Editing

So I'm a writer. It's generally acknowledged that I'm good at it, and I believe it, too.

But I think even above that, I'm an editor. It's so ingrained in my consciousness, I can't even read a novel but for seeking errors.

I have a two-page paper to write today. It's a pretty nothing sort of paper, something to be knocked out in about 15 minutes, honestly--if I had a handle on what I was going to write. But I'm sitting at the computer, and I can't think of an opening line.

So I went to the articles I would be discussing, and I picked a concept to talk about. I found a potential quote, typed it into my word document, and looked for the citation. Then, before even expounding on that quote, I created a new page and started my references. Just typing it up, making sure it was formatted in the proper editoral style, with all the necessary periods and placement of reference data, calmed me down.

I have a handle on my references. I can now begin to write.