Rejected

[MendonFishers]

Sometimes this Site really pisses me off.

I just submitted a new story to Non-Erotic. It was rejected because of supposed spelling errors.

I guess their highly skilled editor can spell better than Microsoft Word and my two human editors, one of which is a retired proof reader. As well as all the readers on Sol who have read this story so far and not complained.

Does anyone else experience this harassment? I'm just about to give up on Lit completely.

Must we put up with Lit's obvious effort to dominate our writings?

As a writer, I must put up with those anonymous comments. Must we also put up with the incompetence of their self proclaimed editors?

If their editor does not like the subject matter of the story, I suspect that they are looking for any reason, real or imagined, to reject the work.

I have noticed that many of the really good writers no longer appear here. I wonder if they too are being forced off the site because of the incompetence of their so called "editors".

Enough of my rant.

Mendon Fishers

 

[FallingToFly]

Sorry you feel so put upon.
Maybe a quick read-through and resubmit?

 

[PennLady]

Sometimes this Site really pisses me off.

I just submitted a new story to Non-Erotic. It was rejected because of supposed spelling errors.

I guess their highly skilled editor can spell better than Microsoft Word and my two human editors, one of which is a retired proof reader. As well as all the readers on Sol who have read this story so far and not complained.

Does anyone else experience this harassment? I'm just about to give up on Lit completely.

Must we put up with Lit's obvious effort to dominate our writings?

I tend to think that what happened to you was an unfortunate glitch. It happens. As Falling suggested, though, it might be worth a look just to make sure. Otherwise, resubmit the story with a note saying that it was rejected and why, and that it was a mistake and/or that any errors have been corrected.

What "obvious effort" to dominate our writings? It's a private site -- the owners get to decide what posts or not.

As a writer, I must put up with those anonymous comments. Must we also put up with the incompetence of their self proclaimed editors?

No, actually you don't. You have the option to turn off anonymous comments. And as far as we know, there is one editor, Laurel, who looks over all the submissions and she admits she makes mistakes.

If their editor does not like the subject matter of the story, I suspect that they are looking for any reason, real or imagined, to reject the work.

I have noticed that many of the really good writers no longer appear here. I wonder if they too are being forced off the site because of the incompetence of their so called "editors".

Some people move on to publishing for pay and probably some just get tired of writing. I don't think anyone's been forced off.

I am sorry you had some trouble, but nearly all of us who post have had something similar happen at some point. I really don't think Laurel has the time to single out any author or story for unfavorable treatment.

 

[sr71plt]

The Word Spellcheck mechanism is only a partial aid. There are several elements of spelling it can't/doesn't handle.

If you want a third look see on what might be wrong, you can PM me for an e-mail to send it to and I'll take a look at it.

Was spelling the only problem area identified in the rejection?

 

[autoplot]

Must we put up with Lit's obvious effort to dominate our writings?

As a writer, I must put up with those anonymous comments. Must we also put up with the incompetence of their self proclaimed editors?

You can always feel free to take your work elsewhere. Literotica is a volunteer operation all around.

 

[topace]

I run a site that I'm planning to remodel where I'll be posting my works.

Feel free to PM me for the address.

Laurel is only human after all and will make mistakes, and like sr71plt said, there are some stuff Word can't handle in the spelling department.

 

[MatthewVett]

You can always feel free to take your work elsewhere. Literotica is a volunteer operation all around.

+1. Completely correct.

 

[sun_sea_sky]

I just submitted a new story to Non-Erotic. It was rejected because of supposed spelling errors.

I guess their highly skilled editor can spell better than Microsoft Word ...

Word is only human. Oh, wait.

Word is very fallible. If you have the grammar checker turned on it can help. The reason spell-checkers are of limited use is that there are many, many words that are wrong in the context in which they are used, but are in the spell-checker's dictionary . Examples are:

to/too
it's/its
bare/bear
lever/lover

Does anyone else experience this harassment?

Not me. I've submitted 10 stories in the last few months with no rejections. I'm a newbie to this site, I'm hardly on someone's "favourite" list.

As well as all the readers on Sol who have read this story so far and not complained.

Without seeing your story it is hard to comment on whether or not you have enough egregious errors to warrant rejection.

 

[lovecraft68]

for lack of a better way to say it, lit is consistently inconsistent.

