Constant Content

Have I let my writing slip or is there an egotistical editor?. I'm shocked the editor would say it is "incoherent." I find the comment insulting.

This article lacks a proper intro, and is awkward/wordy and incoherent. Every article must begin with an introductory paragraph. Introductory paragraphs present the main idea of your article, orient your reader, and prepare him or her for what information the article will provide. Without an introductory paragraph, your reader will become lost or you will lose your reader. There are many resources available that describe how to write an introductory paragraph. Most are geared towards students and essay writing, but the principles are the same and can be adapted for non-academic writing.

This is the opening in question. From an AP standpoint, I assumed the buyer would be someone like a counselor who wants articles on anxiety. An understanding of anxiety is presumed. Is this really that bad? Also below the suggested edit is marked:

"Stress and anxiety can creep up on anyone. A person can be calm and orderly one minute, and be worked //him or herself// into a frenzy the next minute, especially if they already tend to be anxiety-prone or have trouble fighting phobias."

If it's the editor I recognise, then I assume the stuff between the //--//s is to be deleted?

If it's the same one, I quite often get back articles that are a kaleidoscope of colors and slashes, and after doing the edits, it's basically a complete rewrite. I never get that amount of grief off other editors. The first couple upset me a bit, now I just action the edits, make sure there's nothing really untoward I've missed, give honest consideration to the value of the rest of the edits (but do them anyway), and move on.

Yes, you're right. They changed it from "and work him or herself into a frenzy the next minute" The editor wants it to say "and be worked into a frenzy the next." I don't like the word "be" in there.

The big problem I found was the insulting way the idea was expressed AND I didn't think I needed a be-laboured intro.

Yes, this editor would rather do re-writes not because it's wrong, but to suit him or herself (woops!) ha ha used the him or herself.

Hi,

I'm new here, so I don't wish to be too forward. However, I had an edit from this same editor, and I must say that the editor over all was right. My article could have been tighter. When I made the changes suggested, it was an easier, clearer read.

Writing for CC isn't, I think, about freedom of artistic expression. It's about providing clear, concise, market-ready copy for commercial clients. The editors here, in my limited experience, know what they're doing. What they're doing is increasing the chances that your article will sell.

Just saying.

I've had one interaction with the editor to whom you refer. I've sold a good amount of stuff in the past, and I've always benefited from the constructive criticism of CC editors. This person, however, has me baffled. S/he sent links about how to write a coherent and cohesive narrative that were patronizing and insulting, especially given my track record at CC. The rainbow of editing remarks were tantamount to a complete rewrite in that editor's narrative voice and style. I deleted the article over working with that particular editor. I'll try again in a few months.

I should add that the article in question had been posted before, and made it through the editing process just fine. I took it down to make some additions and minor edits before re-submitting. It then had the poor fortune of falling into this person's hands.

the article in question had been posted before, and made it through the editing process just fine

Hehe, I certainly recognise this scenario.

FWIW I now tend to avoid topics where I'm likely to run into this editor, despite having sold a fair few articles on those subjects in the past. Simply not worth the extra time and effort when there are other more productive areas to focus on.

My personal guess is that they have editors that cover certain areas. Can you guys say what sections? I tend to avoid sections I have problems with too but really I only write for one section mostly, so if I have problems I'm forced to disappear for a time. :-\

After waiting a week for 5 articles to get reviewed (still waiting on 2), one came back yesterday after a go around with whom I will assume must be this individual. I had a similar encounter when I first started and almost didn't return to CC. At the time, it floored me. Nothing to do with practical corrections. All about using their style instead of yours.

I have had my last 13 articles approved with only one rejected for a minor oversight. The article returned to me yesterday was shredded on style, not corrections. However, what really got my goat was when the editor used the phrase "blah, blah" in 2 places instead of something like "and so on" or "etc." I understood what was intended, but that term has a negative connotation of sarcasm in society these days. I thought it was very unprofessional.

A week waiting on reviews to receive something like that??? Don't think it's worth it. This individual is probably causing CC to lose good writers that might otherwise stick around. Although, the unrealistic wait time for editing is taking a toll, as well, I'm sure. Thanks for listening to my little rant.

If I get a severely unfounded marked up copy back, I don't resubmit to that person. I start over. Too much trash talk for what it's worth.

Nothing was as bad as early 2016 when some editor was rejecting and deleting the article without any revision requests. They used to do that back in 2009 when I started but they stopped deleting sometime around 2010 or 2011. It was a pain, because you lost keywords, overview, etc unless you saved them. I'm not sure what was up with that editor but I stopped submitting for a while. This was after 2 months of making awesome money here..more than I have ever made in a month by triple. Then this editor was just rejecting and deleting. I was so frustrated.