Monday, June 15, 2009   As most of you know, I've worked as an
editor. Both on the side at uni, and as a real adult job.  So
now, every fuckwit on the planet wants me to read their shitty
work.  I like giving feedback to my writer friends: I’m good at
it, they find it useful, and best of all, I can get them to read
my stuff, too.  But it’s when the ‘non writers’ start up, that’s
what shits me.  I’m not (much of) a snob. I don’t think you need
formal training to be a good writer. And vice versa: some people
with whom I did my degree are woeful writers; three years’
training didn’t help that (‘she could of done something.’
Really, third year editing student? Really?). But I hate, hate,
hate that everyone in the world thinks they can be a writer.
I’m not the best writer in the world. I’m ok. I’ll get better,
but at least I did the training, work at it, and have a few
publications under my belt to show for it. And I don’t mind
reading and commenting on work from ‘emerging’ writers – people
finding their voice, s