Curious about volenteer editors

[dawei]

I'm just wondering why people have offered to be editors here.

What are their motives? Do they like editing? Do they like helping others? Do they enjoy working through a story that needs fixing? Do they find inspiration to write stories themselves? Are they doing an apprenticeship? Or do they steal the creativity from the lesser skilled writers? Or are they looking to be paid? Or is it a way of advertising their services in someway? etc.

I don't really have a handle on it, but I've been curious to know the reasons. Writing takes a lot of time for me, so it seems like it would be a lot of work to be an editor.

 

[snoopercharmbrights]

I'm just wondering why people have offered to be editors here.

What are their motives? Do they like editing? Do they like helping others? Do they enjoy working through a story that needs fixing? Do they find inspiration to write stories themselves? Are they doing an apprenticeship? Or do they steal the creativity from the lesser skilled writers? Or are they looking to be paid? Or is it a way of advertising their services in someway? etc.

I don't really have a handle on it, but I've been curious to know the reasons. Writing takes a lot of time for me, so it seems like it would be a lot of work to be an editor.

Taking the last point first. Yes, editing properly takes a lot of time, and that time increases at least as the square of the number of words in the story.

I don't know about others, but I do some editing for people as a sort of recompense for the editing other people have done for me in the past. I was very grateful to a number of older and more experienced people twenty years ago when I wrote my magnum opus on Computer Security (ISBN on PM request) and so a little VE work is the least I can do in acknowledgement.

Before anyone points out that I am not a professional editor, I acknowledge that fact, but a number of authors here seem happy with what I offer, whatever it should be called.

 

[dawei]

Taking the last point first. Yes, editing properly takes a lot of time, and that time increases at least as the square of the number of words in the story.

I don't know about others, but I do some editing for people as a sort of recompense for the editing other people have done for me in the past. I was very grateful to a number of older and more experienced people twenty years ago when I wrote my magnum opus on Computer Security (ISBN on PM request) and so a little VE work is the least I can do in acknowledgement.

Before anyone points out that I am not a professional editor, I acknowledge that fact, but a number of authors here seem happy with what I offer, whatever it should be called.

Thanks snoopercharmbrights. That's at least one view point. And I'm sure their are many writers who appreciate having another set of eyes helping them with their work.

 

[SydneyBlake]

Thanks snoopercharmbrights. That's at least one view point. And I'm sure their are many writers who appreciate having another set of eyes helping them with their work.

What editing I've done, I did it because I wanted to help a writer with what I believed to be a good story. His mechanics just needed help. I do have ulterior motives, of course; I have twisted his arm until he promised to read mine, when I'm finished. As brutal as I've been with him, I'm looking forward to receiving a good spanking.

 

[diedra13]

I guess I want to edit for multiple reasons...In providing servies to others I learn and grow...I feel I have a lot if insite with my history...but sometimes a story needs fresh eyes..a new pserspective..I am part of a speaking type group that evaluates speeches...I get the same pleasure of watching an author grow...and hope that you played some role of inspiration in their success....

diedra

 

[sr71plt]

The opportunity to trade reviews would be a good reason for doing it.

 

[lovecraft68]

I guess I want to edit for multiple reasons...In providing servies to others I learn and grow...I feel I have a lot if insite with my history...but sometimes a story needs fresh eyes..a new pserspective..I am part of a speaking type group that evaluates speeches...I get the same pleasure of watching an author grow...and hope that you played some role of inspiration in their success....

diedra

Is your speaking group toastmasters by any chance?

 

[MicKay]

Damn....

Is your speaking group toastmasters by any chance?

..that was funny!

 

[GulfMisprint]

I want to enjoy the stories more

I've volunteered to copy-edit and I've sent copy-edit suggestions to a few authors. I sent them about stories that I liked a lot but found myself occasionally annoyed at. I'd be reading along, happy as a clam. Then, wham. I'm jerked out of my willing suspension of disbelief by some silly error where I have to think so I can figure out what's going on.

Missing begin or end quote marks so I have to think to figure out what the character actually said and what they only thought. A wrong word, often a homonym, so I have to think about what the author actually meant. (The one that took me the longest to figure out was when a character rode off to the eminence across the river. By context, I knew there were no kings around. I finally figured out that he meant "prominence". Really annoying.) Using the wrong character name, like speaking to Alice when we know that Alice is out of town and Mary is the one currently in the room. Continuity problems, like where the character bought several days worth of peaches today, and had also bought them yesterday too.

I want to spend my reading time enjoying what the characters are doing. If I need to think, I want it to be about why they are doing it and what might come next. I don't want to be distracted by silly errors. If I can help fix them, then when I finally read the story for pleasure, I'll enjoy it more.

GM

 

[estragon]

I love the English language. I don't love reading it misused. I love good writing. If I can help a good writer with the mechanical part of writing, I feel I've done something worthwhile.

 

[hkf999]

Motivation

I have been reading stories for many years, part of why I edit is to give something back in thanks for the enjoyable times spent reading, the other reason is that I have read many stories, that I had to abandon as they were so poorly written. When I see errors, it jars me and takes my focus off the story. Having said that, it is my belief that every story should have at least two editors, it is impossible to catch everything.

