*FACEPALM* I need an editor and the "Volunteer Editor" list seems to all be newbies.

Max ODrive

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*FACEPALM* I need an editor and the "Volunteer Editor" list seems to all be newbies.

Look. For some reason, I really don't trust the list of people on the "Volunteer Editor" list very much. They all look like they joined on Tuesday and became volunteer editors on Thursday. If they're real and sincere, then yay! More power to them and yay! more help for us as writers who'd rather put the story down on "paper" than worry about the damn details. But somewhere along the line, I smell a scam, even though I have no clue what it is.

If you take a look at my stories here, especially "Win Some" which I wrote with the assistance of a very patient and decent editor (who I eventually pissed off..), you'll realize that I'm a serious writer. I've worked with a couple of editors along the way, some of which I think were very helpful (and even made me rewrite entire sections of a chapter) and some who simply said "Wow! That looks great" and let it go.

Granted, I've not published much here, but I've been a freelance writer for a couple of content mills since 2010 and have some ten to fifteen thousand articles floating around the interwebs somewhere. I can put pen to paper and get paid for it. I simply want to put pen to paper for something more serious and more interesting than dog toys and satellite television.

As my profile states, I'm a writer first and an eroticist second. I want the story to be good, not just something someone reads to get off with. Or, something I wrote because I got off writing it. (Not to say that I don't, but.... Heinlein stated that writing is like masturbation.. you need to do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.. and I agree.. lol)

Anyway. I'm working on a new set of erotic novellas, tentatively titled "Cautionary Tales". The first one, "Livie's First Gangbang" is finished and runs just over 11k words and the second part of Livie's story is in process. I see two more parts after this before Livie's story wraps up and a new series with Susie begins. Totally different characters and totally different developmental path, but the ultimate result is that the choices we make can have a huge impact on not just the primary character (even if primary is actually written as a secondary) but on many people around them.

These stories, at least Livie's, involves brother/sister incest and forced, but not totally non-consensual sex. It also involves a married couple where the wife winds up having sex with multiple partners and gets pushed beyond even her capacity for hyper-erotic sex. Other parts of the series will involve forced almost non-consensual sex and . No sexual activity involving bestiality (you can write stories about supernatural beasts like ghosts, unicorns, werewolves, etc.) will be considered.. While there are assholes involved, there is no scat play! Susie's story and other "Cautionary Tales" may involve actual non-consensual sex and who knows what else? Like I said, a picture can evoke an entire story in my mind. Sometimes an entire novella. Sometimes a whole series of books.

That means to this point, your editing job could encompass works totaling over fifty thousand words with more to come. That's either a serious hobby or a job.

As an aside, I've actually ghost written two books (novella length at 40k+ words) for an author who publishes them under their pen name on Amazon so I know I can write. I simply want an editor to work with who can improve my work, poke me with a stick when a story stalls with ideas and take my efforts to new levels. One who is willing to stick with a series. Or with a writer, since I don't plan to limit my efforts to only erotica. (Think Laurell K Hamilton, Richelle Mead, Patricia Briggs, Carrie Vaughn, Charlaine Harris, Jennifer Estep, PC Cast...). I have too many stories stuck in 'limbo' that need to go somewhere and I feel that a good editor can make those stalled ideas into a reality. Or.. at least as much of a reality as a book ever is.

Are you such an editor? I really wanna know. If I make writing a full time gig and make money at it, everybody rides, so.. think about the ramifications of that before you say "yes".
 
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I am on the volunteer editor list. I cannot speak for others, but I find it hard to imagine what type of scam you could possibly be referring to. I happen to be a good editor, amazingly enough — good enough that I can be discerning in the types of client I will agree to help, and attitude and humility are important character traits in this regard…

Why don't you reach out to one of the editors on the list and direct your requirements to them directly rather than blathering on about scams and your extensive writing history here in a public forum? You might also read some of their own writing to see if they appear competent enough to help someone with your particular requirements. You might also review the credentials that many of them helpfully list for people like you — that should disabuse you of your odd idea that they are all brand new to this type of work.

In short, you should do a little work to help yourself.
 
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Have you looked at the offerings on the first couple of pages of the VE board?

