Something I tell my would-be writers is that editing your story or article or letter is as important as crafting the piece. In fact, I am also party to such a fault, and have a cousin of mine who regularly corrects my mistakes.

I am thankful to her for patiently doing so.

But are we all so lucky to have someone correcting us every time we make an error?

Or you may have a dream of a start-up business in mind, one that will revolutionize the industry? Wonderful! But how much time have you put into research?

No details are looked into because many of us are dreamers. We see the big picture, and the lesser things are beneath us to study. We tell the world we are visionaries!

I believe it’s the small print in an agreement which finally traps you. It’s the small details that are not read that makes millionaires of lawyers, and makes paupers of dreamers. It’s those details you skip.

During World War II, this verse was framed and hung on the walls of the Anglo-American Supply headquarters in London, England

For want of a nail the shoe was lost,

For want of a shoe the horse was lost,

For want of a horse the rider was lost,

For want of a rider the battle was lost,

For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.

And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

The rider must have obviously been a warrior who unfortunately had not prepared himself for battle with a detailed study of equipment and transport! Foolish as the horseman seems to be, we are equally so. I see this in unstrapped helmets and unbuckled safety belts.

“How did he die, he was wearing a helmet?” Ah well, it was not strapped. 

Most agreements have small print inserted, and most businesses hope and pray you will skip it. How often we find our insurance agent telling us, “Sir,” or “Madam, just sign! I will fill everything else!” Sure, he’ll fill in everything not because he doesn’t want you to waste your time, but because he doesn’t want you to read the rest. He knows if you read it, you may not give him the cheque, and later as you lie on the hospital bed in a first class room, happily thinking the insurance will cover the cost, along comes your agent, “Sir, you are diabetic?”

“I did tell you I am!” You plead.

“Sorry, sir, but the document you signed clearly states we do not cover diabetes!”

And it’s too late to shift into a cheaper room! Remember for want of a nail, the battle was lost. A small nail, as small as the small print you skipped, or sentence you didn’t edit...!

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