A simple 'Thank you' would have been nice.

[redbottom]

I recently edited a story for an online author. I'm not going to give any names, but I wanted to express my opinion on something. I am not looking for any acknowledgement in this author's story. My main concern is politeness. If you edit a story for someone, after they receive the story back, should they not at least say 'Thank you'. I have not received one email back from this person and the story has been submitted. They didn't use all of my editing or tips, but they did use some. I didn't even receive an email acknowleging that they received the edited version of their story back. I just happen to see that it had been posted. All I wanted was a 'Thank you'. Is that too much to ask?

 

[bluebell]

No, it isn't too much to ask- especially the mere receipt of the story. It's common courtesy (which is obviously dying slowly and painfully without morphine).

Let's shove bamboo shoots up their fingernails.

 

[piltdownman]

Same here. I'm new at this. Thought there might be a bit more back and fore exchange of thoughts and ideas. I've only edited two so far. Two blanks. Never heard back from the first guy after I e-mailed my ideas about how to change and hopefully improve his story. The second guy seemed more... open to suggestions, but I never heard from him either after I e-mailed the final draught. I might be doing something wrong... I'm not discounting that...

 

[kellyhockey]

I recently edited a story for an online author. I'm not going to give any names, but I wanted to express my opinion on something. I am not looking for any acknowledgement in this author's story. My main concern is politeness. If you edit a story for someone, after they receive the story back, should they not at least say 'Thank you'. I have not received one email back from this person and the story has been submitted. They didn't use all of my editing or tips, but they did use some. I didn't even receive an email acknowleging that they received the edited version of their story back. I just happen to see that it had been posted. All I wanted was a 'Thank you'. Is that too much to ask?

That is just not cool. Time is valuable. A simple thnk you and possible an acknowledgement would be nice.

Some people just don't get it.

 

[CopyCarver]

I recently edited a story for an online author. I'm not going to give any names, but I wanted to express my opinion on something. I am not looking for any acknowledgement in this author's story. My main concern is politeness. If you edit a story for someone, after they receive the story back, should they not at least say 'Thank you'. I have not received one email back from this person and the story has been submitted. They didn't use all of my editing or tips, but they did use some. I didn't even receive an email acknowleging that they received the edited version of their story back. I just happen to see that it had been posted. All I wanted was a 'Thank you'. Is that too much to ask?

Same here. I'm new at this. Thought there might be a bit more back and fore exchange of thoughts and ideas. I've only edited two so far. Two blanks. Never heard back from the first guy after I e-mailed my ideas about how to change and hopefully improve his story. The second guy seemed more... open to suggestions, but I never heard from him either after I e-mailed the final draught. I might be doing something wrong... I'm not discounting that...

I wouldn't presume to say thank you on behalf of people who are clueless or self-centered--or perhaps just total losers. I can say with certainty, however, that the majority of Litsters appreciate both your willingness to help and the time, effort, and talent that are required to do so.

It's unfortunate that you were both stuck with "turkeys" when you're relatively new to the board and haven't yet had a chance to encounter all the cool people who hang out here , but I hope you won't let your negative experiences drive you away from volunteer editing. The majority of Lit's authors are, in the immortal words of Little Annie Fanny, "the best bunch of pervs I've ever met."

 

[DeeZire]

I have a home recording studio, and while I enjoy working with others on their music, I don't do it for free. Sure, sometimes I'll cut them some slack on the hours they've used (or wasted, as the case may be) but every hour I give away to someone else is one less hour Il have left for my own projects. (And my own projects were supposed to be the reason for the recording studio in the first place!)
I think it's commendable that there are people willing to do editing for free, but I think they should be getting paid for it; even if it's a token payment. If a writer doesn't value their work enough to throw $20 to an editor, perhaps they aren't really as serious about their writing as they think, and perhaps finding an editor for their crappy work would just be a waste of time.
Just my two cents, (which would not qualify as a token payment in my book.) Would $20 be enough for one LIT page - 3K words? With maybe a second payment if the story scored well or got published? (Sort of like royalties in the music biz.) .

 

[redbottom]

Thank you

I just wanted to thank everyone for their thoughtful and encouraging replies. I really do love to edit stories. I don't need acknowlgement in the story. All I ever wanted was a reply email and a simple 'Thank you'. I know there is a lot nicer people on this site and I'm not going to give up because of this one person. I have had quite a few email chats with some of the best pervs.

 

[snooper]

... possible an acknowledgement would be nice ...

... I don't need acknowlgement in the story ...