 

[Noira]

I enjoy helping craft people into better writers. Maybe it's a bit of "pay it back" for those who helped me. It is a lot of work, so for me it's purely altruistic and I make no guarantees. I work best with those who want to really craft their writing, not just edit a few commas and things.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

I will answer the question with a question.

Why would a person encumber themselves with thousands of dollars in student loans only to seek a job in one of the lowest-paying professions in the country? In other words, why would any sane person go to college, get a degree, and choose to teach in an education system that pays so little?

 

[MoonlessNight]

I actually find this quite offensive to be honest.

I created a volunteer editor's profile as soon as I created an account. One of my reasons for joining this circle was to help 'fit in' since I am new. My main reason was because I love reading and writing.

I'm very excited to know I'm helping this site to blossom from these wonderful authors. These people take time out of their lives to serve our pleasurable needs. The way you speak, it is as if editors such as myself have alternative motives. Is it a bad thing that I take time to help these authors?

 

[MicKay]

MoonlessNight: Were you responding to AS? If so, did you think he was insulting teachers? I understood the comment to mean that a lot of time is invested in the endeavor with very little reward <-- ie acknowledgment, gratitude, etc. Some authors are jewels and you're lucky if you have one. Some of the editors patiently struggle with the rest of us.

(Personally, I'm glad he didn't compare the experience to teaching Special Ed!)

 

[MoonlessNight]

@Mic; I was actually referring to the thread starter

 

[MicKay]

Oh...do you see him making an implication in the question? Let's hope he didn't intend to offend.

Welcome to the site! As a struggling author, I very much appreciate the services that you and the others provide. IMHO, editing is the most important and difficult part of creating a story.

 

[MoonlessNight]

Thanks! Most have been very welcoming

 

[dawei]

I actually find this quite offensive to be honest.

I created a volunteer editor's profile as soon as I created an account. One of my reasons for joining this circle was to help 'fit in' since I am new. My main reason was because I love reading and writing.

I'm very excited to know I'm helping this site to blossom from these wonderful authors. These people take time out of their lives to serve our pleasurable needs. The way you speak, it is as if editors such as myself have alternative motives. Is it a bad thing that I take time to help these authors?

MoonlessNight, there is no reason to be offended by my question. I respect people who do volunteer editing, though I have yet to ask someone to edit my work. I've been reluctant to do it for some reason.

On the other hand, I think people are motivate by different things and I was just looking for answers. Partly, I was curious because for me writing is difficult. It takes a lot of time and it doesn’t come easy. So I thought either editing comes easy for some or perhaps they simply get gratification by it. Conversely, I thought some people might be editing as a means to get into something else. Frankly, you never know. Especially, I might have thought about that when I saw some people trying to be overly aggressive in seeking out new writers. So, again, I was wonder if there wasn’t something more to it than that. So I asked.

 

[dawei]

I will answer the question with a question.

Why would a person encumber themselves with thousands of dollars in student loans only to seek a job in one of the lowest-paying professions in the country? In other words, why would any sane person go to college, get a degree, and choose to teach in an education system that pays so little?

After I graduated, I considered teaching. In addition to the chance to teach and possibly coach a team sport, I thought the summer breaks would be nice. But ultimately, I decided I didn't want to stand up so much during the day.

 

[dawei]

Summarizing

Alright, I see many of you who volunteer to do editing work, do it because you want to give something back to the writing community. Another suggested they might grow as a writer by doing some editing, and also using the opportunity to trade reviews is very plausible to me.

But some have indicated that its mostly out of frustration from reading poorly written stories that you find the need to help others. And it’s as if by helping those who need help, you will somehow improve the stories you read here. Maybe I've exaggerated a bit, but I find that motivation to be a little curious and harder to understand. But, I guess, I too have found a good story or poem and notified the author of a error or flaw. And I did it because I thought their writing was deserving to be made better.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

After I graduated, I considered teaching. In addition to the chance to teach and possibly coach a team sport, I thought the summer breaks would be nice. But ultimately, I decided I didn't want to stand up so much during the day.

Teaching is very rewarding. I taught in the military and, although exceptions exist, I thought it was great to be respected not only for my rank but for my natural abilities to convey new ideas to receptive young adult minds who are now protecting this great country that I am now too old to do the same for.

I find editing to to be equally rewarding for most writers. Most demonstrate their appreciation and, as additional stories from the same writers are edited, I see the improvements. And I also learn from editing as well -- learn new perspectives, new words at times, new phrases (some of which I have adopted), and other advantages I would have missed out on if I had never had this wonderful experience.

I like to think that if a person stops learning, they stop living, and there are so many different ways to learn. Some volunteer at the food bank, the church... this is how I choose to volunteer. This is a community after all, maybe not geographically speaking, but a community that I have invested in emotionally as much as where I live.

I think you get the idea.

 

[snoopercharmbrights]

Sometimes it is a sheer pleasure to see a writer improve and prosper.

An example is Macro7 who started on here with short stories in 2006 and now publishes in paperback, does book signings, etc.

Just goes to show - it can happen.

 

[SevenSquared]

It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of editors are writers that feel a little bit 'burned out' from writing (or maybe just lacking inspiration) but want to stay involved with the community and contribute something.

Of course this is just speculation as I'm not an editor here, nor do I know any. But I was an editor on another site, after being a writer for a while, and with hindsight I think that was my motivation.