Page 59 - Convergent Journalism an Introduction Writing and Producing Across Media

The Editing Process

When you asked why, the answer might have come back, “Because
I said so. That’s why.” If you think back on that moment, it proba-
bly seemed a fairly unsatisfactory answer because you weren’t able to
understand the rationale behind what you were told. When it comes
to writing, an editor who tells you to fix something “because I said so”
deprives you of any ability to incorporate those changes into your view
of writing. Granted, sometimes deadlines and other forms of impend-
ing doom require a brusque response. However, after the danger has
passed, it would probably be beneficial to inquire as to why you were
asked to make a change.
Similarly, you should have a good answer when an editor asks the
“why” question. Being able to rationalize behavior is a two-way street
when it comes to editing. An editor is seeing a story for the first time
and, thus, acts like a reader would. The editor sees the story unfold and
wonders why certain facts are missing or why certain pieces are higher
in the story than others. Readers will have those questions as well.
If there is a logical reason behind what you’ve done, you can discuss
the issue with your editor from a much stronger position. Sometimes,
we do things “just because,” which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence 49
in our editors. In that final read before you take the story to the editor,
go over your story and ask yourself why you included certain things
and why you chose that particular order for those things. It will help
you work better with your editor in getting the point across.

The “Final” Edit
Once you and your editor decide that the pieces are all in place, you’re
still not done. You need to give your story one final read for all the
minor things (and a few major ones) that can cause you trouble once
the story has been disseminated to the masses. Go through the story on
paper again and perhaps even read it out loud again. If you’ve moved
pieces around, you might have pulled a quote above the material that
introduces the source. With computers, it’s easy to move text around,
but it’s also easy to move things you didn’t intend to move.
When you’re reading the piece, have your source material handy.
Check names, addresses, titles, and spellings. Make sure the numbers
are all right. Also keep your AP style guide and dictionary handy. You
might catch that numerical error or realize you used the wrong word.
Each time you read something, you’ll notice another minor thing or
two. Clean them up as best you can, given the time available.