In spite – of everything

In spite – of everything

I do not have, and never intend to have, a Facebook page.

But very occasionally I will use this space to air some thoughts.

I have just written a long and complicated piece for A Newspaper — no need to name, I know it and so do they.

I rarely have problems with being subbed and I am not really a Giles Coren-style prima donna. But I know I can write and I know my style. I really resent additions to my copy which are couched in terms I would never use — and top of that hate list is editorialising in a news piece.

The casual reader who knows no better will think that these comments are mine. These additions would be bad enough were I on staff. But as a freelance, my only recourse is to withdraw my copy — and almost certainly never get commissioned again.

It seems there is no help but to eat it — or, in future, try to write so tightly that there is no wriggle room for those who seek to impose their unwanted — and unwonted — style on mine.

  • 15 December, 2016