The drawbacks to editing.
Larry and I exchanged numerous versions of this column before this "final",
posted edition. I became rather attached to some of my asides (originally intended
as links), only to discover that as Larry responded to my editorial comments and
tightened his text, these lost their context, and no longer had any place in this
column.
For example, rather than "in one clinical center", Larry had originally
written "in one place", which offered me the opportunity to question
whether "one place" referred, perhaps, to only the heart, or only the
liver. These first reactions to the text were a somewhat new experience to me,
since when I was the only person writing a column, I could choose my words, or
construct my sentences, in such a way that various links seemed logical, even
invited. When working in tandem, however, some of my projected links led instead
to greater clarity in Larry's writing - something that on the one hand certainly
makes for a better column, but on the other constrains my ability to play around.
I have no doubt that in this case, my loss is the column's gain.
Go to: Virtual worlds, and real health.