Forum: Author Hangout

Deliberate mistakes

oldegrump 🚫

Good Morning Folks

I am in Rant Mode. one of the writers I enjoy MysteryWriter, and some others I have read State in there descriptions that the errors are intentional. So far, I have not read any author who rights a story that is worth the aggravation to follow the story line with all of the errors of spelling and grammar.

I can understand when it is English as a second language; But the story I was recently reading had whole chapters repeated and disjointed and missing parts in the middle of the story.

I know we want to encourage writers to write, but can we at least encourage authors to proof read even if the story is as bad as what I write

Replies: Switch Blayde Ross at Play Capt. Zapp Ernest Bywater Darian Wolfe

Vincent Berg 🚫

If all the mistakes (posting the wrong chapters too), then you can only assume the author Intends to disappoint readers and make the story unreadable, merely to harass those who enjoy their works. What's more, if they refuse to acknowledge posts about screwed up posting, there's really no hope for a resolution. Whatever you do, you'll NEVER get the complete story. If you can put up with that, you're a MUCH more forgiving person than I.

You turn off voting at your own peril, saying you have no intention of fixing errors is simply throwing salt into your self-inflected wounds.

oldegrump 🚫

I am aware of several writers who posted inadvertently parts of their other stories and have contacted them, but some of the writers that I like either have stopped writing (for what ever reason) or have no email posted. I would like to contact the writer, but I am not sure that writer would even respond.

Crumbly Writer; you are on my list as a fav author. Thanks for the quick response

Replies: Vincent Berg

Vincent Berg 🚫

@oldegrump

I am aware of several writers who posted inadvertently parts of their other stories and have contacted them, but some of the writers that I like either have stopped writing (for what ever reason) or have no email posted. I would like to contact the writer, but I am not sure that writer would even respond.

Crumbly Writer; you are on my list as a fav author. Thanks for the quick response

I'm also one of many authors who have inadvertently posted the wrong chapters. While my SOL readers are quick to tell me when something isn't right, part of the reason why I abandoned ASSTR years ago was that I'd mistakenly post an entire chapters which was unreadable (every single quote mark was an unprintable character), no one mentioned a work, despite the chapter being posted for over two weeks!

I figured, if no one CARES whether they can read the chapter or not, why bother posting it? That's the opposite problem you're facing, where everyone WANTS to hope but the author, because of some negative feedback, wants NO assistance.

Switch Blayde 🚫

@oldegrump

State in there descriptions that the errors are intentional.

That makes no sense to me. I interpret that as, "If I make a mistake, don't think I'm ignorant. I made it intentionally."

KinkyWinks 🚫

Or, it could mean that he just likes to jack with the grammar guys.

Ross at Play 🚫

@oldegrump

but can we at least encourage authors to proof read even if the story is as bad as what I write

I would say no.
If an author warns you their story may contain errors they have no intention of fixing, you read it at your own peril.
To complain after being warned is 'pissing into the wind' as far as I'm concerned.

Capt. Zapp 🚫

@oldegrump

...whole chapters repeated and disjointed and missing parts in the middle of the story.

I've found stories like this as well, but it usually turns out that, every now and then, the submission engine has a hiccup and things get mixed up. If you are able to let the author know, they can usually correct the issues by re-posting the chapter.

In my stories, I make a statement that the world is NOT our earth so some things may be different. In the world where The Loser starts, girls play baseball, not softball. It's a little thing but I got a lot of "girls don't play baseball" feedback. I avoid mentioning business or location names, but when I do mention one, I try to make sure it is not an actual location or business.

Grammatical and typographical errors I fix if someone lets me know about them.

Replies: Vincent Berg

Vincent Berg 🚫

@Capt. Zapp

I've found stories like this as well, but it usually turns out that, every now and then, the submission engine has a hiccup and things get mixed up. If you are able to let the author know, they can usually correct the issues by re-posting the chapter.

This should stand as a warning for all authors. You can't afford to turn messages off, no matter how abusive the feedback gets. Your best bet, if you're writing something likely to piss people off, it to post it under a pseudonym, feeding to a separate email (if that's even possible). That way, you can ignore that email entirely, but check in occasionally just to scan for posting errors (rather than reading each individual message).

I understand how constant criticisms for things you planned in a story can grate on the nerves, but you can't wall yourself in, or else you'll never grow and evolve (and build better armor for the next time).