Here.. lemme help...

elegance377
Member Info :
Literotica Member Since: 07/04/18
Joined Editor Program: 07/04/18
Profile Last Updated: 07/06/18
See my Literotica Profile

RDH13700
Literotica Member Since: 06/29/18
Joined Editor Program: 06/29/18
Profile Last Updated: 07/06/18
See my Literotica Profile

DoNotPassGo
Literotica Member Since: 06/18/18
Joined Editor Program: 06/29/18
Profile Last Updated: 07/06/18
See my Literotica Profile

timber078
Literotica Member Since: 04/02/18
Joined Editor Program: 04/02/18
Profile Last Updated: 07/04/18
See my Literotica Profile

Special Guest -
thewinedarksea
Literotica Member Since: 05/11/18
Joined Editor Program: 06/26/18
Profile Last Updated: 06/27/18
See my Literotica Profile

sw5523729
Literotica Member Since: 05/31/18
Joined Editor Program: 05/31/18
Profile Last Updated: 06/23/18
See my Literotica Profile

.......and the list goes on.

I'm not here to win friends or influence people. I'm here to find an editor to work with that doesn't look like they've just fallen off the truck and decided they're a great editor.

Actually, I'm usually a nice guy but are these stats actually telling me that these people specifically joined Literotica just to edit? If so, then well, I"m more than willing to back down and walk in hat in hand and try again, but ..

Y'all tell me. That's why I'm here..

(love the hammer comment btw guys.. that was funny stuff.. yes, I can laugh at myself too.. :p)
 
If you bother to leaf through a few pages, you will see several authors who have been members for a significant amount of time, have credentials, and have updated their profiles in the last month (indicating that they are likely to be active).

With the effort you put into your last two posts on this forum you could have checked that for yourself and sent five messages to feel out the editors for yourself. I really don't understand your problem. The VE program is what it is. Plenty of people get very valuable help from it. If you're suspicious and incapable of navigating it all on your own, then pay a professional editor and quit casting vague aspersions on folks who are being generous with their time.
 
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I had nothing but problems with the VE list. Older, more credited members don't reply. Newer members will reply and give wholly unrealistic return dates. one month, 6 weeks, etc.

I was told that the VE list isn't very reputable.

What you should do is go to the top of the sticky threads in the "editor's forum" and look for "Available to Edit ~~~ July 2018 (or whatever the current month/year is)"

That is your best bet on finding an available editor.
 
Ahh.. nope.. have no plans to get paid for writing these stories, but if it works well, that could lead into the "real world".

And one stat I have is I've been a member since 2001. Plus, I have submitted a few stories and am now of a mind to submit some more. I'm not getting paid for these, but they will help me continue to refine my writing style which I do plan to apply to books I will get paid for. I consider it a training exercise more than anything. With the added reward of seeing the comments that readers have to share. That's about all the pay I expect to receive from the stories I post here, since that's the only pay I've received on the other ones I've posted.

And, just for you, I filled out more info on my profile. So....
 
Volunteer editor

I'm on the volunteer editor list and have been since 2014. I've edited stories intended for Literotica and published as ebooks or possibly paperback. I've edited stories that were as long as 750 pages when using Microsoft Word. Some of my authors only wrote a few stories then called it quits while others were quite prolific. I've worked with authors who are dyslexic or had Asperger's which means I have to edit with a critical eye, more so than when editing any other story.
 
Look. For some reason, I really don't trust the list of people on the "Volunteer Editor" list very much. They all look like they joined on Tuesday and became volunteer editors on Thursday. ...

Let me float a possible scenario that is pretty close to my heart. Imagine a long-time Literotica reader who has been perfectly happy to read and participate in comments as an anonymous user. Now, he or she retires, or for any of a number of other potential reasons has more free time, as well as the desire, to participate more fully in the community--forums, submissions and editing.

As a specific example, I have been a reader for years, but only recently registered. I registered specifically to help authors by selectively donating my time as a volunteer editor. Nothing about my registration date has any bearing on my skills, experience or desire to participate constructively in the community.

...
more help for us as writers who'd rather put the story down on "paper" than worry about the damn details.

