Grammar gripes of the month
Oct. 26th, 2011 05:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elderwittyHere's the thing. I love words. I love to push them and pull; stroke, throw, and play with them - until they mean exactly what I need them to. So it really jars me out of the moment when I'm reading and the wrong word is used. I sort of tense up for the rest of the story, waiting for the next word-shaped shoe to drop.
These are the three I've see most often lately. I wish I could go, author by author, and gently teach people the difference between what they meant and what they wrote. I don't seem to have the gentle touch (in writing, anyway) needed, so all I can do is post my frustration here and hope for the best.
reign in =/= control. This comes from the horse riding world. Rein - you know, like those things on a bridle. (See also "give free rein".)
discrete =/= on the down low. This is the one that inspired the homonym list. I'd be very discreet in my tutelage, I promise. :grin:
albeit =/= although. It is close, even if not precisely the same. I think that someone who knew how to use it correctly did, and then a bunch of people took it to mean 'although', and used it themselves not realizing it was a shade of meaning off.
That's it for now. I feel better.
These are the three I've see most often lately. I wish I could go, author by author, and gently teach people the difference between what they meant and what they wrote. I don't seem to have the gentle touch (in writing, anyway) needed, so all I can do is post my frustration here and hope for the best.
reign in =/= control. This comes from the horse riding world. Rein - you know, like those things on a bridle. (See also "give free rein".)
discrete =/= on the down low. This is the one that inspired the homonym list. I'd be very discreet in my tutelage, I promise. :grin:
albeit =/= although. It is close, even if not precisely the same. I think that someone who knew how to use it correctly did, and then a bunch of people took it to mean 'although', and used it themselves not realizing it was a shade of meaning off.
That's it for now. I feel better.
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no subject
Date: 2011-10-26 11:21 pm (UTC)grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 01:09 am (UTC)Yes, it's good to be able to get a verbal nod back, instead of a slacker!shrug of, "Whatever."
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 05:33 pm (UTC)Riverside HQ was the first comm I ever joined, and the reason I created an LJ in the first place. I've met some amazing people through it -- my best-online-friend I met there, all those years ago, and Metanoia has so often proved something that a huge amount of people out there enjoy, and is like a sort-of in-crowd thing for a bunch of us -- every so often I'll get someone go OMG YOU LIKE METANOIA OMG OMG BESTIES. So yes, it's very near and dear to my heart. And if you like original fic, do check Jesse's stuff out! /pimp
Anyway -- here is the post of much griping and shameless self-indulgence (http://riverside-hq.livejournal.com/355513.html?view=comments). Enjoy! :)
ETA: Oh, and this (http://riverside-hq.livejournal.com/355075.html) is the original post Jesse references, that started the ball rolling. :D
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-28 01:10 am (UTC)I think the only two that aren't on the homonym list are 'athiest' and 'diety'.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 01:15 am (UTC)grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 01:18 am (UTC)I will. (Muuwaahahaha! :dry washes hands villainously: )
Please do the same for me, 'cause I typo, too. :D
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 01:22 am (UTC)Sure there are lists you can consult, but do they?
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 01:56 am (UTC)Sadly, I don't think they do. That's where the temptation to publish this list on the SGA and H50 noticeboard comms came from. I was talked out of it, thankfully.
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 02:20 am (UTC)I think we're incredibly lucky in SGA, I haven't found much bad fic.
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 02:35 am (UTC)Most of the really bad ones I've seen are in Supernatural or Hawaii Five-0. I have a list of author's whose stuff I won't even glance at. Most of them are betas for each other. :P
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 02:46 am (UTC)Well, and the people who beta for each other aren't going to find the mistakes they themselves make.
I write for fun, but I want it to be the best it can be, too.
I don't read a lot in either of those fandoms (no time with all the SGA fic I still have to read!), unless they're recced by someone I trust.
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 02:59 am (UTC)That's true. And they all praise each other's work to high heaven.
Same here! It's not like I'm getting paid for it, but I still have pride.