Replies: Dominions Son

Dominions Son 🚫

@Vincent Berg

You can't afford to turn messages off, no matter how abusive the feedback gets.

There are other ways to guard against fuck ups caused by the submission engine.

I check new chapters myself after posting them.

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@oldegrump

chapters repeated and disjointed and missing parts in the middle of the story.

Sometimes the SoL Wizard messes up a story, and it's not the author's fault. The types of messes you mention can be either the Wizard having an issue or the author having an issue. So when you see something like that you should send a message to the Webmaster so they can check the original file loaded into the system. If it was the Wizard then the Webmaster can fix it, and if the file is at fault he can contact the author to have it fixed.

I've had some such issues caused by the Wizard and have simply handled it by reposting the same file when I became aware of it.

Replies: Vincent Berg

Vincent Berg 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

I've had some such issues caused by the Wizard and have simply handled it by reposting the same file when I became aware of it.

I once had both issues at once. I posted the wrong chapter, didn't notice until the next day when it finally posted, posted a correction, which went thru, but they (the admins) left the incorrect title. I reposted the same chapter six times, finally telling the admins "YOU'RE POSTING THE WRONG CHAPTER TITLE. THE TILE IS 'XXX XXX'!"

I'm not sure what was going thru their heads, I'm assuming they were having an off day, but I should have added a personal note to the admins early on, rather than assuming they just didn't process the file correctly.

Replies: Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

@Vincent Berg

I reposted the same chapter six times, finally telling the admins "YOU'RE POSTING THE WRONG CHAPTER TITLE. THE TILE IS 'XXX XXX'!"

Actually, reposting a single chapter doesn't affect the title. It's that way because you can edit the chapter title yourself directly through the provided story management tools.

However, usually, when you repost multiple chapters, the chapter titles are updated according to what's in the file. If you want a single chapter's title update during a repost, tell us through the moderator's notes field.

Replies: Vincent Berg

Vincent Berg 🚫
Updated:

@Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

Actually, reposting a single chapter doesn't affect the title. It's that way because you can edit the chapter title yourself directly through the provided story management tools.

Yeah, I eventually figured that out. But first, I assumed it was a conflict over which command took preference "< h1>" or "{ p}", so several reposts where my juggling the various commands to see whether those changed anything. They didn't. :(

oldegrump 🚫

I understand trying to point out the transcription and translation error, but the chapter number were not changed, and the words that were mis[elled were not mispelled the same throughout. As I said I was in Rant Mode. Now that the air is clear, and I abandoned the story, but not the author, I feel better, thanks for your responses.

Dinsdale 🚫

There was a story posted both here and to FS - http://finestories.com/s/10912/under-the-same-roof - which is a case in point. Looking at the description, it is obvious that the story is unfinished. The first problem is that the story was posted as "complete", the second is that the author does not accept - as in permit - feedback so there is no way of pointing that out.

Darian Wolfe 🚫
Updated:

@oldegrump

For myself, the only intentional mistakes I make are in dialogue. I do that to reflect the speech patterns I hear in real life. Any mistake in sentence structure, formatting, or style is unintentional.

There is no excuse for any work to be posted without at least a minimal polishing. Knowing my own limitations, I run each of my stories through three separate programs and I still find errors.

My work is a reflection of myself and I still cringe at some of my earliest stories. I would run screaming if someone posted shoddy work under my name and declared it was intentional.

This isn't meant to discourage the new writers. Like any skill or art form, it takes time, practice, and study to develop your talent. Do your current best and keep trying to improve. You'll get there.

Replies: richardshagrin

richardshagrin 🚫

@Darian Wolfe

minimal polishing

If you translate it into Polish so your friends in Warsaw can enjoy it, is that polishing it?

Replies: oyster50 Darian Wolfe

oyster50 🚫

@richardshagrin

If you translate it into Polish so your friends in Warsaw can enjoy it, is that polishing it?

No, that would be 'polarizing' it.

Replies: Vincent Berg

Vincent Berg 🚫

@oyster50

No, that would be 'polarizing' it.

Sorry, but "polarizing it" is when you add penguins to the story. But if you polish the penguins, they get mighty steamed!

Darian Wolfe 🚫

@richardshagrin

Lol, you made me look. I actually went back and checked my spelling.

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Forum: Author Hangout

Deliberate mistakes

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