--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most of these editors, as they call…" description: "\"“Most of these editors, as they call themselves, couldn't even effectively edit a haiku.”\" — Frank Black" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/frank-black-46193_editing_most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-thems_1541477.jpg" --- # Most of these editors, as they call themselves, couldn't… ![“Most of these editors, as they call themselves, couldn't even effectively edit a haiku.” quote by Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/frank-black-46193_editing_most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-thems_1541477.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/frank-black-46193_editing_most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-thems_1541477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/frank-black-46193_editing_most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-thems_1541477.jpg) > ““Most of these editors, as they call themselves, couldn't even effectively edit a haiku.”” [Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective editing demands skill; superficial self‑identification does not guarantee ability. **In simple terms:** Editors must truly master their craft. Key Takeaway Seek genuine expertise. Themes creativity literature skill Mood analytical skeptical Type critical educational When to use this quote - publishing - writing workshops - content creation Key Concepts editing authorship Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess an editor’s competence? - What standards should define editorial quality? A Different Perspective Self‑labeling can mask lack of competence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couldn Effectively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-effectively-5741641/) [Edit Haiku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edit-haiku-5741640/) [Editing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editing/) [Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editors/) [Editors Couldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editors-couldn-5741639/) [Grammar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grammar/) [Grammar-nazis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grammar-nazis-75520/) [Haiku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/haiku/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ## Related quotes > [“Those who can, do; those who can't, teach; those who can't teach, police grammar on the Internet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruadh-n-j-mcelroy/those-who-can-do-those-who-can-t-teach-those-who-can-t-teach-police/) [Ruadhán J. McElroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruadh-n-j-mcelroy/) > [“Editor: a person employed by a newspaper, whose business it is to separate the wheat from the chaff, and to see that the chaff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-collier/editor-a-person-employed-by-a-newspaper-whose-business-it-is-to/) [Brandon Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-collier/) > [Awakened at midnight by the sound of the water jar cracking from the ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/awakened-at-midnight-by-the-sound-of-the-water-jar-cracking-from-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“How many midget feet can you fit in your shoes? Depends on how big your penis is. Mine is 17 syllables long, like a haiku.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/how-many-midget-feet-can-you-fit-in-your-shoes-depends-on-how-big/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“NEW HAIKU One breathy vowel mists the glass warming window panes crystalled with snow Robin Glasser”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-glasser/new-haiku-one-breathy-vowel-mists-the-glass-warming-window-panes/) [Robin Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-glasser/) > [“Sweetly be-kissed, I really miss every hug and kiss- A great love is. (Great love)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kipyang/sweetly-be-kissed-i-really-miss-every-hug-and-kiss-a-great-love-is/) [Kipyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kipyang/) > [“Secure in his flight Rider on the constant winds Hawk flies through his days Looks then to the east Prompted by fate’s gentle breeze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-robison/secure-in-his-flight-rider-on-the-constant-winds-hawk-flies-through/) [Steve Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-robison/) > [Poems are language turned into art; sound and sense matter; they can be as long or longer than The Odyssey or as short or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/poems-are-language-turned-into-art-sound-and-sense-matter-they-can-be/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [Writing a picture book is like writing 'War and Peace' in Haiku.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/writing-a-picture-book-is-like-writing-war-and-peace-in-haiku/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [“If this were real life, Ed would have looked at her neck- bite, dead, burp, credits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mecum/if-this-were-real-life-ed-would-have-looked-at-her-neck-bite-dead/) [Ryan Mecum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mecum/) > [“Hi! My little hut Is newly-thatched I see... Blue morning-glories”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issa/hi-my-little-hut-is-newly-thatched-i-see-blue-morning-glories/) [Issa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issa/) > [“Self care is putting Your own name on your schedule In magic marker!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/self-care-is-putting-your-own-name-on-your-schedule-in-magic-marker/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [The basis of art is change in the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-basis-of-art-is-change-in-the-universe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So I don’t think I’ll make Poet Laureate, but I swear I’m not twisted and bitter, If finely-wrought talents don’t weigh in the balance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosy-cole/so-i-don-t-think-i-ll-make-poet-laureate-but-i-swear-i-m-not-twisted/) [Rosy Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosy-cole/) > [“Cocoon's cry to first fly, Travels thousands of miles— So much in so little life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-negi/cocoon-s-cry-to-first-fly-travels-thousands-of-miles-so-much-in-so/) [Ritu Negi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-negi/) ## More by Frank Black > [If you're going to exude naivete, you can't really... walk out there like it's a Sting show. You can't be that well put together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/if-you-re-going-to-exude-naivete-you-can-t-really-walk-out-there-like/) [Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) > [The