function showStuff(id, text, btn) { document.getElementById(id).style.display = 'block'; // hide the lorem ipsum text document.getElementById(text).style.display = 'none'; // hide the link btn.style.display = 'none';}<td ><a href="#" onclick="showStuff('answer1', 'text1', this); return false;">Edit</a><span id="answer1" ><textarea rows="10" cols="115"></textarea></span><span id="text1">Lorem ipsum Lorem ipsum Lorem ipsum Lorem ipsum</span></td>
