Can anyone relate to this problem?

[SexualisPhantasia]

I know there's a forum for editors, but I wanted to share this here. I need to vent.

This post may seem a bit long-winded. But, I think it's important to provide a context for what happened.

Can anyone else relate to this? Since I started publishing here, I've attempted to work with volunteer editors. My experience has been one of frustration and dead ends. And it's not from a lack of effort on my part. I've emailed dozens of editors since 6/21.

And just to be clear, my purpose is NOT to bash all the volunteer editors: to say “all editors suck!”, or something like that. I'm sure there's some good ones out there.

And, when it comes to attempting to find an editor, I am very clear about the following. 1. The story concept/ the story's plot. 2. The length of the story. 3.Perhaps most importantly: I ask “Do you have the time to edit this entire project?”

My most recently published story. The first editor (Ed. 1) agreed to edit my story. He did the first chapter and then backed out. He said he was going to be too busy with school. So, in late August, I had to try to find another editor. I contacted a lot of editors. And I found two editors that not only wanted to edit for me: both of them said they absolutely loved my writing style, and they couldn't wait to work with me.

Ed. 2 edited the next chapter. He did a very good job, he was thorough and his turnaround was fast. I finished the next part about a week later, so I sent it to him. About 5 days later, I asked him when he's gonna start on it. He said hopefully next week. I sent another email a week later. No response. So I finished the project by myself. I published it, and he simply stopped communicating.

Ed. 3. My current project. She expressed her eagerness to work on my project a few different times. I sent her the first chapter on 10/15. She started on it, her suggestions were top-notch. She was not only finding my errors, she was helping the story become better. 6 days later, I asked her about finishing the chapter. She said she hoped to finish the next day. As of today, I've sent a few more emails, with no response. I am very disappointed at this point.

The point is this: the editors I've dealt with have only caused me frustration and aggravation. Why agree to help someone if you can't (or won't) follow through? You get all excited about your new project, and working with an editor. Only to have the 'rug pulled out' with no real explanation. And it also that feeling of being disrespected.

And like I said: “both of them said they absolutely loved my writing style, and they couldn't wait to work with me. “ So, that makes this even more baffling.

“I'm sorry, I can't help you finish this project.” I can send an email like that in literally less than two minutes.

Has anyone else gone through this?


And, if anyone knows an editor that's actually reliable, please let me know.

 

[rescatooor]

I have personally never had the help of an editor on this site. I have also never signed up for the role, mostly because I do not care to be someone else's comma and grammar police.

I have, however, agreed to act as a beta reader. I have agreed to point out any typos and mistakes I notice as well as give feedback on the story. (There have also been times when there have been so many errors that I have simply explained what to look out for, and maybe just highlighted in text the problem sections.)

I don't think most people here, even if they are willing to help out with your draft, really can be expected to be working on your text with you. They are doing this for free, after all, out of kindness of their hearts. They have probably little interest in reading and re-reading the text over and over. Very few people are like that, even if they consider it a masterpiece.

My advice would be to just accept that they do this once per story. Get several editors/beta-readers if you want to be actively working on it. I would consider myself lucky if even one person volunteered, just to read it through once before publishing.

 

[TadOverdon]

I'm sure I need an editor, but I've never worked with one on my porn. A couple of people do read the stuff and make corrections/give input. Plus, of course, the patient observations of other writers here are lots of help.

 

[KeithD]

I've shared editing for fifteen years here with a trained editor who is a member here but not part of the volunteer editor's program. We're both trained in editing but there will always be mistakes surviving and seemingly cropping up on their own in your copy. For purposes of posting to Literotica, finding another writer who is good enough to be a competent another set of eyes and doing for them what they'll do for you seems quite good enough.

 

[oggbashan]

Why would anyone volunteer to be an Editor?

Authors tend to be obsessive and demanding assholes...

 

[Brutal_One]

I too had an editor for a while but in that brief period working with her was very valuable and I learned a lot. For volunteers it does take a lot of their time so often as in my case I was fortunate to have a great, close friendship so I could appreciate her time.