dumber half of the audience - whether they're male or female, and a lot of them are male - for some reason responds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/the-dumber-half-of-the-audience-whether-they-re-male-or-female-and-a/) [Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) > [It more or less has the shape of a love song, but 'Crescent Moon' reflects more my longing for an ancient romantic context that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/it-more-or-less-has-the-shape-of-a-love-song-but-crescent-moon/) [Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) > [I've made my records and I've done all the interviews. I've done lots of long tours. I've made stupid videos. I've done all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/i-ve-made-my-records-and-i-ve-done-all-the-interviews-i-ve-done-lots/) [Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) > [Some have called we rock and roll performers who never retire 'troubadours.' I enjoy this misnomer immensely. While there are many differences between me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/some-have-called-we-rock-and-roll-performers-who-never-retire/) [Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) > [“That's the way life goes sometimes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/that-s-the-way-life-goes-sometimes/) [Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) > [They're a different generation, those kids; kids that are under the age of twelve. They're not that impressed by rock music, you know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/they-re-a-different-generation-those-kids-kids-that-are-under-the-age/) [Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) [Explore all 8 Frank Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) ## More Editing quotes > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [Whenever I finish a film, I feel that this is the worst film that I have made. This is bound to happen because while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/whenever-i-finish-a-film-i-feel-that-this-is-the-worst-film-that-i/) [Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/) > [A perfect movie is a different thing, but a funny movie is easy. I was really happy that I got everyone that I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/a-perfect-movie-is-a-different-thing-but-a-funny-movie-is-easy-i-was/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [When I see my movies on the editing table, I do think I could have done them a certain way. The satisfaction is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-nadiadwala/when-i-see-my-movies-on-the-editing-table-i-do-think-i-could-have/) [Sajid Nadiadwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-nadiadwala/) > [I've driven people mad on films that I've made - I want more takes; I want to try new lines. Then I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/i-ve-driven-people-mad-on-films-that-i-ve-made-i-want-more-takes-i/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [Songwriting is like editing. You write down all this stuff - all this bad, stupid stuff - and then you have to get rid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/songwriting-is-like-editing-you-write-down-all-this-stuff-all-this/) [Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/) > [I think what holds people up in creative processes is the expectation of what it is they're doing. It's also the sense of judgement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-hegarty/i-think-what-holds-people-up-in-creative-processes-is-the-expectation/) [Antony Hegarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-hegarty/) > [And then to see the whole movie, you're pretty much waiting until the end of production. And the major lifting in terms of editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/and-then-to-see-the-whole-movie-you-re-pretty-much-waiting-until-the/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [I believe there's a platonic ideal for every book that is written, like there's the perfect version of the book somewhere in the ether,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-believe-there-s-a-platonic-ideal-for-every-book-that-is-written/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [“It’s easy to see what to do once it’s already been done. The difficult time is before it’s to be done, and while you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-s-easy-to-see-what-to-do-once-it-s-already-been-done-the-difficult/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Once you sign on as an actor, you know, you don't go to the editing room, you don't see how they cut, you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/once-you-sign-on-as-an-actor-you-know-you-don-t-go-to-the-editing/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [The momentum of production keeps you from giving up, so it's really the editing and writing phases where things can look bleakest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/the-momentum-of-production-keeps-you-from-giving-up-so-it-s-really/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [I spend a lot of time in preproduction working with authors, and a lot of time in postproduction.: editing, music, all that sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-in-preproduction-working-with-authors-and-a-lot/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) [Browse all 938 Editing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Most of these editors, as they call themselves, couldn't even effectively edit a haiku.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frank Black" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-themselves-couldn-t-even/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Editing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-themselves-couldn-t-even/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/frank-black-46193_editing_most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-thems_1541477.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/frank-black-46193_editing_most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-thems_1541477.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/frank-black-46193_editing_most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-thems_1541477.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most of these editors, as they call themselves, couldn't even effectively edit a haiku.” — Frank Black", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Frank Black", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Most of these editors, as they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-themselves-couldn-t-even/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/most-of-these-editors-as-they-call-themselves-couldn-t-even/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```