@Editors: How to nicely reject a story?

[MadeYaLook]

Hi all,

I've edited eight pieces so far for Literotica (no idea if they were actually published or not, but oh well), and for most parts, I very much enjoyed it. However, there were two or three cases where I started reading the story and thought after three sentences "oh my god, this is not even worth fixing - go back to elementary school and pay attention this time".

I'm not talking about stories that didn't fit my style or taste, and I have no issue telling an author that I think his plot is boring, his character is inconsistent and so on. I'm talking about such bad grammar and spelling that I was close to recommend the authors to stop writing altogether.

Of course, I didn't do that, but I found it difficult to tell them "nicely" that I won't edit their piece. Once, I actually found myself hiding between the fact that I had two other stories in the pipeline.

So: How do you tell people that their writing sucks without being overly cruel?

 

[PennLady]

Depends on what you want to tell them. You could simply cite lack of time. It's probably hard to do this without the author feeling hurt, so it's more a matter of being as nice as you can.

I think there's nothing wrong with saying: You make a lot of basic mistakes and I don't have the time to correct them all. Point out one or two. Then I'd try to direct them to a book or maybe a website with the basics of grammar, punctuation, or whatever you think they need help with most. If they're upset, well, that's too bad. I do find that if you can cite example of what's correct, and perhaps direct them as I suggested, that takes some of the sting out of it on both sides.

 

[MadeYaLook]

I like the idea of pointing out a few mistakes, and tell them that there are too many of it in their piece for you to fix them all.

Of course, telling that you currently don't have the time is an easy way out, but I feel that it's not really helping the author - which, when it comes down to it, was the reason he contacted you in the first place. Most of them want to get an honest opinion about their story, and I probably should bring up the courage to tell them even if it sucked.

 

[PennLady]

One thing I would suggest is to find out from the author, in definite terms, what kind of editing they want. If they're just looking for someone to say hey, it's a fun read, then you know how much effort to put into it. This is something I should do. Make sure they want strict copy editing, for example, on punctuation and such. It'll probably save you a lot of hassle.

I've corresponded with people who will in fact just tell an author, sorry, this needs too much work and I'm not an English teacher. It's a shame that it seems basic stuff isn't being taught in a lot of places.

 

[sr71plt]

If you're sending it back because there's too much wrong with either the storyline or the technicals, I don't think you are doing them any favors by thinking up another excuse to back out of editing it. I suggest you should tell them that it isn't polished well enough yet, give a few examples--and maybe have a few references in storage to recommend they go to. You would then be fulfilling your role an editor. With some stories, you might also need to tell them that it is their story, not yours and that they need to do the writing up to a certain standard for you to be comfortable working with it.

 

[PennLady]

SR has a very good point in his last sentence. I've edited for a few people who seem content to do the following:

write
send to editor
accept all suggested changes
publish
write another story
send this story to editor with the same problems

In some cases, this does amount to near re-writing, and that's when you have to say no, and as SR says, point out that it is their story.

 

[babyloves2deepthroat]

hi

looking for a volunteer editor to read through what i have now and edit what i have and possibly give me honest advice

it is a incest piece so theres a rape involved but just warning

 

[_Lynn_]

Whenever I edit, I add notes at the end of the story. The notes include suggestions, ideas, tips, and CMS guidelines. I've returned stories without completing the edit, but I always explain why. I also highlight some of the issues with the story, then offer suggestions for correcting the problems. Some people made changes and returned the story for an edit, others (newbies) realized writing wasn't as easy as they thought and chose to move on. Honesty is best, in my opinion.

 

[sexylaila438]

i also try and find out exactly what people are looking for before i begin. i have a form email that i send out when i work with someone new that goes over the basics of what i can help with, my availability and an attachment that goes over helpful hints such as basic grammatical mistakes that i see frequently. if i have someone who needs significant help i try and work with them on the first story and have even done yahoo chat to converse back and forth so i can answer questions as we go along. if after the first time through they don't seem to get it or improve i let them know that i don't availability to help at the level they need.

at some points through a process that needs considerable help the story becomes much less theirs and i don't think that is the point of this.

 

[Anstice]

When I get a story that has too many problems, and I decide that I cannot devote enough time to bring it to an acceptable level, I make sure to tell the author that. A couple times I have recommended that the author look for a mentor, someone who can devote time to helping them improve their writing skills, instead of an editor who will edit one story, after which the same mistakes will be repeated.
I also find that it helps to ask for an excerpt of the story before you formally accept the edit so you can evaluate the level of writing and and the amount of time required by you. By asking for an excerpt, you can avoid the hurt feelings sometimes encountered by returning a story, and maintain your good word as an editor.

