Top Reasons Why You’ll Get Your a** Kicked in the WF

[marshmallowcreampie]

I_Write_Ivre

Anyone have any idea why people think that saying 'please excuse my grammar' will actually work?

They probably just fail to acknowledge that the Writers Forum is different from other forums. The Chatterbox or the General Discussion and the other forums will let people get away with poor grammar. The Writers Forum is different in that you need to display basic literary skills to be taken seriously, but since it's not written anywhere in the ToS that you have to have better grammar in the Writers Forum, they don't care. It's more of an informal thing.

[I_Write_Ivre]

Maltese_Falcon91

I_Write_Ivre

Maltese_Falcon91

I_Write_Ivre

Is the reason they think'ignore my grammar' will work connected to 'they're telling me to follow rules. I'm leaving!'?

I have no idea what you're talking about. Has that been an issue in the past?

In the WF, it's been a constant problem. I think this thread points out it's hated at the beginning of it.

Can you be more specific? What are we talking about? Something completely unreadable, or something that just has a few spelling mistakes here and there? I haven't been active on Gaia for long, but I haven't really seen too much of problem with grammar.

Saying 'I know there are gramar mistakes, but ignore them and focus on the story, please.' Then getting mad when people point out a) no one's going to ignore those and you need to fix them, b) the rules say to try and post with proper grammar, and c) schools (and writing communities and classes, and the rules) teach you to proofread before posting.

We currently have two threads where people got mad in correcting such stupidity. Yes it keeps coming back.

[Kita-Ysabell]

I am getting really, really ******** sick of people thinking that there are people out there who will want to read their work even if they aren't willing to put out the effort to make that work worthwhile. And then they come in here, and they get pissed off when people tell them how to make their work better, and are like, "I'm gonna go off where I'll be properly appreciated." Sweetheart, that place doesn't exist. Writing is a learned skill, and an audience is something you earn by learning it.

[Firlodge_3]

Oh no! See, grammar is very basic - the problem comes when people forget that 'basic' has two meanings: It means simple and it means bottom line. A business can't survive without that bottom line, a book can't survive without decent spelling and grammar. It's that simple.

Anyway, http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/writers/blargh/t.78635519/. Nothing more needs to be said about that - it speaks for itself.

[EdanaDesmond]

I know this might be silly, but do we have a thread for step by step process of editing/publishing? I have several questions to ask about a short story I want to published. (Just for the record this is for a college campus writing/literature magazine.) If I do get it published (in my college magazine), and want to get it published with an actual house at some point in time later in my life will the previous publication cause more harm than good?

[marshmallowcreampie]

EdanaDesmond

I know this might be silly, but do we have a thread for step by step process of editing/publishing? I have several questions to ask about a short story I want to published. (Just for the record this is for a college campus writing/literature magazine.) If I do get it published (in my college magazine), and want to get it published with an actual house at some point in time later in my life will the previous publication cause more harm than good?

Writing and Publishing Tips Sticky: http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/writers/writing-and-publishing-tips-and-links/t.65920103/

To answer your question... I know some publishing houses won't accept stuff that has been put out somewhere else, whether published in a paper or posted online. But I think it might depend on the publishing house.

[marshmallowcreampie]

Another thing that will get your a** kicked here: Coming in, all barely literate, to post your story, but first screaming at people not to steal them. Two problems with that...

1. Why would anyone steal a story from someone who doesn't even have a basic grasp on grammar?
2. If your story is even remotely good enough for someone to consider stealing it for whatever reason, telling them not to steal it won't make them stop. If you're so concerned about people stealing your work, you shouldn't post it online.

[I am The Compendium]

marshmallowcreampie

Another thing that will get your a** kicked here: Coming in, all barely literate, to post your story, but first screaming at people not to steal them. Two problems with that...

1. Why would anyone steal a story from someone who doesn't even have a basic grasp on grammar?
2. If your story is even remotely good enough for someone to consider stealing it for whatever reason, telling them not to steal it won't make them stop. If you're so concerned about people stealing your work, you shouldn't post it online.

3. An idea can't be stolen.
4. Who hangs around on an anime dress-up site to take ideas and spend time writing and editing what they took?

[Kita-Ysabell]

I am The Compendium

4. Who hangs around on an anime dress-up site to take ideas and spend time writing and editing what they took?

You know what they say, come for the anime dress-up, stay for the plagiarism!

[ExcessivelyTimewise]

marshmallowcreampie

Another thing that will get your a** kicked here: Coming in, all barely literate, to post your story, but first screaming at people not to steal them.

In my long time lurking and short time actually posting here, I've come to love the comedic value of the 'original' ideas some users test the water with while telling us not to steal. They're generally 'stolen' or 'copied' themselves, or really just fan-fiction they're claiming is an original story.
I find I enjoy loving and well-written homages, but these days a lot of stuff is just a direct rip with little knowledge or regard for the material.
Or the material wasn't all that good to begin with. ):,

I agree with the "Don't post if if you don't want it stolen" idea, although feedback would still be helpful. I guess you put it on paper and find someone who isn't a writer, in their case? But then there's the potential scenario in which the non-writer person would decide it's too good to pass up and they'd steal the paper in order to copy the story, too. Oh god, the inhumanity and agony!

-Bonus points are in order when their plot is derived from and still smacks heavily of an overly-popular and possibly newly-released anime series. xd

[Kairi Nightingale]

Posting in the writer's forum and then telling people you don't want critique for your work.

Seriously. This forum is for critiquing, isn't it? What are we suppose to say if we're not suppose to critique it? Lie that it's perfect?

[Kita-Ysabell]

Ooh, I've got one!

Going onto people's profiles and bitching about what a big meanie they are rather than responding in the thread, or respond in the thread and post the exact same thing on their profile. I've got a bunch of those. Stack 'em up like trophies.

[ExcessivelyTimewise]

Kita-Ysabell

Ooh, I've got one!

Going onto people's profiles and bitching about what a big meanie they are rather than responding in the thread, or respond in the thread and post the exact same thing on their profile. I've got a bunch of those. Stack 'em up like trophies.

The later seems hilarious redundant! I've never gotten that one, but in the art forums I have had a few "******** you, anime hater, you're not even an artist. Why are you on an anime site" and then a simultaneous pm with more unpleasantries with the original post in the thread quoted. I trolled them, and I didn't even try. gonk


Seriously. Who does that? I mean it's funny sometimes, but others cause you to just want to avoid living on the same planet with people. People just seem to want to fight over anything these days, even though they're the ones asking for your opinion and you gave one that was more polite and elaborate than "It sucks, go die".

Edit: I'm embarrassed for the incorrect usage of 'jerk-off' and it's not even my comment! XD

[I_Write_Ivre]

Let's see, we've got insulting others while claiming he's insulted by being corrected, not being able to tell opinions and facts from each other, insisting he can change reality with his 'opinion', posting in the wrong forum, and demanding praise while hating everyone else with the Aethar thread.

Did I win bingo?

[marshmallowcreampie]

I am The Compendium

3. An idea can't be stolen.
4. Who hangs around on an anime dress-up site to take ideas and spend time writing and editing what they took?

Pretty much, especially considering that nearly every story idea has been done before. What makes the story yours are the details and the execution. Come in and say you have a story idea about people forced to compete in a death match for freedom. Well, even if someone saw the post and decided to write such a story, you can't really accuse them of stealing, particularly since the idea has been done several times before.