(no subject)

[swatkat]

* I fail to understand why the waiters at Pizza Hut dance. I mean, why dance? What is so entertaining about it? Is it something that happens in this particular place alone? Would they dance if I go to another Pizza Hut in the city? Would they dance if I go to another Pizza Hut in *another* city? Why? What is, as Prof. Big Mac would say, the *point*?

Still. We ate a lot, and while I feel a little guilty for the amount of money poor A. had to spend, I can't feel too bad. Hey, you don't get a plush job offer every day! And when you do, your old high school friends deserve some treating, right? *burps*

Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that much.

* Have you ever read a story that has a really interesting concept and a really neat plotline and then somehow it doesn't work for you because the *writing* doesn't work for you, and you can see that all it needs is a little *editing*, maybe some spitting and polishing, a little less telling and a little more showing, that's all, and you want to tell the author but you.just.can't? (also, that was a big run-on sentence. i don't care) I just did. Read one of those, that is. I *hate* this when it happens. It's not that I can't give concrit - I can, but the thing is, how do you tell an author that hey, I think you should've worked a bit more on this thing? That's not a reader's job, that's an editor's job. That's the writer's job, to switch on her Inner Editor and notice something's off.

Comments

[evilstorm.livejournal.com]

Usually that's the only time when I DO leave a proper review. I like seeing worthy stories; if the storytelling's a bit off but the author's clearly intelligent and there's stuff to save, then I figure not reviewing would just be a waste.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

But with this author, it seems this *is* her way of storytelling! And she's pretty well known, in a way... I don't know, she's either not aware of it, or she doesn't care, *or* I'm being really nit-picky. If it's the first, I should tell her, but I can't bring myself to. The other day I read a fic where I had problem with the narrative choice, and I had no problem telling the author that, but this is *different*!

[evilstorm.livejournal.com]

Ach. Well, then, er...make a gentle suggestion? With the caveat that this is just your opinion, author can feel free to ignore blahblahblah. Being nitpicky's not a bad thing, anyway.

[topaz-eyes.livejournal.com]

If she seems open to concrit, then say so. I know, for myself, that my style of writing does not appeal to everyone, but if I can improve on it, I'd like to know how.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if she is. Because all her work seems to be like this. Smart ideas, smart dialogue, but somewhat... oddly... written? And she's not a n00b. I'm not sure if I'm making sense here. I don't expect *my* style to work for everyone, either, and as you said, I'd like to know if I can improve, *where* I can improve, and I generally have no problem giving concrit. But I'm not sure how to tell this author that.

[sk56.livejournal.com]

Dancing waiters? Sign me up -- but then, I'm a dance writer.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

It's... weird. Suddenly the music starts playing louder, and you see the waiters lining up. Then they dance. Very stiffly, on most occasions. It goes on for a couple of minutes, and they go back to their places. And I'm stuck with the question: why? What is the point?

[sk56.livejournal.com]

Sounds a bit like what we do in this part of the world for birthdays -- in some, rather perky places, the wait staff will all sing Happy Birthday if they know someone is having a birthday. Quite odd, especially if you think of birthdays as a family event (suddenly all these strangers are singing to you)

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

They do that on birthdays too. But they also dance, without any reason.

[delle.livejournal.com]

I probably wouldn't say anything. So many fic writers claim to want concrit when they really just want "more plz", and it's simply impossible (unless you know the writer) to tell if she means "yeah tell me what's off" or not.

It's also - I think YMMV - for a writer *to* turn off the writer and turn on the editor; harder still when it's not really plotting or grammar but the "feel" of the story that's off. Which is why I loves me my beta readers. I'm too close to the story - I know what I want to say/do and I'm not a good judge of whether I did it *well*.

The "show, not tell" is a big 'un for me too.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

The House fandom is remarkably good with receiving concrit. *Remarkably* good. This author? I don't know how she'd receive it, honestly, maybe I'm misjudging things here. I'm perfectly all right with telling an author that her narrative choice didn't work for me, or I think it's a little abrupt - but I'm not sure how to say this.

I realise I'm being completely incoherent here. I'm sorry, it's judge made me very thoughtful all day.

It's also - I think YMMV - for a writer *to* turn off the writer and turn on the editor

Heh. For me on the other hand, sometimes it's difficult to shut the editor up. And it's not always a good thing, because your editor brain is not necessarily very objective, either, and it can tell you 'this sucks' even though it's perfectly all right. It's one of the reasons I take so long finishing things.

[evilstorm.livejournal.com]

And it's not always a good thing, because your editor brain is not necessarily very objective, either, and it can tell you 'this sucks' even though it's perfectly all right.

OH GOD YES. Have you ever had the editor constantly nag you through a fic, so in the end it doesn't work cos you've tried to cram too much in and it just turns out really strange and schizo? That happens to me all the goddamn time.