OK, not to be a bitch, but...

[annafugazzi]

...if one more person writes me a review that says, "I really like this, but you need to use a spell checker" and then responds to my question of "What was mispelled?" with words like "color" and "center" I'm going to scream.

I'm a stickler for spelling. I do use spell checkers, and I read and reread everything I put up before posting it. I also have betas - good ones. And I know some typos get through regardless, and I adore readers who take the time to point them out to me, BUT.

I AM CANADIAN. I AM WRITING IN A BRITISH FANDOM. I AM GOING TO USE CANADIAN/BRITISH SPELLING, GOD DAMN IT.

It pisses me off to no end to know that people notice those kind of "misspellings" in my fics. I know that when I read other people's fanfics, if there are too many typos my esteem for the writer - and for their work - suffers. And it makes me less likely to cut them a break when it comes to plot holes, wonky characterisations, etc. It's not totally a conscious choice, but I know somewhere in the back of my mind I'm thinking, "This is entertaining, but Draco's a little too nice. Which isn't the end of the world, but... you know, this writer didn't even care enough to make sure she had no spelling mistakes. I guess she didn't care enough to make sure Draco was in character either. Oh well."

It drives me crazy that this probably happens with a lot of folks who read my own stories. If people want to dislike my writing or my fics because they don't like the plot, characters, ending, etc, that's fine. I am all kinds of OK with that. But knowing there's people disliking them because of something that isn't wrong just... AAAACCKKK!!

::thinks of a deep blue ocean::

::nuts to that, thinks of Harry napping with his head on Draco's lap::

OK, feeling better now.

Comments

[beachlass.livejournal.com]

And now, somehow, I have a picture in my head of Draco ranting about exacting this to Harry. How his last potions article was sent back with American spelling revisions, and how he's going to pay for an international portkey and go over and hex some sense into the new editor of Twiggle's Monthly Potions Index.

And Harry is reminding him that the Americans are still twitchy about their borders and how Lavender Patil was held up for three days, and that Death Eater tattoo will get him pulled over at customs, and wouldn't Draco like to just come and cuddle on the couch?

And Draco is pacing and ranting, and his hair is disarranged, and cheeks a bit flushed, and finally Harry can't stand listening to him anymore (especially because he's going off on one of his grammar rants and really, it's as bad as Hermione). So Harry grabs him on the next pass by and pulls him down for a sputtering kiss.

[annafugazzi.livejournal.com]

::daydreaming happily along::

Sorry, were we talking about spelling or something? Somehow I got distracted by disarranged hair and sputtering kisses...