Grammar. Why is it so hard???

[azraelz_angel]

Grammar. Why is it so hard????

Commas, semi-colons, oh my!

My head hurt already this morning and now it hurts more.

I have an issue with a particular author at Twisting the Hellmouth. And by issue, let me clarify that to she has a horrific sense of grammar, sentence structure and spelling, and when I quarantine her stories she gets pissy and feels like she is being personally attacked. And yes, I will be the first to admit that I do look at her account to see if she has posted anything new, and if it violates the site's grammatical rules I then quarantine it.

But one would think that she would figure out punctuation and sentence structure. And she has "improved" with the help of betas, but her betas aren't catching the mistakes either and I don't understand that. What is the point of a beta if they don't help you???

And now she has deleted all her stories from the site and I thought that would be the end, but then she reposted one story. And the prologue...it has punctuation problems.

Examples (that I am making up on the fly here rather than copy her work - again):

Jane walks; the dog.

Jane walks the dog ; and sees her neighbor walking his dog.

Jane wanted to walk the dog ,but she couldn't find the leash.

Jane wanted to walk the dog but, she couldn't find the leash.

All four of those sentences are clearly made up but the grammatical use of semi-colons and commas is INCORRECT in each and every one of them.

I think I need to take some Tylenol. I feel like sitting down and betaing her work to show her exactly what she is missing. However, I'm fairly certain that my efforts will be a waste of time (mine and hers) and fall upon deaf ears.

Comments

[sams1ra.livejournal.com]

Ya know, I'm the last person to comment about bad grammar, English not being my first language and all, but seriously - how hard is it not to confuse you're from your? That just makes me want to pull my hair out...
Thank goodness I found an awesome beta. *hearts my beta*

[azraelz-angel.livejournal.com]

*huggles awesome betas* Awesome betas are wonderful. Seriously!! English isn't your first language? I didn't know that (I don't think) and I don't think I've ever found any cause to cringe in your stories.

You're and your is difficult. English is my first language and grammar is still tough. But you have to work at it, and you have to want to work at it to get better - and in your case having an awesome beta makes a world of difference. The best way to remember the difference between you're and yours - is you're is the contraction for you are and your is the possessive form of you. So, your house, your clothes, your dog - possessive. And you're welcome, you're coming over, right?, you're a wonderful person, etc. I hope that helps *wink* and leads to less hair pulling.

[sams1ra.livejournal.com]

lol, I actually meant, even I can get that right ;)
Those two are a pet peeve...
As for me, I'm having trouble keeping tenses, but that's what my (awesome) beta's for, right?

[azraelz-angel.livejournal.com]

Hahahahahahahahaha - I didn't read that right. Sorry, my head is pounding right now!

Didn't mean to give you the grammar lesson then *wink*

Tenses are difficult too. I'm in the process of a really long fic and noticed that I keep jumping back and forth between past and present in different sections. Yeah, not cool. The only good part is that I am making notes on the sections so I can decide on a tense and go back and correct the whole darn thing!!

[exposed1.livejournal.com]

I just love how people always jump to the wrong conclusion. When someone is trying to help them out they assume it's an attack. I think I may know who you are talking about and that whole thing is just a endless tunnel of frustration. If I had a beta that wasn't doing a good job and people were consistently pointing out mistake after mistake in a piece I had beta'd I'd be finding a new one.

*passes Tylenol*

[azraelz-angel.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the Tylenol. I ended up having to take some to get rid of the freaking headache that I had.

Yes, I'm sure that you know exactly who I am talking about. I want to beta her fic. I really do because there are so many incorrect things in there. And there are sentences that are broken up into two or three 'sentences' that should be only one. But I'm sure that if I do then I'll be the biggest bitch ever because I pointed out things to her... Whatever.

And you know, you are right. If your beta is missing things then it is time to find a new beta. God Bless the wonderful betas in this world.

[feeferj.livejournal.com]

I will be the first to admit I use commas to death. At least I have a valid excuse! Children. I have child brain. Dealing with a three and a half year old, and a nine month day in and day out- yeah. No. No proper brain function here.

[azraelz-angel.livejournal.com]

*huggles you* Abuse the commas, abuse them! I give you permission!

Haha, and yes, I can imagine that having to speak child and baby would have the same effect on me. But hey, at least you can speak child and baby - I can not.

Comma abuse really isn't that big an issue in the grand scheme of things. I use way too many commas as well and then have to go back and try to figure out where they really belong and where they are just incorrectly tossed in.

[blue-icy-rose.livejournal.com]

I have to confess that I clicked on your authors tag to see if it was the same person that I have issues with and then I about died of laughter because it was. I know exactly what you mean! Pointing stuff out doesn't do anything. Hell, I even tried to help her with a whole chunk of a chapter when she asked and typed up an entire example for a scene and then...well, then she changed up some of the punctuation and gave me credit for it when posting. *facepalm* Not what I was going for.

But yes, I have much of the same issues. (And I'll make another confession and say that I got completely frustrated with one of her stories after one sitting and decided to write my own damn version as a response to the challenge. And it's now being typed up. Um, yes, that's apparently my solution to things. Bah, I don't know! I know I'm not the best writer out there because I've seen stuff that has me wondering why the person isn't getting paid to write, lol, but yes. That was my response.)

