Content area
Full Text
Direct, Organized, Strategic
To write is human, to edit is divine.
-Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Employment as a Department of the Army civilian brought with it many assumptions and preconceptions for me, most of which were focused on the kind of authors with whom I would work, on authors' existing writing habits, and on any sensitivities authors might hold regarding the content and quality of their articles. My limited personal experience with members of the Armed Forces resulted in slightly skewed perceptions of how I was expected to engage with soldiers, how soldiers engaged with each other, the pecking order in the Armed Forces, how soldiers might perceive me, how I might perceive them etc. I had strong credentials for my editorial position: three academic degrees in English, a few publications, and twelve years' experience teaching writing at the college level; however, I possessed little to no insight into the writing habits of the military. I foolishly assumed I could leap into editing military writing a fully formed leader-warrior who was daringly armed with the blades of sharpened verbal skills and who was galvanized by an impassioned love for the written word. I could brandish my darkly glittering editorial broadsword, which would naturally reshape some military writing habits into the conventions of formal, academic writing that was specifically designed for publication. I could be a wizened legend of editorial genius, inspiring to a few, helpful to some, perhaps a challenge for others, but maybe with a cool hat if I eventually earned it. Such is the ego of a PhD.
In my experience, most wordsmiths are naturally attuned to internalizing key words and phrases that appear in specific locations and in specific contexts. The curiously lengthy process required to grant my permanent position as an Army civilian reminded me that I was no longer within the realm of my own familiar. The process, however, offered me enough time to look around for any important keywords or phrases posted on walls, in cases, or even on signs. As it turns out, Fort Leavenworth likes the word "leadership," and the word makes frequent appearances in many locations on the installation. In unfamiliar environments, I find comfort in contextualizing working definitions of...
