A Report From the Real World (and some notes on writing)

[hmpf]

I currently spend my days mostly in the libary. Not just any library, mind you, but a specialised, archaeological library that happens to be situated in the city where I live - and a good thing it is, too, 'cause I wouldn't know where to find the literature for the paper I'm working on. The university library doesn't have it, and neither does the

Comments

[ommadon]

1950's libraries full of Spanish books? You Germans really do have everything don't you?

Oh, not just Spanish.

[hmpf]

All kinds of languages. It belongs to a branch of the German Archaeological Institute. I'm lucky, living where I do - neither that library nor the library where I work two days a week are ones you'd find anywhere else. All kinds of central German institutions are located here, and that's a really useful thing for students.

[unovis]

I don't know if this works for anyone other than me -- I've found that when I'm trying something new (new to me, at least), I'm happier working without a beta initially. The benefits of doing what I want with the larger picture outweigh the embarassment of smaller technical flaws. Once something is up and out, criticism is more useful. It's easier to tell what should be changed and what can stand on its own. This isn't the way it's supposed to work, and wouldn't be practical for stories going out for print publication, but it functions, for me, for stories first appearing on LJ before being archived.

Everybody needs an editor. It's impossible to spot some things on your own no matter how experienced you are. Sometimes, though, getting it out and done is the first priority, and then seeing what you can do to make it better.

I never get a beta before I feel I've finished a story.

[hmpf]

"Normal", my most recent finished story (Farscape; posted some way down around here, or on my website, in case you're interested) took three years before it saw a beta.

But the story I just had beta'd - by the wonderful amonitrate - has been finished for a long time; I posted it originally in August 2000. (And I wish I had gotten a good beta back then. Instead, I didn't get any beta at all, for a long time, because it was a Lyric Wheel story, and they're not supposed to be beta'd

Re: I never get a beta before I feel I've finished a story.

[amonitrate]

Hey, you're being waaay too hard on yourself! It's a great story, and the things I pointed out aren't major fixes. Just a few words here and there. Plus, the great thing about having a beta reader is that you can ignore whatever you want. That's your right, as the author. And I won't be offended. Beta readers give you their opinion, and you have to take it with a grain of salt

Don't worry.

[hmpf]

>Hey, you're being waaay too hard on yourself