Maybe This Is Where We Differ

[AsylumSeeker]

Yeah, sure, all love me as an editor.

Maybe I know why. Because I "edit" and don't critique. I take a "rough" story and rewrite it, marking my changes in red.

Other editors don't. Not knocking them for their style of editing, just expressing my own. It is what it is.

 

[_Lynn_]

Yeah, sure, all love me as an editor.

Maybe I know why. Because I "edit" and don't critique. I take a "rough" story and rewrite it, marking my changes in red.

Other editors don't. Not knocking them for their style of editing, just expressing my own. It is what it is.

We don't? I don't?

You've seen one of my edits, AS?

 

[PacoFear]

Yeah, sure, all love me as an editor.

Glad you cleared that up, AS. We'll just shuffle that 2009 Reader's Choice Award for Most Helpful Editor right on over to you. Looks like we'll have to pry it out of MistressLynn's hands though. Again. rose: ML!)

On a more serious note, I'm curious AS, do you add explanatory comments for the changes you make in revision text? How? I'm stuffing mine in brackets with a little "au:" to address the author. Not sure where I picked that up. CMoS maybe?

I find I'm burning as much time explaining what I'm doing as I am doing it. Just me?

 

[_Lynn_]

Glad you cleared that up, AS. We'll just shuffle that 2009 Reader's Choice Award for Most Helpful Editor right on over to you. Looks like we'll have to pry it out of MistressLynn's hands though. Again. rose: ML!)

On a more serious note, I'm curious AS, do you add explanatory comments for the changes you make in revision text? How? I'm stuffing mine in brackets with a little "au:" to address the author. Not sure where I picked that up. CMoS maybe?

I find I'm burning as much time explaining what I'm doing as I am doing it. Just me?

I'm not AS, but . . .

I use Microsoft Word and the track changes/comment boxes. They're simple to use, in my opinion.

The first time I do an edit for an author I add the explanatory notes/comments. At times I will even list where it's from in the CMS. My reasoning is to teach the author, not only what is correct but why. The more I explain the more they learn and the less I have to mark in future edits.

After the first couple edits, I don't do the full comments though. I leave notes with shorter comments that refer to previous edits. At that point if the author has not improved at all, then I question how serious they are about their writing.

Rambling over.

 

[PacoFear]

I use Microsoft Word and the track changes/comment boxes. They're simple to use, in my opinion.

I use Word too but I've always preferred the underline/strike-thru version of track changes to the bubbles. Now that I think about it though, my preference is a leftover from editing with hard copy and hating what a printed page with Word's comment bubbles looked like with the shrunken margins.

Duh, I guess we're doing this all electronically these days aren't we?

Okay, moving into the new decade a little late over here. On to the bubbles!

 

[_Lynn_]

I use Word too but I've always preferred the underline/strike-thru version of track changes to the bubbles. Now that I think about it though, my preference is a leftover from editing with hard copy and hating what a printed page with Word's comment bubbles looked like with the shrunken margins.

Duh, I guess we're doing this all electronically these days aren't we?

Okay, moving into the new decade a little late over here. On to the bubbles!

Electronically? We are?

*glancing at my PC and two laptops and winking*

 

[PacoFear]

Well, some of us are.

 

[_Lynn_]

Well, some of us are.

I'm computer illiterate.

 

[sr71plt]

On a more serious note, I'm curious AS, do you add explanatory comments for the changes you make in revision text? How? I'm stuffing mine in brackets with a little "au:" to address the author. Not sure where I picked that up. CMoS maybe?

Yep, that's what I was taught to do too (although I use "AU:" in the note). And I usually provide a explanation for a suggested change/correction at least the first time it occurs. On words incorrectly spelled (according to Webster's Collegiate unless the author specifies another dictionary), I remind them the first time that it's in Webster's. I always have hope that the author will learn what's behind the standard correction suggestions and will absorb it and do it better the next time they write so their editor will be free to look at possible deeper problems with the piece.

I do comment where the author loses me on contextual meaning (e.g., why is Aunt Matlida making an omelet in chapter seven? You had her murdered in chapter three). I don't get into story structure unless ask. And I don't tell them how they could have made it a better story (in my view). It's their story, not mine.

 

[CopperSkink]

My editing method grows from the same tree as the way I train people to train their dogs: I can bull-whip a story into shape, but that doesn't make the writer any better. As a handler of proven dogs, I can then judge the way a person's dog behaves and advise how to improve.

With writing, I likewise tell the writer where I think she is in the grand scheme of things and what suggestions I have for her to improve if I were her artificial audience. Breaking a story down into a five-point system has helped as well such that a person can examine her story from five different angles to see where she's at.

Of course my judgement is limited to my own skill, which in the world of erotic fiction is very narrow amidst the vastly different tastes there are. I can help a body out with semi-colons though. Like a boss.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

My editing method grows from the same tree as the way I train people to train their dogs: I can bull-whip a story into shape, but that doesn't make the writer any better. As a handler of proven dogs, I can then judge the way a person's dog behaves and advise how to improve.

