“Write drunk; edit sober” – Ernest Hemingway
I spend a sizable chunk of my days searching for jobs. Part of that process includes typing keywords into search engines like Indeed and LinkUp and digging through the results. “Writing” and “editing” are at the top of my list, and the former dominates. “Writing” typically returns 8-10 times more results than “editing.” Why?
On one hand, I get it. Many jobs require people to create something – writing white papers, writing communication plans, writing HTML, writing proposals, etc. I fully expect “writing” to show up as a keyword in many job descriptions.
On the other hand, why don’t HR people value editing and include that term? Do they assume that editing is a natural part of the writing process? If so, that’s a dangerous assumption.
Writing and editing are two different practices. Just ask Mr. Hemingway. Or consult a book or teacher about creative writing. When you write, you write. You shouldn’t self-edit as you create. We all do it – especially with short-form communications like texts, quick emails, or tweets – but with medium and longer pieces, it’s best to live in the creative moment, get it all down, walk away, and edit at a later time.
When I list “writing” as a skill on my resume, I don’t assume that people also believe I can edit. Thus, I put “editing” on my list, too. It’s a different ability, and it goes beyond simply finding misspellings and eliminating misplaced commas.
Step outside of text world for a moment. With digital cameras and video-capturing devices we can all easily create photos and videos, right? And many of us can do a decent job of it. But if you really want to make the images or video look professional, what do you need? Someone who has an eye and talent for cropping, adjusting light and colors, adding text, etc. – i.e. an editor. Would you assume that someone Photoshop master because they can take some good photos with a digital camera? Of course not.
So, just because a person writes well, should we also assume that they know how to edit that content and format it in the best way possible?
Maybe this is why the internet is filled with so much bad content. One of the beauties of the web is that anyone can blog, tweet, podcast, and post pictures or videos, but when placed in a professional setting, those pieces of communication require editing. And when they aren’t edited well … well, people can tell.
Yes, the world needs writers. But the world also needs more and better editors.
I haven’t posted in a while because I’ve been nervously waiting for this news: I have a new job. I’m starting next Monday at UnitedHealth Group, and I’ll be part of the internal communications team in the Medicare & Retirement division.
Sigh. The role reversal process between my mom and me has started. It hurts to admit, but I can’t deny the shift. We had this conversation on the phone this afternoon:
On Tuesday, “The Troubled Man” by 
Edward Carlson 