Brutal One

 

[KeithD]

Why would anyone volunteer to be an Editor?

Authors tend to be obsessive and demanding assholes...

In my observations here of how some of the stories look after a volunteer editor has been through them (with the caveat that the author is the last one who has the story, so who knows how much of the editors input they've accepted?), many of the volunteer editors signed up to pretend they know more about editing than the writer does, when they don't.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

My editor is a reader on the site, and a fan of my stories, so they were happy to work on my stuff. They write columns for a newspaper, so I can trust them to be pedantic about my work. In terms of editing time frames, we both know real life gets in the way, so I write the stories and they edit them when they can. I've got so many writing projects on the go that I am never worried about the amount of time it takes.

I'm terrible at self-editing, because I don't readily see my typos since I know what I meant. Since acquiring my editor, my stories go to publication with very few errors at all. I occasionally have to correct their spelling after an edit, since they keep screwing up and editing the 'u' out of properly spelled words like colour, armour, endeavour, and so on. But nobody's prefect.

And they are an eager volunteer editor. All I did as a thank you was write them as a minor character into the Alexaverse and they were happy. Win.

To the OP... I get it, I had people volunteer before my current editor and they just flaked. A few of them also tried to be controlling and to guide where the stories went, so they got fired. Separating the wheat from the chaff is no small task. Even if you work on their schedules, it's a pain in the arse when they just back out.

You WILL find one, they're here somewhere. Patience, grasshopper.

 

[Lifestyle66]

I worked with two editors back in April after I posted five stories. The stories didn't rate very well, and those two editors gave me very good advice by critiquing my 'technical' writing style and grammar.

Since then, I've re-written some of those first attempts, and one of those editors reviewed it saying I've come a long way. But, his review is still mostly grammar and style, with no input on the content or story line.

Two other editors I tried contacting who claimed they review content ignored me.

As one of those first editors pointed out, he's very busy with his own life and writings, and he gets far too many requests for editing. So, he sent me a list of his formatting requirements to help expedite his review.

Those editors who are serious about helping seem to be busy, and it may take them a week or two to get back to you. But, we accept and appreciate the help when we can find it.

 

[AlexaHalo]

I've shared editing for fifteen years here with a trained editor who is a member here but not part of the volunteer editor's program. We're both trained in editing but there will always be mistakes surviving and seemingly cropping up on their own in your copy. For purposes of posting to Literotica, finding another writer who is good enough to be a competent another set of eyes and doing for them what they'll do for you seems quite good enough.

Do you think it is worth finding another person to read your submissions without having them edit them for you is better?
I accidentally submitted my first story (I thought I had saved it as a draft). It has mistakes, believe me, a lot of them. I thought I should get an editor, I have had no bites yet, but then I thought, hmmm, maybe just someone to read it as they might offer some great constructive criticism which I actually like as it helps me better my style and skills.
I also thought that people can then also see my journey as I grow and become better, the mistakes are a good thing sometimes.

 

[SamScribble]

My first question is: What do you want the editor to do? Give you feedback on the story idea and the structure? Spot any continuity errors? Suggest word changes? Find (and fix?) the inevitable typos? All of the above?

My second question is: Have you made it quite clear to the would-be editor what you would like her to do?

The job of an editor is to help you make your story the best that it can be. And that’s a lot to ask of someone who is doing it out of the goodness of their heart.

 

[jsmiam]

@OP, it’s hit or miss. Keep trying and maybe 1 time in 5 or 10 you’ll find someone.

Read other posts in the editors forum where people found an editor. Maybe, a big maybe, by no means am I implying anything because random chance plays a role, read their posts. Are the nicer? Less nice? High maintenance or low? Pain in the arse or soft heated seat with armrests? And did you publicly thank the ones you did find in your story?

Again, I didn’t even look at it for any posts, I’m not implying anything. There’s a degree of chance to it all. My own luck has been spotty. Yet at times I see people asking if it’s rude to have multiple editors, they have so many.

