Namerson 1

China or New Zealand or a trip that took a plane, a boat, and then a goat to get you to where you

Comment [DB1]: The instructions do not

specifically state what format to write in.
For the sake of something different,
consider ditching all echoes of MLA format
and going for something different. Because
what you have looks vaguely MLA(ish) I
added your name and page numbers to the
header.

need to go. No, I traveled to the mythical lands of Prydain and Alagaesia. I flew through the

Comment [DB2]: Maybe Stewards Behind

the Story

Namy NamersonA
Story Stewards
When I was young, I used to travel to far-flung places. Far Far-flung didnt mean

starsgalaxies far, far away in spaceships, battling with lightsabers and the Force, watching as the
destiny of the children of heroes unfolded. Once or twice, I may have gone to a magical school
for seven yearsprobably more than twice, actually.
Stories have defined and refined my life. They have also given me great perspective and

Comment [DB3]: This phrase may be a

little stronger if you delete either probably
or actually. I suggest you read it aloud and
choose which of the three options you like
best.

insight into the human experience. Any story, in any genre (be it fiction, nonfiction, magazine,
etc.), allows readers to escape their own mind and enter the sacred, written thoughts of another.
Editors are stewards over this communicationthese stories, and they helping it them
become better by smoothing the words out; . they Editors may not be perfect, but they can
overcome imperfections with stamina, faith, and a love of for the work they do.

Comment [DB4]: Consider replacing with

become better stewards with . . .

Stamina

Comment [DB5]: I attempted to link the

first sentence to the forgoing them by taking
it back to stories rather than introducing
communication (a word that will not be
used again in the piece). I also broke the
thesis up into two sentences. I felt it made
the claims stronger.

All stewards are not perfect, though. In the film adaption of J.R.R. Tolkeins beloved
classic The Lord of the Rings, the Steward of Gondor is inept and uncapable incapable of
protecting his city. Because of the loss of his favored son, he has sunk into depression, .
Eventually he succumbing succumbs to a the madness, and that leads him ultimately to attempt
burning himself and his younger, less-favored son alive. The Steward of Gondor went to
extremes in his reaction to the consequences from his leadership. Editors can sometimes go to
extremes when their editing has caused harm to the work they hold stewardship over. Instead of
burning ourselves on a symbolic pyre when we react to our mistakes, we can follow the example
of Gandalf in this instance.

Comment [DB6]: You use this sentence for

continuity, but it may detract because it
seems to state something you already said
in your thesis. I suggest you either alter the
sentence or just out and out delete it. The
next sentence also works as an opener.

Comment [DB7]: How was Boromirs

death a result of his leadership? You just
said he was depressed because of Boromirs
death and that caused the chain of events.
Then in this sentence you discount the
previous and make a new claim why he
went off the deep end.

Namerson 2
Gandalf, a wise wizard, went out after he realized the mistakes of the Steward of Gondor
and attempted to correct them. He had the stamina to work, even though someone else had made
a mistake. The Steward of Gondor had gave up and called for the defenders to abandon their
posts, giving the city to the enemy. Gandalf rallied together the people and cried out for them to

Comment [DB8]: I think this adds a nice

balance to stamina (sticking out it vs.
throwing in the towel).

battle the impending doom. As Gandalf sought to help, editors can seek to help others, too. As an
editor, I feel I do not work in a vacuum. I have so many resources around me, beckoning me to
come and use them. Im not only considering books and the Internet, but also people. As an
editor, I can reach out to other editors for help and to help them as well. Editors are stronger
when they work together looking at the end in mind: a good story.
Faith
When Horton the elephant (from the mind of Dr. Seuss) fame was asked why he
continued to sit on an egg, he said, I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephants
faithful one hundred percent! (Dr. Seuss Citation). An editor, too, should be faithful one
hundred percent. This faith can come in many manifestations. Editors must be faithful to the
work, faithful to themselves, and faithful to their beliefs. Gordon B. Hinckley in Standing for

Comment [DB9]: I adjusted this a little

because the previous felt a little clunky.
Other possibilities include: When Horton
the elephant (a famed Dr. Seuss character) . .
. or When Dr. Seusss Horton the elephant .
. .
Comment [DB10]: The addition here
specifies what/when he was asked. Horton
didnt start to speak the quote line until
after he had already accepted the duty.

