VE program

[bob03567]

I have a general question to ask.

Has any one else had problems with getting there work reviewed and returned using the Volunteerr Editors.

Since August I've been trying to have a story reviewed. As of that time I've written 4 other stories. All of which I'm having the same problem with getting them reviewed and sent back.

I've tried to enlist several different Editor from the program and it seems they all just die off, and never get back to me about my work. Is this common?

I'm very green at writting and know this. I wanted to find someone to point out my mistakes and help me along with my writing. I made this perfectly clear when I addressed there help. I also made it clear that my work was that of the incest nature.

I got some responces back saying sure they would look at it. And others (Not very professional) Never replied with "I"m sorry I can't help you".

So the editors that agree to help, I sent my work to. And I then had to send an email asking if they received my story. (I mean how else would I know that they got it.)

Now a week goes by and I don't hear a peep.

I didn't want to be a pain in the ass and pester them, as to if they had a chance to look at my work yet. They are doing this on ther own precious time.

But after a week I send an email and get no reply back. Am I wasting my time here? Or is the typical practice.

I'm very frustrated. If I didn't think I needed help, I would just post my stories and waste everyones time trying to understand my jibberish.

I thought this might be enjoyable for me and maybe, just maybe enjoyable for someone to read.

To everyone that took the time to listen to me rant on

Thank you.

 

[PennLady]

The VE program is a bit of a mess, and although people still sign up for it, it's not the best way to find an editor.

The best idea is to go to the Editor's Forum, see who's available for the month, and send them a message. Or, post your own thread about needing an editor. Be sure to specify the type of story, length, etc. If you send a request to someone on the monthly list, you want to be sure you're not asking them to edit something in a genre they don't edit (for example, I don't like to edit incest or non-con).

Good luck!

 

[Beatnic_jazzman]

I've had exactly the same problem. I tend to write long stories, my current is 30,000 and still going. I must have contacted a dozen or more, some lasted three or four chapters before tailing off.

PennLady gives good advice but many of the editors who volunteer on this forum are not 'into' long stories like mine, so I've tended to check the VE list daily.

I decided to just publish my stories and add a rider that I was still looking for an editor. I got one young lad volunteer to help, it's early days but I'll wait and see how it works out.

Frank

 

[bronzeage]

I've had exactly the same problem. I tend to write long stories, my current is 30,000 and still going. I must have contacted a dozen or more, some lasted three or four chapters before tailing off.

PennLady gives good advice but many of the editors who volunteer on this forum are not 'into' long stories like mine, so I've tended to check the VE list daily.

I decided to just publish my stories and add a rider that I was still looking for an editor. I got one young lad volunteer to help, it's early days but I'll wait and see how it works out.

Frank

These are the things to iron out before you start. 30K is a long story. If is broken into 5k to 10K chapters, it can be managed. I have edited stories which ran to 100K by the time the last chapter was finished. It is a lot of work and one cannot always predict how much time will be available 2 months in the future.

It is best to keep contact with the editor and listen carefully to any advice they have for you. It is very frustrating to put work into a piece and then be disregarded.

 

[rwsteward]

Oh, I feel your pain!

I have a running list of volunteer editors I have contacted in the past. Right now it's sitting about 50 or so.

Most won't respond. And those that do, when you send the file, they seem to vanish into the air.

Others will tell me 'sure' send the file and when I do—nothing. Not even three simple words. 'I got the file.'

The ones that do reply and acknowledge receipt of the file seem to quietly fade away.

And my favorites... And I really hate to admit that sr71plt is right, but some so called editors just don't know what the hell they're doing. One volunteer editor took out 90% of the periods in one of my stories. He said they interrupted the flow.

Another guy wanted me to change the name of the female character because it was the same as his ex-wife and it upset him.

Or... had the file returned with a simple note attached. "looks good, no issues,' only to scratch my head and find another pair of eyes. This time around there was so much red ink on the computer's screen it looked like someone gutted a cat on it.

