What's worse, a story staying abandoned or getting major changes from a new editor?

[GoodBoy741]

I was looking at a story recently that might be abandoned. Someone posted in it several days ago and it hasn't been approved yet. Also, the editor hasn't written in threads on CHYOO in a year. It's too soon to tell, he might still get around to approving the thread, but it got me thinking.

I like some of the threads, especially the one that was recently submitted and is sitting around unapproved. So if it is abandoned, maybe I could offer to take over editing so the guy who wrote the recent thread can follow up on it. However, there's some incest in some of the threads. As a reader, I can just avoid those paths that lead to my squicks. As an editor, I'd have to read any incest threads submitted, which is why I put a "no incest" rule in stories I edit.

But that doesn't seem fair if there's already incest in it. What I'd want to do is change "Mom" to "Stepmom", but is that insulting to the original author?

So what do you think? What's worse, a new editor who changes things, or the story remaining abandoned until another editor decides to adopt it?

 

[Zingiber]

For this specific case, you might want to pass in favor of another new editor, given that to match your comfort zone, you would have to change the premise of the story.

-Z.

 

[GoodBoy741]

Here's a link to the specific story I'm thinking of:

http://www.chyoo.com/index.php/main.story.page/28674

It's not really the premise of the story. The main character only mentions any attraction to his mom in 3 threads out of 20.

 

[TwiztedClown]

I don't really think its a good idea to change the story, unless it's to change the spelling, grammar, or fix the pov so it is the same throughout the story.

 

[24ward]

There is a natural tension between the author's expression and the editor's responsibility. Clearly the first priority is to retain the author's 'voice', since it is their name attached to the thread.

But let's consider some nuances. The CHYOO site gives editors the power to not only approve/deny threads, but to edit threads previously approved. We also know there are limits on authors, in terms of the rules of the site (i.e. underage, bestiality) and the ability for site administrators to refuse or delete stories, and for editors to refuse threads.

There is also a communal interest in better stories over worse, and many options and contributors over few or one.


So let's consider some scenarios in which an editor is reviewing a newly assigned story, and it is their opinion that:

1) the story violates the rules of CHYOO, with threads involving children or bestiality.

2) the story is incomprehensible. There is a germ of a good idea, but the thread(s) are so poorly executed that potential contributors have no idea what the point of the story is.

3) the story does not follow its own rules, with respect to tense (past vs present) or POV, (the threads alternate between first, second and third POV), or is clearly under the wrong heading

4) the story is one thread long, and does not have a proper prompt question, so that a second thread doesn't flow logically from the first

5) the story contains 'poison' threads which should not have been approved in the first place

6) the story contains threads which are poorly written, and if they were better expressed the story would have more success

7) the story is well written, but has been abandoned and fallen out of favor, and the editor thinks if some of the threads were written differently, the story would come back to life.


I think we would all agree that the editor should act to enforce the rules in scenario #1, and that the editor shouldn't engage in a whole scale revision of the story described in scenario #7 to 'punch up' the ratings. What I see in between are a range of options in which reasonable people may disagree about the proper role of the editor.

The situation GoodBoy is in falls on the activist side of the spectrum. I see his point that this is listed as a "Mind Control" as opposed to a "Incest" story, but these categories overlap regularly.

The question is, could he explain how changing mother to stepmom makes the story better? If it's just his own dislike of incest stories motivating the change, I agree that he should probably leave it to someone else.

 

[GoodBoy741]

Exactly, it's just my own dislike of incest.

I figure that there's only a little incest in the story, so changing it preserves the vast majority of what the original author did. I'd only be changing the work of one person, since the only other people to add something added to non-incest areas.

The alternative is that the story doesn't get added to at all and the person who added something recently can not follow up on his thread until someone does take over. Who knows when that will happen.

(Of course, it's still only been 5 days, so this might all become moot if the editor pops back up and approves that thread.)

Against all that, there is something unpleasant about tampering with work that someone has left behind. Sure, the rest of his work will be read more if the story is getting updated, but I think we all expect that when we're writing our own story, we're leaving a permanent mark.

My strongest feeling is to let the story stand, even if nobody else wants it. I just wanted to see if there was anyone out there who would think that the story would be better off with an editor who made a modification but got it updating again.

 

[Torg]

Just give the author their month of leeway. Then let's discuss.

 

[GoodBoy741]

Just give the author their month of leeway. Then let's discuss.

More than fair.

 

[24ward]

Just give the author their month of leeway. Then let's discuss.

I thought the leeway was three months! That's good, because I have some pending threads I'm keeping my eye on...

I appreciate GoodBoy asking about this because I think it's a great question and I'd love to hear what others think is the proper role of the editor. What GoodBoy seems to be saying is that a new editor is like a surrogate 'creator', taking over not only the editorial function but the control over the flow and content of the story as a whole. He likes this story, wants to bring it to life, and wants to be able to make the sort of changes to the content that we would accept coming from the originator of the story in the first place (right?).

CHYOOers, what is the role of the new editor? Is the new editor just there to clear the glut of unapproved threads? Can the editor make revisions to existing threads, even from the original creator, that improves readability or the ability to collaborate? Can the editor make changes that will make the story more interesting or interactive while staying true to the original intent? Can the new editor make minor revisions contrary to the original submissions to make it more in keeping with their tastes? Can the new editor say, 'it's my story now, I'm going to make it my own' in a way that an original creator might?

 

[TJChurch]

I'm a troll.

 

[TwiztedClown]

I started-out only asking to edit stories I myself had unapproved threads for. Then, a bunch of decent stories were up for adoption, so I've taken a few every so often. To be honest, the last few I adopted (this month, I think), I've touched the already-written-&-approved threads barely, if at all.

My main aims are to correct spellings, grammar, etc... & to make sure stories that claim on Title page (or whatever it's called) to be M &/or F are. (That's a prsonal pet peeve when I go to write for a story.

Beyond that, I levae it alone.

That's what people should do.

 

[whizzper]

Yiou could also keep it that way for the most part, and have it him testing his powers and at the last second go "What the hell am I doing? This is my MOM!" Cuz as you say it's only two or three threads that have any incest leanings.

 

[GoodBoy741]

Just give the author their month of leeway. Then let's discuss.

Well, it's been a month and the story still has unapproved threads. Perhaps the author just needs a poke?

 

[Torg]

Well, it's been a month and the story still has unapproved threads. Perhaps the author just needs a poke?

This is Adam's Gift, right?

 

[GoodBoy741]

Yeppers.

 

[24ward]

Just give the author their month of leeway. Then let's discuss.

My threads in Bishop to Queen's Porn and Predator's Lust are still pending, seven weeks later.