Co-Author~~

[WAT456]

Friends, I've edited about 5 stories recently, (yeah, noob here...). I'm finding that I'm suggesting word changes more and more frequently. Not because the word choices are wrong but because I can think of 'better' ones (oh, dear!) I'm trying to help authors to get more description into their tales but I feel like I'm 'grabbing the wheel', if you know what I mean. I've started to throttle back my impulse to suggest alternatives because, obviously, I'm just the editor.

Any advice on coaching, encouraging authors to dig deeper while staying on the right side of that line?

BTW, I've read a lot of threads from experienced editors, so I'm clear on the role. It's just that the 'line' is a little wide and a little grey.

Cheers, Tim

 

[AlexBailey]

Co-author vs. Editor?

Are you intrested in being an editor or a co-author?

It seems like an important distinction to make when you volunteer to help. Some writers are asking only for a final typo check, others may be looking for creative help. The different tasks require a far different amount of work. Since you are interested in providing a lot of help you should be specific about what you are interested in doing so your generous offer of help isn't wasted where it will not be fully appreciated.

I'd be amazed if you'd made such an offer and not received any interest.

You should also be clear from the beginning how you feel about being credited for your help. Some editors love to be mentioned while others demand that their name not be used.

Thank you for contributing to this creative community!

 

[KeithD]

As a professional editor, I counsel ratcheting back and not suggesting "better" word substitutions very often. It's not your story. And your "better," is just that--YOUR sense of better, not necessarily anyone else's. Keep your editorial suggestions within the scope of the author's voice.

 

[WAT456]

Thanks!

Thanks for the input, folks! That is my thinking, as well, which is why I started 'throttling back'.

Cheers, Tim

 

[29wordsforsnow]

What is expecting from editors?

Out of curiosity, what do writers expect from editors? Grammar, spelling, punctuation, what else?

I tried to be helpful for a handful of people to go through their texts and mark misspelled words or missing commas and leave a comment what came to my mind about the story line here and there - but I wouldn't be so bold to call myself an editor, maybe proofreader? So, how could I be more helpful?

As English is just my second language I'm far from delivering a water tight perfection that would stand a closer look by even amateur editors but maybe sometimes it takes an outsider to discover what others don't see because it looks plausible - e.g. quite often I found, the probably auto-corrected, 'through-->though'; once, three or four times in one story which really left me wondering how that was missed.

Thanks for your pointers in advance,
29*

 

[WAT456]

Negotiation

Every writer has those basic ones to some degree. You need to discuss with the writer what other things they would like you to do or, conversely, what they don't want you to do...

I've seen the phrases beta reader and copy editor used to mean the basic spelling, grammar, syntax tasks. The phrase literary editor is used to mean someone who is really going to work on improvements to the story, in collaboration with the author.

 

[GroverLang]

It didn’t happen

About 18 months ago myself and another writer got very friendly and decided we would write a story together. Actually write it together rather than one do the work with the other one just putting in ideas. We got as far as deciding on the story and working out a basic plot with some preliminary writing. Unfortunately it seemed they lost interest and we now seem to have gone our different ways.

I would think you need to have a very good relationship with the other writer before you even think about a joint story. Unless one of you is going to write the story with the other just contributing ideas but that’s not my idea of co-authoring that’s more James Patterson.

 

[lickquidsecksy]

Patterson Burn!