[ SECRET POST #252 ]

[degrees.livejournal.com]

⌈ Secret Post #252 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


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Notes:

Last day to submit for next week! Oh, and post is early because I can!

Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 00 secrets from Secret Submission Post #036.
Secrets Not Posted:0 broken links, [ 1 2 ] not!secrets, 0 not!fandom, [ 1 ] too big.
Next Secret Post: Tomorrow, Saturday, September 15th, 2007.
Current Secret Submission Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

#13

[fallia.livejournal.com]

Let me be real blunt about this, because you need to hear it. What your situation tells me is that people see potential in your writing, but as-is it sucks.

The fact that people volunteer to beta for you? Means people like your ideas. That's good. On the other hand, it means that your writing itself is clunky and difficult to read. The fact that you never hear from these people again? Means that you're either rejecting their suggestions or that they are overwhelmed by the technical problems with your writing.

Bottom line: your writing is detracting from your stories, but people are still interested enough to want to help you. Get a good grammar book, learn it, and love it. Then learn to be receptive to constructive criticism and stop hating on people who want you to succeed.

Re: #13

[(Anonymous)]

So much word for this reasonable and sound comment.

Re: #13

[(Anonymous)]

Blunt is fine, blunt makes sense and doesn't sugar-coat things.

I've always figured my spelling & grammar were pretty bad, after all, I barely passed spelling tests in grade school. Which is why at first I accepted people to review my writing. However when I say I never hear from them again I mean, I never hear from them again. There will be one or two emails coordinating the effort and then I send them a story and that's all. I never hear from them again.

Good grammar, book. Any serious suggestions? And I probably should be more open to criticism from others, it's just a little hard at times.

Oh, and thank you.

(I seriously always thought it was 'beata' though... Like that better anyways regardless)

Re: #13

[(Anonymous)]

Strunk and White's Elements of Style is one of the better grammar books you could get.

Re: #13

[ronsard.livejournal.com]

EoS love! ♥

Re: #13

[fallia.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. :)

Honestly, some people are just not cut out for beta work. Beta work is one of those things that can be easy to offer, but hard to follow through with. It is time-consuming and it can be intimidating to have to tell someone that they have to make 700 changes to his/her story. Good betas can be hard to find, I'll admit.

The Elements Of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White is probably the best place to start. I also like Barron's Essentials Of English and Grammatically Correct by Anne Stillman. Other people might have others they swear by, but those are the three I keep on my desk.

Re: #13

[(Anonymous)]

Alright then, I'll make sure to look at and read those.
Thanks once again.

Re: #13

[fyretoppaaa.livejournal.com]

(I seriously always thought it was 'beata' though... Like that better anyways regardless)

Ohhh, so that's it. XD I have friends who just fall into the habit of certain typos, so I know how that goes. ♥