They’re doing something free (so are we, but we’re doing it for fame and fortune. Editors just for, I don’t know why. Be grateful if it happens, accept it when it doesn’t.

 

[KeithD]

Do you think it is worth finding another person to read your submissions without having them edit them for you is better?

I think it's probably better, yes, because it takes less time and effort with marginal benefit, at best, in finding a claimed editor here; because very few "editing" here are trained to do it and aren't any better than another set of eyes anyway; because most of the fixes needed in a story submitted to Literotica can be found by just another set of eyes; because not trying to find a real editor here frees you to write more, which is what's going to improve your writing . . .

I think it's really a risk here to enlist a content editor, because very few here are trained to preserve your voice in a content edit and will be doing you more harm than good. Even most of the content issues posted to the discussion board end up with suggestions on having you write something somebody else's way rather than yours.

 

[SimonDoom]

Getting good editing help at Literotica is not always easy. I think most people can relate to the OP's problem.

Nobody is getting paid, so nobody has much incentive. I've done a little bit of editing, but it's time consuming to do it well, and although I have some experience with editing academic journals I'm not a pro and I have no meaningful experience with editing of fiction. The same is true of most authors here.

My suggestion for someone looking for editing help is to cultivate relationships here where someone will be willing to help you, rather than to send out general solicitations.

One other piece of advice: before sending something to an editor, do everything you can to put it in the best possible shape you can. You will get better editing help that way and you will make it easier on your editor. They'll be more likely to help you in the future. I recall editing one story that was in such awful drafting shape that it soured me on the experience. I wondered why I should be spending my time editing when the original author apparently didn't care enough even to try to get his story in decent shape.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Getting good editing help at Literotica is not always easy. I think most people can relate to the OP's problem.

Nobody is getting paid, so nobody has much incentive. I've done a little bit of editing, but it's time consuming to do it well, and although I have some experience with editing academic journals I'm not a pro and I have no meaningful experience with editing of fiction. The same is true of most authors here.

My suggestion for someone looking for editing help is to cultivate relationships here where someone will be willing to help you, rather than to send out general solicitations.

One other piece of advice: before sending something to an editor, do everything you can to put it in the best possible shape you can. You will get better editing help that way and you will make it easier on your editor. They'll be more likely to help you in the future. I recall editing one story that was in such awful drafting shape that it soured me on the experience. I wondered why I should be spending my time editing when the original author apparently didn't care enough even to try to get his story in decent shape.

Agree with this. Good editing is hard work and time consuming. Even a quick pass through a grammar checker would cut down on a lot of basic issues and allow the editor to concentrate on the rest of the story.

 

[lovecraft68]

As was evidenced in go big or go home fashion by the Turner situation a few years back, you also have to worry about sending your work to someone who could turn around and publish it as their own.

I don't use anyone for my smut, I do the best I can.

I do have someone for my horror novels. They're even a trained editor, yup trained...did I say they were trained? I just thought I should keep saying that word because it obviously makes people sound important.

 

[KeithD]

I do have someone for my horror novels. They're even a trained editor, yup trained...did I say they were trained? I just thought I should keep saying that word because it obviously makes people sound important.

This seems to bother you a lot, doesn't it? Good.

One of the few things you don't feel able to pat yourself on the back here (incessantly), so of course you need to denigrate it. I think your sick complexes have sick complexes.

 

[Lovecraft_lore2]

Even the people posting as couples have had mistakes.

The best way I have found is to wait about 3 months after writing the story. Then go back and check for errors. The spelling mistakes, strange missed words, and the parts that don't make sense jump out when I cannot remember word for word what I thought I had written there.

Then again, the first title for Percy Jackson :The Lightning Thief, was Percy Jackson: son of Poseidon. Which is a bad title given that one of the major plots of the book is that Percy Jackson does not know who his father is. The guy who wrote it needed his middle school class to point that out to him.

 

[KeithD]

Even the people posting as couples have had mistakes.

The best way I have found is to wait about 3 months after writing the story. Then go back and check for errors..

