What would you say are the trademarks of my writing? What themes or quirks or turns of phrase have you noticed? What is it that makes a story by me -- well, a story by me?
Don't want this to sound patronizing - at all - but you've improved so much, so fast, that it's just incredible. I don't know what I associate with you stylistically, except you're growing and learning and the next thing you do is going to be better than the last - and the last is good!
Your early stuff wasn't crap, but the stuff you're doing now knocks me on my ass - and I suspect the stuff you do later is going to blow the top of my head off.
okay now I'm blushing here... But I'll admit a lot was finally gathering up the courage to take up unfeathered's beta offer. Having a beta is a huge help.
Having a beta is fantastic. Having her is incredible. Because without her and Karen, I'd still be doing things to commas that are illegal in most of the western world.
I am so glad to hear that I'm not the only grammar-rule deficient person. I really think one of them is going to smack me on the head for some of the things I've done to the poor comma. And the semicolon? *shudder*
This is probably because I just re-read 'Boys and their Toys' but the first thing that jumped into my head was you make me laugh. Which is very rare with fanfic.
That post helped me quite a lot, too. Though obviously I still get bitten in the ass by stuff now and again (See unfeathered's comment to my Myfanwy fic).
Funny thing is, out of all the writers I know, most of them are either naturally good at grammar/punctuation OR spelling. Seldom both. That's not meant to sound rude (I'm a godawful speller) but it's an odd thing I've noticed lately from talking to people. I wonder if it's a left-brain/right-brain thing.
You know, that's a good point. Worth noting, too, something that a writer friend of mine told me, recently, and I've seen in some of those 'writing inspirational' things.
Writing is not editing. Editing is not writing.
I'm a *crap* editor. I'm learning to let that go and not carry it over into saying I'm a crap *writer*, because the mechanics are something I have to pay attention to/work at.
Editing is a mystery to me. I just... don't do it. What first comes out of my head is pretty much what gets posted up.
I've done beta work before, but I don't make a habit of it... actually, I've done it for you, haven't I? (And for some reason that reminds me I was going to pester you to write femslash). Eh, I'm rambling now. But editing... It's an alien world.
You have beta'd for me before, and you did a good job. I can't do it at all. Oh, story and characterization I ca prod, but I'm wary of telling someone what's wrong with either of those, so. Yeah, completely alien world.
I'm trying, slowly, to start doing some shorter stuff that hasn't been beta'd to hell and back. That makes me a bit of a hypocrite, but it's also making writing fun for me again.
Humour. Which is weird, considering that most of what you've been writing recently is pretty dark (which I love!), but there's always some humour lurking there. And you are the (*counts*) sixth person I've just done this meme for and you're the first person where humour comes to mind.
Which is probably because I don't tend to read writers who mainly write funny stuff - so it's a compliment to your writing that I read yours. And especially because you do dark so very well too. :-)
I was wondering about then when I posted the meme. My stuff is all over the place, fluff, dark, funny... most of the people I read is much more consistent regarding the types of fic they write. I'm not sure what that says about me.
That's interesting, because I seem to be naturally good at both.
Though, actually, it could be that I'm not naturally good at grammar; I just learned it a long time ago so it feels natural now. Hmm.
I think an interest in language helps - in the mechanics of language, I mean. I don't know all the fancy names for the rules, but I am interested in why we do one thing and not another.
Ahha, an exception to the rule! There are a few, but the majority seem to be one or the other. And that doesn't mean people are really good at one thing, and really bad at the other, but significantly better at one over the other.
And yes, you're absolutely right, it does help to have that interest, although I maintain that spelling is something that isn't easy to learn (at least, for me). English spelling just makes so little sense.
No, English spelling is NOT easy to learn. For me, though, I think it's the same as with grammar - and interest in why, and having read lots. I've kind of learned by osmosis.
The first thing that comes to mind is humor. I wonder why? *g* But when I thought about your Halloween fic (don't worry, I won't spoil the plot for anybody) what came to mind was how well you handled all those characters. It's a juggling act, and you didn't drop a ball that I saw. Also, since I have trouble with transition and movement, I'm very impressed with how you handled those, too.
I'm finding it facinating that so many of you said humor. I know I've written some funny stuff, but there's an equally huge chunk that's dark and angsty.
Also, humorously, I was about to post to fandom_me's 'hard to write' meme that writing for several characters at once freaks me out. hmmm. go figure. *g*
*blushes* Thanks, although, if you noticed, I cheated as often as possible by keeping only one or two characters with Jack while sending the rest away where I didn't have to deal with them for a bit.
Considering I swing between horribly dark and humorous I'm thrilled that so many people have comment on the silly stuff.. must have something to do with the horde of cats or chocoholic squirrels.... :)
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http://community.livejournal.com/fanficpen/15493.html
That post helped me quite a lot, too. Though obviously I still get bitten in the ass by stuff now and again (See unfeathered's comment to my Myfanwy fic).
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Writing is not editing.
Editing is not writing.
I'm a *crap* editor. I'm learning to let that go and not carry it over into saying I'm a crap *writer*, because the mechanics are something I have to pay attention to/work at.
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I've done beta work before, but I don't make a habit of it... actually, I've done it for you, haven't I? (And for some reason that reminds me I was going to pester you to write femslash). Eh, I'm rambling now. But editing... It's an alien world.
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I'm trying, slowly, to start doing some shorter stuff that hasn't been beta'd to hell and back. That makes me a bit of a hypocrite, but it's also making writing fun for me again.
...>.> Will do. (Femeslash)
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Which is probably because I don't tend to read writers who mainly write funny stuff - so it's a compliment to your writing that I read yours. And especially because you do dark so very well too. :-)
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Though, actually, it could be that I'm not naturally good at grammar; I just learned it a long time ago so it feels natural now. Hmm.
I think an interest in language helps - in the mechanics of language, I mean. I don't know all the fancy names for the rules, but I am interested in why we do one thing and not another.
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And hey, that was one little tiny mistake! Everyone forgets the rules occasionally! :-)
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And yes, you're absolutely right, it does help to have that interest, although I maintain that spelling is something that isn't easy to learn (at least, for me). English spelling just makes so little sense.
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And. Thank you. A LOT.
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Also, humorously, I was about to post to
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