The role of the editor - a question

[gystex]

I just did something as editor which, in retrospect, I'm not really sure was warrented.

I received a new thread for "Doing the Sorority" and while I liked its plot and direction, I found that it was lacking in mechanics and style. It just didn't fit in well with the rest of the story - for instance, the author chose to write it like this:

Jane said to get in the car and wait.

Instead of:

Jane said, "Get in the car and wait."

I like the second better, and so edited the story to fit that kind of format. Well, what with one thing and another, the edit turned into almost a complete rewrite, such that the author's original "voice" is more or less completely gone.

I did not approve the thread as such. Instead, I sent it back to the author intact, with my new version in the notes, asking him/her to review the changes I had made and re-submit if they were met with approval.

Should I have done this? Would it have been better for me to have simply rejected it, asking the author to make the necessary changes and not doing it myself? Or should I have bit the bullet and taken it, accepting that a variety of styles is inevitable in a CHYOO story?

I don't like to reject entertaining and creative threads, but I am also very picky about the quality of writing in my stories. Sometimes these things are hard to reconcile. This is one of those times.

 

[JagFarlane]

Hmmmmm now had you posted it intact with all your notes...I would say you were a jerk...but being thats not the case...and you were helpful in showing how you'd like it written....that's acceptable. In fact, in hindsight I'd even go so far to say as that is very helpful to the author, instead of leaving a twisting turn of statements that seem to contradict what the story is about [have had it and a few other such things happen]. As far as biting the bullet...don't...you have a plan for your story...go with that.

 

[Zingiber]

It's your story, you can edit if you want to

It's your story, and you should edit a contributed thread for continuity, style, spelling, or whatever makes it fit.

I think if your editing was just "mechanics and voice", then it was a courtesy on your part to send it back to the author for review before posting after you had it edited to your satisfaction.

If it was deficient or unsuitable in some other respect, it's reasonable to say why, and to reject the thread, either encouraging the author to submit a new version or to find another story that it would fit better into.

I have in the past taken the approach of editing for spelling, mechanics, and continuity and approving the thread with notes on what I'd done. For threads which didn't look like they'd fit into the story for content/theme reasons, I'd reject them with a note about why, and in this case I wouldn't fix the mechanics.

I've only rejected a handful of threads.

-Z

 

[cutieangel]

Hmm, Editing is always tricky. When I first started I had to retool many of my threads because of a POV conflict. I have rejected threads simply because they don't mesh with the overall feel of the story. I feel that as long you provide reasons or suggestions there's no reason to feel guilty about rejecting a thread. I think you were the one who told me editing wasn't just button pushing, and that's true. The editor is responsible not only for content, but for the feel of the story as well.

You did the right thing.

 

[bungakawa2000]

Since you gave us a one sentence before/after example, it's hard to say if you were too nit-picky or not.

However, if a thread makes you uncomfortable for any reason, don't be afraid to reject it as long as you tell the author why. I once spent some time working on a thread, only to have it rejected with no other comment than "sorry!". I was pissed, not because it was rejected but because I had no clue why... Style? Plot? Afraid of strangers? etc...

Bunga

 

[niceguy2002tim]

Reject here...

Hello,
well speaking from experience... Z. has rejected somethings. For example, his story In From The Snow. Which I felt had a great start and I saw a lot of potential for me to creat a good long story line. I think I added 3 or 4 threads, then I wrote one that didn't fit his view of the story. It was esentially a rape thread, in which the rapee ends up enjoying it. And the situation was built up over the earlier threads. I felt it was great and fit the storyline I had created very well. I will always feel burned on that one Zingiber. However, I was able to salvage the thread and use it in a different story. So all was not lost. As for my contributions to In From The Snow, well... I kind of lost the train. Fell off the Wagon, lol.

I guess I am saying whatever choices you make as editor isn't always going to please everybody. It's hard being the editor and you must do what is best for the story.

In regards to editing beyond the point of keeping the thread authentic to the original, well, I've done it. And have done both, put it in the story as edited by me, and I have rejected with a long note why. Let's face it, some people have great ideas, but can't always put them out right. And it's the editors job to edit.

I don't think you were wrong in rejecting the thread. And having the style differ that much would cause work for the reader and it would disrupt their enjoyment of the story as a whole. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. Right?

-Tim (niceguy2002tim)

 

[Zingiber]

Re: Reject here...

Hello,
well speaking from experience... Z. has rejected somethings. For example, his story In From The Snow. Which I felt had a great start and I saw a lot of potential for me to creat a good long story line. I think I added 3 or 4 threads, then I wrote one that didn't fit his view of the story. It was esentially a rape thread, in which the rapee ends up enjoying it. And the situation was built up over the earlier threads. I felt it was great and fit the storyline I had created very well. I will always feel burned on that one Zingiber. However, I was able to salvage the thread and use it in a different story. So all was not lost. As for my contributions to In From The Snow, well... I kind of lost the train. Fell off the Wagon, lol.
[...]
-Tim (niceguy2002tim)

You and me both, Tim. My "vacation" co-editor had approved the preceding thread (when I might not have), which probably led you to believe the storyline would fit. I'm glad you were able to use your work in a different story.

-Z

 

[gystex]

Well, the author in question re-submitted with my changes, so I guess he's happy with what I did. Thank you all for your thoughts on this!