--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are two kinds of editors, those who…" description: "\"There are two kinds of editors, those who correct your copy and those who say it's wonderful.\" — Theodore White" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/theodore-white-19249_copies_there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who_1352925.png" --- # There are two kinds of editors, those who correct your… ![“There are two kinds of editors, those who correct your copy and those who say it's wonderful.” quote by Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/theodore-white-19249_copies_there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who_1352925.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/theodore-white-19249_copies_there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who_1352925.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/theodore-white-19249_copies_there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who_1352925.png) > “There are two kinds of editors, those who correct your copy and those who say it's wonderful.” [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Editors fall into two camps: those who fix errors and those who praise without critique. **In simple terms:** Editors either correct or overly praise. Key Takeaway Seek balanced editorial feedback. Themes editing critique writing quality communication Mood analytical professional Type professional creative When to use this quote - publishing - academic writing - self‑editing - peer review Key Concepts feedback loops quality control creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can writers request constructive criticism? - What balance makes editing effective? A Different Perspective Excessive praise can hinder improvement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [Anyone who edits their own copy has a fool for an editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-davis/anyone-who-edits-their-own-copy-has-a-fool-for-an-editor/) [Donald Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-davis/) > [I specialize in science and history, with a special emphasis on including do-it-yourself projects in the mix. My dozen or so books have sold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurstelle/i-specialize-in-science-and-history-with-a-special-emphasis-on/) [William Gurstelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurstelle/) > [The credibility of the work depends on copy editors. I would argue with the copy desk, but I would thank them more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kovach/the-credibility-of-the-work-depends-on-copy-editors-i-would-argue/) [Bill Kovach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kovach/) > [Basically, I've reached the point where I've lost any direct relationship to any of the editors I used to have. I suspect I'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-meltzer/basically-i-ve-reached-the-point-where-i-ve-lost-any-direct/) [Richard Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-meltzer/) > [There is a phase in the life of every copy editor when she is obsessed with hyphens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-norris/there-is-a-phase-in-the-life-of-every-copy-editor-when-she-is/) [Mary Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-norris/) > [I think we'll have a good potato crop this year," a newspaper editor told his housekeeper one morning. "No such thing," asserted the housekeeper.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-keller/i-think-we-ll-have-a-good-potato-crop-this-year-a-newspaper-editor/) [James Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-keller/) > [In market research I did at Microsoft Corp. in the early 1990s, I estimated that the 'Wall Street Journal' took in about 75 cents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/in-market-research-i-did-at-microsoft-corp-in-the-early-1990s-i/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [There have to be at least two copies of a photograph, otherwise it’s not a photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ruff/there-have-to-be-at-least-two-copies-of-a-photograph-otherwise-it-s/) [Thomas Ruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ruff/) > [Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/mr-witwould-pray-madam-do-you-pin-up-your-hair-with-all-your-letters/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [“When copies are free, you need to sell things that cannot be copied. Well, what can’t be copied? Trust, for instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/when-copies-are-free-you-need-to-sell-things-that-cannot-be-copied/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [The idea is not to copy nature, but to give a feeling of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-oudolf/the-idea-is-not-to-copy-nature-but-to-give-a-feeling-of-nature/) Piet Oudolf > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [In that part of the book of my memory before the which is little that can be read, there is a rubric, saying, Incipit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/in-that-part-of-the-book-of-my-memory-before-the-which-is-little-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [My songs are like cheap Neil Young copies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-bachman/my-songs-are-like-cheap-neil-young-copies/) [Randy Bachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-bachman/) > [every being is unique.god neva creates carbon copies,he alys creates originals.he is truly a creator.he neva repeats.but man goes on living in imitation.we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-being-is-unique-god-neva-creates-carbon-copies-he-alys-creates/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Theodore White > [Power in America today is control of the means of communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/power-in-america-today-is-control-of-the-means-of-communication/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [When the bus or the plane rolled or flew through the night, they sang songs of their own composition about Mr Nixon and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/when-the-bus-or-the-plane-rolled-or-flew-through-the-night-they-sang/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [I class myself as a manual laborer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/i-class-myself-as-a-manual-laborer/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [The gusto of one, the indignation of the other; the challenge of the one party, the response of the other; the eloquence and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/the-gusto-of-one-the-indignation-of-the-other-the-challenge-of-the/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [A liberal is a person who believes that water can be made to run uphill. A conservative is someone who believes everybody should pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/a-liberal-is-a-person-who-believes-that-water-can-be-made-to-run/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [Those 40 or 50 national correspondents who had followed Kennedy since the beginning of his electoral exertions into the November days had become more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/those-40-or-50-national-correspondents-who-had-followed-kennedy-since/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [A