Literotica "Editors"

[AwkwardMD]

I'm an experienced enough writer to know when an "editor" claims that I've made a formal or spelling or punctuation error when I haven't. An inexperienced writer doesn't have that knowledge and may follow erroneous advice. Is that clear enough for you? And please, get a handle on your officious tone: you don't have any more clout than anyone else here.

Okay

 

[Milo9012]

Yes, I agree. A writer can easily control how much or how little latitude they allow AI when checking over their work. I've begun doing this for basic proofing and punctuation. AI doesn't always get it right but neither do professional editors. Better than having a novice editor on Lit red pencil the word "profundity:" and write in "correct to profoundity!" which happened to me with a Lit editor recently.

I would have sent that 'editor' a screen capture of Websters spelling and definition of 'profundity' to correct him/her.

I can't believe that suggestion was red penciled w/o first discussing it with the writer. That is a lousy editor.

 

[MsPeachPit]

I would have sent that 'editor' a screen capture of Websters spelling and definition of 'profundity' to correct him/her.

I can't believe that suggestion was red penciled w/o first discussing it with the writer. That is a lousy editor.

That's my point...

 

[Milo9012]

That's my point...

Okay.

Find a more diligent, devoted, and, for G_d's sakes, a smarter and better speller of an editor.

They are out there.

This one (or other editors) has really traumatized you and your submission experience(s).

All the best,

Milo

 

[Milo9012]

I've been using AI to check for grammar errors, and indeed, it will try to standardize all my writing, if I let it. So I don't let it. I just look for items flagged as syntax errors or misspelling and fix those. Things like misplaced commas, of which I have plenty. It's also helped me understand rules around punctuation in quotes and such.

I then make a pass of my own and look for other problems I could correct, because the AI doesn't flag everything. It's a useful tool if you are aware of it's limitations and avoid them. Not all new readers are.

As for the editor program, yeah I noticed the same thing as the OP. I suspect some are unaware of their own limitations and think their writing is stellar, and wish to pass their skills on, such as they are. ON the other hand, yes, they are all volunteers who kindly offer to help others. My issue with it is I tried contacting several of them and was met with complete silence. Disappointing.

I'm more interested in someone who will proof read my story to help improve it. I was lucky enough to find someone willing to do that for my first couple of chapters. This has vastly improved my story.

I'd offer myself to do the same, because a story can only benefit from a second pair of eyes. In fact the fellow has asked me to do the same and read his and give him my thoughts. Whether he takes my opinions or not is entirely up to him though.

I would stay away from using AI as a writing tool.
JMO

 

[StillStunned]

Yes, I agree. A writer can easily control how much or how little latitude they allow AI when checking over their work. I've begun doing this for basic proofing and punctuation. AI doesn't always get it right but neither do professional editors. Better than having a novice editor on Lit red pencil the word "profundity:" and write in "correct to profoundity!" which happened to me with a Lit editor recently.

I've had Word wanting to change "cock" to "clock". Stuff happens. You're always in charge of what edits you accept.

 

[Milo9012]

I've had Word wanting to change "cock" to "clock". Stuff happens. You're always in charge of what edits you accept.

In case you haven't already, add 'Cock, cock' to your Word dictionary and it shouldn't auto correct again.

(Like the commercial, I think I'm becoming my Dad. 🗣)

 

[StillStunned]

In case you haven't already, add 'Cock, cock' to your Word dictionary and it shouldn't auto correct again.

(Like the commercial, I think I'm turning into my Dad. 🗣)

Weirdly, it was only the one time. I've written almost a million words of smut, and that was the only time it suggested it. Something about "opening her mouth wide to engulf his cock", if I'm not mistaken. Because clearly "clock" makes much more sense in the context.

 

[HaralLuhhan]

Weirdly, it was only the one time. I've written almost a million words of smut, and that was the only time it suggested it. Something about "opening her mouth wide to engulf his cock", if I'm not mistaken. Because clearly "clock" makes much more sense in the context.

There's apparently a video game about your appliances/household items coming to life and wanting to date you (in human form). Just when you thought you were already on the weirder side of the internet

 

[StillStunned]

There's apparently a video game about your appliances/household items coming to life and wanting to date you (in human form). Just when you thought you were already on the weirder side of the internet

I bet you get the most points for dating the vacuum cleaner...

