--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Editors are the literary surgeons of the…" description: "\"“Editors are the literary surgeons of the world.”\" — Suzanne Steele" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/suzanne-steele-33937_quote_editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the_964050.jpg" --- # Editors are the literary surgeons of the world. ![“Editors are the literary surgeons of the world.” quote by Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/suzanne-steele-33937_quote_editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the_964050.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/suzanne-steele-33937_quote_editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the_964050.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/suzanne-steele-33937_quote_editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the_964050.jpg) > ““Editors are the literary surgeons of the world.”” [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Editors shape texts by cutting and stitching, akin to surgeons.... Editing editing..... Editing editing Key Takeaway Editing is a precise, transformative craft. Themes Treat editing as careful, purposeful revision. Mood analytical thoughtful Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - literary theory - communication Key Concepts editing craft precision Practical Applications - publishing - writing workshops - self‑editing - book production Questions to Reflect On - When does editing become harmful? - How can you balance polish with authenticity? A Different Perspective Over‑editing can strip a work’s voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [A successful surgeon should be a man who, when asked to name the three best surgeons in the world, would have difficulty deciding on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denton-cooley/a-successful-surgeon-should-be-a-man-who-when-asked-to-name-the-three/) [Denton Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denton-cooley/) > [Heart surgeons do not have the world's smallest egos: when you ask them to name the world's three leading practitioners, they never can remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/heart-surgeons-do-not-have-the-world-s-smallest-egos-when-you-ask/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [They never opened the door which leads to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/they-never-opened-the-door-which-leads-to-the-soul/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [In a fit of pique, I said to my agent, 'I'm going to write something you can sell.' The idea was to write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/in-a-fit-of-pique-i-said-to-my-agent-i-m-going-to-write-something-you/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [I'm not against asking the audience to work, but I think what you have now is a sort of gratuitous deconstruction as a result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-miller/i-m-not-against-asking-the-audience-to-work-but-i-think-what-you-have/) [Jonathan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-miller/) > [“You're smiling. But you must know yourself, since you are a literary person, that the work of fiction is always a form of recovery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-federman/you-re-smiling-but-you-must-know-yourself-since-you-are-a-literary/) [Raymond Federman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-federman/) > [I say quotations are literary. They are good only when dealing with ideas, not with experience. Experience should be pure, unique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-say-quotations-are-literary-they-are-good-only-when-dealing-with/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [I would say that there is no future for literary studies as such in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/i-would-say-that-there-is-no-future-for-literary-studies-as-such-in/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [I'm more interested than Philip Roth in understanding women, even if I do it imperfectly. But that book, Portnoy's Complaint, is literary punk in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-mahajan/i-m-more-interested-than-philip-roth-in-understanding-women-even-if-i/) [Karan Mahajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-mahajan/) > [“And when I’d settled down, I considered the possibility that I wasn’t yet ready to ask for the love of anyone because I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-decker/and-when-i-d-settled-down-i-considered-the-possibility-that-i-wasn-t/) [Steven Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-decker/) > [There's definitely been a focus on the literary aspects of my music, and I always get a little cringey because I don't feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/there-s-definitely-been-a-focus-on-the-literary-aspects-of-my-music/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I have said it somewhere - our literary lived lives are as important as our literally lived lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-have-said-it-somewhere-our-literary-lived-lives-are-as-important-as/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [Criticism even should not be without its charms. When quite devoid of all amenities, it is no longer literary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/criticism-even-should-not-be-without-its-charms-when-quite-devoid-of/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) ## More by Suzanne Steele > [“Simply put: I am an Author with deep passion for the written word. When I read: I want to feel... When I write: I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/simply-put-i-am-an-author-with-deep-passion-for-the-written-word-when/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“The only time a woman should be referred to as a slut is never, unless it's her kink.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/the-only-time-a-woman-should-be-referred-to-as-a-slut-is-never-unless/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“There are some women who need a different kind of romance. They need the angst, Alpha male, who takes what he wants and makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/there-are-some-women-who-need-a-different-kind-of-romance-they-need/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“I kissed the sky until every character in my head came alive. ©2018 Suzanne Steele”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/i-kissed-the-sky-until-every-character-in-my-head-came-alive-2018/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“Victor,” she gasped... “can’t you see I’ve always been yours?” He almost believed her. Almost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/victor-she-gasped-can-t-you-see-i-ve-always-been-yours-he-almost/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“Do something, lest you do nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/do-something-lest-you-do-nothing/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“When you give me art—give me something that reaches inside of my core and twists, taking the very breath that sustains me away. Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/when-you-give-me-art-give-me-something-that-reaches-inside-of-my-core/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“When your mouth overloads your ass, put on your big girl panties and apologize! ©2017 Suzanne Steele”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/when-your-mouth-overloads-your-ass-put-on-your-big-girl-panties-and/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“If you want to challenge yourself as an Author, raise the bar as a reader. -Suzanne Steele”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/if-you-want-to-challenge-yourself-as-an-author-raise-the-bar-as-a/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“There's evil in this world; I've seen it and I will devote my life to protecting you from it. But baby, my head's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/there-s-evil-in-this-world-i-ve-seen-it-and-i-will-devote-my-life-to/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“Oh, how I love you, mi amor. You are the light that shines in the blackness of my night. You are my North star,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/oh-how-i-love-you-mi-amor-you-are-the-light-that-shines-in-the/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“Do you want it hard, baby? Or slow? Just tell me how to give it to you and it's yours. --Victor Ramirez”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/do-you-want-it-hard-baby-or-slow-just-tell-me-how-to-give-it-to-you/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) > [“Deep calls to deep, dark calls to dark, and secrets call to secrets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/deep-calls-to-deep-dark-calls-to-dark-and-secrets-call-to-secrets/) [Suzanne Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) [Explore all 14 Suzanne Steele quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/) ## More Editors quotes > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [My biggest advice would be to take the pictures you want to take. Don’t think about the marketplace, what sells or what an editor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lachapelle/my-biggest-advice-would-be-to-take-the-pictures-you-want-to-take-don/) [David LaChapelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lachapelle/) > [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/) > [ I walked all around it \[the Guggenheim Bilbao\] and couldn't find one clear, clean shot. To make things worse, the weather was lousy. Nothing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-polidori/i-walked-all-around-it-the-guggenheim-bilbao-and-couldn-t-find-one/) [Robert Polidori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-polidori/) > [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Authors of published papers and editors of scientific journals can, unfortunately, be slow to come to terms with criticism, and it's good that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-gelman/authors-of-published-papers-and-editors-of-scientific-journals-can/) Andrew Gelman > [Democracy becomes a government of bullies tempered by editors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/democracy-becomes-a-government-of-bullies-tempered-by-editors/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [51% of the French people - who are not very religious - were thinking that what "Charlie Hebdo" did was unwise. They aren't asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/51-of-the-french-people-who-are-not-very-religious-were-thinking-that/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [If you look at any list of great modern writers such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, you'll notice two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-look-at-any-list-of-great-modern-writers-such-as-ernest/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/only-kings-presidents-editors-and-people-with-tapeworms-have-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [While I was still going to embrace social media, I knew I had to do things that nobody else was doing. I decided I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-edward/while-i-was-still-going-to-embrace-social-media-i-knew-i-had-to-do/) [Mark Edward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-edward/) > [My books have been translated into various languages and sold in other countries, but I never have any contact with the foreign publishers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/my-books-have-been-translated-into-various-languages-and-sold-in/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [Every newspaper editor says the heart of the paper is the reporter - which is true - except for the pay!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-germond/every-newspaper-editor-says-the-heart-of-the-paper-is-the-reporter/) [Jack Germond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-germond/) Browse all 976 Editors quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Editors are the literary surgeons of the world.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Suzanne Steele" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the-world/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Editors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the-world/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/suzanne-steele-33937_quote_editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the_964050.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/suzanne-steele-33937_quote_editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the_964050.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/suzanne-steele-33937_quote_editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the_964050.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Editors are the literary surgeons of the world.” — Suzanne Steele", "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": "Suzanne Steele", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-steele/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Editors are the literary surgeons of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the-world/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-steele/editors-are-the-literary-surgeons-of-the-world/#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 } } ] } ```