Well, if you trust me, here's a series in the SPN universe. I've sent you to the earliest Strangers and Angels page. Ignore the bottom two entries, for Frail. That's the second in the series. Start with Strangers and Angels. Let me know how you like it. :D
Have you read
I have to say, there are a couple of stories (not the above one) where the writing isn't perfect - but I still read, and in some cases, re-read, just because the story is compelling enough to overcome it. I do try to warn for that, though, although sometimes I auto edit it mentally and don't actually realize. Oops.
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 03:14 am (UTC)I have read alipeeps, she's great! That's the thing about Atlantis fic. So much of it is excellent. And yeah, sometimes the story rises above those things. I have a few of those that I go back and reread because I love the story so much.
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 04:17 am (UTC)The good news is that a lot of the SGA peeps have migrated over to H50, and there are new ones there who I'd not seen before. Yeah, I recced a story called Home Improvement to Walter, then had to field phone calls where he didn't understand what was happening due to bad formatting (no visual break between scenes). That's one of those that I auto edit, but still really enjoy. Warning: angst (with happy ending), 31,909 words.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 03:19 am (UTC)Thank you! The reign/rein thing drives me crazy.... Like you said, we all do the occasional oops, but geez, you'd thing people would learn!
grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 04:06 am (UTC)You would, wouldn't you? I don't think they want to learn. Or, judging by the way some writers group themselves, the ones who don't know any better are doing beta duty for the other ones who don't know.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 05:43 am (UTC)If you see it in a fic of mine, please do tell. I think I've confused reign and rein a few times...my excuse shall be that English is not my native language, lalalaaaa....that's what betas are for right?
grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 05:45 am (UTC)Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-27 05:55 am (UTC)Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-28 01:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 04:35 pm (UTC)The one that annoys me the most is when PROFESSIONAL authors do that kind of thing. (I actually got pissed off at one and called them out on it)
Oh and the authors who you give gentle correction to (that whole 'constructive criticism' thing) and they YELL at you. I had one do that and I've just quit reading her stuff (and she had GREAT stuff. But she had a MASSIVE OOC thing/against the fucking rules and I gently pointed out that "couldn't happen" and she bit my head off.)
grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-28 01:08 am (UTC)I was taking an online proficiency test, and they had an error of that sort in there. I couldn't believe it!
Yeah, I've gotten that, too. Or the "Why do you hate my writing so much" response. I don't, and I told you two good things before I pointed out the error. Why are you tripping?
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-31 02:37 am (UTC)Yeah....I HATE authors who trip out about things like that. Actually I wanna show you the one that made the author trip out on me. (I'm not going to say which author it was but it WAS one of my favorite authors for Het!Fic)
(This is also one of the HARSHEST reviews I've ever written. The thing that astounds me despite the issues I point out, everyone else was all "OH!MY!GOD!BESTSTORYEVER!!!!1!!!")
(See next post)
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-31 02:43 am (UTC)Chapter 5
Not only is it totally implausible that he would be able to sneak his near death wife out of the ICU but also being able to sneak her into what is probably one of the highest security military facilities in CONUS? Not going to happen.
While I can see Evan asking for Sam's help with Amy's situation, I cannot see him threatening her with an M-16 unless he was possessed by aliens. (Which I'm assuming for the duration of Chapters 5 & 6 he is not.) Also I'm pretty sure that the missing technologies would be noticed pretty quickly because of the security measures that are in place at the SGC.
Sam to me acted very OOC by not notifying anyone that there was a possible security breach when Lorne threatened her.
There is also the issue of how very difficult it would have been to move somebody in Amy's condition easily and safely from the ICU to the car to the SGC. It would have been nearly impossible for Evan to move her and also monitor her condition (ie-vital signs, breathing, etc) to make sure that she stayed alive for the duration of the trip (what would really be the point of breaking into the mountain if by the time he got her there she was already dead?)
Also Caroline would have probably required that more than just she and Sam be present for the use of the Goa'uld hand device because it would be very difficult for her alone to monitor Amy.
However I did appreciate the bit with him sitting at her bedside as he is a very loyal person and wouldn't want to leave her.
Chapter 6
The chapter opened with promise of a plausible wrap up that would be both satisfying and appropriate given the grave misconduct committed in the last chapter. Unfortunately it was unable to deliver that end.
