Question on various usages

[Mrsgnomie]

2 minutes ago, Carlos Hazday said:

Lol, I take that type of shorcut often. It also helps with bloating. Simplyfing instead of word count padding's something I strive for.

Exactly. If left unchecked, I can go on and on and on. I've been working hard on simplifying my writing. Less is more sometimes. I'm a succeeding? I don't know.

[Cia]

19 hours ago, Krista said:

 

My first three stories are very poorly written and if I were an honorable sort of writer, I'd take them down. Since I'm not and want my nearly 1 million words to not be halved I'll keep them up. They've been posted on this platform since '04, a little too late to worry about that now. If anything it does show some growth and better editing (mostly because I have better editors) and a better skill set with my storytelling. At least I think I do anyway, y'all may disagree completely. 

YES! I actually posted my first story here in 2009, and it's AWFUL. The plot and characters are fine, but the mechanics butcher a good story into one that is cringeworthy. However, since I can be a bit of a redline monster, I leave it up because I do like to point out we all start somewhere... even me.

[Krista]

21 hours ago, Cia said:

YES! I actually posted my first story here in 2009, and it's AWFUL. The plot and characters are fine, but the mechanics butcher a good story into one that is cringeworthy. However, since I can be a bit of a redline monster, I leave it up because I do like to point out we all start somewhere... even me.

Even my lack luster work with the red pen would have to gut and fillet those three stories. Lol. I am still happy with them - to a point. As it was a start and the works did take me a very long time to write, this isn't a sit down and do it on a whim thing to do - not to completion anyway. So I'd hate to see them gone, even if they are cringe-worthy. 

Also for the debate on, "Give him and me a call," it is, "Give us a call," all day long.  For some reason it feels more southern and welcoming than the proper, "Give him and me a call," when I say it in my head. It just feels warmer. So maybe the first one works better if it is more tone specific.

Edited May 29, 2021 by Krista

[Mrsgnomie]

On 5/28/2021 at 6:46 PM, Cia said:

YES! I actually posted my first story here in 2009, and it's AWFUL. The plot and characters are fine, but the mechanics butcher a good story into one that is cringeworthy. However, since I can be a bit of a redline monster, I leave it up because I do like to point out we all start somewhere... even me.

 

On 5/29/2021 at 3:39 PM, Krista said:

Even my lack luster work with the red pen would have to gut and fillet those three stories. Lol. I am still happy with them - to a point. As it was a start and the works did take me a very long time to write, this isn't a sit down and do it on a whim thing to do - not to completion anyway. So I'd hate to see them gone, even if they are cringe-worthy. 

Also for the debate on, "Give him and me a call," it is, "Give us a call," all day long.  For some reason it feels more southern and welcoming than the proper, "Give him and me a call," when I say it in my head. It just feels warmer. So maybe the first one works better if it is more tone specific.

I started re-reading my first story and had to stop. I've been tempted to edit them but I had to stop that also. As much as I want to make them better, there are people that enjoy them. And most importantly, there is value in growth. 

[BigBen]

In general, I dislike having to mentally correct spelling and grammar errors while reading.  As Fowler points out, we want our readers to be pondering the point we are trying to make, not puzzling out what our point actually is.

I find I can usually put up with a certain amount of errors and lack of clarity, especially in an otherwise interesting story, but past a certain point I'm likely to give up, feeling that my time might be better spent on some other story that doesn't require such a struggle to read.  And what a glorious feeling it is, to encounter polished work that lets you immerse yourself in it, with no obstacles!  What a joy, when that happens!