NYT memo highlights eternal struggle between editors and writers
For two decades, New York Times reporters have been sharing a memo satirizing editors. Editors, in turn, say there’s a reason they conduct major surgery on bloated copy.
Every writer, whether a journalist or corporate communicator, knows the familiar dread we feel when a heavy-handed editor begins monkeying around with our copy. [Russell—that’s two clichés in one sentence.—ed.]
We can’t shake the secret conviction that our approach is best, no matter how many times editors save our bacon [now a third. And why bacon, come to think of it? Why not jelly beans or kumquats?—ed. ].
That sentiment is captured [passive—ed.] in a satirical memo making the rounds among New York Times staffers, as well as among readers chuckling over the sendup of the Gray Lady’s story-writing formula [awkward. Rewrite—ed.].
Apparently, the ink-stained wretches [please stop—ed.] at the Times have long been sulking over what they regard as editorial intrusiveness. Though I am fortunate to work for terrific editors at Ragan/PR Daily [enough with the flattery. You’re still not getting a raise this year—ed. ], I did recognize some editors from my past.
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