I'm pretty new around here, and I'm wondering - who are the editors? What's the process? I've had a few pieces published so far and they're often changed quite a bit (often for the better, I don't want this to sound like a complaint!)
Also, what are other people's experiences of having their stuff edited? Does it ever feel that it hurts the piece or that bits you particularly like are taken away?
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Editors
(23 posts) (16 voices)
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Posted 6 years ago #
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They don't consult you about it, or ping you an explanation (unlike a couple of the other satire sites), so maybe can feel a bit 'cold'.
Not that I've done anything worth the mention, but this is the experience of a biscuit or two I've chatted with.
As to 'who', I couldn't tell you.
Posted 6 years ago # -
You can read all about how this place works, here Tobias.
As for having your subs edited, well it's the nature of the business. I'm fairly new here myself, but I've had a few pieces make FP and all were buffed-up for the better. Had plenty of sentences taken out here and there, and even a paragraph removed. I can honestly say that it didn't hurt a bit. Well, not like a finger up the arse, anyway. (So I've been told)
Posted 6 years ago # -
Basically, JOF, a few others who were in at the start and those who've barged their way onto the top table through long years of subbing and getting stuff used. Some more people also do Nibs only.
As regards having subs edited, Robopop is right - sometimes you may think it improves what you wrote, sometimes you don't, that's the name of the game. Whenever an editor edits something down, it is usually for house style (e.g. the existing piece is too long) or because s/he thinks of something worth adding in.
Posted 6 years ago # -
The only thing I can claim any credit for that made it to an FP started as a throwaway comment on another sub. I then went offline for a week and came back to find that it had been reposted & expanded as a new sub by another poster, got stars and many comments, and then re-written again into a FP by the eds. The end result was funny. My input to the process was almost zero, but I got all the credit (writer of the month!!) so I thought it best not to complain too loudly.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I heard there was an infinite number of monkeys. Is that not true?
Posted 6 years ago # -
There's a rotation of editors. As Oxbridge mentioned, the person editing The NiBs may be different from the person doing the FPs that week. Naturally, funny material always gets noticed but being published can often be down to that editor's taste in humour (or about the balance of articles over the week).
My tip is don't try to find too much logic in it - that way lies madness!!! :D
Posted 6 years ago # -
"the person editing The NiBs may be different from the person doing the FPs that week. Naturally, funny material always gets noticed but being published can often be down to that editor's taste in humour..."
So, there's a badger, a puffin and a squirrel, then.Posted 6 years ago # -
Does JOF do some editing? I didn't know he had any direct input into the articles.
Sydalg, answer is yes.I think its fascinating to see how a half-decent sub can be improved by a professional comedy writer.
AReader, answer is not all of the editors are professional comedy writers. I know this for a fact.Posted 6 years ago # -
I heard there was an infinite number of monkeys. Is that not true?
This is true, given the following assumptions:
1) Time will continue to infinity
2) Monkeys will continue to exist
3) You are counting all monkeys that exist or will exist in future, rather than counting them at a single point in timeNote that there are no such assumptions required regarding 'typewriters', which is just as well as they have almost ceased to exist already. :)
Posted 6 years ago # -
So the editing isn't done by an infinite number of monkeys then? I'm rather disapointed at that. Ah well.
Posted 6 years ago #
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