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I'm interested in conducting a survey of the members here and I hope to get you interested as well.
1. Are you currently acting as a proof-reader or editor for other writers?
2. Are you willing to help others with their writing?
If you are acting as an editor, how do you go about the process?
- Do you only correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar?
- Do you offer suggestions to the story, like how something might be changed, add text, delete text?
- How do you indicate changes to stories you are working on?
- What word-processing tools / software are you using?
The purpose of this survey is an attempt to develop a list or forum of writers who are interested and / or willing to help other writers.
I believe that we can't have too many authors and that some people just need some encouragement. I'm quite sure that Stephen King and Robert Heinlein (insert your favorite writer here) didn't start out producing best sellers or even well-written drafts of their best sellers. They had editors, proofreaders, and beta readers to become the writers we are familiar with.
Comments
survey answers
I am not currently acting as an editor or proofreader for anyone, but I have in the past. I am currently in touch with one of the new authors who contacted me. I have yet to actually do anything and I'm not sure what she really wants. So yes, I am willing. I'm a compulsive editor. As I read for my own enjoyment, I can't help but replace words that have been placed in error in my head.
Generally I only do spelling and grammar. I have the most recent copy of MSWord and that's the jumping off point. Beyond that, I use my personal knowledge of the English language as spoken in the Pacific Northwest. If a portion of the text is not clear I point that out and if I think I have a clear understanding of what the author is trying to say, I will offer a wording to that effect.
However; I don't feel particularly well qualified to offer any real help in building the story line, or closing story arcs. I'm very much an amateur at this writing game. Any suggestions that I might make should be taken with more than a grain of salt.
It's my feeling that it is the author's story and if anything I offer changes that story in anything but an academic way it should most likely be disregarded. People who have edited for me will tell you that I reject a lot of what they suggest and I expect no different treatment when I edit for others.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann
I have done this in the past
As anyone can tell from my lack of posting new content, I’ve still not recovered entirely from my accident a couple of years ago. Although I have done a bit beta and proof reading along with minor editing in the past. I tend to offer a lot of suggestions to the story, backstory including side plots or new ideas for paths the story could evolve into, almost akin brainstorming while reading.
I’m always willing to help others that are starting out, although any more I normally wait to be asked, rather than offend someone with unwanted critique.
As for word processing tools? I have used MS word in the past, It fell out of my favor with the advent of MS 365 and currently have Libre Writer installed on my main PC. I like Google docs editing and collaboration features and have used those quite a lot. For my own story writing I normally use Scrivener (both on my macbook and PC)
I’m quite familiar with Windows 10 and 11. Not at all happy at the changes in windows 11 and have begun plans on converting all my personal windows machines to Linux. Can get around well on both Chrome OS and Mac OS.
We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.
Editing
I've been editing for about twenty years. The first step is to find if you are compatible. There's really no way to know without jumping right in and having at it. I've had about a fifty percent success rate. Some very good writers have found me useful and others deem me totally useless. Some not very good writers have found me useful and others deem me totally useless.
I don't really get too upset or to euphoric either way.
I helped one of the worst writers on this site write one of the best stories. I've helped several of the best writers on this site write some of the best stories. Two pairs of eyes are usually better than one. I've helped a lot of writers produce mediocre stories. Hopefully, most were better than they would have been without my efforts.
Whether or not the writer finds my suggestions valuable doesn't reveal anything about her. It just means our ideas aren't in sync. The TG genre is a huge playing field, with vastly different approaches.
The ground rules should always be that it is up to the author to decide what is best for their story. Everything I suggest is just that. . .a suggestion.
When I edit my own stories, I find myself second-guessing decisions I made. It's a process.
The ground rules need to be that everyone involved enjoys the process. It should be fun.
The author should decide what is needed from the editor.
I like to print hard copy and mark the manuscript with a red marking pen. I send a PDF back to the writer. If you find that offensive, we aren't compatible.
It doesn't seem to matter if the author is from the USA or not.
I always try to thank the author for the opportunity. Even if it doesn't work out, it is a great honor to be considered a resource.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
I Never Thought Of Myself
As an editor, but I have done the occasional beta-read. Recently, though, I have had a couple of writers ask me to edit and I have obliged. Mainly, I just correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. I try not to interfere with the writer's concept of their story, but sometimes I see where an improvement to the narrative might be made and I suggest what I think could be a better way to express what they are trying to say. It is up to them whether or not they accept my suggestion. I don't get bent out of shape if they don't like it.
Every author has their own idea of what their story should look like. I respect that. I rarely add text. I just change the wording, or break up paragraphs that I think are unwieldy.
I use Word as a tool mostly, although sometimes it doesn't give a good result.
Editor/Help Survey Response
1. Are you currently acting as a proof-reader or editor for other writers?
No.
