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Post by Sekot on May 6, 2015 17:03:31 GMT -5
Okay, okay. Have we all decided that "?!" or "!?" is acceptable grammar now? Because I'm not okay with that. How is that a problem... ?! |
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Post by Croswynd on May 6, 2015 17:04:21 GMT -5
Use the INTERROBANG‽
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Post by Kaez on May 6, 2015 17:04:48 GMT -5
Okay, okay. Have we all decided that "?!" or "!?" is acceptable grammar now? Because I'm not okay with that. If you're gonna double up, you might as well go with the full-on interrobang, right‽ I've come to dislike the exclamation mark in fiction writing. Unless you're using it to signify that you're using a dependent clause on its own (e.g. If only it weren't so cold!) then you're basically just substituting it for actually conveying the speaker's tone with your writing itself. |
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Post by James on May 6, 2015 17:04:57 GMT -5
Okay, okay. Have we all decided that "?!" or "!?" is acceptable grammar now? Because I'm not okay with that. How is that a problem... ?! Aesthetics. |
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Post by James on May 6, 2015 17:07:33 GMT -5
This is acceptable. If only because I'll then be reminded of QI. I've come to dislike the exclamation mark in fiction writing. Unless you're using it to signify that you're using a dependent clause on its own (e.g. If only it weren't so cold!) then you're basically just substituting it for actually conveying the speaker's tone with your writing itself. Same. I think I use it every now and then, but almost more to appease the fact that people expect an exclamation mark to be present when someone is yelling, rather than me actually wanting to denote the tone of the dialogue through the exclamation mark itself. |
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Post by ASGetty ((Zovo)) on May 6, 2015 17:20:14 GMT -5
Interobang, baby?!
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Post by Kaez on May 6, 2015 17:24:08 GMT -5
I've now read all of the stories and can soundly conclude that I have no idea which one James is saying he can't find much to critique about.
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Post by James on May 6, 2015 17:25:56 GMT -5
I've now read all of the stories and can soundly conclude that I have no idea which one James is saying he can't find much to critique about. So I'm still not as harsh as you? Damn. |
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Post by Sekot on May 6, 2015 17:31:42 GMT -5
I've now read all of the stories and can soundly conclude that I have no idea which one James is saying he can't find much to critique about. So I'm still not as harsh as you? Damn. I wasn't joking when I said you weren't trying hard enough. |
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Post by James on May 6, 2015 17:33:05 GMT -5
I will say, that the "not much to critique/fault" doesn't necessarily mean it was the best story of the round, either.
Intentional vagueness, away!
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Post by Sekot on May 6, 2015 17:36:49 GMT -5
I will say, that the "not much to critique/fault" doesn't necessarily mean it was the best story of the round, either. Intentional vagueness, away! But isn't that kind of a fault? A pretty big one? If the story is technically perfect, but still bland, does that make it a good story? I'm coming off as argumentative, and I don't -really- mean to, and this kind of question would probably be better served in an Inklings style discussion rather than here, but I've taken an interest in editing recently and been examining how I look at stories and what edits I think are worthwhile and which ones I think aren't... Yeah, if I have to create a runon sentence then its probably a question meant for a different forum. |
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Post by ASGetty ((Zovo)) on May 6, 2015 17:38:54 GMT -5
I will say, that the "not much to critique/fault" doesn't necessarily mean it was the best story of the round, either. Intentional vagueness, away! But isn't that kind of a fault? A pretty big one? If the story is technically perfect, but still bland, does that make it a good story? I'm coming off as argumentative, and I don't -really- mean to, and this kind of question would probably be better served in an Inklings style discussion rather than here, but I've taken an interest in editing recently and been examining how I look at stories and what edits I think are worthwhile and which ones I think aren't... Yeah, if I have to create a runon sentence then its probably a question meant for a different forum. A better story with typos is still a better story. |
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Post by Sekot on May 6, 2015 17:41:52 GMT -5
But isn't that kind of a fault? A pretty big one? If the story is technically perfect, but still bland, does that make it a good story? I'm coming off as argumentative, and I don't -really- mean to, and this kind of question would probably be better served in an Inklings style discussion rather than here, but I've taken an interest in editing recently and been examining how I look at stories and what edits I think are worthwhile and which ones I think aren't... Yeah, if I have to create a runon sentence then its probably a question meant for a different forum. A better story with typos is still a better story. I agree. But "this story wasn't the best" is kind of an important critique because then I ask "Why?", and "what could make this a better story?" and so on and so forth. Like, that's huge! That's a much more valuable and significant piece of criticism for me personally than "this sentence does not please my sense of aesthetics" or "you spelled catcus wrong". |
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Post by James on May 6, 2015 17:44:38 GMT -5
I will say, that the "not much to critique/fault" doesn't necessarily mean it was the best story of the round, either. Intentional vagueness, away! But isn't that kind of a fault? A pretty big one? If the story is technically perfect, but still bland, does that make it a good story? I'm coming off as argumentative, and I don't -really- mean to, and this kind of question would probably be better served in an Inklings style discussion rather than here, but I've taken an interest in editing recently and been examining how I look at stories and what edits I think are worthwhile and which ones I think aren't... Well, you'll find out soonish because I'm writing up my reviews now (though Taed and I are going to try and post our judgments at the same time). But when I say fault/critique I'm not just looking at technical things. What I have is a story that had a set purpose, met that purpose and did so in a very well-written way. I do actually have some minor quibbles with it (yesterday I was writing notes, now I'm writing up my judgment so that helped me define my thoughts). So no, there isn't a story in this round which is perfect. But I also agree with what you're saying, completely. A messy, ambitious, entertaining story is going to be way better than a boring, dull, well-written one. But that's not exactly what I have here. I have a story which has limited scope, and limited scope for a reason, and it works. The story isn't bland. Even then, I'm not sure it's the -best- story. I'm unsure. |
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Post by Sekot on May 6, 2015 17:45:42 GMT -5
But isn't that kind of a fault? A pretty big one? If the story is technically perfect, but still bland, does that make it a good story? I'm coming off as argumentative, and I don't -really- mean to, and this kind of question would probably be better served in an Inklings style discussion rather than here, but I've taken an interest in editing recently and been examining how I look at stories and what edits I think are worthwhile and which ones I think aren't... Well, you'll find out soonish because I'm writing up my reviews now (though Taed and I are going to try and post our judgments at the same time). But when I say fault/critique I'm not just looking at technical things. What I have is a story that had a set purpose, met that purpose and did so in a very well-written way. I do actually have some minor quibbles with it (yesterday I was writing notes, now I'm writing up my judgment so that helped me define my thoughts). So no, there isn't a story in this round which is perfect. But I also agree with what you're saying, completely. A messy, ambitious, entertaining story is going to be way better than a boring, dull, well-written one. But that's not exactly what I have here. I have a story which has limited scope, and limited scope for a reason, and it works. The story isn't bland. Even then, I'm not sure it's the -best- story. I'm unsure. I'm excited. |
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