When I was asked to write a blog post for my organisation's blog, I put on my most cerebral cap and tried to come up with a definitive thesis on the state of primary education in India. After six abortive attempts (spread over seven days) to go beyond the first paragraph, I decided to quit attempting to be someone else, and just be myself. Half an hour later, I had a 'straight from the heart' story of an amazing girl who couldn't even write her name at 9, but who, after the timely intervention of a local charity, became the first in her family to graduate from high school. I thought my job was done after I proof read the post, corrected a few minor typos, and sent it off with a bunch of accompanying photographs.
Little did I suspect that was only the beginning. The post came back to me after a week, accompanied by a mail which said, "We love it, but.......". The list of suggested edits seemed longer than my entire post! Far from "loving" my post, they seem to have found something wrong in every paragraph.
"But this is the best part of the whole post", I often wanted to scream. "If I take it out, there would be nothing left." I am, however, a professional and I always listen to other professionals, so I soldiered on.
Editing the post took three times as much time as writing it had done. But when I re-read it after I was done, I was in for a very pleasant surprise - the new post was much better than the first draft had been. The parts I had been asked to take out would not have made sense to someone who did know know me and my writing style- the post that ultimately went up was accessible to everyone.
I have always shied away from the editing process- I now realise that even if it is as painful as a root-canal treatment, it is also as necessary.
And if you do want to read the blog post, click onto
From a Construction Site to a Courtroom.
