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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

“Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.” — Neil Gaiman

Elisa’s Thought for the Week

I’ve been thinking a fair bit about this quote from Neil Gaiman recently.

As an editor, this is rather a struggle.

Since people pay me to tell them exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it.

But often as a content editor, my feedback tends to err more on the side of “this seems off to me because XYZ.”

And then it is rather on the writer to determine how they might go about fixing it.

As a writer, we are the subject matter experts.
As a writer, we are the masters of voice and tone in a piece.
As a writer, we are the monarchs of all adjustments and revisions.

(Ok, that last one is kinda true, but might be bridging a bit on “going overboard” territory!)

But it’s the truth. Other people can only tell us as writers that something doesn’t resonate, and why it doesn’t resonate with them.

It is then on us to figure out how to fix it. Sometimes with some suggestions, but our final decisions.

Otherwise, we’re giving control over our thoughts and words to other people.

Often at the expense of our unique expertise, mastery, and … monarchy.

What You Missed on Craft Your Content …

Our articles have the same mission we do — to help you to make your own words even better!

  • Looking for hands-on tips to help improve your writing? Whether you change your reading practices, improve your writing habits, or refine your writing technique, here are 22 ways you can improve your writing in 2022.

  • (From the archives: January 2020) Creating your very best writing may mean emulating someone else. In this article by writer and CYC Senior Content Editor Chris Angelis, find out the difference between plagiarizing, imitating, and emulating someone, and how emulating other authors can improve your writing.

In Other Reading This Week …

Need more insights and inspiration for your writing and mindset?

  • Growing your audience? It’ll take time and consistent effort, which is why this article by Josh Spector shares a content publishing blueprint to help you stay on track. Here are 100 things you can publish in the next 100 days to grow your audience.

  • LinkedIn is a powerful tool for brand awareness, whether yours is a company or personal brand. Writer and social media strategist Laura Wong shares her takeaways on using LinkedIn for personal branding after making two posts that earned her $1,500 and generated over a hundred form submissions.

  • In a beautifully portrayed piece on writing and humanity, writer Samantha Rose Hill examines the lives, words, and friendship of renowned philosopher Hannah Arendt and poet W. H. Arden in “What Remains.”

  • Well, guys. We finally found it. The one productivity tip that you shouldn’t just bookmark for “next week.” Why? Because it works for lazy people who reject 99% of self-help tips, like copywriter Laura Belgray.

  • To celebrate the 100th issue of her newsletter, “Total Annarchy,” writer Ann Handley shares how she grew her newsletter by 2000% in three years.

Weekly Writing Tip …

A quick chance to learn from the masters.

“Create dangerously, for people who read dangerously. … [Write] knowing in part that no matter how trivial your words may seem, someday, somewhere, someone may risk his or her life to read them.”

—Edwidge Danticat

For the Upcoming Week …

Because we all need a good chuckle to start things off right!

Typing Speed: 30 W(affles)PM

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Till next time!

Elisa
What’s Coming Next Week? I’m talking about that expertise and mastery, and the scam too many people are trying to sell you.