Quando um editor experiente resolve voltar a ser repórter

I found that I sometimes had feelings of inadequacy about the tenets of writing that are so dear to my heart: kill off without mercy the throat-clearing sentences that come naturally to every writer looking for a good lead; write a lead that hooks the reader instantly; use short sentences and simple words; know what your story is before you write it and resist even juicy details that stray from your theme; determine beforehand how many words a story is worth and stick close to that number. As an editor, I preached these basic lessons again and again. I have always told young reporters at the Monitor that if they followed this advice, the daily practice of reporting would take care of the rest.