I did wonder who it was that said something to her since I've noticed in discussion threads on one of the boards we're both on that she had this whole post about what she considers personal attacks and constructive criticism. Of course, now I can't find it. *makes face*

Maybe I should just follow in the steps of some of my friends list and make that "Bwahahahaha" filter for rants and WTF moments. Because if I don't stop now, this entire comment will turn into a rant! (Like how not everyone writes fic just so for the characters to hook up. Sometimes there's this plot thing and something called character development and....argh. Nevermind.)

*holds out bottle of extra strength Tylonel* And to help...here! Have Jared and Jensen in towels. *nods at icon*

[azraelz-angel.livejournal.com]

Yummy, blessed Tylenol! Yum! And ooooh *oogles your icon* the shiny, the pretty, yummy boys!

As sad as it is, I'm actually glad that Ava and I aren't the only ones to have "issues" with her. I guess because Ava and I are mods that we can be looked at as bitches because we have power, but I'm fairly certain that even if we weren't mods then someone else would be laying down the law with her...

I really want to go through and beta - seriously beta - the story that she just reposted over at TtH. I do. I actually want to take the time and do it, just so that she can see what she is doing wrong - what her betas are missing - what she needs to correct to make her stories make grammatical sense. BUT it will be a waste of time. You've helped her, I think everyone else at Rt. 66 has offered help, and it doesn't seem to stick. And I think that her lack of desire to better herself (her writing), her lack of acceptance of help, and her inability to accept grammatical corrections, is really what bothers me.

I guess the only good thing about her work is that she makes people write better (awesome) responses to challenges. So yay for that, right?

I'm sure that she was venting at that board (which I'm sure I am not a member of) about myself and/or Ava. She gets all pissy and deletes her stories at TtH when we quarantine them rather than simply work out the issues and request the quarantine be removed. It's frustrating for us too though because she keeps posting grammatically incorrect stuff and then calling us names and pissing and moaning when we quarantine it. Gah - the whole situation makes me want to scream.

And you know, I decided that I wasn't going to make filters for ranting shit like this. I am not a totally wonderful person, I have my faults, and sometimes I voice them loudly here - at my journal. Blah, blah, blah, internet take that *snickers*

And oooh, they are playing an acoustic version of Jason Mraz on the radio - woofreakinghoo! I love the man - he is so freaking wonderful.

*hugs*

[avamclean.livejournal.com]

She's made some corrections in the first chapter already but now it lacks a disclaimer. *facepalm* So I left a private review reminding her.

Though now I have the urge to work on my own Dark Angel/Buffy crossover fic. Just 'cause. ;)

[azraelz-angel.livejournal.com]

She did make corrections, but then there are issues still within the chapter.

She did add a disclaimer though. Now if we think hard enough on it do you think we could get her to fix her grammatical issues???

Do it Ava, write that Dark Angel/Buffy! Do it!!

The author in question

[(Anonymous)]

I was sure that there was a reason why you harrassed Sassy. And now I can tell her. She is too nice to say this to you but I am not. You are a bitch. You write stories with the passion of a piece of cardboard. If i was stranded and all I had were stories to read of yours. I would rip my eyes out. Its good that you have perfect grammar cause otherwise no one would read your shit. I also suspect with your lack of ability to remember you are not queen of the internet. That other people just so happen to like her stories. Oh by the way she is welcome to post at my website anytime she freaking feels like it without worries of being harrassed by bitches like you.

Re: The author in question

[azraelz-angel.livejournal.com]

I didn't harrass Sassy. I have an issue with her grammar as it doesn't adhere to the standards of TtH. I've gone so far as to correct her grammar and email it back to her, but clearly it didn't stick.

Thanks for your wonderful comments on my writing. And I'd thank you personally, but you didn't have the fucking balls to even reply with your name...

Re: The author in question

[joehundredaire.livejournal.com]

Mmm, anonymous: for when you have a rant but lack the courage to identify yourself.

So even more WOW.....

[bunneysworld.livejournal.com]

For the love of TACOS!!! What is wrong with both sides of this bad melodrama? I mean really, I feel like channeling Martin Luthor King here. My question to you is when you commented on her issues in her writing did you write it in the same tone that you have been writing here?? Cause frankly i wouldn't listen either as it makes you sound like you have a personal issue with JUST her. I mean I read a far worse story in Buffy/Dean last week that was just one big sentence and I know it is still there. I found it easier to just be polite and encouraing to the author while making suggestions. I understand the posting rules , but why Sassy's are so bad when there are worse offenders and they are okay makes you seem petty.

On the other hand I am pissed at the person above me that cussed you out for just being a super wuss. Get some balls and put your name on it! If you can't stand by your comments don't say it!!!

So like i was saying I am offically a fan of the "As the Fanfic Turns" plot we have going here. So i will bust out my popcorn and continue to read and comment :)

Later and Love
Bunney

BTW I help out sassy as far as plot disscussion as I do all kinds of ppl, but i suck ass at spelling so i pass the buck there. lol