Editing Pynchon?

[Henry Musikar]

Gotta remember that Pynchon was a tech writer.  All tech writers spend half
their time writing new material and the other half editing the
writings/notes of engineers.  

As a tech/tech-writer/editor, I do a good job of, and am comfortable editing
my own work, but like any sane lawyer/physician, I wouldn't dream of doing
without the service of an editor, at the very least after I have basically
finished.

By the way, tomorrow morning I interview for new tech writer position after
mainly working in IT support management and security for the past six years,
while keeping a hand in tech writing.  They even have benefits!  Wish me
luck.

Henry Mu
Sr. IT Consultant
http://astore.amazon.com/tdcoccamsaxe-20/  

-----Original Message-----
From: Page

Nushra,

Have you ever written a book? If not, you cannot know how hard it is to edit
one's own work. I had a difficult time re-writing sections of my
dissertation -- I had to please my committee, while preserving the essential
arguments. (My field was philosophy.) At the moment I am immersed in writing
two (related) books. Self-editing is harder than ever. Each gem of a
sentence, phrase, word is a sparkling diamond that must remain. Excision is
like losing a child. Editors can be a godsend, even when you feel like
killing them.

And I do give a shit about my readers.

Page

----- Original Message -----
From: Nushra MohamedKhan 

> Oh, come on, there are plots that are dropped into AGTD and characters
> too. They could be taken out and improve the work. P's reluctance to
> cut the book is not a matter of its having some huge complex structure
> and every part essential. He just doesn't give a shit about the
> readers. He's working for TRP. Any person in the business knows this.
> Be real.