I wanna be an editor

But I don't know if i can.

I'm a rising senior and has school. So I have a lot of free time. My mom has been telling me to get a job, and this is the first thing I thought. After all, reading novels is awesome. And finding mistakes in other people's work is equally awesome (to translators: I'm your slave).

However, I have no confidence in my abilities. I have basic linguistics skills and I'm Korean so that might help in select novels.

I also do not understand whether I'm up to snuff. Honestly, what are the standards?

 

I'd reccomend just checking some sites that are recruiting and trying it out

 

you never know until you try. good luck! sometimes, people look for spot translators (esp in webtoons/scanlations). You can try out for a lot of different positions.

 

Find a translation group you follow or might want to join. Look for a "Recruitment" tab and follow instructions. If you're aiming to be a translator for novels, some groups will pay. But for the most part, editors don't get paid. I know because I am one.

 

Hey, I pay my editor.... sometimes

 

Just try it and believe. If you fail, let it be. Failure is part of life. Your only real failure is if you succumb into failing.

 

On a kind of related note...translating is so goddamn hard, I've tried translating LMS because I was curious on what happened next and I like reading in English rather than Korean but erghymgod is it difficult

 

Honestly high school level is very weak base to be an editor. most high school student can't spot many grammar errors. I've seen many English college classes having to teach basics again because some students don't know or have not been taught in school.

I recommend writing something or reading many things and see if you can spot errors or taking some online grammar test that are free see if you have any weaknesses. no one is perfect, but even the best translator have weaknesses. if you want to be professional editor being rigorous about material you read is best.

 

I do not mind having an editor as long as he does it for free. LOL I'm sure nobody wants that.

 

Hey, if it helps, I'd suggest heading over to the Translator's Corner and looking through some of the posts there. Maybe post over there following the format that other potential editors have used. You'll probably have more luck.

Otherwise, go to a novel you're reading that you think you could help with and ask nicely. Maybe give them an example of what you can do as far as editing goes. Most translators are always looking for help, especially if you know the original language of the novel they're trying to translate. Also, lots of novels are MTLed, so if you think you can help with TLCing and you don't want to translate yourself, that could be a service you offer.

Regarding whether you're good enough or not: most groups/translators will have a test of some kind or ask you to do a practice chapter to get a handle on your skills. So I think you'll find out pretty quickly if you're up to snuff or not.

Regarding getting paid: it really depends on the group. I wouldn't count on it, especially as a newbie (unless you get really lucky!), and even if you do, it's certainly not going to be at the level you'd find for even the most basic minimum-wage job for the time you'll invest in editing/TLCing.

I know I was probably a Debbie Downer on your enthusiasm, but as an editor myself, I find that I enjoy giving back to the community and seeing my work published for others to see is kind of a rush for me. I enjoy knowing that I do good work, haha.

Anyway, good luck! I hope you find what you're looking for!

 

To be fair you probably don't have time to pay them with how much we're making you slave away at translating EER.

 

Nowadays you can get free proofreading/editing help on royalroadl and Nanowrimo discord servers. Who would hire an editor?

 

Just try to apply to translator groups that interest you or are recruiting, only specifications are probably having a good understanding of English grammar, sentence structure, etc. Most editors for translation group probably do it for free and so will you, unless you're planning to be a professional editor or something.

Side note but where is Weiss Schwarz or Shadowverse or Gwent on the poll?

 

Even though it's like that you still did it and for that I will say thank you! *random stranger showing appreciation*

 

Being an editor requires one to have some sadistic characteristics because you are pointing out the mistakes in other people´s work. They have cried and bled to put that shit together and you come and tell them it is wrong? Savage. So I would tell you try spanking someone really hard and if you like it maybe you should become an editor, maybe you should even study english and become a professional. Who knows.

 

Check the novels you are reading then maybe one of those needs an editor.

 

Honestly, if the terms are more relaxed, I'd do it for free. I am awake for the most of the day, after all. The practice would be nice, and I have a lot of time nowadays. I do have a Korean family in the household, and a reliable cousin who reads webtoons in both korean and english. so i got that going for me.

 

I'd suggest working for free for a while. Also, if you do it for money later, I suggest you use it to supplement your income instead of trying to get real full time pay from it

 

As mentioned, try around. If you are really not confident, there is always RRL where plenty of works have serious issues. Also many MTL groups need all the editing they can get.

 

What kind of novels do you like reading?