The editors in the back seat

Robert Graves published Goodbye to All That, his searingly honest memoir of the First World War, in 1929. A decade later, on the eve of a second world war, Graves was writing another book to cherish: The Reader Over Your Shoulder: A Handbook for Writers of English Prose. 

Graves and his friend and co-author Alan Hodge worked on their new book through the fall of France, the bombing of London and many ensuing horrors. They believed that clear, authentic English prose could help see humanity through its latest crisis. 

We agree: Good writing matters more than most people realize.

That’s why we look over each other’s shoulders at The Writing Company. We routinely read and edit each other’s work, collaborating to make prose that lives up to our shared standards. Our joint efforts are good for us, for clients, for readers and (we submit) for civilization. 

A friend here at The Writing Company dreamed just last night about driving somewhere to interview a source. Three of her fellow editors decided to come along. We piled into her car, and the three of us rode in the back seat behind her. Our colleague found it a little annoying...but that’s how we roll. 

Please contact us if you’d like to talk about writing, civilization or anything else. We’d love to hear from you.