I've seen some pretty poorly spelled stories up here and know that I have found a couple of spelling errors in mine after they have posted.

there is only one person scanning the stories and maybe yours was early on when her eyes were still sharp and she noticed somethings.

as for there being some type of "ulterior" reason for the rejection they will usually tell you the reason.

If you really feel this was an error just resubmit it. From past experience I can tell you the odds are it may just fly right through.

Remember consistently inconsistent, which isn't personal, its just how it is.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Sometimes this Site really pisses me off.

I just submitted a new story to Non-Erotic. It was rejected because of supposed spelling errors.

I guess their highly skilled editor can spell better than Microsoft Word and my two human editors, one of which is a retired proof reader. As well as all the readers on Sol who have read this story so far and not complained.

Seconding the others who've said "don't trust MS Word", but I skimmed one of your other stories and didn't notice any spelling problems. Could be Laurel just hit the wrong button; if you're sure the spelling is OK, try resubmitting it with a polite note explaining the situation.

Edit: bah, apparently I was asleep when I skimmed it, because sun_sea_sky picked the same one and found a whole host of things I SHOULD have spotted.

 

[Handley_Page]

The thought stroll through my mind that perhaps the "Language" setting on MSWord is not set - how can I put it - properly for the intended ?.
For example, UK English may be the source, but not the target language.

 

[sun_sea_sky]

Sometimes this Site really pisses me off.

I just submitted a new story to Non-Erotic. It was rejected because of supposed spelling errors.
...
Does anyone else experience this harassment? I'm just about to give up on Lit completely.

To be fair to Lit (and you, MendonFishers) I checked another one of your stories:

http://www.literotica.com/s/bella-3


The story was fine as a yarn, but I found problems in most paragraphs, for example:

Yeap it's been five years since my wife divorced me ...

Is "Yeap" a word? Do you mean "Yep"? (Note, I checked Urban Dictionary, apparently it is a word, although a slang one.)

In reality, I was a little lower than average,

No period at end of sentence.

Too be exact if I finished one job, ...

Should be "To be exact ..."

"Jim" (that's me), he started "you have been an employee of this company for "(he stopped to look at some paperwork on his desk) "15 years.

Spaces in wrong place in quotes.

The first though entering my foggy mind was, "We've been robbed"

No period at end of sentence.

(Debit card was stolen to).

Should be "too".


I'm not trying to nit-pick here, but I can imagine Laurel looking through something similar and sending it back for some copy-editing.

It's not domination or harassment, they are expecting that stories are reasonably grammatically correct. The fact that this story got through to being published indicates that the either the standard isn't all that high, or maybe Laurel was more tired when she read this one, and didn't notice the stuff I pointed out.

You might want to find someone to edit for you, it might save you this sort of hassle.

 

[lovecraft68]

To be fair to Lit (and you, MendonFishers) I checked another one of your stories:

http://www.literotica.com/s/bella-3


The story was fine as a yarn, but I found problems in most paragraphs, for example:



Is "Yeap" a word? Do you mean "Yep"? (Note, I checked Urban Dictionary, apparently it is a word, although a slang one.)



No period at end of sentence.



Should be "To be exact ..."



Spaces in wrong place in quotes.



No period at end of sentence.



Should be "too".


I'm not trying to nit-pick here, but I can imagine Laurel looking through something similar and sending it back for some copy-editing.

It's not domination or harassment, they are expecting that stories are reasonably grammatically correct. The fact that this story got through to being published indicates that the either the standard isn't all that high, or maybe Laurel was more tired when she read this one, and didn't notice the stuff I pointed out.

You might want to find someone to edit for you, it might save you this sort of hassle.

The problem here is that everything you cited is wrong of course, but problem is that story was accepted.

Now this one is being rejected for most likely the same type of mistakes.

As I said before this is where the frustration of a rejection comes in.

Its not the fact of a rejection its the fact that no matter what reason you are rejected, you will find tons of stories up on the site with the issue that just got you rejected.

That's the problem. If every story that had those mistakes was rejected no one would have room to gripe, but its hit or miss here and that's why people get pissed off and rumors of favoritism start.

 

[sun_sea_sky]

Personally I'd like to send Laurel a bunch of flowers for having the persistence to read something like 100 stories a day. I just couldn't do it. After the 50th one the erotic factor must be pretty low. It would be like eating a big box of chocolates, every night.

