Friday, January 29, 2010

In short...sorry??

So, I have been writing for a fairly long time. I'm okay at it. For a fifteen year old kid, I'm probably pretty good at it. I've gotten partial and full requests at fifteen, so I hope by the time I'm twenty I can graduate from okay to really good. It's one of the best feelings in the world when writing goes well for me.

Part of the thing that makes me get better, though? I'm used to ripping my stuff apart. I mean, breaking it into pieces, sweeping those bits into the fire, and then watching it quietly burn. Then, with the ashes, I make little paper mache stories. I've gotten used to it; every time someone gives me critique, I start the process over.

And I tend to be rather . . . harsh, therefor, when I'm editing other people's stuff.
Not mean. But when I see a problem, I point it out. When I think 'this' should be 'that' I change it. I tear paragraphs apart and I have no problem saying that an entire paragraph should be rewritten.
It's occurred to me, however, that while that might be helpful . . . It's also a little . . . harsh. I know that when I first consistently started writing, that probably would have stressed me out and possibly given me a heart attack.
So.
You know who you are. I promise I'll give you the opportunity to rip my story apart. I know you haven't said anything to the like, but I was not trying to be mean. I really meant to be helpful. However, glancing over all the edits, I'm thinking I might have done ... Well, a little too much. I just like editing; it's kind of fun to me, and I'm relatively okay at that too.
Thank you for not stabbing me with a pitchfork.
Oh, and thank you for not wearing red satin gloves.
Anyway.
More later.

10 comments:

mo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mo said...

(Sorry. In the deleted comment, my little picture thing looked like it was on crack, and it bugged me.)

Now.
Red satin gloves are evil. Don't ask why. They just are.

Brandon said...

Hey sam, don't stress it :) I'm glad you did that. That is exactly what i want. you are the reader, and i want to know what the reader is thinking. so don't apologize continue to do the same damn thing :)

Sam said...

Your little picture thingy, Maggie? Lol. And satin gloves do scream a level of evil.
Brandon: ...Okay, then. :)

Brandon said...

Samantha. Weird question but do you have Windows Vista?

Sam said...

My mom does. I don't think I do on the comp in my room.
Why?

Brandon said...

Because if you did, I wanted to show you this cool thing, but it only works on Vista.

Unknown said...

Ohh, now I'm curious. Anyway, I'm totally with you on the first part of your post- as for critiquing, I tend to be overly nice. While still pointing everything out. I try to be really specific so it doesn't seem like it's as much... eh, people probably hate me as an editor, too. It's personally never bothered me.

Brandon said...

Actually, and it's really weird, I get this like twisted sense of satisfaction when Sam finds errors. I know I can only get better from it and that's all she wants to help with. Of course, I'd be even more satisfied if I could manage to write a whole paragraph, let alone a whole chapter, without any errors!

Sam said...

Cipherqueen: Hey, you've always been a great help to me! Lol.
Brandon: Well, I'm glad it's a positive experience. I know what you mean though; it's like, cool, I can get better now.