Clarity

By Paul McCarthy - Jan 04 , 2008

Clarity is one of the most important concepts in writing and among the most defining aspects of the finest reading experience.

1) During the creative and editorial processes:

The author and editor proceed in various ways as their work on the book continues. What is a constant principle is that at every stage, they take all the time necessary to discuss, resolve, and clarify with each other exactly what each should do next. This approach enables them to achieve the best, most productive, efficient, and properly focused results.

They benefit from knowing what the other is doing and factor that knowledge into their own work. In consequence, as the editorial and creative processes interweave and proceed, they have the strongest consistency and unity, which are the basis of clarity.

True clarity is so powerfully sensed and perceived that author and editor know quickly when clarity diminishes, and continuation becomes confusing and difficult. When that occurs, they cease work. Either by thinking everything through on their own or by conferring with each other, they concentrate on what has become blurred, misguided, or too complicated. Only when they’ve gained new or adjusted clarity do they resume writing or editing.

Editor and author regularly update and ask the other for confirmation of whatever they’re now doing. If they decide that adjustments need to be made, they stop current work and determine what are the new best forms of continuation.

2) As integral to the nature of the final book:

Inherent in their work together—and striving to achieve the ultimate goal of the very best book possible—is their establishing clarity as one of the book’s most essential qualities. Author and editor continue working until they have certainty that at the highest-levels, throughout, and in every aspect and element, the final book has an absolute clarity.

No matter how complex the subject matter, issues, plots, characters, or themes, everywhere in the book there is an immediate comprehension of what is meant, described, and expressed.

3) A determinant of the reader’s best response to the book:

The whole book does not have to be perceived and appreciated in the initial or subsequent readings. Good books are defined in part by their rewarding the reader in new ways through each re-reading.

However, a defining element of the finest reading experience is the ease with which the reader is able to understand in their first reading, everything that’s important for them to know—in short, a well-written and well-edited book will always have that fundamental quality of clarity.