Stuff I found on the interwebz

[next_to_normal]

As an illustration of why you shouldn't ask professional writers to read your stuff, this is really only halfway relevant to fanfic, but there are just so many bits that I want to quote and say "Word!" Plus, it's just an interesting post: "I Will Not Read Your F**king Script." Relevant excerpts under the cut.

It rarely takes more than a page to recognize that you're in the presence of someone who can write, but it only takes a sentence to know you're dealing with someone who can't.

This I have found to be very true.

And the truth is, saying something positive about this thing would be the nastiest, meanest and most dishonest thing I could do.

I cringe every time I see truly awful fics get great reviews, for just this reason - it's completely misleading. Oh, maybe the person leaving the review honestly thinks it's great, but they're probably no more knowledgeable about writing than the author. It makes authors think they're better than they are, and makes them even more resistant to well-deserved criticism. And it just perpetuates the cycle of crap, because bad writers encourage each other to write more bad fic, instead of it being pointed out to them (gently) that they suck and are in painful need of a writing class. Of course, when you try to give them honest advice...

He was frustrated by the responses he'd gotten from friends, because he felt they were going easy on him, and he wanted real criticism. They never do, of course. What they want is a few tough notes to give the illusion of honesty, and then some pats on the head. What they want--always--is encouragement, even when they shouldn't get any.

And that right there is why constructive criticism is poorly received 90% of the time. It's also probably why my betaing style pisses off so many new writers. ;)

The main point I made was that he'd fallen prey to a fallacy that nails a lot of first timers. He was way more interested in telling his one story than in being a writer. It was like buying all the parts to a car and starting to build it before learning the basics of auto mechanics. You'll learn a lot along the way, I said, but you'll never have a car that runs.

If this doesn't describe at least half the beginning writers in fandom, I don't know what does.

Comments

[next_to_normal]

Say what? I'm 100% American and I always spell dialogue with a -ue.

[clawofcat.livejournal.com]

Me, too! Is there an alternate way to spell dialogue?

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

'Dialog'. It's how Microsoft spells the word, so I assumed it was the standard American spelling.

How do you spell 'catalogue', then?

[next_to_normal]

I spell catalogue with the -ue, too. It just looks naked without it. I suppose I prefer to be complex. :)

Now that you mention the computing aspect, though, I do say "dialog box" when talking about the little windows that come up on your computer.

[clawofcat.livejournal.com]

Hm, I've never seen "dialog" used, but I suppose someone out there does.

I actually spell catalogue/catalog both ways, which is odd, but it happens. I have to use the word a fair amount for work, so when I'm hand writing a note I'll put "catalog," but if I'm writing something more formal I'll add the -ue. Peculiar? You bet!

I stick firm by theater, though. Theatre just looks funny.

[next_to_normal]

I sometimes use "theatre" when talking about live plays on stage, or "musical theatre" as a genre. But I always use "theater" in the context of "movie theater." I blame my "London Theatre" course for that one.