Anyone else having problems finding a editor/

[GraiceeGirl]

I tried to find an editor when I first started writing, and had a similar experience to yours. Sent out five emails to editors, no response. Then, I sent out another five and received one response. That person got my story, and I never heard from them again after three weeks. Now I edit, edit, edit for days. Then I sit on the story for a day or two and edit some more. A couple of trusted family members offered, but, as someone else mentioned here, they said it was too much for them.

 

[NuclearFairy]

I tried to find an editor when I first started writing, and had a similar experience to yours. Sent out five emails to editors, no response. Then, I sent out another five and received one response. That person got my story, and I never heard from them again after three weeks. Now I edit, edit, edit for days. Then I sit on the story for a day or two and edit some more. A couple of trusted family members offered, but, as someone else mentioned here, they said it was too much for them.

Yeah, I once had to wait a month for my SO to feel up to editing. But there are so many rules of grammar that I just don't know (Not to mention my confusion around the comma) that even when he's going through a health or emotional slump I feel it's worth the wait to have someone else look over my work.

 

[Bassytian]

Editing is hard work. People often underestimate just how hard.

I can't say for sure, but I think that a lot of members who sign up as volunteer editors are enthusiastic about helping out. Being part of the process of creating a story that people love. And then they discover the hard way that it takes hours and hours of their time, it saps all the energy they could be putting into writing their own stories... and in the end it's not their story, it's the author's.

And maybe because they're embarrassed to admit it to themselves, or maybe because it's easier to just give up, they don't take their names from the volunteer list. And so authors think they're still available, when actually they're not.

I edited 7k words for a client today. I'm absolutely knackered. I have no energy to write, or do anything really except sip wine and post here. And I'm getting paid for it, a lot of money. Volunteer editors are doing it for free, in their spare time. It's easy to see why so many of them give up.

Hm, that must be why none of the ones I've messaged have replied, I've been looking. I get it, I'm sure it can be tiresome, especially if you're doing it for free. I don't have extra money to pay someone to edit my work, it's hard enough to make ends meet with what I have. So, I may be on my own in this.

I edit all my own work, often spending days on one story. Sometimes I get burned out and have to walk away from it for a day or two, and this is for my own stories! I can see how disheartening it can be if you're putting that much time and effort into someone else's work and not your own.

Doggedly learning to be your own editor is legitimately the most effective system.

I have been writing and posting stories on this site for almost a year now and have done my own editing the entire time. While I can't say that I'm great at it, I can tell that my editing skills have improved significantly. But I'm sure an actual editor could do much better. Then again, improving my own skills could be rewarding in itself and may be my only option.

 

[Bamagan]

So...does anyone have a trick to find an editor?

For the summoning, you will need to draw a circle on the ground and then scribe a pentagram within it. Place candles made from the rendered fat of the forsaken dead at each of the points, and light them with a taper whose flame comes from a funeral pyre. Seat yourself in the middle, but only after you've bathed in a still pond in the dark of night (meaning the moon is new, has set, or has not yet risen). You'll need a robe made from the unbleached wool of stillborn lambs, and it must never have been worn before. Once you're in position, recite the most awkward sentence of your work backwards three times.
If anything happens at that point other than a feeling of foolishness, you have my deepest apologies.

 

[Djmac1031]

I've been very lucky; I found a good friend here and we often proofread and edit each other's works.

But as has been pointed out, editing isn't some favor easily granted. It's time and effort working for free on something not even our own work.

My suggestion besides patience is perhaps working on your own editing skills. Instead of waiting around for someone to finally respond, read it again yourself and see what you can find.

Best wishes with your search.

 

[Noks]

This is how I’d tackle it: I’d send them a message like, “Would you mind taking a quick look at a very short excerpt of mine? If you don’t like it, no need to respond.”

This low-pressure approach might encourage them to check it out.

If they like it, they’ll come back for more, giving you the chance to politely ask them to show their editing skills on your excerpt.

Another option is to use one of those language models, but be sure to limit the prompt to grammar checking only, no rephrasing.

Good luck.

 

[SkyBubble]

Hello All. I've written ten stories so far, but I still rely on editors to fix some of what I miss. It seems like whenever I go to post a story, and I want an editor to go over my story. It's like pulling teeth to find someone. Most recently I reached out to seven different editors and only one got back to me. I gave them access to my story on google docs ten days ago, but there was absolutely no activity. Nothing! I didn't even bother to email them before I removed their access. If there was some sort of problem, common courtesy suggests they should contact me. But I felt ghosted. Maybe I'm too picky. I don't trust editors that have been members for only one month. Or ones the say that they read a lot of erotica but have no experience editing. So...does anyone have a trick to find an editor?

Thanks.
Rose Monroe.

I asked for on here on AH and one contacted me by email.

 

[SkyBubble]

I've been very lucky; I found a good friend here and we often proofread and edit each other's works.

But as has been pointed out, editing isn't some favor easily granted. It's time and effort working for free on something not even our own work.

My suggestion besides patience is perhaps working on your own editing skills. Instead of waiting around for someone to finally respond, read it again yourself and see what you can find.

Best wishes with your search.

Yes, all of that. BUT sometimes it's helpful to have a second pair of eyes on it.

 

[Jay142]

Doggedly learning to be your own editor is legitimately the most effective system.

I use Grammarly for spelling and grammar errors, and then run the Google Docs spelling and grammar check. I also read it twice for anything the spelling and grammar programs missed. I'm sure I still miss some errors, but I'm okay with that. I'm writing for free and will never get a Pulitzer.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Proposal: any time somebody complains about authors deleting their critical comments on stories, "not wanting to hear constructive criticism" etc., we add them to a list of volunteer editors. That way they can be paired up with somebody who does want critique and they can give it at the most useful time, before the story is published, instead of wasting their wisdom on authors who didn't ask for it and can't use it. Everybody wins!

 

[Jay142]

Proposal: any time somebody complains about authors deleting their critical comments on stories, "not wanting to hear constructive criticism" etc., we add them to a list of volunteer editors. That way they can be paired up with somebody who does want critique and they can give it at the most useful time, before the story is published, instead of wasting their wisdom on authors who didn't ask for it and can't use it. Everybody wins!

I don't mind constructive criticism, but I delete the vicious ones with no redeeming value.