasingly just how important that sort of expertise and long experience in a certain field really is.
Yeah, it always makes a difference when you get the chance to work with someone who has that mix of mastery and professionalism. I wouldn’t want to work for Miranda, though!
Fantastic, and full of great insights and truths. Thank you. And I just saw the movie with my wife last month, for the first time, and really enjoyed it. You deepened it for me. I for one don’t give a flying fuck about getting more readers through the algorithm. It is and has always been an organic process. One reader at a time
Thank you so much, Sebastian, I’m so glad you enjoyed reading (and the movie itself)! Definitely agree that getting readers through an organic process who genuinely engage with your work is more fulfilling.
Wonderful essay, Ramya! 👏 You're the exception that proves the rule that everyone needs an editor (OK, a good editor would pare down your work, but I'd hate them for it!).
Amanda Priestly: the case study that proves when men demonstrate command presence, they're viewed as "strong" and women are viewed as "bitches". 'Twas ever thus.
The best proof of the editor's value is A. Scott Berg's fabulous biography of Maxwell Perkins, the unsung hero who made Hemingway and Fitzgerald and many others in the pantheon of great American writers the behemoths they became. Editing as secret art form. Impressive.
Speaking of books, I hope you plan to publish a collection of your essays some day. They deserve that treatment.
An amazing essay (I seriously wonder how your brain does this). We do need editors! Harsh, picky editors because they make you better. Constructive criticism from a real human is what I need.. This also applies in my life- if my english teacher never graded my essays in such a "jarring" way , I wouldn't have strived for improvement. It made me yearn for writing so well that she would say that I was the best in the class ( I was, not showing off 🤭). Really a thought provoking essay! 👏
you write so beautifully and chock full of truth omg thank you for putting your work out
Thank you for reading, I’m so glad it resonated with you!
my wife & i have watched that movie many times, & yet i still prefer andi’s look before her makeover
Yes, I think there’s a certain naturalness to it that’s really charming!
I loved this essay, you expressed your takeaways from the movie in a very engaging and thoughtful manner! Keep up the good work
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed reading!
What a brilliant post. You left me full of energy. You do such a great job of pinpointing exactly why the conversation about taste and judgement necessitates someone with cultivated taste and judgement to lead it. I've been thinking about how much I could benefit from an editor to just tell me the truth about where I can improve or where I'm being lazy, even if, like Andy, it would require some personal growth to take in. This is a truly great post that articulates so much of what I have been thinking about in terms of what we aim towards when we write. Also, The Devil Wears Prada is my favorite movie haha.
I'd be curious to know if you think there's any solutions, or any way that this "editorial" model could somehow be integrated into Substack or new media? I wouldn't even know where to find a good editor if I wanted one.
Thank you so much, Elena! Definitely relate to you about sometimes wanting an editor to give me a second opinion about my writing! One idea I had was that Substack writers could maybe borrow the “beta reader” concept from fanfiction—someone whom you trust to give you feedback on your writing before you publish it. Also, I think it would be nice to see more people start sort of informal magazines here on Substack!
Great piece and pertinent points. I agree with your take on Miranda that it is not just about ego or arrogance. It is ultimately about mastery and experience, having a discriminating eye and gut instinct. We need that in all areas, including medicine. I gave up googling symptoms because most of the time it was wrong, and a seasoned doctor would tell me it was something else, minor thankfully, not even mentioned in Google’s doom list. I suspect LLM algorithms have the same issue.
That’s a great analogy—I think the Internet and our tech-centered culture tries to diminish the importance of expertise (you don’t need an editor—just write and publish things on your own; you don’t need a doctor—just look up your symptoms online), but I think we’re going to find increasingly just how important that sort of expertise and long experience in a certain field really is.
Yeah, it always makes a difference when you get the chance to work with someone who has that mix of mastery and professionalism. I wouldn’t want to work for Miranda, though!
gangster insights
Fantastic, and full of great insights and truths. Thank you. And I just saw the movie with my wife last month, for the first time, and really enjoyed it. You deepened it for me. I for one don’t give a flying fuck about getting more readers through the algorithm. It is and has always been an organic process. One reader at a time
Thank you so much, Sebastian, I’m so glad you enjoyed reading (and the movie itself)! Definitely agree that getting readers through an organic process who genuinely engage with your work is more fulfilling.
Wonderful essay, Ramya! 👏 You're the exception that proves the rule that everyone needs an editor (OK, a good editor would pare down your work, but I'd hate them for it!).
Amanda Priestly: the case study that proves when men demonstrate command presence, they're viewed as "strong" and women are viewed as "bitches". 'Twas ever thus.
The best proof of the editor's value is A. Scott Berg's fabulous biography of Maxwell Perkins, the unsung hero who made Hemingway and Fitzgerald and many others in the pantheon of great American writers the behemoths they became. Editing as secret art form. Impressive.
Speaking of books, I hope you plan to publish a collection of your essays some day. They deserve that treatment.
Yes, especially for Substack where people like to read shorter pieces, I think that would definitely be the case! 😂
I should check out Berg's biography of Perkins—I'd love to learn more about how he helped to shape Hemingway and Fitzgerald.
Thank you, Baird, that's so kind of you to say! It would be lots of fun to collect them into a book, I think!
An amazing essay (I seriously wonder how your brain does this). We do need editors! Harsh, picky editors because they make you better. Constructive criticism from a real human is what I need.. This also applies in my life- if my english teacher never graded my essays in such a "jarring" way , I wouldn't have strived for improvement. It made me yearn for writing so well that she would say that I was the best in the class ( I was, not showing off 🤭). Really a thought provoking essay! 👏