How Great Writing Gets Built
An editor and writer share the struggles and pitfalls involved in crafting longform journalism
Mike’s edit begins with a note, laying out what he addressed (clarity, transitions) and didn’t (typos, comma) as he was reading through the piece. Mike doesn’t use track changes to edit, instead he marks up the text in CAPS. Be on the lookout for those in the document embedded below.
Noah,
This is excellent. A journey to the deep past to comprehend a perplexing present. Really good.
Most of my editing is relatively minor—transitions, clarity, a few word choices, etc.—all noted in caps. (I have not marked the very minor stuff—typos, style, commas, etc.) I think the order and flow is great.
I feel the history part at the end, the final third, while fascinating, goes on a bit too long. We’re going to lose some readers there. I have suggested a few trims but you’ll know better than me what can be sacrificed, but if you can bring that last 1/3 of this section down 10% or so I think we’d benefit.
I’m imagining longish headlines, or rather headlines and long-ish subheds, for the three sections—Crimea, Russia, Eastern Ukraine—and will try one here on Crimea. If you have better language suggest away.
