Fics all smooshed together in one big paragraph. I thought I posted chapters of my B5 fic all nicely formatted until someone pointed out it would be easier to read if I used paragraphs *headdesk*. I checked and somehow the format for a couple of chapters had all been, as you say, smooshed into one big paragraph which certainly was not my intention so I had to go back and repost. I could've sworn they looked ok when I first posted those chapters but I can't be positive I checked. Perhaps the same problem occurred with the fics you are complaining about or they could be written by schoolkids who have not learned how to write in paragraphs. If they looked promising perhaps a word to the author might clarify things (how can you read and write without knowing about paragraphing?)
I don't have a problem with fics that are wrongly formatted in error and the people fix it like you did (and this whine of mine wasn't directed at anyone on my FL). Heck, I've posted so many fics over the years that the formatting is screwed up, but I always check immediately and fix it.
But there seems to be a number of people who just don't care or are lazy. Often they're the same people that don't spell check or write in small letters. I know that Word used to do this--if you cut and pasted directly from it it would take out the paragraph breaks (dunno if it still does it). I did point this out back in the day to a few people and they couldn't be bothered to fix it which says something else about how little they cared about how their story comes across to others.
When I first joined fandom the list I was on had really strict formatting rules because it had to be readable to every email reading program, so we posted everything in ascii text. I kinda miss those days.
They don't care? Well then they don't deserve to have their fics read... by serious readers (they probably get some egoboo from their circle of friends who do the same). If some day they want to be taken seriously they better learn the rules. Is this because they grew up in the age of the internet? Like the song from "Gigi" goes: "I'm glad I'm not young anymore."
I think the internet may be to blame for some of it along with not being taught proper typing. I can always tell when someone wasn't taught to type but is self-taught--they never put two spaces between sentences. Netspeak and texting so you don't have time to capitalize has spilled over into every thing. I often won't read a post if it's all small letters, too. My sentence structure isn't great but I always check my spelling in posts here and emails let alone fics!
I remember back when my mom and I used AIM to communicate when I had dialup and only one phone line and she could never reach me. She made sure everything she typed was spelled correctly and capitalized! She made a point of correcting my own mistakes. *g*
Guess what is now considered incorrect and which I am having corrected by every crit group and editor I work with? The two spaces between sentences is now obsolete. Out of date. No longer used. And will be flagged and you will be ordered to change 'em every dang time if you submit your work for publication. (Yeah, it kills my soul but I'm actually having to change my spots that way, unlike leopards
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Comments 9
Shakatany
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But there seems to be a number of people who just don't care or are lazy. Often they're the same people that don't spell check or write in small letters. I know that Word used to do this--if you cut and pasted directly from it it would take out the paragraph breaks (dunno if it still does it). I did point this out back in the day to a few people and they couldn't be bothered to fix it which says something else about how little they cared about how their story comes across to others.
When I first joined fandom the list I was on had really strict formatting rules because it had to be readable to every email reading program, so we posted everything in ascii text. I kinda miss those days.
*sigh* Am old.
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Shakatany
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I remember back when my mom and I used AIM to communicate when I had dialup and only one phone line and she could never reach me. She made sure everything she typed was spelled correctly and capitalized! She made a point of correcting my own mistakes. *g*
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Oh for the love of all that's holy... Don't they have anything better to do? Did the local golf course close or something?
Gabrielle
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