Thinking about writing

My previous post came out of an evening of frustration while copy editing. But I must acknowledge that most of what I was editing was written in just a few hours, if that. The unfortunate nature of the small newspaper business is that writers don't have much time to think about their stories before they have to move on to the next thing.
I would hope, if the reporters had the time, that they would have gone back and fine-tuned what they had written.

My frustrated observations are nothing new. Many writers more experienced than I am have already commented on the matter:

"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter - 'tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning."
- Mark Twain.
(Editor's note: Forgive Mr. Clemens this use of "'tis.")

‎"Writing is nature's way of letting us see how sloppy our thinking is."
- Richard Guindon
Apparently, this was the caption of one of Mr. Guindon's cartoons. I wish I could find the cartoon.

"What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure."
- Samuel Johnson

"The best part of all, the absolutely most delicious part, is finishing it and then doing it over."
- Toni Morrison.

Yes, we writers are afflicted with a modicum of masochistic madness.