Yep, this will help you find more of the mistakes that are there. I (almost) never post on the same day I write something. I (almost) always let it sit at least overnight so that I can review it with fresh eyes. When I don't, I regret it. I submit stories here several months to over a year after they've been edited by the publisher and I still find basic mistakes in them. I do the same when I edit (and, yes, Lovecraft68, I have university training as a professional book editor ) and let something sit at least overnight before I review it.

 

[SexualisPhantasia]

Getting good editing help at Literotica is not always easy. I think most people can relate to the OP's problem.



"One other piece of advice: before sending something to an editor, do everything you can to put it in the best possible shape you can. You will get better editing help that way and you will make it easier on your editor. They'll be more likely to help you in the future. " Yup, I ALWAYS do that first before sharing it with an editor.

 

[Comshaw]

Before I started using an editing program, I tried the volunteer editors. Out of the first 6 queries I sent, I only got two replies. One was a simple "I have no time" which was fine by me. At least I got an answer.

The last one said she would edit for me and she did, doing a wonderful job of it. But after one story she told me she couldn't do any more for a (long) while because she had promised to do a series for a friend and wouldn't have time. I was disappointed but understood. Volunteer editors do it for free and it takes up their time to do it.

I tried again four more times and never got an answer to any of my quires. That's when I gave up on that particular avenue.

I have done my share of volunteer work and have recruited others to do work, so I understand volunteers. But I can't and never will understand bad manners. Even a terse single word "No" would be better than not sending an answer to a query. How much time does that take? I can do it in less than a minute.

So I will content myself with an editor in a box and all the mistakes that slip by me.

Comshaw

 

[SexualisPhantasia]

"I have done my share of volunteer work and have recruited others to do work, so I understand volunteers. But I can't and never will understand bad manners. Even a terse single word "No" would be better than not sending an answer to a query. How much time does that take? I can do it in less than a minute." *THIS!*


-ComshaW

Exactly my point! Does volunteering for editing (or anything else) make someone exempt from basic, common courtesy? Apparently, some of those commenting on this thread don't understand (or acknowledge) this concept

 

[LAHomedog]

I have a couple of thoughts here.

1. Unless I missed it, you didn't mention how long the story is and how many words. A lot of editors don't want to volunteer on long stories. I believe most draw the line at 15,000 words.

2. I have been a volunteer editor here for about 10-15 different writers over the years. Some have been really good, positive creative experiences. Some of the writers start nice and become assholes. Actually most. So, I have basically stopped doing it.

3. Have you tried to establish friendships with other writers through these forums? I now have a network of people who I use as beta-readers and proofreaders. They are all friendships from this site. That could be a way to go for you.

 

[SimonDoom]

The other tack I would suggest taking on this issue is, if using editors is frustrating, just skip them. The editing standards required for publication at Literotica are not that high, and many readers don't care that much. Instead of letting yourself get held up by editor delays, just do the best you can, publish your stories, and then seek feedback on the Feedback Forum. Learn what you can, and then write the next story.

With writing, as with many things, there is no substitute for just doing it. Don't let anything delay you, and just write as much as you can.

 

[Agiel]

I’ve only been asked to edit once by someone and we edited each other’s stories for quite some time until suddenly, without explanation, they ceased the relationship. Twice I’ve contacted writers who I considered had the potential to be better than the stories they were submitting at that time. One accepted but then disagreed with 90% of my advice so that was the end of that. The second one politely refused my offer and, after contacting them, I discovered they already had five editors. If five editors couldn’t help them produce better work then I consider their refusing my offer was probably the best thing for me.

I now don’t use an editor. After completing the story I go through it about five times, over a period of several days, and then leave it for a few days more. I then read it once and if it’s okay I submit it. I understand the urge to submit your work as soon as it’s finished to enable people to read your brilliant story as soon as possible. I was like that when I began and it resulted in errors. Not just typo’s but occasions when I thought if I had taken more time I could have written sections better.

I agree with the advice given earlier as to going through your story yourself a few times before sending it to an editor. I wouldn’t want to volunteer my time to edit a first draft containing lots of stupid/elementary errors and I should think all editors feel the same.