Doing something wrong, stymied.

[sargedog1]

Why do I bother attempting to contact a VE?

That's the question every time I open Literotica. It's such a grand waste of time and disenfranchising.

I've got stories to submit and I try to write a nice note to each one I find listed who seems to fit the bill by their own descriptions. Some assure they'll make contact regardless of interest or time. Others.

So I'm frustrated and confused reaching out to fellow authors who are inspired to create for advice on how to solve the conundrum.

I've looked and PM'd to those in the forum for VE. I've gone through the lists of VE on the Literotica pages.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Why do I bother attempting to contact a VE?

That's the question every time I open Literotica. It's such a grand waste of time and disenfranchising.

I've got stories to submit and I try to write a nice note to each one I find listed who seems to fit the bill by their own descriptions. Some assure they'll make contact regardless of interest or time. Others.

So I'm frustrated and confused reaching out to fellow authors who are inspired to create for advice on how to solve the conundrum.

I've looked and PM'd to those in the forum for VE. I've gone through the lists of VE on the Literotica pages.

You probably need to find a VE with an interest in your stories to start with. Maybe rather add a comment to each of your stories saying you're looking for a VE and asking anyone interested to contact you. If they've got to the bottom of your story, they like what you're writing enough to finish it. Just a suggestion, I haven't done that myself. Not that interested in perfection so much myself.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

Most of us discover volunteer editing is a fools errand because most LIT writers want a big hug and ass smooch, not feed back.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Most of us discover volunteer editing is a fools errand because most LIT writers want a big hug and ass smooch, not feed back.

I think it's more a lot of VEs are okay on things like spelling and grammar but when it comes to plot and storylines they're not so knowledgable on those aspects. Me, I'd like someone who can make good suggestions on my plots and storylines as well as where I can effectively tighten up my stories and it's hard to find someone you can work with to do that. My experience anyhow. I think I have someone now whose helping me but it's taken a while.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

I think it's more a lot of VEs are okay on things like spelling and grammar but when it comes to plot and storylines they're not so knowledgable on those aspects. Me, I'd like someone who can make good suggestions on my plots and storylines as well as where I can effectively tighten up my stories and it's hard to find someone you can work with to do that. My experience anyhow. I think I have someone now whose helping me but it's taken a while.

gimme a story to look at and I'll let you know if your editor sux.

If you wanna keep things tight don't go off on tangential digressions, commas invite digressions.

 

[NotWise]

I've looked and PM'd to those in the forum for VE. I've gone through the lists of VE on the Literotica pages.

First, the VE program through the story site doesn't work for very many people. For most purposes, it's broken. You need to use the Editor's Forum to find an editor. There are several things you can do there;

PM people who say they are available to edit this month (sticky thread near the top of the page)

Post in the forum and ask for an editor

Wait until someone posts saying they have time available and PM them--of if they don't have PM on then reply on the forum.

Regardless of what method you use, you need to provide at a minimum the category the story would post in and the length of the story in words. It also helps if you give enough of a synopsis for the editor to get an idea what your story is about.

You also need to let the volunteer have some idea what you're looking for. It could be a simple beta read and comments, or a range of editing from light to heavy. Also give them an idea what time frame you have in mind. If you have special needs (first time author, don't use a spell-checker, not a native English speaker, etc.) then you can add that too.

 

[HisArpy]

Being an editor is difficult. Not only do they put themselves out there FOR FREE but they have to uphold the commitment without knowing what the daily grind is going to do to their schedule in the future. Some can hack it, some can't.

Plus, personal interests are a huge thing. If your stories are about incest and no editors want to read that sort of thing, you have to wait until someone with enough acceptance toward incest comes along. The same with aliens or IR.

Start a thread asking for an editor and post a TINY bit of the story with some stats (category, length, etc) and wait. If no one responds, wait some more. If you still get no response, you either have to bite the bullet and submit it without editing or realize no one is interested for whatever reason (lack of interest in the subject matter or it's obviously junk and not worth anyone's time to review).

Not every story/manuscript is worth editing and publishing. That doesn't mean it wasn't worth writing, just not editing and publishing.

