Headline: First Credit as a Writer Marred by Editor

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thothguard51

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Welcome to the club...

Most publications like that have a clause in their contracts, something to the effect, at the editors discretion...

You got paid for it, let it go...
 

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That's not standard practice for a professional editor. Did you assign all rights?

Did the editor send you suggested edits?
 

Old Hack

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Editors are meant to suggest changes for the author to make, not impose changes without the author's permission.

Having said that I don't see that there's anything much you can do about it now. Learn from this, and move on. And perhaps don't submit to this market again.
 

Jamesaritchie

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It was bad editing. Definitely not standard, but I've seen much, much worse. There really isn't a thing you can do about it except not submit to that editor again.

Edited to add that a good editor will ask the writer to add three hundred words, if he thinks the piece needs it. Bad editors do it themselves. It isn't all that uncommon in some types of nonfiction, but there's never an excuse for it with fiction.
 

JournoWriter

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In the nonfiction world, the standard process is for the editor to take substantive changes back to the writer and say "Here's what this needs" or "Here's why I changed this." Writers should never be surprised by what appears under their bylines. (Minor changes - grammar fixes, spelling errors, etc. - typically are just made without a review by the writer.)

However, I know some editors who don't work like that. I've seen them edit factual errors into articles - either because they were rushed or thought they were smarter than the writer. So it happens. Learn from it, and ask your next editor how he or she deals with major changes beforehand. It's painful, but a good lesson. Good luck!
 

Polenth

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From what I've seen, games markets are more likely to grab all rights and not give you any say in your work. General short story markets are more likely to take minimal rights and have a clause where you agree to edits. I've never worked for a games market for that reason, as the submission guidelines usually send me running. (I won't sign contracts that say they own all my stuff forevermore and can call it theirs... that's really not standard in the wider world.)

If you're desperate to work in gaming, you could stick to article writing and leave the short stories for fiction magazines.
 

Cathy C

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Been there, have the bloodied T-shirt. Editors adding their own "spin" on stories/articles is nothing new. So not new, in fact, that there's a section in the copyright law to cover who owns editorial wording additions (the editor does).

I'm sorry the edits weren't to your liking. :( Most of the editors I've worked have run edits past me, but a few have added wording. I was once really confused about a negative review of a short I wrote in an anthology, because it referenced specific, rather cheesy wording in the story that I knew I'd never use. I looked in my manuscript and no, I hadn't said that. But then I opened the cover of the final book and . . . Crap!! Sure enough, the story said that! I proceeded to :rant: for a day. But you have to let it go. It'll eat you up otherwise. Take a deep breath, let it out slow, and move on with the knowledge that there might be plenty of people who will LIKE the new wording. Turns out (for me anyway) that equally as many reviews loved the language the editor added. :Shrug:

It's all part of the game. Own the story proudly and feel free to link to it. It shows good grace and remember that you might wind up with fans because of what doesn't appeal to you right now. :)
 

Cathy C

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Copyright FAQs. Read the whole list. You'll be glad you did. :)

Joint works and works for hire This is a pretty good introduction to the concept. There are differing opinions (aren't there always?!) about when an editorial change constitutes a joint work. The line grows fuzzier as the editor adds more. It's worth it to check with an attorney to find out your rights.

Or, as I say--let it go until next time. It'll all work out.
 

CAWriter

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I do understand about not wanting to claim the revised work as your own. I had that experience with a book. The editorial team was switched up mid-project and I never had a real conversation with the editor who got my project just prior to publication. I never even saw galleys of the book--a few months after the change I got a case of books on my front porch. In sooo many places my voice (that I had worked hard to develop on my previous books) was gone and it sounded like someone 20 years my senior wrote it. To make a sad story shorter, it made me rant and cry and I put the books in the closet (I found them when I moved 2 years later).

