Do You Seek an Editor or a Mentor?

[AsylumSeeker]

An editor fixes typos and grammar. A mentor helps one to craft a story.

I think it would help if one would identify their needs.

Just saying.

 

[PennLady]

I usually want someone who can read my story and find plot holes, logic errors, character inconsistencies, etc., so I suppose that's more in the mentor line. If I make any mechanical errors, I appreciate if they point them out, but I edit myself as I go along and am confident in my punctuation, etc. It definitely helps if a writer specifies which they want, because often I have time or energy for one or not the other.

 

[palisa]

editor/mentor/whatever

An editor fixes typos and grammar. A mentor helps one to craft a story.

I think it would help if one would identify their needs.

Just saying.

Not sure I agree with you, but it's just a matter of definitions, and they vary.

To me, what you're talking about first is copyediting. General editing is involved in story structure, logical flow and keeping the protagonist's name the same through the whole story. (Uhh...that last is humor, FYI.)

When it gets into helping somebody come up with story ideas, then it's mentoring.

Your mileage may vary, but I agree it would be nice to know what an author has in mind when he asks for help. But for the most part, I think they do.

 

[sr71plt]

I include the logical flow and consistency check in copy editing. Story structure isn't getting into what I was taught is developmental editing, though.

 

[sethp]

My editor edits of course but then also comments -women don't really do that seth-that's not an actual bra size seth-it doesn't make any sense to me that people would do that, but maybe this-

these little comments actually mentor and help craft the story.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I don't agree with your definition of "mentor." Rather, I believe you are describing two different editorial functions.

In any event, my editor reviews the first draft for consistency, character development, dialogue, and flow. She recommends areas that need more development and parts that could be cut out.

The second draft is reviewed for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

For editing, I liked the definitions sr71plt provided here in post 4:

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=755836


Mentoring, to me, is an altogether different process, one that is linked not to a story but instead to a person, and is a years long commitment, agreed upon by both parties ahead of time. I imagine this isn't what editors at lit sign up for.

 

[PennLady]

My editor edits of course but then also comments -women don't really do that seth-that's not an actual bra size seth-it doesn't make any sense to me that people would do that, but maybe this-

these little comments actually mentor and help craft the story.

Hey. I resemble that remark.

 

[estragon]

One other category, although perhaps it's a bit farther afield, is technical editing, such as SA Penn Lady did for a chapter in my "A New Birth of Freedom" series. That encompasses providing detailed information, based upon first-hand experience, to an author about activities or procedures of which the author knows virtually nothing. In the case I'm speaking of, it was pregnancy and childbirth. I can think of other instances where a good technical editor would save an author from many missteps, to say nothing of howlers.

 

[sethp]

Hey. I resemble that remark.

lol I really do actually listen to my editor!

 

[snoopercharmbrights]

... and keeping the protagonist's name the same through the whole story. (Uhh...that last is humor, FYI.) ...

No - sadly it is simply realistic. I have been on both ends of that process. In my defence, you try keeping Hajji Darwish Dosmukhamedov's name spelled consistently.

 

[Firebrain]

I couldn't just copy-edit. It's thankless. The writer doesn't learn and you just correct the same mistakes again and again. Often, really correcting a mistake would involve re-writing whole sentences too, but you can't do that.

That's why copy-editing is usually one of the last passes performed in an edit, and not the first.

 

[sr71plt]

I couldn't just copy-edit. It's thankless. The writer doesn't learn and you just correct the same mistakes again and again. Often, really correcting a mistake would involve re-writing whole sentences too, but you can't do that.

That's why copy-editing is usually one of the last passes performed in an edit, and not the first.

Copyediting is my first pass at a manuscript (although I do some on every pass--there are always new problems to find). I can't concentrate on content with a lot of copyediting needing done, so I make that pass first. Then there isn't as much to distract me when I read for substantive issues.

 

[Firebrain]

Copyediting is my first pass at a manuscript (although I do some on every pass--there are always new problems to find). I can't concentrate on content with a lot of copyediting needing done, so I make that pass first. Then there isn't as much to distract me when I read for substantive issues.

I was referring to how it's done commercially; for my own stuff, I copy edit all the time. Someone else's work is quite different.

 

[sr71plt]

I was referring to how it's done commercially; for my own stuff, I copy edit all the time. Someone else's work is quite different.

I also was referring to how it's done commerically. I edit for the mainstream book publishers.

 

[Firebrain]

I also was referring to how it's done commerically. I edit for the mainstream book publishers.

Then our experiences are different.

 

[sr71plt]

Then our experiences are different.

Apparently. I've only edited 152 books for mainstream publishers.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Yeah

Apparently. I've only edited 152 books for mainstream publishers.

Very good for you. Based on what you tell us, you're versy talented.

Good going.