 

[Milo9012]

Weirdly, it was only the one time. I've written almost a million words of smut, and that was the only time it suggested it. Something about "opening her mouth wide to engulf his cock", if I'm not mistaken. Because clearly "clock" makes much more sense in the context.

It's really maddeningly funny sometimes how word processing programs can F with you over the most trivial things.

I'm sure 'clock' was the right word for its grammar sensitivity setting.

 

[ronde]

I've been going through the Editors list here looking for someone to give a new story of mine a going over before publishing. I want to know beforehand the level of editing skill of folks offering their services so I've checked out their own stories. Well, I was horrified to discover that most of these people are themselves in desperate need of not only a good editor but basic linguistic/literary skills. Typos and misspellings abound, syntax is dreadful, punctuation ridiculously lacking or improperly used and on and on and on.

I realize that Lit can't vet these people and I wouldn't expect it. But I wonder what these people are thinking when they imagine they have the cred and experience to edit the work of others. Or even proof read it. I would ask anyone who frames themselves as an editor here to do some honest self-evaluation before offering your services otherwise you are wasting everyone's time.

Very few volunteer editors have the skills to turn your story into something that rivals a best seller. If they did, they'd be editing for a publishing company.

What you should expect from a volunteer editor is a fresh set of eyes and a brain that doesn't remember what you intended to write. I say intended because the human brain is probably the most perfect autocorrect device in the universe. It remembers what you were thinking when you wrote the story even though it didn't send the right signals to your fingers. When you go back and read what you wrote, your brain will automatically correct what you wrote to what you wanted to write. A fresh set of eyes solves that problem. Letting a story sit for a week or two while you write something else can do much the same thing.

Volunteer editors also can help with phrases that don't sound right, especially for phrases translated into English from another language.

It's very difficult to edit a story about a topic you don't also enjoy reading, so if you're writing about some rare fetish, don't expect to find a good editor.

One caveat I learned long ago about volunteer editors is that while they're correcting your errors, they may also be changing the tone or even the plot of your story. If you succeed in finding a volunteer editor, pay attention to their corrections, but do not accept them as perfection. Look at what they changed and see if your story still reads like you wanted it to read.

 

[CiaoSteve]

You know what... I've edited a few and I edit my own, and for sure I will have missed things in both. I have no professional editing skills, just a like of writing and a wish to offer something by way of value. I do not change people's stories, but call out where I feel there are adjustments to be made and allow the writer to choose whether or not to follow. There will be ones I've missed, especially with the differences between British and American English, but I do like to think I have provoked the writer to look through what they have written and take that fresh view. It is difficult to critique your own story as you read what you want to be written, and that is what I hope I offer back as an editor, that external view of how the prose comes across. I wager many of the editors are similar, and just hoping to add a little. If you find an editor cannot meet your expectations then kindly say thank you and move on. If you find every editor cannot meet your expectations... maybe that is the time to think about whether those expectations are realistic. None of us try to do a bad job. We just try to help.

 

[StillStunned]

I've edited a few and I edit my own, and for sure I will have missed things in both. I have no professional editing skills,

I *do* have professional editing and proofreading skills, plus an MA gathering dust somewhere and 25+ years of professional experience. And I still miss things.

A bit ago I skipped the Read Aloud stage of proofreading on a couple of my stories. The difference is noticeable. Where usually I expect to leave 1-2 typos in a story, for those I had 4 or 5, and pretty bad ones.

 

[NC_Coastal]

I sort of knew the great sportswriter Dan Jenkins, who sometimes sat in front of a typewriter or laptop, in total silence until suddenly writing an entire column without stopping. I asked him about it at the Masters one year, and he told me "half the time, I'm just thinking up ways I can kill my editor."

I hate editors.

 

[StillStunned]

I sort of knew the great sportswriter Dan Jenkins, who sometimes sat in front of a typewriter or laptop, in total silence until suddenly writing an entire column without stopping. I asked him about it at the Masters one year, and he told me "half the time, I'm just thinking up ways I can kill my editor."

