Just venting

[kittykatbc]

I am sure that I am not the first one to post about the frustration of being an editor but I have the need to vent.

Every few days I receive an email from a writer that sends me 10 stories at the same time and asks me to edit them, write parts of them and to get back to him as soon as possible. I was polite when I responded to him the first few times but now I don't even respond to him.

It is not my job to write your stories, nor do I have time or the energy to edit more than one story at a time for a writer.

I enjoy editing, I love meeting new people but I have a life, a full time job, and a household to look after. I receive 1-4 emails a day asking for help and I do have to limit the number of people that I will take on. That is so I can actually help you and give your quality time.

Thanks for listening

 

[AsylumSeeker]

I am sure that I am not the first one to post about the frustration of being an editor but I have the need to vent.

Every few days I receive an email from a writer that sends me 10 stories at the same time and asks me to edit them, write parts of them and to get back to him as soon as possible. I was polite when I responded to him the first few times but now I don't even respond to him.

It is not my job to write your stories, nor do I have time or the energy to edit more than one story at a time for a writer.

I enjoy editing, I love meeting new people but I have a life, a full time job, and a household to look after. I receive 1-4 emails a day asking for help and I do have to limit the number of people that I will take on. That is so I can actually help you and give your quality time.

Thanks for listening

Can't say for sure but the writer in question feels that he/she can control you. Not sure if something was communicated that gave the writer this sense, or they may just be controlling by nature.

I wouldn't necessarily cut off contact, not at first, but remind them of what you shared with us. If they persist, then tell them you will no longer accept their stories for editing. Never been faced with this, but this is the best advice I can think of.

I'm sorry you're having a bad experience, mine have nearly always been positive. Maybe one or two exceptions, but given I've been doing this for a number of years, not a bad ratio.

Huggss!

 

[kittykatbc]

Thanks for listening, for the advice and for the hugs.

I never told the guy that I would edit his stories for him; he would just send me another email ever couple of days. There would be 3-6 stories attached every time.

Most of the time it is a positive experience.

I am also exhausted from a very long, long, long semester of teaching and so HAPPY that this school year is over!!!

I am going to enjoy some time off and take a deep breathe. Also a gin and tonic.

 

[LadyCibelle]

Thanks for listening, for the advice and for the hugs.

I never told the guy that I would edit his stories for him; he would just send me another email ever couple of days. There would be 3-6 stories attached every time.

Most of the time it is a positive experience.

I am also exhausted from a very long, long, long semester of teaching and so HAPPY that this school year is over!!!

I am going to enjoy some time off and take a deep breathe. Also a gin and tonic.

I think we both got the same guy. Every few days he sends me a ton of stories, always the same, even though I'Ve told him in his first request that I wasn't taking any new writers because of health reason.

Some writers simply don't know how to read and flood an editor's box as if they're entitled to some special treatment. After telling this particular "writer" three times that I didn't take writers, therefore wouldn't be working on his stories, I've taken to simply delete his stories without even answering any more. No point in saying the same thing over and over again when it's plain to see that the recipient isn't listening.

 

[Seurat]

Wow, I am looking at this from a completely different perspective. I think that if somebody is willing to edit my stories, they should be treated with a bit of kindness. Afterall, they are basically cleaning up after me. Flooding a mailbox isn't the way things should be done.

As a writer, if I was doing something like that, I think a nice single shot email response telling him exactly what was up would do the trick. After that, delte them, or better yet, bounce them back.

Editors do this as a courtesy; treat them right, don't abuse them.

Well, unless of course that is part of what they consider when you use the phrase 'treat them right'.

 

[ttvttp]

That writer while sounding very demanding he sounds very prolific.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

I think we both got the same guy. Every few days he sends me a ton of stories, always the same, even though I'Ve told him in his first request that I wasn't taking any new writers because of health reason.

Some writers simply don't know how to read and flood an editor's box as if they're entitled to some special treatment. After telling this particular "writer" three times that I didn't take writers, therefore wouldn't be working on his stories, I've taken to simply delete his stories without even answering any more. No point in saying the same thing over and over again when it's plain to see that the recipient isn't listening.