With writing, I likewise tell the writer where I think she is in the grand scheme of things and what suggestions I have for her to improve if I were her artificial audience. Breaking a story down into a five-point system has helped as well such that a person can examine her story from five different angles to see where she's at.

Of course my judgement is limited to my own skill, which in the world of erotic fiction is very narrow amidst the vastly different tastes there are. I can help a body out with semi-colons though. Like a boss.

All I was trying to convey is that we all have different methods, and writers respond to varied methods. I tend to coddle, while others take different approaches. Some prefer not to be coddled, prefer to have some direction and go that way. Teaching is the same way. Some learn better by watching a demonstration, others by reading, still others by being supervised as they perform the task. Ah well, maybe one of you can teach me tact? (LOL)

 

[AsylumSeeker]

We don't? I don't?

You've seen one of my edits, AS?

No, I haven't. But in a previous post in a different thread when editing came up I recall you saying that you don't make corrections, you just suggest the writers rewrite sentences. Not picking on anyone, just saying that writers who have submitted stories to me appreciate the level of service I provide -- nothing more, nothing less.

Yeah, well, not looking for any award, thank-you-very-much. <I>That<I> kind of advertising only adds editing requests to my inbox, and I do prefer to write.

Okay, I have successfully alienated myself once again from the Lit crowd, I see. It's all good. Nothing another drink won't fix, lol.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

The ROOT Cause

I have done some soul-searching -- and yes I do have one -- just to snub the comedic response.

I feel inferior to you other editors. I have no formal education in writing, I am always coming here asking editing questions when I don't know the answers, and many thanks for your assistance. Yet I try so hard to help the writers that I edit for. I'm not acting proud, I'm just trying to tell you, in the best way that I can, that I am a valued editor by the people I edit for. I just need a sense of worth, to find a foothold amongst the editors that I have so much respect for. I'm not trying to brag, I'm just trying to find my place.

Okay, fire away.

Stepping off of my "soap box" <now several inches smaller>.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Glad you cleared that up, AS. We'll just shuffle that 2009 Reader's Choice Award for Most Helpful Editor right on over to you. Looks like we'll have to pry it out of MistressLynn's hands though. Again. rose: ML!)

On a more serious note, I'm curious AS, do you add explanatory comments for the changes you make in revision text? How? I'm stuffing mine in brackets with a little "au:" to address the author. Not sure where I picked that up. CMoS maybe?

I find I'm burning as much time explaining what I'm doing as I am doing it. Just me?[/QUO

Just make the changes. Edit. Myaybe just me.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Glad you cleared that up, AS. We'll just shuffle that 2009 Reader's Choice Award for Most Helpful Editor right on over to you. Looks like we'll have to pry it out of MistressLynn's hands though. Again. rose: ML!)

On a more serious note, I'm curious AS, do you add explanatory comments for the changes you make in revision text? How? I'm stuffing mine in brackets with a little "au:" to address the author. Not sure where I picked that up. CMoS maybe?

I find I'm burning as much time explaining what I'm doing as I am doing it. Just me?

You are obviously trolling for ammo against me. Yeah, uh, no. You are the better editor okay? I'm just a piece of shit pretend-to-be-editor. You feel better now? I'll be sure to send my writers to you, since you are so much better at editing than me.

Okay, so play nice now?

 

[_Lynn_]

Okay, so play nice now?

Yes, AS, play nice.

 

[PacoFear]

You are obviously trolling for ammo against me. Yeah, uh, no. You are the better editor okay? I'm just a piece of shit pretend-to-be-editor. You feel better now? I'll be sure to send my writers to you, since you are so much better at editing than me.

Okay, so play nice now?

AS, I wasn't trolling. Honest. I was really just looking to compare notes. Frankly, I'm uncomfortable even calling myself an editor. Maybe more like a second reader? I think I picked that term up from SR though, and I'm probably using it wrong.

Man hug, AS? How 'bout a masculine chest-bump?

-PF

 

[sr71plt]

"Just make the changes." No, sorry, you should only do that if the author is working for hire and you are the one who hired him/her. (That actually was the system when I edited for the government. The editor was the one with full control and last say on how anything was to be rendered.)

For something like a Lit. story, it's the author's work, not the editors. The author should have final say on how it's worded and constructed (and should be the one submitting it to Lit.) This being the case, I don't agree to "just make the changes." Anything and everything I edit that is the author's ultimate responsibility doesn't destroy anything originally there. It strikes through, leaving the original legible (and electronic editing programs are set up to function this way), and makes the suggested changes in either bold or a contrasting font color. It's the author's right and responsibility to accept or reject--and to rewrite, as necessary, too.

I've sat on my hands through a "pay attention to me" litany here, starting responses several times and then just deleting them. But this one goes to a basic duties of responsible editing (as well as the duties of authoring).