I hate editors.

Speaking for myself, the feeling is mutual.

 

[dirk2024]

Okay.

Find a more diligent, devoted, and, for G_d's sakes, a smarter and better speller of an editor.

They are out there.

Are they? That's not been my experience. I asked 10 of the volunteer editors, two said no and the rest ghosted me.

 

[AwkwardMD]

This is not the correct forum for this conversation.

 

[MsPeachPit]

Thanks for all the input regarding my original post. You've given me a lot to think about.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I've been going through the Editors list here looking for someone to give a new story of mine a going over before publishing. I want to know beforehand the level of editing skill of folks offering their services so I've checked out their own stories. Well, I was horrified to discover that most of these people are themselves in desperate need of not only a good editor but basic linguistic/literary skills. Typos and misspellings abound, syntax is dreadful, punctuation ridiculously lacking or improperly used and on and on and on.

I realize that Lit can't vet these people and I wouldn't expect it. But I wonder what these people are thinking when they imagine they have the cred and experience to edit the work of others. Or even proof read it. I would ask anyone who frames themselves as an editor here to do some honest self-evaluation before offering your services otherwise you are wasting everyone's time.

You need to lower your expectations. All you can get on Literotica, no matter if it's editing, beta-reading, reviewing, or anything else, is unpaid-volunteer-level work. None of it is something that Literotica officially supports or provides. So yeah, there will be errors in all those services, sometimes even major errors. But there is still a huge net positive in all those things.

I've had a chance to edit for some new authors a couple of times, and I am barely joking when I say that I once almost deleted my account in order to avoid fixing what looked like the work of a five-year-old to me. I am not sure you have a true idea of how absolutely terrible some new authors can be at the basics of writing. So while you might have felt frustrated by the level of work of some volunteer editor, it's true that on average, they are orders of magnitude above the average new author.

Always keep in mind that those people provide a free service that not only takes knowledge and skill, but a huge amount of time as well. If karma exists, they have hoarded plenty of it, no doubt.

 

[StillStunned]

I've had a chance to edit for some new authors a couple of times, and I am barely joking when I say that I once almost deleted my account in order to avoid fixing what looked like the work of a five-year-old to me. I am not sure you have a true idea of how absolutely terrible some new authors can be at the basics of writing. So while you might have felt frustrated by the level of work of some volunteer editor, it's true that on average, they are orders of magnitude above the average new author.

Not just new authors. I've edited for one of the most popular authors on the site, and it was utter garbage. Poor grammar and spelling, gaping inconsistencies, head-hopping, sloppy dialogue formatting, and just generally flat storytelling.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Not just new authors. I've edited for one of the most popular authors on the site, and it was utter garbage. Poor grammar and spelling, gaping inconsistencies, head-hopping, sloppy dialogue formatting, and just generally flat storytelling.

That's not hard to believe at all.
When it comes to success, it's not about how well you write, it's what you write and how often you can put it out. Lately, I've been hooked on reading litrpgs, if you know what those are. It feels like there is an inverse relation between the quality and popularity of those. You wouldn't believe the bucks that some of those authors earn with barely passable work.

 

[MsPeachPit]

That's not hard to believe at all.
When it comes to success, it's not about how well you write, it's what you write and how often you can put it out. Lately, I've been hooked on reading litrpgs, if you know what those are. It feels like there is an inverse relation between the quality and popularity of those. You wouldn't believe the bucks that some of those authors earn with barely passable work.

Excuse my ignorance but what are litrpgs? Thanks in advance

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Excuse my ignorance but what are litrpgs? Thanks in advance

Literary RPGs. Those are novel-length stories that combine fantasy and games. They usually follow an MC who finds himself/herself in a world where he becomes a player who can level up, obtain skills, spells, items, etc. They are quite popular, apparently.

 

[Milo9012]

Are they? That's not been my experience. I asked 10 of the volunteer editors, two said no and the rest ghosted me.

You gotta have faith.

The really good ones are likely closely held secrets by their clients and whose inboxes are likely filled with editing requests.

I'm making light, but I truly believe there are some really capable volunteer editors among those listed.