 

[MadeYaLook]

thanks for all your advice. It's good to know how you handle this - and that I'm not alone out there

Overall, I just think I need the courage to tell the author that his story would take me too much time to fix.

 

[R_Percival_Shackleford]

whats with the courtesy pretense? you are offering a free service; answering in any way beyond "i dont feel like it" is a luxury to the author. you dont need a nice way to answer; they havent given you any money or gone through some arduous process to contact you.

 

[MadeYaLook]

whats with the courtesy pretense? you are offering a free service; answering in any way beyond "i dont feel like it" is a luxury to the author. you dont need a nice way to answer; they havent given you any money or gone through some arduous process to contact you.

objectively, you're right. But I try to be courteous to anybody I come in contact with, and as long as they don't piss me off or start being impolite, I try not to do that either.

And I feel I do have at least a little bit of responsibility, as I've signed up for being a volunteer editor. The author is opening up to the editor in a possibly very intimate way, as the editor is (one of) the first to read his piece into which he has probably invested many hours, if not days or weeks. Maybe I'm overly sensitive or care too much about what people think of my work, but when I've invested a lot of effort and passion into something and think the result is good, it hurts to get annihilating criticism. So I do want to spare the author from unnecessary hurt but still give honest feedback.

 

[Chiara23]

Karma

I've only recently become an editor here but have been writing for a bit over a year. I never asked anyone to edit my stories and that may or may not have been a good idea on my part. Mind you the majority of my stories are better than 4's so I guess I'm doing something write (pun intended).

As an editor I try to be polite to the authors who request my help. I like to read the story through and do a partial edit to show the writer how I can help them (spelling/grammar/structure/continuity). I have had several people see what I have done and they said to just mark their stories up and they'd follow my lead if they saw what they liked. I always tell authors that the story is ultimately theirs and they have final say on how it looks and feels.

So if they really need that part where 'Uncle John has his way with his niece and her mom behind the bushes' even though it doesn't really go with the rest of the story well that's fine with me. lol

There are times as well when I have too much on my plate. I just reply honestly and tell the person as such. My own stories come first. The other ones are as I have time, but I'm always polite about it and try to give the person a timeline once I've done my first read depending on what they want.

Just my $1.37 worth after taxes and royalties.

 

[snoopercharmbrights]

Surely the simple answer, and the true one, is best.

"I am sorry, but I do not like your story and will not go any further. I am sure there are other people out there who have different ideas from me."

Users of American English are welcome to put "to" or "than" instead of "from".

 

[sr71plt]

I would have changed the "me" to "mine." (you aren't an idea to be different from)

 

[angela55]

Hm. Interesting question. I don't think there's a way you can phrase it that would make it palatable, but really, it's probably just better to be forthright. Most people will get over it, when they re-examine their work in the cold light of day (in fact, when I write, I usually leave it a day or so before showing to anyone, just to see if I've gone off it in the interim).

 

[Chiara23]

My stories usually take anywhere from a month to forever to write depending on my mindset. I read and re-read them constantly for spelling, grammar and continuity. Then I have my spouse read them a million times too. If a story is in a series I read all of the preceding chapters too so everything is consistent through the whole series. Don't want Aunt Cathy getting fucked by little billy at the bbq in chapter two then have Peter talk to Frankie about how he fucked Aunt Cathy at the last bbq in chapter 5.

I'm a bit obsessive compulsive that way. I also count my foot-steps too. I know weird but I'm a total nutbar, ask my shrink.

Ahh the joys of being bipolar lol!

 

[palisa]

There's a point of very rapidly diminishing returns, IMO, when you read over your own stuff, especially for grammar and punctuation and to some extent for continuity.

There are some tricks that help some people, such as jumping around from paragraph to paragraph at different places in the story to break the continuity of your thinking about what's on the page in contrast to what's actually there.

Setting the manuscript aside for a few days also helps, if you're not pressed for time.

I've always favored the "get something down on paper and then play with it" approach to writing. Grammar/punctuation/continuity problems do break the spell for a reader and should be repaired, but worrying about those things while the muse is licking your earlobe is also a mood-breaker.

 

[snoopercharmbrights]

... There are some tricks that help some people, such as jumping around from paragraph to paragraph at different places in the story to break the continuity of your thinking about what's on the page in contrast to what's actually there.

Setting the manuscript aside for a few days also helps, if you're not pressed for time. ...

Reading it aloud also helps.