We had an interesting discussion a while ago about acknowledgements and a number of editors actually did not want their names included in postings, for a variety of reasons, including possible disagreements with what was posted, as opposed to their edits, possible unsolicited requests to edit, and sheer shyness.

In my experience less than half of all authors thank their editor, and less than a quarter say they have received the edited copy.

 

[tickledkitty]

I'm sorry you've all experienced ungrateful people. I think I'm just the opposite. I thank them too much, and it becomes kind of annoying.

Please don't let that bad experience sour you on volunteer editing. We need you.

 

[CopyCarver]

We had an interesting discussion a while ago about acknowledgements and a number of editors actually did not want their names included in postings, for a variety of reasons, including possible disagreements with what was posted, as opposed to their edits, possible unsolicited requests to edit, and sheer shyness.

In my experience less than half of all authors thank their editor, and less than a quarter say they have received the edited copy.

Personally, I have no strong feelings, one way or the other, with acknowledgements or thanks, but I do know like to know that authors have received edited copy. Given the vagaries of e-mail, especially with the generic Hotmail or Yahoo accounts that many authors use, there is a small but not insignificant chance that edits will disappear into cyber-ether. Authors get left waiting for stories that have been returned, and I have no way of knowing of the need to raid my "sent mail" folder and resend the edits. The problems associated with “failll-yah to communicate" could have been preempted if authors had taken ten seconds to send a simple got-it message.

 

[Guest]

There must be solid back and forth communication between writer and editor.

And I just assumed it was appropriate to publicly thank the editor in the story itself, especially if they spent a great deal of time assisting. No?

 

[RogueLurker]

There must be solid back and forth communication between writer and editor.

And I just assumed it was appropriate to publicly thank the editor in the story itself, especially if they spent a great deal of time assisting. No?

Communication is nice, but in the end it depends if the author decides that a public thank you is warranted or not. I used to tell people that it was up to them - if they thought i had done something above and beyond, then go ahead but it wasn't necessary. There were a few stories where I disappointed that I didn't get a pubic thanks, but, as I said, it was up the author on if they thought it was warranted. Something someone once told me - just because you've volunteered to edit something, doesn't mean you're entitled to anything.

As for private thank you's or even acknowlegements - it really is just a matter of courtesy. Unfortunately, that isn't always a general consensus.

 

[redbottom]

Hello

My main issue was the email. I first just wanted acknowledgment that they received the email and it would have been nice to receive a 'thank you' in the email. I don't need public acknowledgment. I have only had that one author do that to me. Everyone else that I have edited for have been really great.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

I recently edited a story for an online author. I'm not going to give any names, but I wanted to express my opinion on something. I am not looking for any acknowledgement in this author's story. My main concern is politeness. If you edit a story for someone, after they receive the story back, should they not at least say 'Thank you'. I have not received one email back from this person and the story has been submitted. They didn't use all of my editing or tips, but they did use some. I didn't even receive an email acknowleging that they received the edited version of their story back. I just happen to see that it had been posted. All I wanted was a 'Thank you'. Is that too much to ask?

What I'm seeing more and more is where writers are coming to Lit for editing and then posting elsewhere. Which is so WRONG!

So I require the writers to promise to post on Lit.

And this is the part where I eat sand because I sharply criticized the very people that make this possible, essentially the "hand that feeds". (meekly apologizing)

I apologize, Laurel. You've been nothing but kind to me and in my venting period, I criticized your judgment.

 

[emap]

Do please keep in mind not all of us authors think of thanking the editor when we get an edited story back. I'm one of those.

I get my story back from snoopy I immediately open it up, open up what I sent him and proceed to change what I had to what he said then post it to literotica. I get all giddy with excitement because I can finally post the dang thing and stick it in the finished stories folder instead of having it sit out in the in process section. they tend to bug me sitting there and makes it harder to work on anything else because I am eager to finish them.

I don't think about thanking him because I am to busy getting it changed and submitted, I have thanked him on two of the 4-6 stories he has edited for me because I do on the odd occassion think about it and forget he told me to not. Luckily for me nobody has gotten ahold of him saying hey edit mine, since he probably would get mad and stop editing for me. Which would be pretty bad, I am pretty sure my drivel is more like doctor notes when I send them to him.

I do try and be nice to him when i send it and I think I have on occassion said thanks to him. For the most part though I am bad at saying thanks so I suppose I should embarrass the great old snoopy with a big old line or three of thank yous.

THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY THANK YOU SNOOPY

 

[snooper]

... I don't think about thanking him because I am to busy getting it changed and submitted, I have thanked him on two of the 4-6 stories he has edited for me because I do on the odd occassion occasion Spelling think about it and forget he told me to not.

