(no subject)

[rynne]

Remember Matthew Shepard.

And, somewhat facetiously...is it too much to ask that people punctuate their dialogue correctly?

...

Yeah, I thought so.

What really depresses me is to find published authors doing in wrong.

If anyone doesn't know how to punctuate correctly, or isn't sure, ask. Please. I don't care how long it takes me to explain it to you; you will then know how and I won't have to wince at "Blah blah blah." He said.

Why must ff.net be the only source with several thousand fics in each anime fandom I like? Why must it be the only source where there's around nine thousand FFVII fics?

Why can't people punctuate dialogue correctly?

Comments

[linnpuzzle.livejournal.com]

Why can't people punctuate dialogue correctly?


Dear Rynne,

People are idiots.

Love,
Linn


(Incidentally, which published author was guilty of doing this? :P)

[rynne.livejournal.com]

*g*

Then the question is, I suppose, why are people idiots?

But that's one that can never be answered, sigh.

(Mercedes Lackey--sometime-Sue author she may be, but I actually like her books. Even if she does go "Blah blah," he said, "Blah blah.")

[froda-baggins.livejournal.com]

Hahaha I've read a couple of Mercedes Lackey's books. LMFAO the typos alone made me want to tear my hair out.

[rynne.livejournal.com]

Oh, those are just in her earlier books--her later books, she seems to understand what an editor is for. *g* The typos make me want to tear my hair out too. How is it that fanfic authors need beta readers and published authors can get away without them? *sigh*

[froda-baggins.livejournal.com]

Really? Hm. Might have to pick up some of her more recent stuff then. They're enjoyable at least, if forgettable.

[rynne.livejournal.com]

Try the Eric Banyon books--urban fantasy. They start with Bedlam's Bard (which is actually Knight of Ghosts and Shadows and Summoned to Tourney in one book), and are some of my favorite Mercedes Lackey books. I like her urban fantasy more than her high fantasy, I think. :D

[terredancer.livejournal.com]

Typos, with dialogue or anything else, make me twitch.

I mean, I'm not a perfect writer, either, but gyah.

*twitch*

[rynne.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I don't claim to be perfect with grammar (my mother could tell you all the times she's caught me saying "less" rather than "fewer" *g*), but at least I know and understand the rules of dialogue. Honestly, the editors should catch that stuff.

[tinitinytina.livejournal.com]

O.O You mean grammar's actually important and serves a purpose in writing?! I thought periods weren't necessary!



Many people feel that grammar's beneath them, and they don't bother to make an effort to try. I may no be the best out there in grammar, but I do try, and I'm more than half-way decent. I'd appreciate it if others can give me the same respect I give them by putting some effort into their writings. Not to mention that fact that in the online world where your writing gives the first impression, you'd think people would try harder. Apparently, I had too much faith in the human population.

And yes, I've come to expect it in fics, but I do wish books would be better at catching these. I once read a novel which had random phrases just stuck in the middle of a paragraph. My guess is that they deleted something but didn't do it completely. How shameful.

[ib-druggie.livejournal.com]

Because they're retards, that's why.

AHAHAHAHA YOUR ICON.

[rynne.livejournal.com]

:D copperbadge made the icon. Everyone loves Sam, don't they? *g*

[antosha-c.livejournal.com]

Actually, when you find a spelling or grammatical mistake in a published book, don't blame the author, blame the publisher. Authors can't see their own mistakes. That's a given. As an editor (as well as a published author), I can tell you that even the best-written manuscript submitted by the most intelligent, well-schooled writer will be full of style and grammar errors. It's unavoidable.

That's why publishers hire editors and proofreaders to clean up the text between the time it's submitted and the time it reaches your hot little hand.

And why are people stupid? So that other people can make fun of them, of course. ;-)

[rynne.livejournal.com]

I know that authors don't know they're making mistakes or they wouldn't make them, but it doesn't stop me from being a bit annoyed that they don't know the rules. But all right, I'll blame the publisher! *g*

Random question: what does one need to do in order to be an editor?

[antosha-c.livejournal.com]

Do you mean, how does one go about becoming an editor?

If so... Well, there are a bunch of ways of approaching it. Starting with a knowledge of grammar and style and a sensitivity to language (both of which you already seem to have), it's mostly a matter of learning a few fairly straightforward skills (chief of which is learning when and where to look things up) and then getting some experience--and there are lots and lots of places to do that: newspapers, magazines, etc. At school, around your home town. Depending on where you go to college, there may even be courses you can take. There are even (surprise!) some books you might consider reading.

It's a great freelance profession. You can often work from home--even if the publisher is cross-country. Though, as with all freelance work, it tends to expand to fill the available space, so if you want to write while working freelance, you need to be very disciplined about managing your time, a skill I am continually working at.

Is that helpful, or TMI?

And it's always more fun to blame the publishers. They have more money.