How do you select an editor to help you?

[ErosKeys]

Hello everyone.

How do you (did you) select an editor if you are going to use one (or have used one)? I think this topic and feed-back would help others since the list of editors is over ten pages with 10 editors listed per page.

I've read through the editors list 3 times now and have written down 11 names I feel comfortable in contacting. A few are for only one story (genre) as some editors are not comfortable editing all topics/genres.

As well, I've noticed that many of the editors have not posted a story here in Literotica. Do you feel this is a hinderance to their abilites to provide good editing for you? Does it affect your selection of an editor? (they may just come here for reading and have no inclination to be an author)

What other qualifications do you look for? How about the grammar, spelling, and punctuation in their information posting? The reference (or lack of reference) to knowledge in a specific topic area?

 

[Weird Harold]

I've read through the editors list 3 times now and have written down 11 names I feel comfortable in contacting. A few are for only one story (genre) as some editors are not comfortable editing all topics/genres.

I'd send an inquiry to all eleven of the names that look like likely prospects. The quality of editing service varies widely and you'll find that you work better with some editors thn others.

The onlyway to find out for sure which are good editors is to give them a chance.

As well, I've noticed that many of the editors have not posted a story here in Literotica. Do you feel this is a hinderance to their abilites to provide good editing for you? Does it affect your selection of an editor? (they may just come here for reading and have no inclination to be an author)

If you checked my name for stories, you'd only find one How To essay. That's because I post fiction under the name "Dirty Old Man" and non-fiction under "Weird Harold." Some authors have as many as a dozen different author names yet do volunteer editing and post on the bords with yet another name to avoid "spite votes" against their stories because of something they said on the forums or from a dis-satisfied editing client.

What other qualifications do you look for? How about the grammar, spelling, and punctuation in their information posting? The reference (or lack of reference) to knowledge in a specific topic area?

I look for a literate blurb and/or someone with a specific knowledge base that I need. I also look in th middle of the list, because those editors get fewer demands on their time than those at either end of the list. (the editors on page one get about half of the requests because people go down the list and pick the first one that looks likely.)

 

[flawed_ethics]

Re: Re: How do you select an editor to help you?

I'll second what Weird Harold said. For my first story, I contacted three editors to hack away at my story (from the old VE board, mind you). I only got one response, and I later learned that one out of three is pretty lucky. The case might be that the editors are too busy, or aren't currently available. Odds are you'll get a good variety of feedback if you contact all eleven, which will be a good indication of how written feedback will be once you post.

You can also try your hand on the Editor's Fourm board. No guarentee on what you'll get, but having a random editor pick your story out is an interesting process. (No complaints here.)

... I also look in th middle of the list, because those editors get fewer demands on their time than those at either end of the list. (the editors on page one get about half of the requests because people go down the list and pick the first one that looks likely.)

Interesting that, since the list has grown large enough, Laurel and Manu haven't implemented a rotating page basis like they have with their story categories. Every week, the VE listcould start with a different letter of the alphabet for editor screen names, or something.

Just a thought.

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Re: Re: How do you select an editor to help you?

Interesting that, since the list has grown large enough, Laurel and Manu haven't implemented a rotating page basis like they have with their story categories. Every week, the VE listcould start with a different letter of the alphabet for editor screen names, or something.

Just a thought.

That might not be a bad idea.

I noticed the phenomenon only because WhisperSecret and I were on the bottom of the old list (when we were both on the list; neither of us is on the list now.)

When I had a story to edit, I went with the bottom of the list and worked up the list. I asked about request frequencies as a side note to my inquiry about editing-- the top of the list were apparently to busy to even answer my inquiry and the bottom of the list were about eqully split between being too busy and glad to finally get a request. Those in the middle of the list had mostly nearly given up on getting any requests.

I don't imagine that the new listing format has changed the dynamics of selecting from a list much -- the first suitable name gets the business. (Yellow Pages advertisers have known this for years, BTW.)