 

[AsylumSeeker]

AS, I wasn't trolling. Honest. I was really just looking to compare notes. Frankly, I'm uncomfortable even calling myself an editor. Maybe more like a second reader? I think I picked that term up from SR though, and I'm probably using it wrong.

Man hug, AS? How 'bout a masculine chest-bump?

-PF

Okay, a half-hug chest-bump.

Ya know, I wasn't trying to incite anything. I do what I can as an editor. I do feel inferior and so maybe I toot my horn when I can.

Maybe I should call it a night. Best, all.

 

[PacoFear]

"Just make the changes." No, sorry, you should only do that if the author is working for hire and you are the one who hired him/her. (That actually was the system when I edited for the government. The editor was the one with full control and last say on how anything was to be rendered.)

For something like a Lit. story, it's the author's work, not the editors. The author should have final say on how it's worded and constructed (and should be the one submitting it to Lit.) This being the case, I don't agree to "just make the changes." Anything and everything I edit that is the author's ultimate responsibility doesn't destroy anything originally there. It strikes through, leaving the original legible (and electronic editing programs are set up to function this way), and makes the suggested changes in either bold or a contrasting font color. It's the author's right and responsibility to accept or reject--and to rewrite, as necessary, too.

I've sat on my hands through a "pay attention to me" litany here, starting responses several times and then just deleting them. But this one goes to a basic duties of responsible editing (as well as the duties of authoring).

I took AS's comment to mean he performs a good number of his edits in revision text but without an explanatory comment. Authors can accept/deny. Just my guess though.I won't pretend to have any skills at reading minds in general, much less our favorite topsy-turvy forum member's noodle.

I think I like adding the explanatories. I'd rather teach a fellow writer to fish than teach him to show up and demand dinner, ya know?

AS: here's a warm 'n fuzzy thought for you: I've actually steered a couple of authors your way for edits when they contacted me directly and I didn't have the time. Can you think of a better endorsement?

-PF

 

[AsylumSeeker]

I took AS's comment to mean he performs a good number of his edits in revision text but without an explanatory comment. Authors can accept/deny. Just my guess though.I won't pretend to have any skills at reading minds in general, much less our favorite topsy-turvy forum member's noodle.

I think I like adding the explanatories. I'd rather teach a fellow writer to fish than teach him to show up and demand dinner, ya know?

AS: here's a warm 'n fuzzy thought for you: I've actually steered a couple of authors your way for edits when they contacted me directly and I didn't have the time. Can you think of a better endorsement?

-PF

Thanks all, this has been blown way out of proportion, perhaps by the verbage of my post, so I wll claim credit, if one can call it that.

I was just feeling "heady" when I got a really nice compliment from a writer I edited for, this is all. Maybe I started this off all wrong. Okay, well, on to the next dramatic moment.

Thanks to all of you editors for the time you take out of your lives to help writers. And a man-hug to SR for the suggestions he helps me with. Best to all.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Miley Cyrus

You should check her out,

 

[Firebrain]

I add my comments in bold to the text, where I see fit. They are often mean and sarcastic. E.g.

Wordy (and that means too many words, by the way - not word, muthafucka).

I tend to edit people in terms of dialogue, character development and plot/plausibility. I also regularly preach the gospel of the semi-colon. I explain where things need explaining - if I need to explain most punctuation mistakes then I will not be editing that person again.

All of my comments - except the odd punctuation add - are suggestions. I do not re-write the story because it is not mine to re-write. To be honest, AS, your comment makes me wonder about the standard of stories that you're editing.

(I only edit stories I like because I have little time to do so, and to be frank, I don't think you can polish a turd. I would also not want to reshape it because it is turd. I will touch clay though, can totally reshape the clay...).

 

[AsylumSeeker]

I add my comments in bold to the text, where I see fit. They are often mean and sarcastic. E.g.

Wordy (and that means too many words, by the way - not word, muthafucka).

I tend to edit people in terms of dialogue, character development and plot/plausibility. I also regularly preach the gospel of the semi-colon. I explain where things need explaining - if I need to explain most punctuation mistakes then I will not be editing that person again.

All of my comments - except the odd punctuation add - are suggestions. I do not re-write the story because it is not mine to re-write. To be honest, AS, your comment makes me wonder about the standard of stories that you're editing.

(I only edit stories I like because I have little time to do so, and to be frank, I don't think you can polish a turd. I would also not want to reshape it because it is turd. I will touch clay though, can totally reshape the clay...).

My editing changes based upon the story and my experience with the writers. Some I have experience with and I already know what they expect. Others not so much. Weak writers I edit, not changing words, but fixing boo-boos and making suggestions.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

My editing changes based upon the story and my experience with the writers. Some I have experience with and I already know what they expect. Others not so much. Weak writers I edit, not changing words, but fixing boo-boos and making suggestions.

Maybe I am helping too much. But if the writers are happy then so be it.