President and his wise men can only propose; but Congress disposes. It is when President and Congress agree that American history marches forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/a-president-and-his-wise-men-can-only-propose-but-congress-disposes/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [America is a nation created by all the hopeful wanderers of Europe, not out of geography and genetics, but out of purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/america-is-a-nation-created-by-all-the-hopeful-wanderers-of-europe/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [It is almost nicer being a godfather than a father, like having white mice but making your nanny feed them for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/it-is-almost-nicer-being-a-godfather-than-a-father-like-having-white/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [His passion has aroused the best and the beast in man. And the beast waited for him in the kitchen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/his-passion-has-aroused-the-best-and-the-beast-in-man-and-the-beast/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [When that book came out, it was like Columbus telling about America at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/when-that-book-came-out-it-was-like-columbus-telling-about-america-at/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [Politics in America is the binding secular religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/politics-in-america-is-the-binding-secular-religion/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [The President's decisions make the weather, and if he is great enough, change the climate, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/the-president-s-decisions-make-the-weather-and-if-he-is-great-enough/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [Always inflation comes gradually; is recognized too late; and can be cured only by ruthless political surgery, which, if delayed too long, proves futile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/always-inflation-comes-gradually-is-recognized-too-late-and-can-be/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [Although Christianity has never been the guarantee of a democratic state anywhere in the world, no democracy has ever thrived successfully for any period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/although-christianity-has-never-been-the-guarantee-of-a-democratic/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) [Explore all 33 Theodore White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) ## More Copies quotes > [every being is unique.god neva creates carbon copies,he alys creates originals.he is truly a creator.he neva repeats.but man goes on living in imitation.we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-being-is-unique-god-neva-creates-carbon-copies-he-alys-creates/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My songs are like cheap Neil Young copies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-bachman/my-songs-are-like-cheap-neil-young-copies/) [Randy Bachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-bachman/) > [In that part of the book of my memory before the which is little that can be read, there is a rubric, saying, Incipit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/in-that-part-of-the-book-of-my-memory-before-the-which-is-little-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [The idea is not to copy nature, but to give a feeling of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-oudolf/the-idea-is-not-to-copy-nature-but-to-give-a-feeling-of-nature/) Piet Oudolf > [“When copies are free, you need to sell things that cannot be copied. Well, what can’t be copied? Trust, for instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/when-copies-are-free-you-need-to-sell-things-that-cannot-be-copied/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/mr-witwould-pray-madam-do-you-pin-up-your-hair-with-all-your-letters/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [There have to be at least two copies of a photograph, otherwise it’s not a photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ruff/there-have-to-be-at-least-two-copies-of-a-photograph-otherwise-it-s/) [Thomas Ruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ruff/) > [In market research I did at Microsoft Corp. in the early 1990s, I estimated that the 'Wall Street Journal' took in about 75 cents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/in-market-research-i-did-at-microsoft-corp-in-the-early-1990s-i/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Guys like Todd Bridges never overcame being a child star. You can't have any big failures. I've always felt regular. I played organized ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bow-wow/guys-like-todd-bridges-never-overcame-being-a-child-star-you-can-t/) [Bow Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bow-wow/) > [It was only after I had been out of the art school that I actually copied a small Seurat, and I copied it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-riley/it-was-only-after-i-had-been-out-of-the-art-school-that-i-actually/) [Bridget Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-riley/) > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [People have one of two extreme reactions to my book. They either throw it across the room, or they rush out and buy 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/people-have-one-of-two-extreme-reactions-to-my-book-they-either-throw/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [We are all born originals, why is it so many of us die copies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/we-are-all-born-originals-why-is-it-so-many-of-us-die-copies/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) Browse all 971 Copies quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are two kinds of editors, those who correct your copy and those who say it's wonderful.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Theodore White" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who-correct-your-copy-and-those/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Copies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who-correct-your-copy-and-those/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/theodore-white-19249_copies_there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who_1352925.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/theodore-white-19249_copies_there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who_1352925.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/theodore-white-19249_copies_there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who_1352925.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are two kinds of editors, those who correct your copy and those who say it's wonderful.” — Theodore White", "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": "Theodore White", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are two kinds of editors,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who-correct-your-copy-and-those/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who-correct-your-copy-and-those/#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 } } ] } ```