“Editing hurts, but so do cavities… (Part 3 of 3)

…we can’t see them, so we call the dentist in who can.” – Max Lucado

In line with the necessity of rereading and rewriting our own work – over and over – there is another key ingredient we cannot overlook. It is the role of an editor. This does not mean you have to hire one to proof your Biology paper. It means you need to find a pair of willing “Fresh Eyes.” We are blind to the errors in our own work. This is why a movie director hires a movie editor. He has to trust that editor who is not himself and does not think like himself to recognize quality from quantity. Could it be that “less is more”? The editors in our lives help us refine (and reduce) our writing.

So how do we find someone willing to take the time to edit our (often long and tedious) papers?
In the academia world, we are surrounded by “like-minded, heavy-laden” souls who also have deadlines. It may not be a bad idea to find one or two others and exchange papers for the purpose of editing each other’s work. This is the classic “I’ll scratch your back if you’ll scratch mine” routine. Hey, it is a classic saying because it works. It can even become a “club” of some kind – meet for lunch and make it as fun as possible.

Working hard, making the time, rewriting, and having someone edit your paper will transform your writing … and increase your grade point average. It will also help you become a better writer who knows how to effectively communicate – and connect – with your reader.