Allyson, speaking of beta-reading, did I put my foot in it the other day by offering you a completely unasked for suggestion in my email to you? After I sent it, I felt like such a big mouth. Plus, not sure I stressed how much I really liked what I read.

Actually, I would have liked more suggestions/criticism! I was just feeling kind of awkward. I needed you to read it for permission, so I felt like I was forcing stuff on you.

Speaking of, I need to send to ita and Burrell, as well. But Burrell, she's a little busy, methinks.

Send me as much as you want, Allyson! Maybe I can read it and then we can grab a bite together to discuss? That way I get the fun of reading AND I get to see you too!

Susan, it's not backwards--it's just a different process. That's what makes writing an art, IMO.

See my edit--I'm not planning to change my process for my own writing. I just had no idea that it was unhelpful and perhaps even offensive to others, because I didn't know it was unusual.

Send me as much as you want, Allyson! Maybe I can read it and then we can grab a bite together to discuss? That way I get the fun of reading AND I get to see you too!

Whoooot!!! That would be grrrreat!

I just had no idea that it was unhelpful and perhaps even offensive to others, because I didn't know it was unusual.

I wasn't offended, Susan. I just thought you didn't like my stuff and did what you could to help.

Susan, it isn't witing backward; you just need a specific thing from the work you give out for beta reading, and it looks to be different from what I need, or maybe Allyson or Teppy needs. And by the by, I don't consider the long, convoluted sentence thing to be a grammar issue; it's a crafting issue to me. As for typos, that doesn't arise in a real life setting; I'm reading aloud, they're listening.

When I first write things, I suspect they come out as if spoken, much of the time, hence the fragments. Now I hate it because I have to clean it up.

I don't consider the long, convoluted sentence thing to be a grammar issue; it's a crafting issue to me.

Yes. This. It's one of my bigger weaknesses as a writer. Many commas, and not a period to be found for inches.

Furthermore, "I have no idea what this sentence means" (which I have been known to write on close friends' betas) is absolutely a craft issue.

I just thought you didn't like my stuff and did what you could to help.

Not at all! I loved your stuff, which is why all I did to the piece you sent me was suggest rewordings, because I thought it was already wonderful and all I could do was offer ways to polish and tighten it a bit to make it sing even more.

It's one of my bigger weaknesses as a writer. Many commas, and not a period to be found for inches.

If so, you're in very good company. I get just as twitchy with hyper-short sentences as I do with the convoluted ones.

Also, personal peeve: the "cut every possible thing out, it's all fat anyway" school. Dudes, get over it, you are not Sir Thomas Malory and you aren't writing "Le Morte d'Arthur", and three-word sentences that dangle like limp genitalia make me want to forcefeed your frontal lobes with words. Half the time, the writer is cutting muscle and bone.