 

[sr71plt]

First, the VE program through the story site doesn't work for very many people. For most purposes, it's broken. You need to use the Editor's Forum to find an editor. There are several things you can do there;

PM people who say they are available to edit this month (sticky thread near the top of the page)

Post in the forum and ask for an editor

Wait until someone posts saying they have time available and PM them--of if they don't have PM on then reply on the forum.

Regardless of what method you use, you need to provide at a minimum the category the story would post in and the length of the story in words. It also helps if you give enough of a synopsis for the editor to get an idea what your story is about.

You also need to let the volunteer have some idea what you're looking for. It could be a simple beta read and comments, or a range of editing from light to heavy. Also give them an idea what time frame you have in mind. If you have special needs (first time author, don't use a spell-checker, not a native English speaker, etc.) then you can add that too.

This. But also, don't bother to think about getting an editor from Lit. There aren't many here saying they edit who have any training to do so. Think in terms of another pair of eyes on your work that quite likely can pick up both technical and content issues better than you can from your work because you are too close to it.

With that thought, there's an additional aid here--a sticky at the top of the Editors forum provides a beta reader exchange board. Volunteer to partner with another author in an "I'll beta read yours if you'll beta read mine" exchange.

You also might try contacting someone who writes the type of story you do here and who you think writes very well and asking if they will beta read a short work for you.

Once you've gotten help, pay attention to obvious mistakes they've found and work on not doing that again in future works.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

^^^^dont Try This At Home Sober.

 

[rjordan]

Being an editor is difficult. Not only do they put themselves out there FOR FREE but they have to uphold the commitment without knowing what the daily grind is going to do to their schedule in the future. Some can hack it, some can't.

Here's a tip: If it's so difficult, don't fucking do it. It's voluntary, not the only thing keeping them from the unemployment line.

I've been through the VE morass. I've contacted a number of prospective editors on the Editors Forum. All to no avail. It's completely hit or miss.

It's much more productive to spend time every day analyzing writers you admire. Outline their stories. Mindmap their stories. Try to rewrite paragraphs to see if you can do better. If you can't, that's why they're a writer you admire and you aren't.

Here's another tip: Watch Comments on your stories and others. Often a frequent commentor will catch your eye. I noticed such a person, contacted him and now use him as a beta reader. I get WAY more useful information from an informed READER, than I ever got from people who fancied themselves as EDITORS.

rj

 

[rjordan]

This. But also, don't bother to think about getting an editor from Lit. There aren't many here saying they edit who have any training to do so. Think in terms of another pair of eyes on your work that quite likely can pick up both technical and content issues better than you can from your work because you are too close to it.

With that thought, there's an additional aid here--a sticky at the top of the Editors forum provides a beta reader exchange board. Volunteer to partner with another author in an "I'll beta read yours if you'll beta read mine" exchange.

You also might try contacting someone who writes the type of story you do here and who you think writes very well and asking if they will beta read a short work for you.

Once you've gotten help, pay attention to obvious mistakes they've found and work on not doing that again in future works.

Well said. If I had seen this first, I wouldn't have posted. I wasn't aware of the beta reader exchange board.

rj

 

[sargedog1]

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Nathan_Brazil]

Volunteers

Many times, volunteers are worth what they are paid.

So... if you find a good one, treasure them. Send them something nice. Movie tickets or a gift certificate to Amazon.

Recently, I tried a new category and got my first ever rejection. I posted a request for a Editor who knew something about the category (non con) and got zero replies... maybe it was the category, maybe it was my abrasive personality (nahhh!), and just maybe they didn't know they'd be getting a nice gift!

 

[rjordan]

Being a volunteer editor or beta reader can be thankless. But it's worse than that. I recently took on a beta reader because of the quality of his comments to others stories over the past couple of years. I gave him a credit (with his permission). He took more abuse from the midnight to 4 am anon shift on LW than I did!

Some claimed they refused to read the story because of the credit. Yet they commented...and I'm sure they took the time to 1-bomb. That's a beta reader I want to keep!

rj

 

[tomlitilia]

I have been lucky to find several helpful editors on literotica, some even through the VE program. I'm picky with who I contact, and I find around 1 in 5 replies. So it takes some patience. But after the first one, most will agee to edit again.

 

[PTBARNUM]

The best advice I ever got was LEARN TO EDIT.