A Note to Authors Looking for a Pre-reader

February 18th. 2012 Edit: (If you haven't seen my February 12th edit, this doesn't contain any pertinent information for you. Skip the red text and read the rest of the blog post, or simply send me a request.) I'm back to pre-reading now. If you saw my February 12th edit, that is now over and any messages sent about pre-reading fics will be responded to within the day and your request will be added to the list that I'm working through right now.
To any authors for whom I pre-read that have gotten a PM regarding my hiatus: I will PM you when I've started working on your fic again, so don't worry that you haven't gotten one from me yet. I have a considerable backlog of requests to get through and I'm moving as efficiently through them as possible in the most fair order I can. Thanks again for understanding, now and for the past week.

This is for those who have come to my page looking to contact me about pre-reading/proof-reading/editing a story. It’s basically to answer any and all questions you may have.
This is long, so I won’t say it’s required that you read it, because any relevant information will come around anyway in our correspondence. If you have the time and inclination, though, it would speed things up in the long run.

Again, it is NOT required that you read this in full before messaging me. Feel free to send me a request right this very moment.

• By default, when I look at a story, I look for errors in grammar and spelling. I also make mention of style choice corrects – that is to say, when something is technically correct, but would sound better or more traditional if written another way. After reading a given piece, I’ll also send you a critique based on plot progression and characterization.
If you want me to alter my focus (“Only check for grammar and spelling errors;” “Only give a critique”), or if you’re writing for a specific purpose (“I’m looking to submit this to EQD”) let me know, and I’ll adjust my focus to better serve your purposes.

• Here is how I format my corrections:
If you send me either a fic that is already published or one that is View Only in GDocs, I’ll send you the corrections in a Fimfiction message of the following format:

Snippet of your story containing an error
My suggested correction

After making corrections, I’ll type out my critique.
If you send me a fic that is Comment Only on GDocs, I’ll make appropriate comments and send you my critique in a Fimfiction message.
If you send me a fic that is Open Edit in GDocs, I’ll make edits as I see fit and send you my critique in a Fimfiction message.
Here is my personal suggestion: go for the Comment Only GDocs page. This way, you can make corrections yourself, so that you know you’re okay with them and you learn from them. And, to be frank, it’s a lot less work on my part.

• Here are notes on my personal schedule:
You will never see me on Fimfiction on Tuesdays and Thursdays between the times (Eastern Standard) of 1pm-3pm, 3:45pm-5:30pm, or 6:45pm-9:15pm. That’s when I have classes and I’m not bringing any internet connected devices into those classes because I care about them.
I will be on Mondays and Wednesdays between 12:30pm and 2:00pm, because that’s Macroeconomics and I don’t give a shit about Macroeconomics. Unfortunately, I won’t be on my laptop – I’ll be on my Nook Color. This means that while I’ll be able to read your message, I most likely won’t respond and I certainly won’t do any work until I get home. (It’s a very limited device on an admittedly limited college campus network.)
Finally, my work schedule varies on a week-by-week basis. There are times where I have to work 5am-12pm on a Tuesday or Thursday, meaning I’ll have a total of about two or three hours of free time in a sixteen hour period. I fit stuff in when I can but homework comes first.
Given all of this information, your best bet is to send me you fic on Thursday night – I have no school Friday, Saturday or Sunday and I will have at least one day off of work on any of those days. You can send a request at any time, there’s just less likely to be delays between when I get it and when I work on it if you send it on a Thursday night.

• Long fics are fine, but keep in mind that I section it off and send you corrections part by part, and I’ll get smaller requests done in between parts. This way you’ll still have some work done from me, but I can also be fairer to people who submit small chapters to me. Naturally, the longer your fic, the longer it’ll take me to get it done.

• I have absolutely no issues with clopfics, gore, or grimdark fics. In fact, I alter my focus based on genre, so that the purpose of the fic is best demonstrated. (If you send me a clopfic, for example, my focus will be less on plot development and more on consistently arousing the reader.)

• After you’ve published your fic, or have applied my corrections to an already published fic, the name of the fic, along with the chapters I’ve worked on (if applicable) along with your name will be put on the list in my bio, as well as this list. If for whatever reason you don’t want it to, let me know and we’ll keep it hush-hush. (I’m in this to help authors, not for the glory of it. I really don’t mind not being credited.)

• If you found me on the Proof-readers Group, after I’ve done some work for you, send a quick review of my work to CrADHD or UraniumSpoon. This helps them to better inform authors about how good a potential editor/pre-reader is.

• If my work was unsatisfactory in any way, please, don’t hesitate to tell me. I’d like to improve in any way I can.

• Last note: I only do pony fics. That’s just more convenient for me.
All of that said, I look forward to working with you!

Comments

[morrisonmatt32]

Hi my name is Matt i am ask you four some help in my story so plaese help me?

[morrisonmatt32]

here is one of my storys name is Pokemon and Poines Ch1.

{Lee and no mom and dad two love he so one night Luna

came to him in a dream two give a chosen the pokemon

world or Equestira what will he chosen? This is where the

story begains}

Lee was a good pokemon but he had no mom and dad in his

life two love so he was sad Lee had on a bluet-short with

brownshorts and two whitegloves on with some red and white

sandals on he was about 20 years old his pokemon team was

a Swampert {male} Staraptor {female} Kyruem {Unknown}

Krookodile {male} Espeon {female} Aggron {male}.

Meantime in Luna had sea Lee life and she was sad four

he so in the dream world she whet into and said hi to Lee

what are you and who are you? I am Princess Luna but

plaese call me Luna and i am Alicorn pony and you are he

said my name is Lee and i am a human Luna ok. Luna

said ok Lee but why you sad Lee he said i have no mom and

dad two love and keep me save and sound then Luna said but

you live like this he said yes my mom and dad don,t tack

me out of the hospital wind i was born Luna so yes i live like

this day in and day out. Luna said that is sad but i give a

chosen you can make new friends and family here in

Equestira or you can stay in the pokemon world ok so

plaese chosen now and if you came here there are somerules

you mase obay like don,t hate the ponies here and you will be

a pony here two. Lee said how do i know you are not pulling

my chins Luna the Luna said i can show you my magic then

he saw in his dreams she use magic Lee said wow i gust i

chosen this Equestira you are talking about but how do i get

there Luna. Luna said a will the the portal spell and came

two you in the real world and wake you up by my magic ok

Lee sea you soon good bye four now and what pony do you

what Lee here there are Unicorns ponies have lots of magic

Pegasus ponies can make the weather move and Earth

ponies can grow food so what pony do you what Lee?

{Right notes what can of pony will Lee chosen and will he

find love there and have a family two love and more to came

and Pokemon and Ponies}

as you can see i need help so plaese?