love and praise

[isiscolo]

Today's assignment in china_shop's Fandom Appreciation Challenge is to write a love letter. I've really enjoyed some of the love letters to particular fandoms, and to fandom in general, and to certain characters (whom I also love love love!)

I've been thinking about some of the issues that were raised by aubrem's post last week about recs, feedback, and honest

Comments

[brooklinegirl]

Dear Isis,

You've only just started betaing for me, but thus far, I adore the work you do. It's a perfect balance, and also, I love that you have strong opinions, because that means (to me) that you care about the story. And I bet you are like me when you beta: that you go through the fic after it's posted and see how many of your changes the writer went with. *grins*

yay, fandom!

Love,

blg

[isiscolo]

Yay fandom! I really enjoy beta-reading your stories, and it makes me happy when you nod and go, "yeah, you're right, that's it," and it makes me happy to see the stories I've helped you fix up getting love!

[raveninthewind]

Those are the reasons I like to betaread, and say yes to a request even when I am too busy.

Glad you liked the tune.

[fabularasa]

I'm sorry, I was just scrolling through the comments, and my eye ighted on your comment, and sometimes my brain does an odd shuffling dance, and it read "betaread" as "bearetard". As in, those are the reasons I like to be a retard! And now that I have amused myself -- I'm sitting here just saying it softly to myself -- I'll move along now.

[raveninthewind]

Hee!

And after I clicked comment, I wished I had hyphenated. :D

[isiscolo]

I really do like the song!

And you're right - I tend to say yes even when I'm busy, because I really want to be part of the process.

[justbreathe80]

Thank you, dear, for being a fantastic beta, and always offering your services. You've only done one of my stories so far, but you pushed me to make it better, stronger, and I felt so very proud of it when I was done. I credit you so much of that, for picking it apart and putting your time and energy into something that I created, and I feel like a much better writer for it. You are a rocking beta, and I am looking forward to working with you more in the future. *g*

Yay!

[isiscolo]

I look forward to working with you on more! Yay!

[neery]

You've just summed about pretty much everything I love about the beta process, too, except that I usually experience it from the other side of the equation: having someone really discuss my stories, in detail, honestly, with the parts that she didn't like as well as the one that she loved, or that inspired her, is such an amazing reward for writing.

And thank you for the songs! I've loved "Morning has broken" since I was a little kid, but I never had the song on cd. I've never heard "Grentle Arms of Eden" before, but it's an absoluetly lovely song. I usually need to hear songs at least three times before I warm up to them, but this one hit me right away.

[isiscolo]

I recommend you try beta-reading as well - I believe that beta-reading others' stories has made me a better writer, because I've been forced to analyze why certain things work for me and other things don't. Your English is good enough that I don't think your non-native-speaker status is a detraction.

And I'm glad you like the music.

[neery]

I do beta read occasionally. It's just not nearly as much fun for me as getting beta-reader comments. Possibly because I'm lazy. ;-)

[thistle_chaser]

Thanks for uploading Morning Has Broken! I really enjoy Cat Stevens's music, and this is an especially nice one.

We used to sing this one in lieu of prayer at my (Jewish) summer camp.

Irony aside, I can see why!

[isiscolo]

You should download the other as well - it reminded me of Morning Has Broken in a thematic way, and it's so pretty.

[thistle_chaser]

Wow, you're right! That's great! I never heard of these two people before, so I goggled them. Huh, they're a current group, but it sounds like old folk music. So cool! Thanks. :)