Something stated that great buildings were never constructed on uncertain foundations. Great
causes were never brought to success by vacillating leaders. Faith has always been, and always
must be, at the root of any meaningful practice and endeavor (109).
When I receive a piece of work to edit, I place my pen aside, sit back, and enjoy the raw
material the author has given me. There is a certain pureness about raw writing that enriches my
soul and lightens my burden. In a sense, reading a writers first draft is like looking into the soul
placed upon the page by the pen (or keyboard, in our age of technology). I seek to enjoy the
writing and to understand the simplicity of the message the author wants to profess. Generally, I

Comment [DB11]: I think this clarifies the

meaning of the sentence when combined
with the next.

Namerson 3
am not let down. Authors are wonderful at writing and we should have faith in them that they
have created a great work (at least, after we have accepted it from the submissions pile). I have
implemented the tactic of reading the work before touching anything when it comes to editing,
because I want to be faithful to the work that has been entrusted into my stewardship. It is not
mine; it is the authors. I am simply there to help prepare it for the reader: to make it their work,

Comment [DB12]: Replace pronoun with a

concrete noun: the text, the book, the story,
etc.

too.
Editors are people, too. It is a simple statement, but sometimes it is an overlooked one.
Editors can be seen as simple robots, getting a manuscript placed before them, taking their lucky
red pen, and working magic much like a mechanic or surgeon does. Editors arent simply robots,

Comment [DB13]: Subject verb

agreement.

though. Editors have values, beliefs, traditions, and views that are as unique as the snowflakes.
And editors must be faithful to those. In order to be faithful to my personal core, I have created
and refined statements that define these my core values and beliefs in editing and writing. I will
return to these documents in times where I am near the edge of crossing over that belief line and
analyze what I can do to keep myself on the inside of that line.
Keeping myself on the inside of that line, though, can be the hardest task in life. Thats
one of the reasons I believe in God: he has helped me stay on the inside of that line before, and I
know through religious communion that he will continue to help me. When I need to make a
decision, I have made it habit to seek the guidance of God and the power of God to strengthen
me in the decisions I make. Faith helps me establish and protect the borders I have created to
protect myself.
Love
In the Oscar award-winning musical The Sound of Music, Maria Rainer becomes the
governess in the house of a widowed naval officer with seven children. The widowed naval

Comment [DB14]: Or a habit? Either

works. Adding the article makes it flow a bit
differently. Read aloud and see which tastes
better to your ears.

Namerson 4
officer is strict and cold. It is only through the continued love of Maria for the family that she
serves that they are able to grow in love and, ultimately, escape Nazis in Salzburg, Austria,
Germany so as not to be put in prison. Love was the catalyst to their story. Love had to be
developed and worked on, though, before it could help them.
I love editing. If I didnt love it, I would not be so avidly pursuing a career in it. Editing
isnt simply a past time or a way to make extra money on the side for me; it is my way of life.
That This love for what I do helps me continue to develop and improve my editing skills.
Whenever I learn about the publishing world, I feel giddy and excited, overwhelmed and aweinspired. It is a world that is built specifically for me (or that I am built specifically for itI
havent quite decided).
This love helps me stay constant with my the measures that I have created and to do no
harm to the pieces I edit. I love the process; I love the work; I love the method. Perhaps I will
never travel to the far-flung places from the dreams of my childhood. But, at least I can travel
that way through stories and editing.

Comment [DB15]: That didnt feel right

here. Considering adding a qualifier. or
perhaps I . . .

Comment [DB16]: I added and because

your measures and doing no harm felt
separate.

Comment [DB17]: . . . far-flung places of

the world. But, at least . . . If you word it
this way, it will tie the sentence back to your
first paragraphs.

Namerson 5
Works Cited
Dr. Seuss
J.R.R. Tolkein
The Sound of Music
Standing for Something. Gordon B. Hinckley. 2000. New York: Times Books. PAGE 109

Comment [DB18]: I know you intend to

complete your works cited page, this is just
a reminder to do so.