You forgot again, didn't you?

Actually what an editor really needs is to be told that the edited file has been received by the author. Thanks on-line are optional, and as you rightly say, I prefer not.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Credit

Quite a few of the writers I deal with don't credit me, and I'm fine with that. A few do, that's fine too. Had one recently submit story without crediting me and I was contacted about whether or not the writer should ask if Laurel should be contacted to add my name in, which I expressed an opinion that it wasn't necessary (not sure what the final result was).

I don't edit for credit. The more my handle is associated with editing, the more work I cause myself.

So why do I edit? Because the powers that be have given me a talent that, although begrudgingly, I should share with others. But I won't edit to the point of denying myself the pleasure of creating. I'm a writer first, and make time for editing. And I've learned a lot from it, making me a better writer in the interim.

And, hopefully, allowing a few to achieve their dreams.

Uh! Now I know what to replace "Literotica Guru" with, "Dreammaker"!


Now to figure out how...

 

[Guest]

And, hopefully, allowing a few to achieve their dreams.

Uh! Now I know what to replace "Literotica Guru" with, "Dreammaker"!


Now to figure out how...

1000 posts.

Control Panel.

Change Profile.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

1000 posts.

Control Panel.

Change Profile.

And a donation to the Sweetsubsarahh Saturday Night Rum Fund...

 

[Guest]

And a donation to the Sweetsubsarahh Saturday Night Rum Fund...

But of course.

 

[ninefe2dg]

I recently edited a story for an online author. I'm not going to give any names, but I wanted to express my opinion on something. I am not looking for any acknowledgement in this author's story. My main concern is politeness. If you edit a story for someone, after they receive the story back, should they not at least say 'Thank you'. I have not received one email back from this person and the story has been submitted. They didn't use all of my editing or tips, but they did use some. I didn't even receive an email acknowleging that they received the edited version of their story back. I just happen to see that it had been posted. All I wanted was a 'Thank you'. Is that too much to ask?

Thank you! While I've yet to use an online editor, I have looked at other people's stories and commented on them. It's not easy, so I certainly appreciate your putting in this kind of time, for whatever it's worth

 

[DarkMistressJ]

Thank You Red!!!!!

I just wanted to say a more public Thank You to Red (since it wasn't marked on the story. Is there a way to get the name added since i originally wanted that?) I simply can't express how grateful i am. They did an AMAZING job and worked with me so much and it's because of Red that my story was good enough to be accepted. I think that anyone who is willing to take time out of their day to work with a complete stranger and dedicate themselves to reading over the writer's story, edit it, and correct the spelling and grammar to make it as good as possible for no reason other than to see readers get another good story to read DEFINITELY deserves at LEAST a thank you. So, once again Thank you Red and thank you to all the other editors out there that help us writers to get our work out there and looking as good as possible!

Regards,
Mistress J

 

[SheDevilShay]

I am sorry the person did NOT say thank you... even if someone gives me feed back that I find slightly offensive, I will thank them for taking the time out of their day to read and leave me feed back...

If someone goes to the work of editing your work and helping you, they damn well better say thank you, or shouldn't get help again.... Editors are the back bone of writing a masterpiece... You can have a beautifil piece of art, but if its in the closet, no one can appreciate it!!!

 

[redbottom]

I just wanted to say a more public Thank You to Red (since it wasn't marked on the story. Is there a way to get the name added since i originally wanted that?) I simply can't express how grateful i am. They did an AMAZING job and worked with me so much and it's because of Red that my story was good enough to be accepted. I think that anyone who is willing to take time out of their day to work with a complete stranger and dedicate themselves to reading over the writer's story, edit it, and correct the spelling and grammar to make it as good as possible for no reason other than to see readers get another good story to read DEFINITELY deserves at LEAST a thank you. So, once again Thank you Red and thank you to all the other editors out there that help us writers to get our work out there and looking as good as possible!

Regards,
Mistress J

I enjoyed editing for you. Thanks for the 'thanks', but I enjoy editing and that is why I do it.

 

[arisesirdicky]

a simple thank-you

I recently had my first submission published with the help of an editor whom I thanked for the help provided.
The volunteer editors I had contacted previously did not have the common courtesy of telling me that they were unwilling to help me, this I find frustrating & frankly unacceptable.
If one volunteers as an editor & does not respond to requests then any criticism is valid & ought to be encouraged, equally if a volounteer gives advice freely then thanks should follow just as night follows day.