Finding Proof Readers? and How To Protect Your Story?

[OddLove]

I've been getting feedback telling me to work on my grammar or get a proof reader. So I'm definitely working on my gramma, as well as taking time to read over my stories multiple times to correct mistakes and rephrase clunky sentences. But I'm still considering looking into getting a proof reader to help help. That being said, I have three questions regarding proof readers.

1. If I'm talking with a proof reader, what's the appropriate way to collaborate with them? for example, is it normal to pay them first? or after? and are there any red flags or green flags you'd recommend I keep an eye out for when looking for a proof reader?

2. What's a reasonable cost? I know it must depend on story length, but does anyone have examples of a length of a story along with how much they paid for a proof reader?

3. How do you protect your stories from being stolen? I don't think it would happen, but it always run across my mind. It would really suck if I accidentally wrote a 'masterpiece', then a stranger helping me online steals it posts it before me. Is there something people do to prevent that from being able to happen?

 

[PennyThompson]

You should try using the Editors tab in your Literotica control panel. It'll give you a big list of volunteer editors, organized by the ones who have updated their profile most recently (therefore hopefully currently active). You can also filter by genre and language, and then view their editor profile to get a sense of what they like and how they work. Then start sending messages seeking an editor!

I would send request to multiple editors, because there's a good chance that not all of them will respond.

Volunteer editors are willing work for free and specialize in erotica, so if you find one that you work well with, treasure them forever

3. How do you protect your stories from being stolen? I don't think it would happen, but it always run across my mind. It would really suck if I accidentally wrote a 'masterpiece', then a stranger helping me online steals it posts it before me. Is there something people do to prevent that from being able to happen?

Not a copyright lawyer, but in the US at least, any written creative work is automatically copyrighted as soon as its author writes it down. If someone were to try and steal it from you, you could file a copyright claim against them if you have evidence that the work was yours, like time stamped word files, an email chain, etc.

 

[StillStunned]

Speaking as a professional copyeditor/proofreader:

Find a volunteer. A professional is expensive. Where I live, it's anywhere between 5 and 10 eurocents per word, plus VAT.

If you can't find a volunteer, use Read Aloud (in Word) or whatever other text-to-speech feature your word processor offers. Take your time, stay focused. Watch the highlight jump from word to word, listen to what the software says, not what you think you wrote. You'll catch 99% of your typos, you'll notice inconsistencies and you'll see where your text is clunky. This is an invaluable tool, and professionals use it as the final quality control too.

About protecting your story: I've not heard of anyone stealing anyone else's story here on Lit, or anywhere else for that matter. Honestly, most people who write here are more concerned with getting their own stories out than having stories listed under their name. And if it did happen, you just have to appeal to Laurel and she'll sort it out for you. It's not the kind of thing anyone could do more than once.

On the other hand, once your story has been published here, there's a considerable likelihood that it will be stolen anyway. I've found stories of mine published in a variety of places, up to and including in a collection of erotica that was for sale on Amazon. It happens all the time. Nowadays they'll appear as audiobooks on YouTube or Spotify.

Good luck!

 

[AlinaX]

I've been getting feedback telling me to work on my grammar or get a proof reader. So I'm definitely working on my gramma

On Literotica, this reads like a very dirty joke.

 

[VerbalAbuse]

On Literotica, this reads like a very dirty joke.

that's how I read it, but what's sort dirty about it? and why do you think it's a joke?

 

[AlinaX]

I apologise for inadvertently kink-shaming.

 

[OddLove]

On Literotica, this reads like a very dirty joke.

It was ironically a grammar error. I wish I was that clever.

 

[OddLove]

Thanks for the advice peeps. I'm checking out the Editor tab, and I'm going to see of LibreOffice has a Read Aloud feature.