OK, not to be a bitch, but...
Nov. 30th, 2008 01:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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.
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.
no subject
Date: 2008-11-30 09:13 pm (UTC)LOL, me too. Man, I wonder how many people do that... s'kind of sad.
And yeah, when there's a truck load of typos, there's always a lot of Sevy, Drake, and "totally awesome!" and I don't bother reading it. But once, I was reading a fic by a well known author and was shocked by the number of typos and although a beta was listed, I decided they either posted the unbetaed version by mistake or that beta sucked donkey balls or didn't even read it before signing off. So, I contacted the author and asked to fix it.
Well, you piqued my curiosity. Was it going to be about writing in general, or SPAG in particular?
Actually it was about popularity. I've been seeing a lot posts asking why readers would prefer an imperfect fic to one free of errors.
no subject
Date: 2008-12-01 01:36 am (UTC)I think I just threw up into my mouth a little.
I decided they either posted the unbetaed version by mistake or that beta sucked donkey balls or didn't even read it before signing off.
LOL!
And also: oh dear.
Actually it was about popularity. I've been seeing a lot posts asking why readers would prefer an imperfect fic to one free of errors.
And what's the general consensus?