(Untitled)

[taelle]

I confess I find fanfic warnings stating that 'Author is no native English speaker' somewhat annoying. What's that got to do with anything? If you can write readable texts in English, do. If you can't, don't. Or find a beta.That's all there's to it

Comments

[carmentalis]

Amen.

It's not like there's ever a warning "Author is a native speaker but has yet to learn fundamental grammar and spelling rules." That one would apply far more often - most non-native speakers who write fic have a decent grasp of English. They would hardly get through writing full stories in a foreign language if every sentence was a battle.

ETA: Have fun at the con!

[taelle]

Oh yes. I'd swear I spell better than at least 50% native speakers I've seen in fanfiction... ;)

I'll try. ;)

[asakiyume]

Echoing alighiera! What about all those native speakers who can't write for beans? People who have applied effort to learn a language often write it much better than people who grew up speaking it. Look at Joseph Conrad and Nabokov--they were not native English speakers.

I always thought Nizhny Novgorod was the coolest name for a city.

[taelle]

Oh yes. ))

It is rather funny... (the original Novgorod is actually much smaller; I've been there)

[sollersuk]

This is what betas are for (amongst other things). I read a rant recently by someone who is dyslexic who is pissed off beyond endurance by native English speaking writers producing misspelt, ungrammatical English, and I have a family member who for a related reason produces stuff that is really goddawful before she spell checks it and has it beta'd. It may be an explanation, but it isn't an excuse.

[taelle]

Oh yes. I usually try to beta all the stories I write in English, just in case...

[zanesfriend]

Or write in your native language.

I'd certainly rather read a story in good Spanish or Italian than bad English.