Concrit Post 12

[hmd_meme]

I was going to put up a notice for the next meme, unfortunately, the LJ-notification problem, coupled with mod's real-life business kind of prevented that. But since we're so much later than usual, I'm just going to put the post up. I'm sorry I haven't been around to respond to you guys. We should be back on track now!

How's My Driving?∞ comment

Comments

[iamwinchester]

sixwordstories
iamwinchester
raindownsulphur
lights_his_way
slightly_irish

[angelbuffy]

I haven't met your other characters -- but your Dean is fun to play with!

Annnd, you write him perfectly! :)

[iamwinchester]

Eee, aw thank you! I appreciate the comments because I'm never really sure if I'm writing him well or not. I try to do him justice. HEH. THANKS. *BEAMS*

[holy_hand_print]

I loooove your dean, I havent played with any other characters but Dean is spot on, nasty and mean when he needs to be. The only thing that i can say is that Id love to see you post more paragraphs from time to time then one liners in certain role plays. You write so well for Dean I just wanna see you express it more, cause you totally do ti well :3

[iamwinchester]

*GRINS* Thank you, bb! And no, you didn't offend me! :P Just because you want some more descriptive Dean/Cas porn. *smiiiiirk*

[holy_hand_print]

............

YOU CAUGHT ME. YOU CAUGHT THE TATER.

I LIKE LONG PORN. SO SUE ME.

[modestnygirl]

YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU! XD

[iamwinchester]

Hee, thank you, bb! :D

[jharvelle]

Ohh, Dean. So much canonly love, in all his canon glory. <3

Also I need to start watching Merlin. :|

[iamwinchester]

You really do need to start watching Merlin. :P

[iamwinchester]

PLEASE watch the prose for Dean. Dean is an American and from where I'm from at least, we don't spell tires as "tyres" or use "tarmac" to talk about streets or roads. It sounds like an airport then. So yes. PLEASE watch out for slang and make sure it's accurate otherwise it's disorienting when reading your Dean to have him spit out things such as that and kicks you out from the character.

[iamwinchester]

Hey, thanks for the comment. I agree with you, and that's probably what I find the hardest about playing him. I don't actually know all the differences between American spelling and British spelling, and I try to be as careful as I can.

Honestly, it's hard to know where to draw the line with that stuff... like 'color' and 'colour' and a whole host of other variations on spellings. I do see where you're coming from though. I cringe when I see people playing British muses and they use 'mom' instead of 'mum'. I'll definitely take it on board and think about it though when I next post. :)

[iamwinchester]

Try asking an American or just watching a lot of American movies just for the slang...Supernatural is stylized but the actual English is correct, even if they don't name a lot of specific brands that an American will mention every day or see every day. Location is important too. There is a difference in driving between Los Angeles and Sacramento, or between Tampa and New York. Yes, I understand spelling can be tricky, but it is one of those things that will make you stand out, since even small things such as "realise" will make a reader make that step back since the average American won't think or spell like that unless they make a typo, but yes, I feel your pain - seeing it in reverse with the "mum/mom" example is kind of jarring, and seeing people not using the appropriate words for trunks or cars for the setting for Supernatural is also more of the same.

I can help with any word questions you had or look over spelling if you would like.

[iamwinchester]

Out of curiosity - is it what he says or is it how I'm writing the description? I was just thinking about how I wouldn't expect an American to use the British version of spelling if they have a British muse. I understand well enough what they're aiming for. And if they're a good enough player, it doesn't really matter anyway because the characterisation is right.

The slang part I get. I honestly didn't think I was doing all that badly with him actually sounding like Dean. The mum/mom example was actually a bad one, really. They don't sound the same, whereas realise and realize do sound the same.

I actually don't know what to do now. Nobody has ever brought it up before with any of the American muses I've played. I guess it's a question of dedication or dedication. It's like writing an entire post of typos for me. It feels very strange.

[iamwinchester]

You're not writing from an omniscient point of view, so it's more like you're writing from Dean's point of view from a third person perspective, so yes, I do think it counts since you want to follow him just short of slipping into first person. I do think it's a facet of the characterization that separates the mediocre from the really good players if they have that much of an eye for detail...so in anon's opinion, it does matter. Depends on how seriously you want to write - anon accepts that sometimes people just want to let loose in Dear Mun or Six Word Stories so long as you are not kidding yourself about it. Its OK to have quick fun.

I need to check your Dean out in further detail but this was based on description.

It's your choice in the end. As an American reader who is saying something now, it feels weird for an American character to be having spellings and terms like this even if they're not saying it aloud in dialogue. The description prose is also their voice, in a way of speaking, so personally I think it should be

[iamwinchester]

Yeah, I think you've hit the nail on the head there. I honestly didn't realise it was that much of a distraction. :\