Want and Editor?

[Pee J]

I have been an editor or erotic fiction both here and elsewhere for several years, including writers from UK, US, Canada, Australia and Denmark. I have also written the occasional story but in RL I write professionally on travel and theatre.

At the moment I have some free time and could take on some editing. My strengths are: grammar, plot, style, openings and beginnings, continuity.

There has been a suggestion of having an 'alternate' list of editors, sort of assistant editors. I would not be prepared to go along with this type of arrangement. As an editor I need some involvement with a writer. Some may be able to edit mechanically but I need to get to know my writer and establish, over time, a rapport with them.

As this is in my spare time and gratis, I like to edit what I like to read and I am not keen on certain subjects including: scat, snuff, female humiliation (unless it is integral to the story line). I am not keen on a lot of SF either. My preferred stories are ones which can be from real life, even stetch my credulity, take me to fantasy perhaps, but not that take me into a world I can't believe. And one other thing I much prefer working with women writers.

If any lady writer feels I could be of help -- but I do expect a writer at least to have run their story through a spell-checker!

 

[CopyCarver]

Suggestion

I hate to pick nits, but your post might be more successful if you edited "and" to "an."

 

[Pee J]

Nits

I am sure you have plenty of nits to pick.

 

[CopyCarver]

And plenty of time to pick them since I don't waste time on "editors" who have neither a sense of humor nor any command of the English language.
Feel free to keep advertising your incompetence in peace.

 

[Pee J]

Writers and Editors

Editors and proof-readers often play an important role in preparing a story or a novel for posting on the Web, but the final arbiter is always the writer. In the first instance the writer should present the editor / proof-reader (and usually on sites like Literotica they are the same person) with their work in as highly prepared state as possible. This means that the writer should have revised the piece at least twice before letting the E/P-R set eyes on it. Any experienced E/P-R is likely to know if the writer has done this. If a writer does not properly revise and relies on the E/P-R, then really this is expecting them to do the writer’s work for them. It is also a waste of the E/P-R's time which he is giving for free and largely for the writer's benefit.

The human mind tends to be blind to our own mistakes and this is especially true of writing. This is why it is difficult to do a good job proof-reading your own work. I know I have a lot of problems with this and before I submit any piece I have written, I need to go over it carefully several times (my comments to Literotica, at times, notwithstanding).

Your E/P-R, though, is not infallible. They are likely to pick up 95% of the typos and homonyms and similar errors, but sometimes they will miss the odd one. National Geographic is said to use four proof-readers for each article and each proof-reader has to go through the article four times. This is a luxury that few writers here are likely to achieve, but I do know of one Web writer who uses four E/P-R for her stories and then compares each with her original and then decides what modifications she will make.

So can I please make a plea? Writers, if you do find that your E/P-R has missed something, please don’t scream and holler, remember that you should have spotted it in the first place.

In case some writers want to know why they should bother with E/P-R, remember there are lots of readers out there who will give up if they find too many errors in any particular story. They will probably remember your name and avoid your work in the future. If you do find an E/P-R you get along with, stick with him/her. If you respect them, they will respect you. Always acknowledge anything they send you, and a word of thanks once in a while never comes amiss.

The quality of the writing you present is up to you. Even a poor storyline will probably get read if it is properly spelt and grammatically correct. If it is bad the reader is likely not to bother.

Good luck with your writing.

 

[Boratus]

Editors and proof-readers often play an important role in preparing a story or a novel for posting on the Web, but the final arbiter is always the writer. In the first instance the writer should present the editor / proof-reader (and usually on sites like Literotica they are the same person) with their work in as highly prepared state as possible. This means that the writer should have revised the piece at least twice before letting the E/P-R set eyes on it. Any experienced E/P-R is likely to know if the writer has done this. If a writer does not properly revise and relies on the E/P-R, then really this is expecting them to do the writer’s work for them. It is also a waste of the E/P-R's time which he is giving for free and largely for the writer's benefit.

The human mind tends to be blind to our own mistakes and this is especially true of writing. This is why it is difficult to do a good job proof-reading your own work. I know I have a lot of problems with this and before I submit any piece I have written, I need to go over it carefully several times (my comments to Literotica, at times, notwithstanding).

