Grrrr ... this login thing will kill me. Let's try this again.
I really, really wish right now that we were in the same city so that I could have seen the hand gestures that go with that story. I'd have broken out the good china and made at least two pots of tea ...
I think the whole beta thing is so couragous most times, especially when it's often between strangers. I've offered exactly twice, both to writers who I know to be sane, talented and just needing a good copy edit and perhaps the tiniest of tweaks. Even in RL, there can be enormous blow-ups, I have been known to hide under my desk when I hear one writer is in the building, he's never forgiven me for not letting him put a city in the wrong state, and arguing my point.
I'm thinking about just writing up essays on technique, I've started on one series here, but have a few in mind, then posting the completed versions somewhere useful. It's stuff that I do all day in RL, and have done in my previous career incarnations, too (academic, trainer, etc), so I feel happy putting it out there.
As to critting a bad story, I just don't. A couple of times I have made critical comments on stories that I thought were either great but could have done with a little shift of paragraphs or perhaps a tiny word-choice change, or else had a few copy errors (usually factual ones), but only to writers where I can see enough talent that I know they won't be fazed.
How to deal with people like your muppet ... I wouldn't be able to. You deserve a prize from the internet for not doing something very bad such as encouraging her to write more and publish under her own name.
And "Angel"?! Well, if we're going with a Sidney-esque Lucifer, maybe, but even then, I'd still see Snape as a flaming sword-wielding archangel sneering as he rained vengeance from on high, no misting!
Your writing style is great, so I'm sure that you won't need it, but good luck with the connections in your new town.
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Date: 2007-08-31 05:44 am (UTC)I really, really wish right now that we were in the same city so that I could have seen the hand gestures that go with that story. I'd have broken out the good china and made at least two pots of tea ...
I think the whole beta thing is so couragous most times, especially when it's often between strangers. I've offered exactly twice, both to writers who I know to be sane, talented and just needing a good copy edit and perhaps the tiniest of tweaks. Even in RL, there can be enormous blow-ups, I have been known to hide under my desk when I hear one writer is in the building, he's never forgiven me for not letting him put a city in the wrong state, and arguing my point.
I'm thinking about just writing up essays on technique, I've started on one series here, but have a few in mind, then posting the completed versions somewhere useful. It's stuff that I do all day in RL, and have done in my previous career incarnations, too (academic, trainer, etc), so I feel happy putting it out there.
As to critting a bad story, I just don't. A couple of times I have made critical comments on stories that I thought were either great but could have done with a little shift of paragraphs or perhaps a tiny word-choice change, or else had a few copy errors (usually factual ones), but only to writers where I can see enough talent that I know they won't be fazed.
How to deal with people like your muppet ... I wouldn't be able to. You deserve a prize from the internet for not doing something very bad such as encouraging her to write more and publish under her own name.
And "Angel"?! Well, if we're going with a Sidney-esque Lucifer, maybe, but even then, I'd still see Snape as a flaming sword-wielding archangel sneering as he rained vengeance from on high, no misting!
Your writing style is great, so I'm sure that you won't need it, but good luck with the connections in your new town.