Still love ya. Hoping all is well with you, while also realizing this may be as welcome as a tsunami. Enough said.

 

[honeywldcat]

Sadly enough, I believe the same person has been sending me his stories as well. About three weeks ago, I explained to him that I was busy and would not be able to edit for him. Apparently, he refused to listen or pay attention to what I said. I sent him an e-mail explaining the situation, AGAIN. After reading through what he sent, I did some basic editing to his stories because I couldn't help myself.

For some reason, this person seems to write the same exact story with only a few changes in character names and that type of thing. What really got to me was when he sent me an e-mail telling me to 'make the plot better' and to 'add more dialogue'. Needless to say, I wasn't very kind after that.

Why is it that some people who want help with their stories are open and genuinely want to be better writers; yet others want to demand that we, as editors, should redefine their work and essentially write it for them??? Sometimes it drives me absolutely insane.

Just need to vent a bit.



~~honeywldcat~~

 

[kittykatbc]

thanks for the kind messages and support.

It sounds as if we had to all deal with him. LOL

Honeywldcat - I can understand about needing to vent.

LadyCibelle - Yes, I was frustrated about him not listening that I could not help him. Grrrr....

Seurat - thank you for the kind message about working with an editor. I try to have a good relationship with my writers and love working with people but I am not here to write you story. If I was doing that I would just write my own story. LOL

Everyone- keep smiling and be kind to each other.

(((hugs)))
Kat

 

[LadyCibelle]

Still love ya. Hoping all is well with you, while also realizing this may be as welcome as a tsunami. Enough said.

Right back atcha, sweetie.

 

[bronzeage]

If someone asked me to write part of the story, I would make it very clear that nothing like that was going to happen.

I mark all deletions, corrections and notes in red type. The author has to go through their story, line by line, considering every change I suggest and must re-edit back to standard black type.

I want to help produce a better story, but I am not concerned with making it easy.

 

[littleblackdress50]

Gives lady C a great big hug... just cuz she's such a sweetie... thinkin bout ya. Now if I got down on my knees and begged...... would you consider?...only kiddin.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Right back atcha, sweetie.

Nice to see ya back.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Right back atcha, sweetie.

If someone asked me to write part of the story, I would make it very clear that nothing like that was going to happen.

I mark all deletions, corrections and notes in red type. The author has to go through their story, line by line, considering every change I suggest and must re-edit back to standard black type.

I want to help produce a better story, but I am not concerned with making it easy.

When I edit I take into account the writer's skill level. If the writer is good I only suggest, and in red so it stands out, in this manner, in brackets, such as:

[their words/s - my suggested replacement].

But with weaker writers I just make the edits for them, allow them to go back and review to see what I have written as an example as to how they might learn.

There are no hard or fast rules, but I find myself adapting to the situation on a case by case basis. The writers I have worked with seem to appreciate this approach to date.

If in doubt, communicate with the writer and ask what they are looking for. And by all means keep writers updated every few days, they are in the dark about the progress being made.

Just my two cents -- adjusted for inflation, with tax -- maybe more like twenty bucks!

 

[_Lynn_]

When I edit I take into account the writer's skill level. If the writer is good I only suggest, and in red so it stands out, in this manner, in brackets, such as:

[their words/s - my suggested replacement].

But with weaker writers I just make the edits for them, allow them to go back and review to see what I have written as an example as to how they might learn.

There are no hard or fast rules, but I find myself adapting to the situation on a case by case basis. The writers I have worked with seem to appreciate this approach to date.

If in doubt, communicate with the writer and ask what they are looking for. And by all means keep writers updated every few days, they are in the dark about the progress being made.

Just my two cents -- adjusted for inflation, with tax -- maybe more like twenty bucks!

I wouldn't adapt my editing to match any writer's level of skill anymore. With those I work with from Lit, we understand each other. Outside editing has guidelines I adhere to regardless of the author.

How can anyone learn why a mistake is wrong if all they see is a changed copy? That makes no sense to me. We are the teachers, wanting them to improve, even to the point of one day teaching others.

