Editor Syndrome
An Artist’s Struggle
Missing comma
Missing period
Missing preposition
That’s all I see
Red marks and corrections
But—
Who am I to critique
Another person’s art?
Technically correct, yes
But what if
They meant it that way—
Folksy
Colloquial
Cultural
Experimental—
Where do I draw the line
Between what is “proper”
And what is real life?
There was once a me who knew
Instinctually which was right
Where is she now?
Is she lost within the Oxford comma
Or frolicking among the run-on sentences?
If I could only reclaim the middle ground
I might again be the artist
And not just the editor
About the Creator
Stephanie Hoogstad
With a BA in English and MSc in Creative Writing, writing is my life. I have edited and ghost written for years with some published stories and poems of my own.
Learn more about me: thewritersscrapbin.com
Support my writing: Patreon
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Comments (25)
nothing to say besides FELT. i miss enjoying things without feeling the need to pick them apart like i’m the world’s best, smartest content creator and critic
Sometimes reading is a busmans holiday... Hard to take the writer/editor hat off!
Oh yeah, I do that too - when should I point it out? sometimes yes, sometimes no. Loved your poem and congrats!!
Congrats on Top Story!🥳🥳🥳
Ms. Sh - I'm so glad that our Celia and everyones' StepMom introduced us to you within their new 'Crib'. My only experience within a creative-writing course was to be put into the Dunce-Corner. I'm just a retired self-described 'Goof Writer' out of the loop for contests or rewards. I so appreciate your 'Original' work among the many snippers with sharp scissors within our VillageBucket. *I've subscribed with pleasure to read more of your work. Jk Jay Kantor, Chatsworth, California 'Senior' Vocal Author - Vocal Village Community -
🤔🤔🤔
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
"Where do I draw the line Between what is “proper” And what is real life?" I never do what's proper; real life work's best in my opinion. Congratulations on Top Story!
Omg I love this one! ❤️ it’s such a balance, isn’t it? 🫣🫠
Grammar is an essential pain at times (I find Grammarly both helpful and annoying) , an excellent set of words
I love this, and I relate so heavily. I have to ask, though. I've never gotten an em dash to stay in Vocal's editor. How did you do that?
I love this! Your punctuated lack of punctuation completely made this piece brilliant.
this was great. my mom, a life-long teacher (finally retired at the age of 80) said it was improper to correct another adult. Just live and let live. I've stuck to that all these years.
I love this, and I so agree. Sometimes it's hard to even continue reading when the spelling/grammar are out of whack. Pretty ironic for me, since I have a habit of telling Word where to stuff it sometimes when I don't like it's suggestions. Well done a d congrats on the TS.
OH I related to this so much, Stephanie! I also used to feel like I could navigate the editing space instinctively, but now? Ugh, I'm constantly in typo-land. "Is she lost within the Oxford comma Or frolicking among the run-on sentences?" Lol, the Oxford comma, RIP. I can't tell you how much I lost my mind over seeing missing Oxford commas in official writing, lol. I'm a purist, apparently. Do you have that thing where it's hard to keep reading a story once you find a typo? I think it might be in part because of the structure and appearance of a site like Vocal where it looks done, polished. A typo sticks out and shatters the mirror. I have to swallow my editor comments a lot, but it can dissuade me from reading. Congrats on TS!
Well deserved top story!!
Fantastic reflection.
Really thoughtful and yeah - feel this. Most of real life isn't proper so writing i is pretty darn difficult -balancing the rules and the truths x
What a great piece! I had aspirations of being an editor but I have such a hard time staying in the weeds.
Oh, I really felt this. It's so hard to ignore the editing voice sometimes!
Omgggg this was so relatable! I'm always afraid to correct something because what if they meant it that way. Lol
Getting bogged down in the minutiae rather than enjoying & experiencing the art. Yep, I have that problem, too.
I know this all too well… And will never be editor in chief, lol. I’m one of the first in line for editorial notes. Thank you for writing this. The wording is clever.
Loved the line "frolicking among the run-on sentences", thats the lane my prose heart would love to live, but my fav English prof would probably have my head. 😅 This was a fun one Stephanie!
The two minded struggle of any writer!!