A Ranting Heyday About Editors ... Or Not

"In their hearts, writers think of editors as little as society ladies think of maitre d's: one tips them heavily and listens wide-eyed to their advice on the menu, but the point is to keep that table. (And, in their hearts, all editors think of writers as maitre d's do society ladies: spoiled, demanding children -- if only, sigh, you could run a restaurant without them.)"

My roommate left this article (titled "Writers Rule! Whtevr u say, Mike, but this hedlin didnt get editd and thts why it readz like this") on my desk with a note that said, "Go ahead, have a ranting heyday with this on your blog."

But I'm not going to.

Anyone who has ever read this blog knows how important I think editors are (though it should be noted the author isn't actually referring to copy editors, whom he calls "apprentice fiends, with intense views about semicolons," but rather regular editors), but I think the essay epitomized the relationship between editors and writers.

It is the relationship described by the quote above as well. It is tolerance and begrudged respect (in the best of cases) rather than love. And I think I'm OK with that.

Though a kind note from a reporter thanking me for making her article better literally made my day today.