During a break at a recent in-person seminar, a lawyer came up to me and said: “I’m a lot like you. I care about language and writing—and I know a lot. But there’s one big difference between us. You say you let law students and young lawyers edit your work. I’d never do that. Frankly, I don’t know who would be qualified to edit my work.”
Stunned, I knew immediately that this man must be a mediocre writer at best, miserable at worst. “Who would be qualified?”
You can benefit from every reader who’s willing to be constructive. Just say this: “I want it well-worded, interesting, and tight. I’d be grateful for any suggestions.”
Once you get them, listen without feeling the need to “defend” your original draft. Listen with gratitude. Ask further questions if you like, but don’t “explain” what you were trying to do. The purpose is to register in your mind how people react to the words on the page. If you feel compelled to defend or explain what you were trying to do, recognize that your energy would be better spent reconsidering why your work wasn’t as effective as you’d hoped.
Avoid that lawyer’s hubris at all costs: writing is meant to be read. It’s only as effective as your reader’s understanding. No reader is unqualified to offer you edits, and every willing editor is a boon to your writing.