Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

These blog posts are longer, i.e., don’t have many words. Sorry, I can’t help myself.

My blog posts aren’t very long (see, I could have shortened that sentence by removing the word “very” and also the word “blog.”). I recently wrote about the Paramedic Method of Editing. That method helps editors shorten writing, eliminate words, bring clarity, have brevity. I have been using that method without knowing about it. Brevity and clarity were my goals.

When writing, I edit before my fingers touch the keyboard. That is a great skill; that is a horrible curse. I edit all the time. I edit my thoughts. I edit your thoughts. I edit your words. I edit your speech while you speak. (You and your refer to anyone else in the room.) I cut, cut, and cut more in the moment. Sometimes, too often, I am not nice. That is the curse portion of this.

I read many blog posts. I read many things written by many people in many forums. I marvel at how blog posts are so long. I wonder why I’m not writing such long posts with so many words. And then I remember that I edit in a harsh and unreasonable manner.

I am stretching this blog post. I am trying to leave the words and not cut, cut, and cut more. I am not doing well at that.

And that is why these posts are not longer.