Wanted: Self-Starting Editor

"It is dangerous to leave written that which is badly written. A chance word, upon paper, may destroy the world. Watch carefully and erase, while the power is still yours, I say to myself, for all that is put down, once it escapes, may rot its way into a thousand minds..."
-William Carlos Williams (courtesy, this morning, of http://www.scottraymond.net)

"You keep an online journal?" the classy red-haired lady asked. We had just been introduced at a party, and were hitting it off. She's the type of woman you tell intimate details of your life to in the first five minutes of your acquaintance and then afterwards ask yourself, What was her name? I'm thinking I'm that type of woman, too.

"It's like a diary?" she wanted to know.

"Sort of," I said. "I write about little stuff that happens on a typical day, and give my take on it. I avoid any topics of a highly personal nature--"

Did her face fall with disappointment?

So she and I talked about subjects of a highly personal nature, comfortably, with my eighteen-year-old son standing right beside me, eyes wide and rapt with attention.

I got to thinking later about William Carlos Williams. Not him, exactly, but the idea he presents in this quote. Sometimes I wonder if the care I take in editing my written words wouldn't be put to better, and more eternal, use pre-screening my spoken words. Those are the ones that get me in trouble, the ones I so often wish I could take back.

This morning, I'm wondering how many of my spoken words, once they've escaped, have rotted their way into a thousand minds.

Still, there's nothing wrong with my mouth that a good Editor couldn't fix.

Posted by Katy on 05/09/03 at 12:28 PM

Fallible Comments...

we 18 year old children are always listening, rapt with attention. ;) be careful what you say.
-----
Posted by bethany on 05/09/03 at 09:15 PM
Bethany, Read closer. I said he was "standing beside me, eyes wide and rapt with attention." I was attentive. He was distracted by all the chicks. Tee, hee.
Posted by katy on 05/09/03 at 10:02 PM
Yes. So often I wish that I could speak with the clarity, care, and confidence with which I write. I think, however, that writing is generally an activity done in solitude, without external pressures. Conversation, to me, anyway, usually feels pressured and hasty (especially when I am presenting a patient to the attending phsycian!), and I feel like my tongue is rolling along MUCH faster than my brain. Drat that.
Posted by Maria on 05/09/03 at 11:25 PM
ah, i totally didn't get that, even upon reading closely. :) i'm always more interested in listening to my mom's conversations with her friends than checking out boys, though. ;)
Posted by bethany on 05/10/03 at 04:30 PM
Maria, Unfortunately, when I speak, my brain sometimes refuses to become involved at all! It checks out and lets my mouth play the fool all by itself. Sigh. Bethany--Of course, you read it right the first time. Sometimes, I think of my 18-year-old as way more of a kid than he is.
Posted by katy on 05/19/03 at 05:31 PM

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Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Greg Johnson at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Follow Katy on Facebook 123 Recent Posts Try Becoming Brenda Starr Off Beat Scattered That’s It So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What? The Spoon Sciatica Sweetheart A Woman’s Train of Thought Has No Caboose However much we own, we are all still living on borrowed time After all, when restaurants shrink portions, they don’t shrink prices. As with everything in life, balance is key. Slow down, you move too fast… Yeah, I know. I have issues. Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	Wanted: Self-Starting Editor "It is dangerous to leave written that which is badly written. A chance word, upon paper, may destroy the world. Watch carefully and erase, while the power is still yours, I say to myself, for all that is put down, once it escapes, may rot its way into a thousand minds..." -William Carlos Williams (courtesy, this morning, of http://www.scottraymond.net) "You keep an online journal?" the classy red-haired lady asked. We had just been introduced at a party, and were hitting it off. She's the type of woman you tell intimate details of your life to in the first five minutes of your acquaintance and then afterwards ask yourself, What was her name? I'm thinking I'm that type of woman, too. "It's like a diary?" she wanted to know. "Sort of," I said. "I write about little stuff that happens on a typical day, and give my take on it. I avoid any topics of a highly personal nature--" Did her face fall with disappointment? So she and I talked about subjects of a highly personal nature, comfortably, with my eighteen-year-old son standing right beside me, eyes wide and rapt with attention. I got to thinking later about William Carlos Williams. Not him, exactly, but the idea he presents in this quote. Sometimes I wonder if the care I take in editing my written words wouldn't be put to better, and more eternal, use pre-screening my spoken words. Those are the ones that get me in trouble, the ones I so often wish I could take back. This morning, I'm wondering how many of my spoken words, once they've escaped, have rotted their way into a thousand minds. Still, there's nothing wrong with my mouth that a good Editor couldn't fix. Posted by Katy on 05/09/03 at 12:28 PM Fallible Comments... we 18 year old children are always listening, rapt with attention. ;) be careful what you say. ----- Posted by bethany on 05/09/03 at 09:15 PM Bethany, Read closer. I said he was "standing beside me, eyes wide and rapt with attention." I was attentive. He was distracted by all the chicks. Tee, hee. Posted by katy on 05/09/03 at 10:02 PM Yes. So often I wish that I could speak with the clarity, care, and confidence with which I write.<br><br>I think, however, that writing is generally an activity done in solitude, without external pressures. Conversation, to me, anyway, usually feels pressured and hasty (especially when I am presenting a patient to the attending phsycian!), and I feel like my tongue is rolling along MUCH faster than my brain.<br><br>Drat that. Posted by Maria on 05/09/03 at 11:25 PM ah, i totally didn't get that, even upon reading closely. :) i'm always more interested in listening to my mom's conversations with her friends than checking out boys, though. ;) Posted by bethany on 05/10/03 at 04:30 PM Maria, Unfortunately, when I speak, my brain sometimes refuses to become involved at all! It checks out and lets my mouth play the fool all by itself. Sigh.<br><br>Bethany--Of course, you read it right the first time. Sometimes, I think of my 18-year-old as way more of a kid than he is. Posted by katy on 05/19/03 at 05:31 PM Page 1 of 1 pages Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. Next entry: The Meeting Previous entry: Parable of the Talent << Back to main


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Personal blog of christianwriter & fallible momKaty McKenna Raymondin Kansas City, Missouri

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Wanted: Self-Starting Editor

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri