--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A good editor is like tinsel to a…" description: "\"“A good editor is like tinsel to a Christmas Tree...they add the perfect amount of sparkle without being gaudy.”\" — Bobbi Romans" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/bobbi-romans-102357_authors_a-good-editor-is-like-tinsel-to-a-christ_1804418.jpg" --- # A good editor is like tinsel to a Christmas Tree...they… ![“A good editor is like tinsel to a Christmas Tree...they add the perfect amount of sparkle without being gaudy.” quote by Bobbi Romans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/bobbi-romans-102357_authors_a-good-editor-is-like-tinsel-to-a-christ_1804418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/bobbi-romans-102357_authors_a-good-editor-is-like-tinsel-to-a-christ_1804418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/bobbi-romans-102357_authors_a-good-editor-is-like-tinsel-to-a-christ_1804418.jpg) > ““A good editor is like tinsel to a Christmas Tree...they add the perfect amount of sparkle without being gaudy.”” Bobbi Romans ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An editor subtly enhances a work, adding sparkle without overwhelming it. **In simple terms:** Editors add subtle shine without excess. Key Takeaway Seek balance in editing. Themes creativity editing balance sparkle subtlety Mood reflective appreciative Type Authors:1 Christmas tree:0 Editor:1 Editors:1 Romance-novels:0 Sparkle:1 Writer:0 Good Editor:1 Editor Like:0 Tinsel Christmas:0 When to use this quote - publishing - writing workshops - author collaborations Key Concepts literary criticism visual metaphor attention to detail Questions to Reflect On - How can editors know when their enhancements become intrusive? - What does “sparkle” mean to different readers? A Different Perspective Even subtle editing can be perceived as overdone if not aligned with author intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authors/) [Christmas tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-tree/) [Romance-novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance-novels/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“A good editor is like a pair of Spanx: firming up the body, making the subject look good, and absolutely invisible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandi-layne/a-good-editor-is-like-a-pair-of-spanx-firming-up-the-body-making-the/) [Sandi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandi-layne/) > [Tinsel on our Christmas trees is a Hart family staple started by my grandmother, Helen Hart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/tinsel-on-our-christmas-trees-is-a-hart-family-staple-started-by-my/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) > [An editor is like a professional reader, and as I became a better reader, I also became a better writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/an-editor-is-like-a-professional-reader-and-as-i-became-a-better/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Working as an editor was like being a professional reader, and the better I became at reading the better I became at writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/working-as-an-editor-was-like-being-a-professional-reader-and-the/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Calling EMACS an editor is like calling the Earth a hunk of dirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dibona/calling-emacs-an-editor-is-like-calling-the-earth-a-hunk-of-dirt/) [Chris DiBona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dibona/) > [An editor is like a painter. There is a magic in that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-rockwell/an-editor-is-like-a-painter-there-is-a-magic-in-that/) [Sam Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-rockwell/) > [“An editor is like a priest or a psychiatrist; if you get the wrong one then you are better off alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiatrist-if-you-get-the-wrong-one/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Truth is, every writer has to be a good editor, and you have to edit yourself. 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