I use Microsoft Word track changes for corrections, word deletions/additions, etc. Suggestions, explanations, and CMS rules go into the comment boxes. 'Ly' adverbs I might highlight if there are an over-abundance of them in the story.

But I do agree communication is important.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

I wouldn't adapt my editing to match any writer's level of skill anymore. With those I work with from Lit, we understand each other. Outside editing has guidelines I adhere to regardless of the author.

How can anyone learn why a mistake is wrong if all they see is a changed copy? That makes no sense to me. We are the teachers, wanting them to improve, even to the point of one day teaching others.

I use Microsoft Word track changes for corrections, word deletions/additions, etc. Suggestions, explanations, and CMS rules go into the comment boxes. 'Ly' adverbs I might highlight if there are an over-abundance of them in the story.

But I do agree communication is important.

It is fine to agree to disagree. I am who I am and edit how I edit, and I will not change, as neither will you.

 

[_Lynn_]

It is fine to agree to disagree. I am who I am and edit how I edit, and I will not change, as neither will you.

Very true, AS. Besides, wouldn't it be boring if we agreed all the time?

 

[littleblackdress50]

I have no experience as a volunteer editor on lit but I have done quite a bit of editing in other forums and long long ago for a few writers here (none of whom seem to be around anymore). Most of my editing has been in a professional capacity with professional writers. Not dealing with such a broad gamete of skill levels may make my opinions null and void.

An editor should NEVER change how they edit based on the skill level of the writer, it simply isn't fair to the new writer BUT perhaps an editor should change how they phrase some comments. The goal is to encourage new writers and to help writers on all levels.

New writers need to be encouraged by gently telling them where things need fixing while heaping praise in general (some pros also need to be handled with kid gloves). Writers who know they are generally good, can be told directly where crap is crap without destroying their ego. I would tell any writer where things need to be moved or consolidated, but I wouldn't rewrite anything. I would never give an experienced writer any example of how to rewrite a crappy sentence, just tell them it is odoriferous, but I might consider providing a beginner an example.

I realize that there are new writers who think that it is your job to fix their work. They need to understand that it is their work, not the editors. Some will simply never get it, will never understand the relationship between writer and editor.

 

[kodos9000]

I am no editor nor do I ever claim to be. I just want to say as an amateur writer 'I use amateur very loosly' I know that it's because of volunteer editors that I see my stories getter better.

I hope you don't lose heart because of one jack ass who can't see the real value of what it is that volunteer editors do.

Kodos.

 

[LadyCibelle]

Gives lady C a great big hug... just cuz she's such a sweetie... thinkin bout ya. Now if I got down on my knees and begged...... would you consider?...only kiddin.

I know you, don't I? I just can't remember who you are. Sorry.

Now you don't need to get down on your knees or beg, I'm always considering.

Nice to see ya back.

Not back, hun; not by a long shot. Just peeking when I have ONE moment that isn't debilitating pain.

 

[driphoney]

That writer while sounding very demanding he sounds very prolific.

Prolific doesn't not equal good.

 

[D_K_Moon]

That writer while sounding very demanding he sounds very prolific.

I don't know the writer in question, but from the comments of the editors, it sounds like he gets off on the idea of having a female read his work. Of course, I could be sucking wind, too...

 

[D_K_Moon]

Prolific doesn't not equal good.

I always viewed prolific as being a good thing. But, I know what you're saying, the old quantity vs quality issue.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Very true, AS. Besides, wouldn't it be boring if we agreed all the time?

As an editor I tend to edit as I write, which is why I encourage writers to sample my wares (stories) before agreeing to accepting me as their editor. Yes, we are all different, what a boring world it would be without diversity!

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Prolific doesn't not equal good.

I agree. If memory serves -- and it may not -- StePHen King <wink> wrote many stories under a different name because he is so prolific. I'm sure if I am wrong I will be corrected, but this is what I recall having read somewhere along the way.

As for me, I have been told I am prolific, but I am and am not. I seem to have cycles. When I am in an up-cycle I can write five to ten stories around 6k words in a few days. And then there are times, like now, when I can't write to save my life. I think most writers are like this, just guessing. Maybe others can chime in?