There are plenty of 'kids, lids, and space cadets' lurking in the volunteer editor listing.

I've used the generally useless volunteer listings, posted here in this form looking for a editor and contacted editors from the 'editor for the month' listing.

Now having said all of that, I've worked with some fantastic editors in the past. I've learned a great deal from them. I hope I continued to do so.

 

[sr71plt]

One wonders why you'd hate to agree with me. Are you so easily swayed by folks who make up shit about me because I'm a threat to them puffing themselves up with little to show for it?

 

[CarlusMagnus]

One wonders why you'd hate to agree with me. Are you so easily swayed by folks who make up shit about me because I'm a threat to them puffing themselves up with little to show for it?

I'm not surprised that "one wonders" (emphasis added).

But the rest of us don't.

 

[Beatnic_jazzman]

Bronzeage;

I have made it very plain that my stories are long ones, and I always send the complete story, all ten chapters in one case, so that those who want to read the whole thing to 'get the feel' of it can. I still use the VE list but I'm much more selective now and skip most of the "Wanabe" entries.

That said, I had one Editor who was excelent, Madengineer3. Besides teaching me proper puntuation he made me really look at my story and figure out what it was I wanted to write about, unfortunately he suffered a stroke, only a mild one thankfully, and had to drop editing altogether.

Since then I have been kinda wandering in the wilderness, so much so that I eventually published them as is (or is that as was?) to try to establish a 'reputation' that I could point to as I continue my search.

All I can do is offer the old addage, "Keep Truckin".

Frank.

 

[TwistedPen]

Oh boy, do I know the pain of an "It looks fine" response to a story you sent off to an editor. I got one back the other day with a version of that line. It was all well and good until I realized I had sent the non-spellchecked uber-rough. After I had cleaned up the mouthfull of tea I spit over my desk, I just had to shrug and jump back on the bull, so to speak.

 

[roomfor1more]

Normally I will respond within 72 hours of receiving an inquiry. Nonetheless I am selective regarding the type of story and length of it. I list my self in both VE and available editors for the month.

 

[Feotakahari]

I think part of the problem is that people who leave the site don't remove themselves from the editor list. I checked the accounts of some of the editors who didn't respond, and one of them hadn't been active since '04. (Of course, I've also had experiences with editors who did the bare minimum of editing, and didn't point out what I later realized were serious problems with the work.)

 

[AsylumSeeker]

One wonders why you'd hate to agree with me. Are you so easily swayed by folks who make up shit about me because I'm a threat to them puffing themselves up with little to show for it?

My intent was to stay away but LadyC suggested I should coninue to post. So here I remain. Have you read any of my stories and posted, in public, the mistakes? I was serious when I welcomed this. I am a humble person, not that you are. I would be honored to have an editor of your magnitude right my wrongs, and in public.

You are VERY insecure. Have you been a victim of incest? Would explain a lot. Maybe you sucked off your brother at an early age? Don't be afraid to be honest.

SR, you're really going off the handle. One would think the pilot of an SR71 plane would have nerves of steel, but such is not the case. Not in your case.

And do you know why people "make shit up about you" in the first place? It's because you're a fraud. You can only tell so many lies and not get caught, but once you are, all is undone.

We all know it. Isn't it high time you own up to it too?

You have one chance to come clean, this is it. Think about it. Your choice.

Hey, Happy Halloween.

 

[TwistedPen]

Having poked around and seen the ruckus that peoples' offline lives cause around here, I feel a little inadequate as a college student. Then I remember one of my favorite songs.

Here

 

[CarlusMagnus]

You have one chance to come clean, this is it. Think about it. Your choice.

That's something of an understatement.

He could have come clean at any time in the past, and can do so at any time in the future.

[Hint: Don't hold your breath.]

 

[sr71plt]

It's fine with me if both of you hold your breath--for a very long time.