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amelialourdes) wrote2009-09-17 09:18 am
let's talk about the writing thing.
I'm not a writer. I don't consider myself one. I'm not really good at it. I think once upon a time I had an imagination and creativity to write but I think that I've lost it. That said, I've always received pretty high grades when it came to English, grammar, phonics, reading comprehension, language, etc. I consistently wrote in college and graduated with a degree that is based on literary and visual analysis. I think that I have a pretty firm grasp on the English language. That said, when I see badly written fan fiction? I cringe.
Bad fic? It happens. For whatever reason, people make up what they make up without any regard or consideration of the personality of the characters that they're using. They write what they write without care or acknowledgment of their own terrible spelling and grammar. They don't bother with betas because a few fawning reviews means that they have fans and it doesn't matter what the writing looks like.
That bothers me. It bothers me. Every time someone spells something wrong and it's posted for all to see, it makes the angels cry (quote courtesy of Quinn from Glee). Someone on my flist has recently spoken a lot about the writing process and writing in fandoms and her perceptions are dead on. It's refreshing to find someone who's receptive to critique and commentary about her work. Of course, it wasn't always that way. It's never that way in the beginning. In the beginning, I imagine that people do think that they're good writers and for whatever reason (I blame fawning reviews with no critique) aren't receptive to criticism.
Fandom is supposed to be fun, yes? The stories are just stories. They're not up for Pulitzers or even national writing contests. I understand that. This is just a major, major, MAJOR pet peeve of mine that I want to address for myself and to share with anyone who may feel the same. Or! Feel differently. I'm open to both ideas. I'm not having fun if a large chunk of a story doesn't make sense. I sometimes try to look past the errors to just read the story itself but then it's bad characterization that gets to me.
So, if you're a writer or if you're an active reader, what in fandom fanfiction bothers you if you're bothered by anything at all? No specific fandom here. Any fandom at all. What will turn you off of a story? If you're a writer, why do you/would you not accept constructive criticism? Are you open to constructive criticism?
no subject
Your post is well stated and I agree with much of what you say. There seem, however, to be several assumptions in what you say in the following and they concern me. For example, "..without regard or consideration, etc..." Perhaps the writers think they are writing a true 'personality of the characters.' They may not know that others (or some others) don't see it that way. There may be readers who 'hear' the personality in the writing that you think is poorly done. As for betas, I don't know if everyone has a reliable person available to them to take the time and effort (and I've beta-ed some works and it does take time and effort if one is conscientious about doing it) required to beta. It might take someone such as yourself reading the work and thinking it needs some changes to offer your assistance. Some will be greatly appreciative and some will not.
I, as you do, like English. I think I have a fairly good grasp of it. (Thank you Mrs. G in 9th grade.)
Nevertheless, we can all make errors and, I agree with you again, writers would be well advised to be open to helpful suggestions. If one is seen as too critical, of course, people will shy away.
Well, that being said, I hope you won't mind if I point out 3 small things to you.
few fawning reviews means - 'few' and 'reviews' being plural, it should be 'mean.'
to just read the story - split infinitive
then it's bad characterization - correct if you mean that it is the bad characterization that gets to you but incorrect if you mean the characterization of the story (its characterization) with 'its' being possessive. I'm not certain which you meant to convey.
Edited at 2009-09-17 01:57 pm (local)
no subject
I definitely think that betas aren't always available and people do just write something and send it off into the vast internet without proofreading or have some kind of feedback. I just think it's unfortunate when there could be some improvements. But you're right, some want it and some don't. I've run into the don't way more often than I've run into the do.
I don't mind at all! As I was writing this I said to myself, "Oh my god. I'm writing about English and I know that this is going to have a million errors in it." I am glad you may have only found three, haha. I'll be correcting them! The "means" was definitely a speed thing. As for the "it's" I meant "it is" instead of possessive. :)
... please feel free to correct anything I post, ever. I didn't have a teacher like yours. :( I was often dinged on small infractions.
no subject
I do understand about some things being so out of character as to make one wonder if the writer ever watched QaF. I don't mind a Brian who is a little more giving/a little less guarded, especially if written in the future as even BK is able to learn. I agree, however, that a Brian who is "expressing feelings at every moment" is not conceivable so why write him that way? Perhaps some wishful thinking and fantasizing about GH/BK has some people writing him the way they'd like him to be and think he might be if he were with them. You know, like the mistake some people make when they figure marriage will change their mate?
Anyhow, I asked someone else who replied to you and I'll ask you - please recommend (in a PM) some writers you think write well. I read only a few things from a few writers and don't want to spend a lot more time reading fics - but, I'd like the ones to which I give my time to be quality ones. I know I am impatient myself if misspelled words could have been corrected by the computer's spelling tool but weren't and if a writer 'overwrites' - my term for too many adjectives, too much repetition, too much description of something that a quality writer gets you to see with phrasing and - hard for me to articulate - ways other than direct description. So, we agree on quite a few points and thanks again for replying and so soon.
And, yes, kudos to my 9th grade teacher who taught us grammar which I liked so much. I guess enjoying grammar and being taught it made a difference.
buzzie
no subject
I'll be more than happy to recommend some but I'm sure that you've read them all before! I'm actually in the process of reading a lot of those fics again to pinpoint why I like them. I think it'll be a more detailed fic recommendation list than the one that I have. Okay, I just checked my nostalgia posts and you haven't commented on it so I assume you haven't seen it. I have two fic recommendation posts and you can find the first one here and the next one here. Enjoy!