I went through a period where I wished my name wasn't even on the book. Even so, I list that book in my publishing credits. Chances are another editor isn't going to look at that book to see what they think of my work, they'll be looking at the project I've submitted to them. The credits, however, show that I can write publication-worthy material, meet deadlines, etc. I bet the same is true for you. (Just don't read it again; it will only make you mad again.)
 

Little Ming

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... I know that things will be alright in the end and so on and so forth; and the forms that I signed (ahead of time) basically like all RPG companies says by the wording of the contract “Just so you know in submitting to us, we could steal your ideas and credit ourselves for the work…Muhahahahaa!!!” I mean it’s pretty tight. I suppose I’m lucky they published it at all and put my name there-but man am I disappointed.

I'm not familiar with the gaming world, and I know you were sarcastically paraphrasing, but do they really take all rights just by you "submitting" your work? That would be a huge red flag in the short story world.
 

quicklime

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I mean, I understand what you’re saying but to put in perspective I’m pretty green. ....


I would agree with this, in part because coming here to vent about how crappy their process was is.....naive, as well as a bit risky and unprofessional. It sucks, but I'd recommend moving on and learning from it, without being the next e-famous writer flameout......just my 2 cents.




welcome to the board, btw--do stick around, you can learn a lot here.
 

Little Ming

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Guess I learn something new everyday. :)

Yeah it's pretty common... The reason is that you are establishing your work within and utilizing the IPs of a game and a game which its system/theme/setting was not designed by you.

The company is protecting their intellectual property, with the understand that if you published it else where it would be an infringement of their property.

I understand what you're saying here, but I still don't like it. But that's too much of a derailment for this thread, so I'll keep those opinions to myself. :)
 

Old Hack

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I worked in computer games publishing years (decades!) ago, and the sort of rights-grabs that Mr Duncan has described happened then too--but only with the less professional, less scrupulous companies. Whether things have changed significantly since then I'm not sure; but I do know that there are several book and magazine publishers and literary competitions which commit similar grabs, but there are also plenty which don't.
 

Old Hack

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No offence really taken or maybe I don’t understand what you mean, but how exactly is what I'm doing unprofessional?
I explained the situation, which also included my feelings on the matter; that is true.
I didn't give the name of the publisher-nor even the content of my article, and my handle is not my real name...
I’m on a forum to learn what I can and have an open and honest discussion which has been so far pretty helpful…
And what do you mean when you say: e-famous writer flameout? I really don't know what that is.
Thanks for the welcome-:tongue

Complaining in public about how one's work has been edited isn't professional. Full stop. One is at real risk of coming across as a sufferer of Golden Word Syndrome, no matter how justified on is in one's complaints.

Discussing things over with the editor might have helped; but as the work has already been published, it's too late for that.

Using a pseudonym online isn't necessarily going to prevent this post of yours from being linked with your real identity. The RPG community isn't that big; there is not a huge number of periodicals which publish both flash fiction and non-fic, as you described. Just be careful, that's all, and consider how you'd feel if the commissioning editor involved, or another editor you submit to in the future, would feel if he or she came across this thread.
 

J.L. Duncan

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Complaining in public about how one's work has been edited isn't professional. Full stop. One is at real risk of coming across as a sufferer of Golden Word Syndrome, no matter how justified on is in one's complaints.

Discussing things over with the editor might have helped; but as the work has already been published, it's too late for that.

Using a pseudonym online isn't necessarily going to prevent this post of yours from being linked with your real identity. The RPG community isn't that big; there is not a huge number of periodicals which publish both flash fiction and non-fic, as you described. Just be careful, that's all, and consider how you'd feel if the commissioning editor involved, or another editor you submit to in the future, would feel if he or she came across this thread.

I've asked to have the thread removed by a mod for being unprofessional. I guess I made a mistake. I see the point that is being made so I'm doing my best to fix it.

Also with content removed I will be starting a new handle at another time. Problem solved. As soon as you see this thread I would ask that if you quoted me that you edit your posts as well so that parts of my "Complaint" cannot be viewed.
 
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