Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life... - Posts Tagged "editing"

Blogger's note: I am taking a huge risk by writing this. I know some people will find it controversial and some may be offended. If that's the case, so be it. I'm fed up with hearing people moan about income inequality and I've kept my mouth shut long enough.
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Those of you who know me personally or have read my memoir know quite a bit about me.
You already know that I have a fantastic geographic pedigree. I was born in Bronxville, N.Y., an affluent New York City suburb and grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, which has long had a reputation for being one of the wealthiest communities in the United States of America.
I got a world-class education and graduated from a private, all-girl Catholic School in Greenwich. I have traveled extensively. In other words, I have had an extremely privileged life.
But before you start hating on me, let's get a couple of things perfectly straight right here and now. My parents were not rich, but they worked hard and sacrificed a lot so I could begin traveling at a young age and have that world-class education.
I am extremely fortunate, but I am not rich. After graduating from college and working at a daily newspaper for a few years, I made a conscious decision to devote myself to a career in community journalism. Although I was extremely successful, in more than 20 years in that field, I never once made $30,000 per year. And just for the record, I'm not exactly making millions as an author and freelance writer/editor, either.
In other words, I'm just like millions of other people. I'm definitely one of the "99 percent."
But unlike many 99-percenters, I absolutely, positively refuse to vilify, malign or begrudge the so-called 1 percent of exceedingly wealthy people for what they have. Frankly I don't have the time or energy to resent them; I am too busy trying to survive.
Here's what I do resent. I resent people who constantly moan and cry about how unfair life is, or more accurately, how unfair it is that others are so much better off than they are. Most of us learned that life is unfair during playground fights in preschool. Grow up and get over it.
I deeply resent the fact that the same people who denounce the 1 percent are probably wiling to invest a lot of discretionary income in the purchase of mega-lottery tickets. Let's face it: Every single person who has ever purchased a multi-state lottery ticket wants to join the 1 percent club.
I resent politicians who denounce income inequality and corporate greed after they've amassed their own fortunes as private citizens and happily taken corporate donations to fund their campaigns.
I deeply resent the fact that so many people are so incapable of critical, independent thought that they can't see these politicians for the hypocrites they really are. Here's a news-flash: No one can hold a high political office unless they have personal wealth or wealthy campaign donors. Here's another news-flash: Most politicians will do or say anything to get your vote.
I resent the self-important, self-aggrandizing Hollywood elite who denounce capitalism and income inequality while they make millions for a single movie.
I deeply resent the fact that so many people are so incapable of critical, independent thought that they can't see these pithy entertainers for the hypocrites they really are.
I resent the fact that the guide on the Circle Line cruise that I took around Manhattan last weekend felt it necessary to moan about income inequality in New York City for more than two hours.
I really, really resent the fact that author Emily Giffin felt a need to take a backhanded stab the wealthy in her novel Love the One You're With saying,"To Suzanne every 'rich' person (a term she used derisively) were the same: soft, selfish, and likely 'a lying snake of a Republican.'"
Finally, I resent anyone, in any socioeconomic bracket, who has a sense of entitlement. Here's a news-flash for you: The world doesn't owe you a thing.
Until next time, "That's life..."

To quote the late U.S. President Ronald Reagan, "Well, here we go again..." I am about to write something that might make a few people mad. Just remember that your reaction is a matter of choice; I am simply voicing my opinion and exercising my First Amendment rights.
With that disclaimer out of the way, I will now get to the point.
Some people can't sing. Some people can't dance. Some people can't act. And then there are the people who can't write. In fact, there are tons of people who couldn't write their way out of a paper bag if their life depended on it.
The problem is that they are under the incredibly misguided impression that they can.
The truth is that with the advent of self-publishing anyone can become a published author. All you need is an idea, some time and money. Apparently talent and creativity are optional.
Sadly the result is an overcrowded market where mediocrity is acceptable.
By now you are probably fuming, and if you have bothered to read this much, you are probably wondering what gives me the right to say all of this and why I'm saying it with so much certainty.
Simply put, I speak from experience. I (barely) make a living as a freelance proofreader and editor, so I spend a lot of time reviewing manuscripts. Occasionally the copy is fairly clean when I get it. There may be a few mistakes and the language has to be tightened up a little bit. But the plot and characters are well-developed; the story makes sense. It is a pleasure to read these manuscripts, and I know the authors will be successful.
Most of the copy I get is a mess. Grammatical and spelling errors are the rule, not the exception. In some cases there isn't a sentence that doesn't need to be revised. The plots are muddled, the characters aren't believable... I could go on, but I won't.
Some of you may think I've been too harsh, and perhaps I have. Perhaps I just take too much for granted, or perhaps I expect too much.
By the time I wrote my memoir, I'd spent years honing my writing skills as a journalist at daily and weekly newspapers in three states. From the beginning, my editors set ridiculously high standards and expected me to meet them.
I held myself to the same standards when I wrote "Truth." That's not to say my first draft was perfect; it certainly wasn't. Neither was the second or the third. So I took my editor's advice and finally crafted what turned out to be an award-winning book.
Yes, anyone can write a book. But only a few can do it well.
Until next time, "That's life..."