Editors? We don't need no stinkin'... Or do we?

[Liar]

I'm a new author who haven't submitted anything to Literotica yet. (except some poems) And before I do I'd want to make sure that I got things right. Currently I'm trying to figure out the enigma of the voluntary editors.

I've seen things said in here by different like "I sent this to my editor weeks ago. It should be up on Lit by now." And the advise "go browse the list of editors" when a newbie like me asks about how the ropes hangs around here.

What do these guys do more exactly? Check grammar and spelling? Tell you if your stories suck? Rewrite, correct and submit for you? And why do they do it?

And most important, which is why I ask it here and not over at the editors forum: Do you all have an editor looking over your stories before submitting them? If you do or if you don't what are the pros and cons of sending it to one?

I believe my writing to be in correct English (better than this post ), although I somtimes takes liberty with the language for the purpose of certain effects. Do I need an editor?

thx,
#Liar

 

[KillerMuffin]

Volunteer editors are unpaid individuals who can help you get your manuscript into submission shape.

The Editor is the single person who approves or rejects the stories submitted to the site.

They aren't the same person and they don't perform the same functions. The Editor won't really help you get your story ready for Lit, there's no proofreading or whatever, just rejection if it's not up to snuff.

Volunteer editors don't have anything to do with getting your story posted to the site, however they can proofread and tell you what's wrong so you don't have as much of a chance at getting your story rejected.

 

[Uther_Pendragon]

The volunteer editors are people who read over your story
and make suggestions. At what level do they make
suggestions? That depends.
I have two editors, not on Lit, to whom I send different
stories. (In parallel, not in series, if that metaphor
speaks.) I wouldn't submit a story without having one of
them edit it. They have an eye for msspellings that
the spell-checker misses. Beyond that, they can tell you
whether your story is missing something else.

 

[Liar]

So what you're saying is that if I'm confident that it has good grammar, spelling and punctuation I should just go on and submit it? I have some local "editor" friends that tell me if my stories lack something or the other, but who coldn't help me when it comes to correct language. But I think I write as well (as correct, I mean - the literary quality of my writitng is not mine to judge) as the stories I read on this site.

Since it contains nothing else than healthy, fun-for-all adult consentual hooplah, it shouldn't get rejected for violation of any rules either.

Now I just have to finish the damn thing. Grrr.

#Liar

 

[MathGirl]

Originally posted by Liar Since it contains nothing else than healthy, fun-for-all adult consentual hooplah, it shouldn't get rejected for violation of any rules either.

Dear Li,
From your posts, it seems that you have a nodding acquaintance with the English language. That's really all that is required around here. You shouldn't need an editor. As for content, if my stuff can make it, anyone's can.
MG
Ps. Even stories which butcher the language are accepted, as long as there are sheep.

 

[Liar]

Dear Li,
From your posts, it seems that you have a nodding acquaintance with the English language. That's really all that is required around here. You shouldn't need an editor. As for content, if my stuff can make it, anyone's can.
MG
Ps. Even stories which butcher the language are accepted, as long as there are sheep.

I'll make an effort to toss in a ewe or tewe (sorry, couldn't help myself) just to be in the safe side then.

Thanks all.

#Liar

 

[whispering_surrender]

Thread hijacking WARNING:

I was just curious why some people seem to say, "I haven't submitted anything yet, well...except for a few poems," like poems don't count as authorship? I for one have the greatest respect for some of our poets. I can't do it. I've tried, and that is not something that flows from my brain. I can assist on lyrics....but not just write them on my own. So to all the poets who just haven't written any longer prose, don't discount yourselves so easily. In my book, you're authors already.

Hijacking complete. Please move along citizen. Thank you.

Whisp

 

[Liar]

this is my thread, so the jack is oven when I say it's over.

Whisp,
just for the record, that is not my attitude towards poetry. I'm more a poet than I am an author. I just assumed that this was the forum for the story writers, and that poems weren't the cat's meow in here. Probably read and written by many of you, but that this wasn't the forum to discuss them. If it had been the other way around and I wanted to ask the poetry board something, I'd probably had said "I haven't submitted anything yet, except some stroke stories."

Besides, although I might let one of them volunteers give my first story submissions a once-over, I wouldn't dare to let an editor anywhere near my poetry.

#Liar

yep, now the jack is over.

 

[Weird Harold]

Besides, although I might let one of them volunteers give my first story submissions a once-over, I wouldn't dare to let an editor anywhere near my poetry.

The right editor might be able to make good suggestions about your poetry, but in general "editors" aren't very poetic people.

The main advantage to submitting your work to a volunteer editor is that it's almost impossible to adequately proofread your own writing -- you tend to see what you meant to type instead of what is actually there.

There are tricks and techniques to improve your ability to proof your own writing, but they're no substitute for a another pair of literate eyes looking for typos and other errors.

Also, the Volunteer Editor's word is NOT the last word on your story -- YOU are. You can cast aside any or all of the changes your editor makes.

 

[KarenAM]

Proofreading is hell. If you can get someone else to do it, do so. The trouble is, not everyone out there is comfortable with erotica, and so many highly literate people won't proofread your work.

A good editor can make a story better, but with editors you run the risk of having them make your story just like every other story they like. This happens in published genre fiction all the time.

Nobody ever said that writing fiction was easy. But it is cool.

 

[damppanties]

There are tricks and techniques to improve your ability to proof your own writing, but they're no substitute for a another pair of literate eyes looking for typos and other errors.

Also, the Volunteer Editor's word is NOT the last word on your story -- YOU are. You can cast aside any or all of the changes your editor makes.

What he said and I'd just like to add that another opinion on your work would only benefit you. It's amazing what people who go through another's work can come up with. The perception can be totally different.

 

[snooper]

... The main advantage to submitting your work to a volunteer editor is that it's almost impossible to adequately proofread your own writing -- you tend to see what you meant to type instead of what is actually there ...

Copy editing, as it is known in the publishing world, is invaluable.
It is the copy editor who says, "She was a red-head in chapter 1 and is a blonde in chapter 8, is that right?" Well, sometimes it was a mistake, and sometimes she's changed her wig, but at least the CE had brought the author's attention to a possible error.
It is the CE who says, "Do you realise that you had 'importunate' six times in chapter 7 and it looks odd?"
It is the CE who says, "He was old enough to be her father in chapter 1 and now they are sharing a birthday party in Chapter 19?" Well it's true, they have the same birthday, just 25 years apart.
It is the CE who spots (in my case) that I have typed 'form' instead of 'from' again.

The Volunteer editors here perform those tasks, at least I do.

Edited to correct a typo - no CE used on this one!

 

[Dirt Man]

Poets know the real value of editing as each word they use in a poem has to do double, and sometimes triple duty. So if you're worth anything as a poet then you know the value of editing, and the value of having another poet look over your work for any errors. As well as the value of reading your work outloud.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man