My editor
I love writing my own blogs. I do this without using AI, mostly because I want to grapple with and think about or consider each topic. It is a process of deep discernment. I also do it because I find that the process of creating and deleting texts helps my creativity and neurons to fire. Nevertheless, I often need some help, which is why I send my blog to somebody else (a real person!) to edit.
My editor has this amazing ability to take my words and choose with grace and respect what to leave out, while keeping my message. She calls her business Words4U, a fitting summary of her philosophy, which is to emphasise my words. And yes, I know I can use AI for this; however, I enjoy the back and forth between us, and not to be too quick to edit. I also prefer the human message.
Stephen King said, “to write is human; to edit is divine”. An unknown editor wrote, “my job is to make life as effortless as possible for the reader”. Editing is indeed a creative process and an art, and this is exactly what I experience when my editor’s magic elevates my message.
The invisible art
During the June holidays, I read a book from Greg McKeown called Essentialism, the disciplined pursuit of less. One of the chapter headings is “EDIT – the invisible art”, in which the author reminded me how important an editor is. I also realised how this could be applied in life. McKeown describes an editor as someone who uses deliberate subtraction to add life to ideas. He helped me realise that, in life, a disciplined process of editing can add much more if you know what to subtract or remove to increase space wherein meaningful activities can blossom. Editing is indeed an art and an important concept that should be applied to life and work.
It is ironic that the Latin root of the word decision – cis or cid – literally means “to cut” or “to kill”. To decide means to cut whatever needs cutting.
This concept is just as applicable in organisations and leadership. Leadership is often a discerning process of what to keep and what to let go. Do we, as leaders, still have time for this kind of discernment while we run the rat race? Do we regularly discern what to let go of or what to simplify? Isn’t editing a core responsibility of each leader? This is exactly how Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, describes the role of a CEO, namely as the chief editor of the company.
McKeown reminds us that to become an Essentialist, we must cut, condense, and correct as a natural part of our daily routine – making editing a natural cadence in our lives.
To write is human, to edit is divine… Stephen King
Edit your life
What does it mean to regularly edit your life, and which practices could facilitate this? It might be a daily reflection or prayer. It might be to capture beauty once a day. It could be whatever helps you to discern the essential and to create a discipline of editing.
Soulfulness is the continuous process of editing your life. We can call it the spiritual discipline of editing, because once you are aware of your purpose, your identity, as well as your impact, you continuously decide what to keep, what to cut, what to reframe, and what to rephrase. With the overwhelming noise and information (emotionally and spiritually) that we are continuously bombarded with, our ability to discern the essence becomes even more important and highlights that we must work on our editing, every single day.
Being part of communities, many of us also have the amazing privilege to edit each other’s lives, whether in relationships, friendships, as parents, or as colleagues – let us not forget this responsibility.
And whereas some may use AI for text editing, the process of editing life cannot be automated. This is something we must do. We must, in essence, find ways to grapple with our life texts!
I am reminding myself about a few simple things:
- Editing is a spiritual discipline I must use to cut, correct, and condense life continuously.
- I must deliberately create this discipline of editing in life.
- I must keep discerning what to let go and what to keep.
- Leadership is also a process of discerning what to keep and what to let go of.
- It is a privilege to edit each other’s lives with respect.
- It is good to grapple with words, texts and life’s ways, before asking for instant help.
REFLECT
What does your process of disciplined editing look like? What do you need to cut or subtract now to focus on what is essential? Can editing be part of your spiritual discipline? Take a few moments to reflect on this.
RESPOND
Look at something specific in your life and establish if you can cut, correct, or condense that issue. Or remind yourself once a week to “keep editing”.
Try this:
Next time, before you quickly ask AI to edit your words or texts, sit and grapple with the content for a little while. It is good for you!
If you are looking for a good (human) editor, ask me! Or click Words4U.
Keep editing.
Let me know of your creative stories or soulful ideas at [email protected].
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