I said above, "selectively donating" my time. Your statement, here, is "strike one" against my wasting time trying to help you as a volunteer editor. Writing is a detail-oriented endeavor.

But somewhere along the line, I smell a scam, even though I have no clue what it is.

Although I find this mildly insulting, I am giving it a pass, because, as you said, you haven't got a clue.

If you take a look at my stories here, especially "Win Some" which I wrote with the assistance of a very patient and decent editor (who I eventually pissed off..), you'll realize that I'm a serious writer.

I did take a look and, unfortunately, I'm less than impressed. As a long-time Literotica reader, I have learned to not bother reading stand-alone stories than fail to garner at least a 4.7 rating. Everyone has a different standard in regards to the minimum quality that he or she finds worth their time. Mine is fairly stringent. Strike two.

...
Granted, I've not published much here, but I've been a freelance writer for a couple of content mills since 2010 and have some ten to fifteen thousand articles floating around the interwebs somewhere.

It is a bit ironic that you ask the community to take this on faith, as you were so adamant about judging a book by its cover in regards to volunteer editors.

Other parts of the series will involve forced almost non-consensual sex and . No sexual activity involving bestiality (you can write stories about supernatural beasts like ghosts, unicorns, werewolves, etc.) will be considered..

Since this needed to be corrected by the moderator, this is strike three. A user "since 2001", but ignorant of one of the most fundamental rules of Literotica.

I'm afraid that I would not be able to justify spending any of my limited time volunteering to edit your work. I do hope that you will be able to find the editorial help that you clearly need and desire. Perhaps if you revisit the list with your standards more in line with your ability.

...
Are you such an editor? I really wanna know. If I make writing a full time gig and make money at it, everybody rides, so.. think about the ramifications of that before you say "yes".

Now, if anything sounds like a scam, that does.
 
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As a long-time Literotica reader, I have learned to not bother reading stand-alone stories than fail to garner at least a 4.7 rating. Everyone has a different standard in regards to the minimum quality that he or she finds worth their time. Mine is fairly stringent. .[/B]

This is the only part of your post with which I take issue. I’ve read many stories on Literotica over the last five years and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that a red H does not always mean it’s a good story. I would agree that all readers standards are different although I find your statement that yours are “fairly stringent” a little egotistical although you do qualify it by saying “fairly.”

I’ve read stories that have fell well below the magic 4.5 which have been very good and ones up at 4.7 that makes me wonder how they managed to get published. Ratings can be misleading because there are easy ways of either destroying a story or increasing its rating. I usually find that I can decide whether to continue reading a story within the first few paragraphs which doesn’t take up more than a handful of minutes so I’ve not wasted much time but may get a lot of pleasure from reading something that was, perhaps, well below the 4.5.
 
Well, that's OK. I don't really cater to readers who think that a rating of 4.7 on a Web site like Literotica as opposed to a 4.2 should strictly determine whether the story is worthy of their read. I like to have readers who aren't that shallow and easily led by gaming manipulation on a Web site where that's easy to do.
 
Well, that's OK. I don't really cater to readers who think that a rating of 4.7 ...

That is just as well, considering. But, I think you are doing great to have published so many stories so consistently!

... shallow and easily led by gaming manipulation on a Web site where that's easy to do.

I hope you don't feel as though that is happening to you! That would be a particularly sad form of bullying. Maybe that is why so many of your posts seem to me to come across as negative and/or argumentative. As for me, I prefer to experience drama in the stories, rather than in the forums.
 
I hope you don't feel as though that is happening to you! That would be a particularly sad form of bullying. Maybe that is why so many of your posts seem to me to come across as negative and/or argumentative. As for me, I prefer to experience drama in the stories, rather than in the forums.

Thanks, sort of. Yes, it's happening to me here. I've had a regular stalker on the boards for nine years and my stories get zapped at about 10:00 a.m. my time every time they go up and they go through periods of being regularly worked to below 4.50. But this is the Internet. I've already made money off of most of them, so it is what it is. I don't think it's so much that I'm argumentative as that I'm actually in publishing and respond from that experience. I've found that a high percentage of posters on sites like this want to attack the reality of the system and anyone showing/claiming any real training and expertise, and they bring the arguments.
 
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