I've recently read several stories that were littered with missing or misplace quotes to indicate dialog. While I don't know the solution, I did find them quite disruptive to following the story. I would think these errors would the dealt with during the editing process. Then again it could be me...
Thanks for listening!
Not just you! I've only found a few stories that are worth the effort needed to piece it all together.
I wonder if it's something in the way they're submitting the files? It seems to me it would be pretty blatant when proofing the story.
In one case it almost seemed the author was confused about how to do consecutive paragraphs within the same quote (hint: you still need the leading quote marks to tell people it's still a quote.)
I've pretty much given up mentioning errors in stories to authors who don't specifically request them — too many are dismissive and/or rude about unsolicited feedback.
too many are dismissive and/or rude about unsolicited feedback.
That's unfortunate.
@rustyken: Yeah, dialogue punctuation is maybe the most important punctuation.
In one case it almost seemed the author was confused about how to do consecutive paragraphs within the same quote (hint: you still need the leading quote marks to tell people it's still a quote.)
And not the trailing one until the last paragraph so as not to indicate a switch of speaker. As in:
"Para A text…
"Para B text…
"Para C text…"
To my shame, I made this multi-para quoting error in several of my stories (until some kind commenter corrected me clearly enough that I finally looked it up).
I'm sorry!
I do more better now.
I've pretty much given up mentioning errors in stories to authors who don't specifically request them — too many are dismissive and/or rude about unsolicited feedback.
Well of course - they were expecting a participation trophy. Not constructive help.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/mar/21/how-participation-trophies-corrupted-americas-cult/
Well of course - they were expecting a participation trophy. Not constructive help.
As described in my series 'A Well-Lived Life', when my hockey-playing son's team was given a participation trophy after being knocked out of a tournament, they, to a player, dropped them in the trashcan in sight of the tournament director, with full approval of the team parents. Of course, that was 2004 in RL (earlier in the story).
I appreciate Constructive Criticism, and I believe I make that clear in my blog posts, and usually in my story blurbs or end notes.
However, I don't always follow the advice I am given. Sometimes I receive contrary advice: 3 people suggest doing a thing; 2 people the opposite.
Much of my military writing is at least partially intended to "educate" my readers about "what it was like" even if the story is fictional.
Even if I don't follow the advice, I try to reply with thanks, and possibly Why I didn't implement the suggestion.
Same here. I don't always agree but I'm always happy to hear what they have to say — well, as long as they're respectful. Most of the time it's silly typos that I introduced after my editors had their look at it, but sometimes it's along the lines of 'You need to rewrite this because the characters aren't who I want them to be.' I still thank them but I make clear that they're my characters so I'll choose how they are.
