The Thoughts of a Beta
Disclaimer: These are my opinions and you are not obligated to take them into consideration or even read them. Do feel free to discuss and comment.
Dear Authors.
Stop starting your sentences with 'and' or 'but' unless you really, *really* feel the need.
Reorganize your sentences to read more cleanly. If there seem to be a lot of commas, there probably are.
Learn to use the semicolon properly or don't use them at all.
Break out the thesaurus. Using the same descriptive or uncommon word too many times breaks the flow and sounds repetitive. You've got a vocabulary *and* resources at hand, don't be afraid of words. If the reader is unlikely to know your word, give it context, or just let them google it. Give your readers credit. If they end up not having deserved it, that's their own problem.
Do not be afraid of writing along the same lines as someone else. These are *your* words and really, everything's been done before yeah? The fact that it's *you* writing it is what makes it different.
Get a beta. Even if they aren't the best in the world, even if they're awful at grammar and spelling. They'll catch things you missed and most likely offer suggestions that even if you don't take them, may give you a new perspective or a new idea for something else. Also, they are often both great confidence boosters and firm ego tamers.
If you can't, or don't want to get a beta (for whatever reason), give your work a day to breathe and read it over.
Now this is important. Pay attention here.
Write firstly for yourself. Write because you have to or because you love it. Write because there is something in you that needs to be taken out and expressed.
DO NOT write because you feel obligated. Try to be realistic in your goals and ambitions, but don't be afraid of putting yourself out there either. Reaching for the stars can be terrifying, but it *should* be glorious. If the work feels like work, take some time to breathe and refresh your mind. Tired, forced writing is very rarely any good at all. Writer's block may very well be your brain's defense mechanism. Listen to it. It might be telling you something important.
Don't forget to eat, sleep, and see your friends and family. And don't pretend that this doesn't apply to you. I see you. *Cobb squint*
I love you, truly. You create something from yourself and give it as a gift and that's beautiful. You put yourselves out there for criticism and I *know* how hard that is, but you also get validation and adoration. I hope that the crit is kind, or at least truthful and helpful, and that you always get more satisfaction out of your writing than disappointment.
Dear Artists,
Most of this applies to you as well if you just ignore the bits about commas. I am so in awe of people who can create something from what's in their mind. I can't even do proper stick figures, so it's astonishing to see you make these things with depth and emotion that I swear I know the *feel* of, just from looking. I've seen icons made that give me ~emotions~. The right shading or color filter or the tiniest adjustment of a line can *make* a piece. You're brilliant and I love you.
Dear Authors.
Stop starting your sentences with 'and' or 'but' unless you really, *really* feel the need.
Reorganize your sentences to read more cleanly. If there seem to be a lot of commas, there probably are.
Learn to use the semicolon properly or don't use them at all.
Break out the thesaurus. Using the same descriptive or uncommon word too many times breaks the flow and sounds repetitive. You've got a vocabulary *and* resources at hand, don't be afraid of words. If the reader is unlikely to know your word, give it context, or just let them google it. Give your readers credit. If they end up not having deserved it, that's their own problem.
Do not be afraid of writing along the same lines as someone else. These are *your* words and really, everything's been done before yeah? The fact that it's *you* writing it is what makes it different.
Get a beta. Even if they aren't the best in the world, even if they're awful at grammar and spelling. They'll catch things you missed and most likely offer suggestions that even if you don't take them, may give you a new perspective or a new idea for something else. Also, they are often both great confidence boosters and firm ego tamers.
If you can't, or don't want to get a beta (for whatever reason), give your work a day to breathe and read it over.
Now this is important. Pay attention here.
Write firstly for yourself. Write because you have to or because you love it. Write because there is something in you that needs to be taken out and expressed.
DO NOT write because you feel obligated. Try to be realistic in your goals and ambitions, but don't be afraid of putting yourself out there either. Reaching for the stars can be terrifying, but it *should* be glorious. If the work feels like work, take some time to breathe and refresh your mind. Tired, forced writing is very rarely any good at all. Writer's block may very well be your brain's defense mechanism. Listen to it. It might be telling you something important.
Don't forget to eat, sleep, and see your friends and family. And don't pretend that this doesn't apply to you. I see you. *Cobb squint*
I love you, truly. You create something from yourself and give it as a gift and that's beautiful. You put yourselves out there for criticism and I *know* how hard that is, but you also get validation and adoration. I hope that the crit is kind, or at least truthful and helpful, and that you always get more satisfaction out of your writing than disappointment.
Dear Artists,
Most of this applies to you as well if you just ignore the bits about commas. I am so in awe of people who can create something from what's in their mind. I can't even do proper stick figures, so it's astonishing to see you make these things with depth and emotion that I swear I know the *feel* of, just from looking. I've seen icons made that give me ~emotions~. The right shading or color filter or the tiniest adjustment of a line can *make* a piece. You're brilliant and I love you.