Any writer can tell you that editing is much more difficult and time consuming than writing. But, often, under deadlines, a journalist ignores a few commas or relies on spellcheck more than he or she should. What's interesting is that editing an article for a virtual publication has some additional challenges. Here are some that I have found in my veteran experience (over one year in a virtual world is a long time) writing for the Metaverse Messenger newspaper:
Never assume the sex of the person/avatar you interview by chat or email. Names are quite often unisex, and even profile photos can be misleading.
Speaking of names, don't rely on traditional spellings or phonic guessing for virtual world residents. Due to restrictions on personal names, many people choose unusual spellings to be able to use a certain first name, and others like to express their creativity and freedom with long monikers that are spelled nothing like they sound. John Smith's are not common at all in virtual worlds.
As with names, always check titles. In virtual worlds, these tend to change fast. So if you've written a story about someone previously, don't take it for granted they are still in the same position.
As quick as titles change in a virtual world, so do locations. If you list a Slurl for a Second Life place, for instance, it is always a good idea to teleport there first to make sure the place is still there.
Another tricky aspect of virtual world editing is using real life information. If you are covering an event that crosses over into real life, some of the people involved may actually want their real identities known. However, you should always ask permission when revealing any real life information.
Lastly, and this one is really very tacky, never try to print a private chat log. This will definitely get you the virtual pink slip. When in doubt, always ask permission. It's common sense in any world.
I hope you find some of my tips helpful. Editing isn't easy in any world, but it does have its unique challenges in virtual worlds.
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2 comments:
Boy are you ever right about the problems of covering virtual events and people. Not only is it difficult to determine gender, but often the same person keeps popping up in different avatar forms ranging from male to female to animal. (Trying to interview the W-hat crew was especially difficult since I never knew from one moment to the next what any particular person was going to present him-or-herself as.)
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