Question for the editors

[Rakshasdesire]

So I have no clue where to post this to get the best response so I'm posting it here. I contacted a volunteer editor from the site and have had a slight issue come up. I want to ask you guys how long would it take one of you to edit a 4000 word story just a rough timeline, because the person I contacted had originally said that it wouldn't take her long, as she had lots of free time, and a day or two after she received it she said that it was mostly finished and gave me a small portion to look over, just for me to double check her editing style and ensure that she didn't change to much. I approved the portion that was done and waited several days for the rest she never sent it, so I emailed her and asked weather it was done or if she had just forgotten to send it. She replied a day later and said that I would have it within a few days it still has not come and she's had it for what I feel is more then long enough for a story of that length but I want to know if I am being unreasonable, hence my question to you guys.

 

[PennLady]

You're not being unreasonable. You might give her one more chance, then try someone else. Sorry for the trouble; unfortunately it seems a common risk with many editors.

 

[LadyVer]

If the story is written well and has only minor mechanical errors, it shouldn't take long, maybe 4 hours for a 4k word story, once the editing is started. I have a tendency to re-read a story several times before I send the edited version to the author, especially when the story is as short as 4k, and that time is included in the 4 hours.

 

[beachbaby179]

Life Happens

PennLady is right. It can happen. I myself have been in that situation as an editor. However, I communicate with my authors if a work will take me longer than I anticipated. You're not being unreasonable. Send it to someone else.

 

[sr71plt]

Two days tops if they have nothing else they are working at the same time--and that's only if they want to let an edit sit overnight before reviewing it, which is reasonable. I always try to give a projected return time off the top and redo it if I can't make it--and I ask that receipt of everything be acknowledged. I've had e-mails lost in the ether before.

 

[Rakshasdesire]

wishing i had a backbone sometimes

so thanks for the advice im giving her a last chance to edit it as a family issue came up we agreed to a deadline this time and hopefully ill have heart of flames up in no time at all

 

[robertreams]

Life happens! Nothing ever goes as planned. If it has been more than a month, seek out someone else. We all say, Oh I'll get to that tomorrow, but then, one's child gets ill or arrested, computers crash,spouses divorce you. Mothers, fathers, sisters brothers get ill, drop in unexpectedly, disappear, die, I had a writer I was helping in LIt. who suddenly disappeared I have not returned her ms because she has not answered an e-mail for 3 months. Should I be pissed? Assume she is dead? La la la life goes on.

 

[Fenris17]

Once we submit, how long before we should hear something or get an editor? I submitted my first story about 5-7 days ago, and nothing has happened. Just curious about the process.

Thanks

 

[PennLady]

Once we submit, how long before we should hear something or get an editor? I submitted my first story about 5-7 days ago, and nothing has happened. Just curious about the process.

Thanks

If you mean you submitted a story for posting, then you won't "hear" anything. You'll need to check your submissions page and see if the story has been posted or rejected. Right now 5-7 days is about average, and for new authors it may take another day or two. If you have been checking on the story and hitting "pending," that will put your story at the end of the queue, starting the process all over again.

You also will not "get" an editor. Having your story edited is not a requirement, and any editing is something you work out yourself via the Volunteer Editor list, or by finding one via the Editor's Forum, or however you find one for yourself. The site will not assign you an editor, and the editors are not approved or hired or anything by the site.

Hope that helped and good luck.

 

[sr71plt]

Yep, the "editor" you encounter after submitting a story is an acquisition editor (selecting for posting to the site), not a copy editor (editing the content of the story). To have it edited before submitting, you have to find a copy editor. If you don't have one, the quickest way is to post what you need to this board (story genre, wordage) or contact someone from the sticky "available editors this month" post at the top of this forum.

 

[lit_firezone]

Editor Note

Rakshasdesire

Being a newer editor (not official yet) it is hard to say, once an editor becomes popular they tend to get snowed under, at least this is my experience. I would not think it would take anymore then 3 or 4 days even if that editor is busy. Unfortunately you may have hit a very overloaded person. The few of us that are doing this work are hopefully doing our best.