Editing Procedure

[Will Hawkins]

I have been lurking on the GA site for several months now, reading and enjoying the contributions made by several different authors, especially the lengthy series. ('Bridgemont' is an example. By the way, that series seems to have slid to a stop just as it was going into a new area of 'ice and snow'. Is there something wrong there? An illness perhaps?). But back to my question, in my opinion, the efforts of an 'author' as a creative person, should be directed to what they do best, that is, to create. But for the enjoyment of their audience, their work should be rigorously edited to remove the errors that creep into any written work. That editing should be the job of another person; perhaps one not so creative, but able to suggest corrections to avoid errors in the mechanics of writing. The creative person should create and the 'editor to clean up the mechanics of a story.

At this stage in my life, I do not feel like a creative person and would have to do a lot of learning to express any creativity, but I feel I could add editing skills to the creativity of an author to make the published work read more smoothly, correcting obvious errors such as 'homophones' (as an old 'homo', I love that word!), tense of verbs and sentences that lack enough structure to be sensible. As an old troll, I have much leisure time to offer to an author in helping dust the spider webs out of the corners of their work, but I do't know how to do so. 

I am by any interpretation not a computer expert. I am barely able to open up a writer's series for reading and enjoyment, but there must be instructions somewhere in GA on how an editor can work with the output of an author to do so. Can anyone lead me to the proper instructions; how to work with an author to edit their work then return my suggestions to the author for their approval and publishing on the GA site? I am eager to contribute, but just don't know the mechanics of the process.

Hugs, Misterwill

 

[Graeme]

If you join the Writer's Circle club, you'll find both writers and editors. That club is also where writers can make requests when looking for an editor for their story or stories.

 

Best of luck! I, and I think most authors, have a great deal of respect for editors. 

[Kitt]

The authors I work with send me one chapter at a time, usually as they feel happy with the content. Some prefer email, others PM's. I work in word and track all changes, a feature found under the review tab.

 

As for the mechanics, I start by reading the chapter, not really editing, just noting anything that jumps out.  I then go through the list I keep by my computer using the find feature located under the home tab, look at all the that, then etc.  and evaluate if they are needed. ( My authors call me the THAT NAZI. LOL) The list is some 70 words long, and only list one of the homophones of a set.  Next I look at all apostrophes to make sure someone's hands are not owning something, and then every comma.  Once that is all complete, I read the chapter again one last time.

 

I am sure you can see this all takes quite a bit of time.  My authors understand a couple days turn around at least. If my "real" job gets busy it takes longer. I refuse to take shortcuts. That would be a disservice to the authors.

[JayT]

13 minutes ago, Kitt said:

The authors I work with send me one chapter at a time, usually as they feel happy with the content. Some prefer email, others PM's. I work in word and track all changes, a feature found under the review tab.

 

As for the mechanics, I start by reading the chapter, not really editing, just noting anything that jumps out.  I then go through the list I keep by my computer using the find feature located under the home tab, look at all the that, then etc.  and evaluate if they are needed. ( My authors call me the THAT NAZI. LOL) The list is some 70 words long, and only list one of the homophones of a set.  Next I look at all apostrophes to make sure someone's hands are not owning something, and then every comma.  Once that is all complete, I read the chapter again one last time.

 

I am sure you can see this all takes quite a bit of time.  My authors understand a couple days turn around at least. If my "real" job gets busy it takes longer. I refuse to take shortcuts. That would be a disservice to the authors.

The other day I told @Carlos Hazday that one of these days I'm going to send you a "Chapter" to edit that is nothing but a document that say that that that that over and over again.  

[Carlos Hazday]

14 minutes ago, JayT said:

The other day I told @Carlos Hazday that one of these days I'm going to send you a "Chapter" to edit that is nothing but a document that say that that that that over and over again.  

 

I'm beta reading something right now and have been channeling Kitt. Lot's of that removals! I do find myself rejecting some of her changes in my work, I want my characters to speak as real people do and most of us use bloat words when speaking.

 

One very happy moment was earlier this year when Kitt returned a chapter telling me she couldn't find anything to fix. It had not happened before and hasn't happened again. But I keep trying!

Edited November 17, 2017 by Carlos Hazday

[drpaladin]

16 minutes ago, JayT said:

The other day I told @Carlos Hazday that one of these days I'm going to send you a "Chapter" to edit that is nothing but a document that say that that that that over and over again.  

 

That you would consider that is a terrible that.

[Timothy M.]

There are always authors looking for editors and beta readers, so I'm sure your offer will be popular. Another way is to find a story which you like, but which has no editor listed and plenty to edit. Leave some likes and comments, and once you have established a connection with the author, you can send them a polite PM and offer to edit. That's how I got some of my editor jobs.

[Kitt]

21 minutes ago, JayT said:

The other day I told @Carlos Hazday that one of these days I'm going to send you a "Chapter" to edit that is nothing but a document that say that that that that over and over again.  

7 minutes ago, Carlos Hazday said:

 

I'm beta reading something right now and have been channeling Kitt. Lot's of that removals! I do find myself rejecting some of her changes in my work, I want my characters to speak as real people do and most of us use bloat words when speaking.

 

One very happy moment was earlier this year when Kitt returned a chapter telling me she couldn't find anything to fix. It had not happened before and hasn't happened again. But I keep trying!

You make it more difficult with every chapter Carlos!