Your E/P-R, though, is not infallible. They are likely to pick up 95% of the typos and homonyms and similar errors, but sometimes they will miss the odd one. National Geographic is said to use four proof-readers for each article and each proof-reader has to go through the article four times. This is a luxury that few writers here are likely to achieve, but I do know of one Web writer who uses four E/P-R for her stories and then compares each with her original and then decides what modifications she will make.

So can I please make a plea? Writers, if you do find that your E/P-R has missed something, please don’t scream and holler, remember that you should have spotted it in the first place.

In case some writers want to know why they should bother with E/P-R, remember there are lots of readers out there who will give up if they find too many errors in any particular story. They will probably remember your name and avoid your work in the future. If you do find an E/P-R you get along with, stick with him/her. If you respect them, they will respect you. Always acknowledge anything they send you, and a word of thanks once in a while never comes amiss.

The quality of the writing you present is up to you. Even a poor storyline will probably get read if it is properly spelt and grammatically correct. If it is bad the reader is likely not to bother.

Good luck with your writing.

Intelligent and informative but still missing the point. You're advertising yourself as an editor and yet your advertisement hasn't been edited properly and it's only 3 words!

 

[shannon_est]

Intelligent and informative but still missing the point. You're advertising yourself as an editor and yet your advertisement hasn't been edited properly and it's only 3 words!

I have to agree. Normally I won't even look at a thread that has a misspelling in the title. Typos are a part of life, but damn... if you want to be taken seriously as an editor, naming the thread might be a little bit important, especially in a case like this.

ayem frum tenuhcee an kan speel purty gewd

 

[Cal Y. Pygia]

"Want and Editor"?

Whoever wrote the item called "Want and Editor"--your article is a joke, right--an intentional joke, I mean? If not, and you really are editing Literotica stories--well, that explains a lot.

 

[cloudy]

Whoever wrote the item called "Want and Editor"--your article is a joke, right--an intentional joke, I mean? If not, and you really are editing Literotica stories--well, that explains a lot.

Were you born an asshole? Or did you really have to work at it?

Jeez, where are your fucking manners?

 

[Private_Label]

Title: Want and Editor

I have been an editor or erotic fiction both here and elsewhere for several years, including writers from UK, US, Canada, Australia and Denmark. I have also written the occasional story but in RL I write professionally on travel and theatre.

At the moment I have some free time and could take on some editing. My strengths are: grammar, plot, style, openings and beginnings, continuity.

There has been a suggestion of having an 'alternate' list of editors, sort of assistant editors. I would not be prepared to go along with this type of arrangement. As an editor I need some involvement with a writer. Some may be able to edit mechanically but I need to get to know my writer and establish, over time, a rapport with them.

As this is in my spare time and gratis, I like to edit what I like to read and I am not keen on certain subjects including: scat, snuff, female humiliation (unless it is integral to the story line). I am not keen on a lot of SF either. My preferred stories are ones which can be from real life, even stetch my credulity, take me to fantasy perhaps, but not that take me into a world I can't believe. And one other thing I much prefer working with women writers.

If any lady writer feels I could be of help -- but I do expect a writer at least to have run their story through a spell-checker!

You rant this through the spell checker, but you forgot to have someone proof read it for you.

"Want and Editor" and the phrase "Want an Editor" are grammatically speaking - two different animals. Which idea is it that you wish to convey? If it is your prowess as an editor - yes, we are all human, but once the error was pointed out the correct response should have been to go back to the original post and make the correction - or to say thanks, and then make the correction - or to ignore the comment altogether. It was not the only grammatical error in your work however.

"I have been an editor or erotic fiction both here ..."
the "or" in the above statement would probably make better sense if it was "of" or "for" the work "or" is spelled correctly, which is why spell checker didn't catch it.

"My preferred stories are ones which can be from real life, even stetch my credulity,"

The word you want is "stretch." Too bad you did not use a spell checker.


Having written numerous things myself- there are certain things I do not wish an "editor" to make changes in.

1. Style. My style is my own - your style is your own. I will not change my style just to suit yours.
2. Plot. While I appreciate aid in finding the weak areas of my plot - I would prefer to fix them myself rather than farm that work out to an editor - even a well meaning one.
3. Openings - My openings are usually part of my personal style. I will take your comments under advisement but do not try to rewrite for me.

4. I expect my editor to be polite since s/he is critiquing my work - something that is a part of me. If my editor cannot find a gently way to phrase criticism, then s/he won't be my editor for long.