19. In which Squeem is on time.
For 
magistrate! Writing and editing, either in your life/experience or just as phenomena.
Rambling, today. My brain is all over the place.
I used to think I wanted to be an editor when I grew up. It's really satisfying to me to be able to look at someone's work and make it shine. To take something that's already very good and make it great, to look at it and say, "This here, this could use some work," and talk it out with the writer. Figure out what they were going for and make it clear, and in the end, have the writer say, "Yes, thank you, that was a spot I was having problems with."
As a small Squeem, I didn't realize that not all people who are writing want that, though. Some people want to write for fun and don't really need to polish it over and over again. I've figured out, since then, that you ask first, because I don't want to take away the fun for anyone. I don't want them to think they need to edit it before putting it out there, or that what they've written isn't good enough.
Right now, I'm not really thinking about editing as a life career anymore, although if I stumbled across a job that let me do that, I'd probably take it. But I do still really enjoy talking to friends about their stories, asking questions, and helping them figure out where they want to go. What the perfect word or phrase is. I really like being involved in the process, and it's so much easier than actually writing my own story.
I do like writing, though. For me, writing is about sharing a story with people-specifically my wife, in almost every case. I would like to share it with other people, but it's really hard finding anyone who's interested in reading little snippets of original fiction. Plus, uh, my fictional kinks are not everyone's.
I have several story ideas on the go, but most of them aren't very substantial yet. Those are typically the ones that have new characters in them, instead of a rehashed, alternate universe of already existing characters. *cough* But I really, really like getting to really, thoroughly explore characters and what makes them tick, and sticking them into different universes is a really good way of figuring that out. Plus! It's fun to see what they end up doing in new situations, and how they can sometimes bond with different characters in different ways.
magistrate! Writing and editing, either in your life/experience or just as phenomena.
Rambling, today. My brain is all over the place.
I used to think I wanted to be an editor when I grew up. It's really satisfying to me to be able to look at someone's work and make it shine. To take something that's already very good and make it great, to look at it and say, "This here, this could use some work," and talk it out with the writer. Figure out what they were going for and make it clear, and in the end, have the writer say, "Yes, thank you, that was a spot I was having problems with."
As a small Squeem, I didn't realize that not all people who are writing want that, though. Some people want to write for fun and don't really need to polish it over and over again. I've figured out, since then, that you ask first, because I don't want to take away the fun for anyone. I don't want them to think they need to edit it before putting it out there, or that what they've written isn't good enough.
Right now, I'm not really thinking about editing as a life career anymore, although if I stumbled across a job that let me do that, I'd probably take it. But I do still really enjoy talking to friends about their stories, asking questions, and helping them figure out where they want to go. What the perfect word or phrase is. I really like being involved in the process, and it's so much easier than actually writing my own story.
I do like writing, though. For me, writing is about sharing a story with people-specifically my wife, in almost every case. I would like to share it with other people, but it's really hard finding anyone who's interested in reading little snippets of original fiction. Plus, uh, my fictional kinks are not everyone's.
I have several story ideas on the go, but most of them aren't very substantial yet. Those are typically the ones that have new characters in them, instead of a rehashed, alternate universe of already existing characters. *cough* But I really, really like getting to really, thoroughly explore characters and what makes them tick, and sticking them into different universes is a really good way of figuring that out. Plus! It's fun to see what they end up doing in new situations, and how they can sometimes bond with different characters in different ways.