The thing that rankled me the most about this chapter was twofold- the fact that despite breaking OPSEC in a most spectacular way Evan receives no more than a slap on the wrist, and Amy not only gets an NDA but a contract to Atlantis.
First off despite being a natural gene carrier which are in high demand for the city for having violated the OPSEC of the SGC (therefore quite possibly putting the nation, actually the WORLD in great danger) Evan still would receive more than just a slap on the wrist (in this case being stuck as Major for a while and whatnot). He more than likely would have received at the VERY least a letter of reprimand on his service file, if not a reduction in at least pay grade for a while. If not even being demoted back to Captain. All those things would allow him to stay in Atlantis while still receiving more substantial punishment for his very reckless actions.
Secondly While Amy MAY have been able to figure out that Sam had 'something to do with her healing' I don't think that would necessarily warrant her receiving an NDA for the program. Despite the fact that she had knowledge that she was indeed on a top secret military base surely there would have been ways they could have transported her out of there without her knowing where she was (they could have *gasp* LIED to her) maybe a back hall or a service elevator or something that didn't reveal their exact location?
While her program may prove useful in the long run I'm sure there is some kind of minimum training that is required to go to Atlantis (because it is a very emotionally, physically and mentally taxing environment and they would want to make sure that the people they send out there are more than capable of handling such stresses) and there is no way in the time alloted that Amy could have completed even half of that training (especially given her weakened physical state).
(continued)
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-31 02:44 am (UTC)Also you may want to investigate finding a real beta. I can't help but notice you have been making more and more small mistakes. I know that you have been doing your own beta work (and you've been doing an overall good job) but more things seem to be falling through the cracks. Things that you wouldn't pick up on because you see what you think you wrote not what actually came out of your fingers (ie- of instead of off and such like that). Or if you don't want to try finding a beta maybe try reading your stuff backwards (starting at the end and working your way to the start to find mistakes).
(these were *slightly* edited to fit within the comment limitations that LJ puts on people ;))
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-31 07:42 am (UTC)People say they want concrit, but I think the word they're looking for is adoration.
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-31 03:35 pm (UTC)And it's not like I just called it crap and walked away. I pointed out things she could have done instead (the punishment thing) to make it more 'believable'. She sent me back this big email (that I have since deleted accidentally but would share if I hadn't) about "Wah! WAH! WAH! Why don't you like it! You were always so nice! WHY DO YOU HATE ME?!" (Uhm...I didn't hate you until you sent me whiny email of whine)
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-01 05:35 am (UTC)Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-01 05:01 pm (UTC)Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-01 06:35 pm (UTC)Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-01 06:39 pm (UTC)(also did you see the photos of me in the pink poofy dress on my LJ? :))
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-01 07:02 pm (UTC)I have now. It is, indeed, very pink and poofy. You left out the sparkly, though. :D
It looks like you had a great time!
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-01 07:05 pm (UTC)Totally had a blast. Was kind of funny as one of the ladies I ended up hanging out with was a sci fi nerd too.
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-01 07:11 pm (UTC)We nerds are everywhere!
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-01 07:14 pm (UTC)And yes we are, aren't we. There was also a Spock (who i totally Vulcan high-5'ed) and a Kirk (who I avoided because we ALL know his reputation) there as well. :)
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-01 07:19 pm (UTC)Funny!
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 10:32 pm (UTC)grammar gripes
Date: 2011-10-28 01:09 am (UTC):D
grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-28 10:58 pm (UTC)I once gave grammar crit on a story and the writer's beta yelled at me. Now I only offer if the writer asks for any errors to be pointed out. Those writers are usually already very good in checking their fics, probably because they've always asked for concrit and have learned from it.
Re: grammar gripes
Date: 2011-11-28 11:33 pm (UTC)This is one of the main reasons I rarely comment. Unless I know that the author welcomes concrit - it's just too risky. I also have a list of writers whose fic I just can't read - due to ongoing, critical grammar/spelling/inanity errors - and most of them are each other's beta readers. Yarg!
I did stumble across this site for leaving anonymous feedback for authors. I haven't figured out how to post there yet, though. Hey, I'll go ask right now. (Which might de-anonymize me. Hmm. Am awaiting moderation.)