A question of etiquette, I hope.

[Guest]

If an author submits a thread that is...shall we say, inelegantly written, but still a good idea, what do I do? Do I edit it to the best of abilities and then approve it, even though the final copy may not truly resemble the original work, or would the proper thing be to force the author to resubmit the piece? Keep in mind, my wish is to offend people in the least way possible.


Be gentle to me
I am a virgin to forums
Mistakes will be made

 

[Zingiber]

I try to salvage such a contribution by fixing spelling, usage, tense, description, and dialogue if it looks like a good idea, possibly adding text to make it fit into the flow of the story.

Otherwise you can reject, proposing that you will fix things to your standard if they choose to re-submit. This allows them a chance to back out and/or fix specific issues you have.

-Z

 

[lostandfounder]

Thanks Zingiber. For being the only one who offered any support I shall scar one of your stories with my keystrokes. Please do not be offended.


computers scare me
as vast as the summer sky
and unlike my mind

 

[jakelyon]

I try to salvage such a contribution by fixing spelling, usage, tense, description, and dialogue if it looks like a good idea, possibly adding text to make it fit into the flow of the story.

Otherwise you can reject, proposing that you will fix things to your standard if they choose to re-submit. This allows them a chance to back out and/or fix specific issues you have.

-Z

I agree with Z on this, I usually try and fix it up as best as I can. I find that any I have rejected seem to never come back in any better shape. I think it is just part of an editor's role.

 

[Zingiber]

Thanks Zingiber. For being the only one who offered any support I shall scar one of your stories with my keystrokes. Please do not be offended.

I'd be pleased. My stories have been feeling a little lonely (I think most of the regulars have been commenting on Chyoo's general slowness lately). I'd be happy to answer questions on the stories if it would help you develop your ideas.

Maybe it's time for a few of us authors to provide some encouraging links to threads that might want a follow-up. (I've also been thinking of starting a discussion thread re "what makes you want to write a follow-up thread?")

-Z

 

[Zingiber]

Thanks!

You can see lostandfound(er)'s worthy contribution to

In From The Snow

Choose A black lady unconscious , then
They decide to stay with the woman

No edits needed!

-Z

 

[niceguy2002tim]

Thanks Zingiber. For being the only one who offered any support.

Its not that we don't like to offer support... we're just a little slower around here. I also have to agree with the others. It might seem like you're stealing a thread, but think of it this way...

You can edit it to your liking... OR you can reject it and ask the writer to re-write it, and take the risk of never getting it back.

In my experiences, almost every thread I have turned down and asked the writer to re-do have NEVER come back. I guess some people are too lazy to edit their work and resubmit it.

You can see lostandfound(er)'s worthy contribution to In From The Snow.

A great thread if I should say so myself. I like your style, Lostandfond

-Tim (niceguy2002tim)

 

[lilguy]

well change are that person was probally me

But I don't care if someone ask me to fix it. Most of the time I will. If I don't it simply me not checking my mail.

Also when I reject something I normal tell them why. If they miss it they miss it. They will get around to checking thier mail sooner or later. If not then they probally didn't care anyway.

 

[lostandfounder]

Its not that we don't like to offer support... we're just a little slower around here.

I didn't mean to say that everyone else was mean for not responding to my thread. I meant to thank Zingiber for his opinion and I guess I got a little passive aggresive. Sorry if I offended anyone.


I've been reading some of the other threads and I am depressed that Chyoo is losing the support of some of the better writers. I try to look at the bright side of things. Maybe the long time in between updates will help people be more creative with the threads and stories that are out there. (That may be a bit of a stretch, but I like the site and have to grab onto something)

Slightly hungover
I try to think of a line
Yet I do not drink

 

[lostandfounder]

THANKS

I just want to give a big thank you to all those kind souls who offered opinions on the etiqutte of editting. Your advice is greatly appreciated. I shall now mangle submisions for all they are worth. (kidding)


THANK YOU

 

[niceguy2002tim]

Something New.

Hey guys,
I just wanted to share a little bit of my editor experience with everybody.

Normally with Chyoo, the editor will add a "comment" to the threads that he or she approves. But, the weird thing is that comments can only be viewed by the person who chooses to add another thread following the original.

I mean...

Say Lostandfounder writes a thread for my story. (Which he did.) then I approve it and put my 2 cents in the comments section. My comments don't show up in his feedback section, which would be nice. Instead they sit at the bottom of that thread until somebody clicks the "add new thread" link. Once they do that it will open the blank page where the writer will fill in his or her new thread. At the bottom it will show the previous threads, Writer and Editor comments.

So as well as writing my comments on the bottom of the page, I have started e-mailing the exact comments to the writer. Or, I send them in a Private Message. I thought it was a good practice and I wanted to share.

-Tim (niceguy2002tim)

 

[Dr. Tentakelliebe]

If an author submits a thread that is...shall we say, inelegantly written, but still a good idea, what do I do? Do I edit it to the best of abilities and then approve it, even though the final copy may not truly resemble the original work, or would the proper thing be to force the author to resubmit the piece? Keep in mind, my wish is to offend people in the least way possible.


Be gentle to me
I am a virgin to forums
Mistakes will be made

you are the editor edit it if the idea is good and you like the rework put it in if it doesn't work, you are ultimately responsible for making sure the story is good not that one author get one more page to his credit

 

[Dr. Tentakelliebe]

PS just don't be rude and tell them this is the worse [ insert explative] you have ever seen

you are helping no one by approving threads in a condition that should not be approved

 

[deathofcards]

It would have to depend upon the content, you can only do so much with editing. The best way is to be kind and honest with the writer, and point out where they are going wrong. If they persistently submit bad threads You could not accept them. This happened to me awhile back a new author to chyoo who I think has now left submitted several very short threads but good to Rock Festival, I liked them despite being shorter than my required word limit. With the first thread I mentioned that it was under the minimum word count I wanted, and after he submitted a second I said that if he submitted a third short thread I wouldn't approve it.