Transfan Fanfic Rants

Number Six: Spelling and Grammar

Rant Number Six: Spelling and Grammar

Okay, so obviously this is a more generalized rant, and once again, I'll tell you right now, I'm no saint. I don't edit my chapters much before posting, if I edit at all. I make mistakes.

But for the slagging love of Primus and Pit and everything holy or not, I cannot, CAN NOT stand it, at all, when a fic would be absolutely amazing -- IF I COULD READ IT.

I honestly, cannot understand what some of these fanfics are saying. I have to skim to even get the jist of it. I honestly cannot understand what some of these things are saying. Like, it's just that bad. But the thing is, if this author had any sense of spelling, grammar, and plot lines, it would be A-MA-ZING.

But I can't. I legitimately cannot stomach the spelling errors, the grammar mistakes and the completely obvious plot line. It makes my head hurt and just . . . honestly these kinds of things make me want to bash my head into a slagging wall.

Okay, so, no real guarantee that these stories would actually be amazing. That's really under the assumption that if people could master these skills, along with subtlety and plot line structure, any story would be the shit.

Because, let's face it, those things make up so much of a story.

But something that drives me absolutely insane?

When a story that has none, absolutely NONE of these, ends up climbing the charts. Because all these people are voting on it and saying "Oh my gosh this is so good, please continue!" etc., etc.

Ummm . . . what?

How can you even understand what the hell they're typing and posting? Because frankly, it gives me headaches. It hurts. I want to cause myself physical pain to distract from the ache of reading whatever monstrosity THAT thing was.

My only logic for this one is that these people probably don't know how to spell or use grammar, or create a plot line, or utilize subtlety, either. Because, I mean, really? It hurts like hell for me to read these things. Or to get suckered into reading them. It drives me absolutely mother slagging insane to see these things.

And then they become popular?

How many of you are doing this? Why are you feeding the fire? It gives me a headache to see this happen. It really does. Like. I just. Ow. I can't even think about it without it giving me a serious headache. It's just that terrible.

And then. Of all things. I see all these amazing stories, with proper plot line structure, subtlety, pacing (yes, that's important, too), proper spelling and correct use of grammar, and, what the slagging frag?

They're ranked below these stories that lack all of the above?

Ummm . . . No thank you.

That's one of those "I don't want to live on this planet anymore" moments. Honest to Primus that drives me absolutely insane because when a fanfiction, or any story, can't even get the basics down, and it outranks the stories that DO.

What are people thinking? Seriously? It makes me want to shake people by the shoulders and scream "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?"

Honestly. How can you expect to be a writer when you look like you're failing English class?

I'm ashamed to be put into the same category as these kinds of people. And most of them? Perfectly normal, nice, awesome people. But the thing is, they just don't use these basic tools. Maybe because they don't know how, maybe because they don't care.

Either way, please, please, please, for the love of Primus, just . . . I don't know, get an editor or something! Or study English like your life depends on it. I don't know. Whatever it takes. Because I'm just . . . I can't stand it. I really can't.

Take your time when developing a story, kay? You know the Stay series? Over two and a half years old. It'll be three in August of 2014.

Three. Years. Old.

And I'm just finishing the third book now. It's not done quite yet but it's getting there. That's taking almost a year per book on average. The pace has picked up recently, but that's because I've been getting an actual image of what I want. The series is older than it is on just this site.

Really, people. Take it easy. Don't rush it. Take your time to craft a piece of art, not a bid for popularity. Learn the basics first.

As always, do your research if you're going to get in the transfan universe.