ok, i need an editor. i never expected my story to be as popular as this, i was half expecting to be booted out for my poor writing.
it has gone much better than expected.
i am new to all of this. how do i go about getting an editor? is there some etiquette involved?
any help would be greatly appreciated
Hi, Nadleeh, and welcome.
This is only my opinion, but there is an official and unofficial answer to your question.
SOL has a system in place for authors to find suitable editors.
_* Click on Authors/Editors at the top left of the site home page
_* Go one page down and you will see "Find Volunteer Editors". Click on that
_* You'll then have a long list of editors who have entered their profiles, what they like and don't like, etc.
_* When you find someone who sounds suitable there is a link to contact them
_* Then watch your "Mail" at the top right of the home page. When that is yellow there's a message waiting for you.
You must describe you story first to editors you contact.
Note that in some countries it is a crime for editors to receive some stories on this site in an email.
Always include your Story Description and Tags, and ideally a more detailed synopsis of the story.
Always tell editors the length in words of the story you want them to check.
Editors will want to test you out first, so it is best you only ask them to look at one chapter before making any commitment.
Do not be afraid to contact quite a lot of different editors at once when searching for a new editor.
Also, different editors are better at different things. The most successful authors on these forums all have about three different editors checking every one of your stories.
There is NO commitment from either side for an editor to provide a sample of their edit style, etc.
There should be a negotiation process for every author-editor relationship after a first trial about what both expect from the other.
I note you used no capital letters in your post here. That suggests English is not your first language and that may mean an editor who takes you on will need to teach you the basics of English writing. That can be a lot of effort.
However, there are editors who are willing to do that, especially if they see potential in your story.
Grammar and punctuation are needed to help readers interpret your words, but learning to get them mostly right does not take long if you're willing to learn.
Note that anyone who volunteers to be an editor will think getting things right is pretty important. They accept newer authors may not know what to do, and all authors make mistakes in work they send to editors, but you should expect an editor will want to see you are trying your current best.
The unofficial answer is you build relationships with other authors, such as by contributing to these forums and perhaps moving on to email contacts with individual authors.
Experienced authors who take you under their wing can help match you up with suitable editors.
Finally, remember that an editor can never tell you what to do. They only advise and authors make the final decisions. It is ALWAYS the author's story. Obviously you should accept almost all they suggest in your early days.
When I work as an editor with a relatively experienced author we would both think I've done a good job if they accept anything over half of my recommendations.
Best wishes, work hard, don't get discouraged, AND keep coming back to these forums.
