I'd be happy to look at it... I have a question for people here. Every time I write something, unless it's really short, I have trouble deciding what verb tenses to use and change my mind several times. How do you decide? Why?
Wash: Well, I wash my hands of it. It's a hopeless case. I'll read a nice poem at the funeral. Something with imagery. Zoe: You could lock the door and keep the power-hungry maniac at bay. Wash: Oh, no, I'm starting to like this poetry idea now. Here lies my beloved Zoe, my autumn flower, somewhat less attractive now she's all corpsified and gross...
'Shindig'
The Great Write Way
A place for Buffistas to discuss, beta and otherwise deal and dish on their non-fan fiction projects.
erikaj - Jun 22, 2004 11:50:11 am PDT #5400 of 10001
Always Anti-fascist!
deborah grabien - Jun 22, 2004 11:55:14 am PDT #5401 of 10001
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.
I don't know, erika - tense is one of those things that come automatically to me. I go by feel, the feel of the piece.
But I'm good at tense correcting (grinning).
I'll e you the manuscript. I need to know if it hangs together, how the pacing works, anything that glaringly contradicts anything else, whether the bits are sufficiently tied together at the book's end, etc.
I'm too close to it, and will be for about ten days to two weeks.
So I loves me my beta readers.
Polter-Cow - Jun 22, 2004 11:56:44 am PDT #5402 of 10001
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
Every time I write something, unless it's really short, I have trouble deciding what verb tenses to use and change my mind several times. How do you decide? Why?
My answer to everything is, "That's how it comes to me." If I feel like when I'm writing, I'm there, I use present tense, but if I feel like I'm more telling a story that's already happened, I go past. This isn't helpful at all.
Connie Neil - Jun 22, 2004 11:58:03 am PDT #5403 of 10001
brillig
I know which tense sounds right, but I couldn't name you the types of tenses under threat of hot pokers. (what the hell is pluperfect, anyway?) I have to play the sentence over in my head to which plays best if I have any doubt.
Tenses have to do with time, don't they?
erikaj - Jun 22, 2004 12:04:10 pm PDT #5404 of 10001
Always Anti-fascist!
ok.I'm looking forward to it. I just wondered if there were things people considered...I may just pick present cause that's where it started. Or, past is traditional for a reason...
Tal - Jun 22, 2004 12:04:17 pm PDT #5405 of 10001
yep
sumi - Jun 22, 2004 12:05:37 pm PDT #5406 of 10001
Art Crawl!!!
Wow! Woo hoo for being done.
Astarte - Jun 22, 2004 12:06:16 pm PDT #5407 of 10001
Not having has never been the thing I've regretted most in my life. Not trying is.
Fantastic eloquence on silence in here.
Deb, I'd love to beta the finished manuscript.
Off to work, and pack some more.
Ginger - Jun 22, 2004 12:13:23 pm PDT #5408 of 10001
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
Yay for being done, Deb. That must feel great.
I'd like to to take a stab at betaing it. It will probably be a couple of weeks before I can get back to you about it.
deborah grabien - Jun 22, 2004 12:13:42 pm PDT #5409 of 10001
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.
Astarte, sending to your profile addy.
edit: and to Ginger, too. Woot!