While it is so much easier to pass the buck, particularly in today’s society,
we, as writers, have an obligation to produce the best possible work we can.
And when that work is finished, we must further edit, read through, polish,
edit some more, and polish even more.
In the end, after the entire book is ready for publication, when we
have the last opportunity to make our work shine, do we simply look at
the words, awed by our “wonderful” literary sense,
or do we take that last moment
to dig into it and be sure the work is typo free?
Having served in the Air Force, way too long ago to go into, I can
remember one expression that was drilled into our heads:
ZERO DEFECTS
We not only were encouraged, but we were expected to
produce a product or a service with
ZERO DEFECTS.
This wasn’t an option. They didn’t tell us that as a suggestion.
It was EXPECTED in much the same way we should approach our writing.
Let’s here the cry from coast to coast, office to office, computer to computer.
Raise your voices in smart, crisp military style:
Sir! ZERO DEFECTS! Sir!
we, as writers, have an obligation to produce the best possible work we can.
And when that work is finished, we must further edit, read through, polish,
edit some more, and polish even more.
In the end, after the entire book is ready for publication, when we
have the last opportunity to make our work shine, do we simply look at
the words, awed by our “wonderful” literary sense,
or do we take that last moment
to dig into it and be sure the work is typo free?
Having served in the Air Force, way too long ago to go into, I can
remember one expression that was drilled into our heads:
ZERO DEFECTS
We not only were encouraged, but we were expected to
produce a product or a service with
ZERO DEFECTS.
This wasn’t an option. They didn’t tell us that as a suggestion.
It was EXPECTED in much the same way we should approach our writing.
Let’s here the cry from coast to coast, office to office, computer to computer.
Raise your voices in smart, crisp military style:
Sir! ZERO DEFECTS! Sir!
yes ma'am. =]
ReplyDeleteExcellent advice, Linda!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Patty. You poor thing, you already know what a pain I am. heeeheee
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts, Linda!
ReplyDeleteSaluting Captain Linda. HATE when I find a mistake. Zero Defects. Sir!
ReplyDeleteIf there's one thing I have plenty of it's defects. I NEED that extra set of eyes to help me spot them on my manuscripts. Am I the only writer in history to be so absent-minded? Thank God for my crit partners! I think it has to do with my ADD or something, I don't know. I want with all my heart to be defect free, but am not. I too often feel like Romans 7:15 when it comes to my writing..."For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I." Thank God for Jesus Christ who forgives me of my faux pas and for my Critters who keep me on the straight and narrow path of ZERO DEFECTS, CAPTAIN!
ReplyDeleteIs there even such a thing?? I keep finding stuff, then my crit partners (you know who they are) find them, and now I'm afraid to look again because I'll probably find more!! And what about those books that get published with errors in them???
ReplyDeleteIn any case, thanks for the command, Linda!
Oh boy...I am always checking for more but it seems the more I check, the more I make. I fix something and mess something else up because of what I "fixed"! LOL I strive for ZERO defects though. :-)
ReplyDeleteBut the important thing is to always try and be error free, even though it's virtually impossible.
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda! Between my former USAF husband and active USAF National Guard son, and former USMC daughter and active USMC son-in-law....Phew, I've no choice but to be an absolute Zero Defect writer, at least on the inside! Ma'am!
ReplyDeleteUh, that's Zero Defects....hangs head in shame...
ReplyDeleteWorking on it! I want the best I can when I present my work.
ReplyDelete