Editing
At the Electronic Book Review, which is edited by English professors (or perhaps by their grad students), Curtis White opens an essay thus:
In October of 2011, I posted an essay titled 'The Late Word' concerning the devolution of literary publishing on the Lapham's Quarterly website.
Quick: was White writing
- about the devolution of literary publishing? or
- about the deterioration of Lapham Quarterly’s literary publishing?
Most writers will commit occasional blunders like this. They know what they’re saying, so the second interpretation is, to them, invisible. Newspapers and weblogs, written on perpetual deadline, may not be able to afford the time to check.
But if you’re defending literary publishing, might it behoove one to edit?