The site is free to submit, free to download, and it offers cash prizes. I doubt there is a heap of money in the bank to employ more editors, and even then they would have to be highly trusted to not let through a story that might result in a lawsuit.

 

[sun_sea_sky]

@Laurel:

Best I can do.

 

[Peaches_n_cream]

I too am having the same problem, nonconsent category.. :*(
Spelling errors? My editor said it was fine spellingwise, so we are confused as to what is keeping my story unpublished!!! is there a list of taboo subjects for nonconsent?

 

[sun_sea_sky]

I too am havinh the same problem, nonconsent category.. :*(
Spelling errors? My ediyor said it was fine spellingwise, so we are confused as to what is keeping my story unpublished!!! Someone please help or I too will take it elsewhere..

At least two spelling errors in that post, so I can believe that your story got rejected. Sorry.

 

[Peaches_n_cream]

I hear you but im on my phone tonight.. May I please email u my story to check and see if something pops out at u? Im new here.. As I said one of your editors went over it already..

Believe me I have respEct for whoever reads all those submissions! My eyes would probably fall out! :0I

 

[Weird Harold]

... As I said one of your editors went over it already...

If you mean one of the volunteer editors, then "you get what you pay for." The Volunteer Editors have nothing to do with whether your story is accepted or rejected and have no official connection with the site.

There are a few good editors in the Volunteer Editor list, but the last time I went there, it took a dozen (or more) attempts to get six editors to actually return the story, three of the six didn't see anything wrong with the story and made zero corrections. The remaining three all found different things to correct or question. I consider that with the six responses, I got one competent combined editing.

IOW, Just because a volunteer editor didn't find anything wrong doesn't mean your story is therefore fault-free. I wouldn't consider a story properly edited without at least three responses that showed some sign of real editing (as opposed to "rah rah encouragement.")

 

[MendonFishers]

Hi,
I have two editors I use all the time. One I use to tell me if the story hit the mark, and my characters are realistic.
My other editor is retired from GMAIL. He was a copy writer and editor there. He is my main man.

I tried to get a volunteer editor, but none responded.

Mendon

 

[PennLady]

Hi,
I have two editors I use all the time. One I use to tell me if the story hit the mark, and my characters are realistic.
My other editor is retired from GMAIL. He was a copy writer and editor there. He is my main man.

I tried to get a volunteer editor, but none responded.

Mendon

The problem with the VE program is that it's just kind of sitting there. If you need an editor at Lit, the better option to try (can't guarantee success) is to go to the Editor's Hangout and either post a request for an editor, or check the monthly Available Editor's sticky and contact someone there. At least that way you know they're active and on the site.

 

[TexRiffraff]

Resubmit?

Does anyone have any insight into how to resubmit a story?

I had a story rejected for punctuation issues, I made the requested corrections, now when I attempt to resubmit, the site gives me a message essentially saying, "you have already submitted a story by this name."

I'm hard-headed enough, I don't want to rename the story.

Any ideas how to delete the old story, overwrite it, or work around the issue?

Thanks...

 

[sr71plt]

Does anyone have any insight into how to resubmit a story?

I had a story rejected for punctuation issues, I made the requested corrections, now when I attempt to resubmit, the site gives me a message essentially saying, "you have already submitted a story by this name."

I'm hard-headed enough, I don't want to rename the story.

Any ideas how to delete the old story, overwrite it, or work around the issue?

Thanks...

Put "Edit" at the end of the title. Might also put a note in the "notes" box (which is a guaranteed trip to the editor's attention) that it's a resubmission of a reedit.

 

[PennLady]

Does anyone have any insight into how to resubmit a story?

I had a story rejected for punctuation issues, I made the requested corrections, now when I attempt to resubmit, the site gives me a message essentially saying, "you have already submitted a story by this name."

I'm hard-headed enough, I don't want to rename the story.

Any ideas how to delete the old story, overwrite it, or work around the issue?

Thanks...

ETA: My original post here was wrong, and Laurel posted to the thread on the next page. If you your story is on your submissions page as rejected, you should do the following:

Yes!

Since we process all edits after the new stories are posted, adding the word EDITED to a title will cause a delay in the posting of your new story. If you are submitting an edit of a rejected story, simply open the rejected form, make the changes in that form, and hit SUBMIT. Do not start a new submission.

 

[TexRiffraff]

Thanks!