Forum: Author Hangout

That description reminds me of an author I contacted about a story he posted. He said that he welcomed honest feedback. So I gave him my honest opinion of what he described in the first chapter of his story. He took what I intended as helpful advice as hate mail and blocked me from contacting him.

I have forgotten the details, but the description showed potential, his first chapter described about 8 social groups and each spoke their own language. He also stated that he intended to use words from those 8 languages and we, his readers, would have to memorize the words or refer to his dictionary for their meanings. Having to refer to a dictionary to understand what is being said does a major hatchet job on the flow of the plot.

I have never been good at learning foreign languages, and I am now an old fart who has problems with recalling words and other things. So, I told him I hated that type of story and did not believe that other readers would not like that approach either. I told him that I would give his story a chance, but I usually gave similar stories a rating of 1 before dropping the story.

I ended my feedback by wishing him good luck with the story. I later dropped his story and gave it a rating of 1.

I just checked his story's stats. The story was posted about a month ago. Seven chapters posted, download count less than 5000, number of votes less than 70, and a rating that seems less than it could be. Sounds to me that other readers did not like being forced to memorize made up languages and bailed on his story, or bailed for some other reason.

I told him that I would give his story a chance, but I usually gave similar stories a rating of 1 before dropping the story.

OUCH! And you're surprised he reacted the way he did?

Having to refer to a dictionary to understand what is being said does a major hatchet job on the flow of the plot.

I was 'spanked' for doing that in my Good Medicine series, so I took the criticism to heart and revised it (and my A Well-Lived Life Series to use inline transliterations and translations. I haven't quite completed posting the revised versions, but I'm close.

so I took the criticism to heart and revised it (and my A Well-Lived Life Series to use inline transliterations and translations.

That is probably for the best. Thanks for making that effort.

For a couple of Jay Cantrell's stories I created a Word document to list Characters and some other story details, so I could keep things clearer. (I was reading only a couple chapters at a time.)

I have received criticisms for doing it either way. I seem to be one of the few people here who served in the armed forces in the 21st Century; so, I have posted "translations" of some modern military jargon and abbreviations.

Similar to professional writers, I have used Footnotes (generally at the end of a section break, or sometimes a paragraph/dialog). I also have some of the most common ones as part of the Persona Dramatis.

Sometimes, I use the trope of an experienced character "explaining" to an inexperienced character. But that is often part of the story, as civil authorities demand explanations from the military characters. Or, people with specific skills, are recruited into a "Joint Task Force" to deal with situations. Having served in a Multinational Joint Task Force, often as one of the people who had to explain /"Translate" to others, I am a "subject matter expert" on such things.

I recall starting to read your Good Medicine series. I don't recall finishing it, so I may have been one of those people who bailed on the story with feedback. I have provided negative feedback regarding authors who expect their readers to memorize made-up words to several authors in the past.

Since you are fixing it, I'll have to try to finish reading it.

Since you are fixing it, I'll have to try to finish reading it.

Thanks. All constructive feedback is useful.