2. Are you willing to help others with their writing?
I am willing to help in general, non-specific ways on my own terms. I am not willing to be an editor or proof-reader, although I recognise their value and appreciate those who are willing to.
I have helped others in the past
but currently have no one under my wing. I approached I am willing to help in whichever way I am required, but mainly as an older sister who has walked this path a few times and can offer my experience, not all of which is bad.
Angharad
If asked, I would help
I'm independent and snotty, so no one has recently asked me for help with writing. I have helped people in other ways. I use MS Word. I had a huge computer crash...perhaps I just pissed someone off??? Right now, it seems as if it will never be the same. I have a half inch thick book of written passwords and usernames, none of which work now. My email, which I'd used for 15 years is gone. The only record of what I have written is on BCTS. I stupidly started using "The Cloud" and can't get at anything I put there. Of course, its owner takes no responsibility for any of that.
As I said before, I feel headed for extinction.
Gwen
proof reading
I've acted as proof reader only once so far but would gladly do it again. I got to read a story about a place i had actually been to and it had me see it in my minds eye again very vividly. So .. if the chance offers itself again, i'm there :D
Love from Denmark
Bouncy
Bouncy of Denmark
Editing and Proofing
I've edited and/or proofread items here -- definitely not everything they've posted, and not necessarily as sole editor -- for (alphabetically) Shiina Ai, Katherine Day, Marianne Gregory, Leslie Moore, Dawn Natelle, Maryanne Peters and the late Denise Trask (Anesidora's Urn). Most of that was several years ago.
(I've also sent unsolicited PMs to numerous authors here when I've seen something clearly wrong after a story was posted -- a wrong name, for example; the author apparently changed a character's name before posting the story, and missed correcting it once or twice -- or a continuity problem so significant that it takes me out of the story while reading. I'm never insulting or accusatory -- at least, that's never my intention -- and I don't use public comments for that purpose unless another commenter brings it up. Many seem grateful for the feedback; some aren't.)
I'd say that my strengths are proofreading (grammar and word-usage/spelling especially) and fact-checking/internal consistency. I don't generally offer an opinion on quality, and don't suggest plot changes or character adjustments. I don't do erotica, or stories that make me uncomfortable. I try to read stories that I'm editing at least twice: once for content and then once for possible corrections. I'm in the U.S. but can access U.K. spellings and usage -- even used a free trial at Macquarie once for an Australian story.
My usual method is to get the story as an email attachment. l run through it as a txt or rtf file, and email it back with suggested corrections in red, or with explanations in red italics. I'm using Mac TextEdit (v.1.13, 2017) at my end. If the author prefers something else, I can usually accommodate -- Maryanne Peters had me use Google Docs in suggestion mode.
Eric
I have acted……..
As a proof reader/editor for a few authors, and still do. I would be willing to work with others as well.
I believe in manually proof reading everything. I not only correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar, but I do also make suggestions regarding the story and characters. I normally make changes in color so that they are noticeable, and I also keep a running list of my changes and suggestions on a separate notepad. Where possible, I use Microsoft Word to note changes to an original document - it’s a habit I got into when editing contracts. It allows me to cross out the original wording and insert new wording while tracking the changes. I also use Notepad to list changes/suggestions as I am proof reading.
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
1. Are you currently acting
1. Are you currently acting as a proof-reader or editor for other writers?
Currently no. I have in the past.
2. Are you willing to help others with their writing?
Currently no. My ability to focus on a project really sucks at the moment.
If you are acting as an editor, how do you go about the process?
- Do you only correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar?
Yes.
- Do you offer suggestions to the story, like how something might be changed, add text, delete text?
Rarely. I usually only point out blatant stuff like a sudden name change, a character knowing something before they get the knowledge, etc.
- How do you indicate changes to stories you are working on?
I usually create a text file with lines like:
In "this is orthogonal text" change "orthogonal" to "original"
- What word-processing tools / software are you using?
Notepad. Ideally I would like to switch to something like Google Docs that allows someone to provide proposed changes and someone else (the author) to approve it. But it's been a long time since I've proof read more than a chapter at a time and I've just stuck with using Notepad
I have edited/proof read ...
... in the past even for some well known writers over the past 20+ years both here and at FM (even at one time for the great JillMI/Angela Rasch - though perhaps under another pseudonym).
Not helping anyone now. In fact I'm pretty hazy about many of my 'clients' (old age, I'm afraid) :) I edited a lot of Kelly Davidson's Andersonville saga and when I see them I haven't a clue about the story. My first edit was for the fantastic 'Wild Horses' by Rebecca Anderson. It took several years and a lot of nagging to get her to finish it but it was worth it in the end.
My usual method was to use Word files (though mine is Word 97, which still works in Win11) with the edit function enabled to highlight my suggestions. Whatever I did was always a suggestion - the writer always had the last word. I never charged even for some stories that ended up on Kindle because that would spoil it for me - I don't need the money and I only did it for fun.