Chao- It's kinda cool to meet an author, especially if you meet someone who wrote a story that you really enjoyed. Sometimes at these talks they give they say a little about their past experiences or talk their latest book. They even answer questions at the end. Chao has gone to a talk about two authors this past semester: Amy Tan, author of the well-known book The Joy Luck Club. And Alison Bechdel, author/writer/artist for her graphic novel Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. Those were both pretty cool. If you can, try and go to a talk hosted by an author. It's a really great experience!
YChao- Would this count towards users who wrote fan fics?
Chao- Actually, that would be pretty cool.
YChao- Of course, some people are shy in person and online.
Chao- Well, even professional authors get the jitters talking on stage and giving away personal experiences to strangers/readers. Bookstores offer this opportunity with professional authors, and conventions and clubs offer this towards fan fic authors. So Chao has known some people who have posted their fan fics online. It's a fun subject to talk about. People who talk with authors tend to be writers, so there's that common ground that can provide comfort.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Language: The Changes They Undergo
Chao- *sigh*
YChao- What now?
Chao- Chao has spent a lot of time studying English for a job as an editor. The basics in English 101 and 102, a grammar course, writing courses, editing, the history of the English language, and even (mandatory) theory.
YChao- Yes, and you wasted your life writing fan fics.
Agent Daisy- *holds up laptop with blog*
YChao- And you're just about done with school.
Chao- Yeah, but on the other hand--
YChao- PLEASE tell me you're not about to get all college-y on us.
Chao- Hey! This subject is important because it is applied in the past, present, and future.
YChao- Math? Science? Anything with real application?
Chao- Language! Language is always going after change. English, for example, has many of its words' roots from French, Latin, and the Germanic language. It was first spoken through oral tradition, and it became adapted through the trading market and invasions. Heck, when books started to being mass produced, English began to get more standardized. Not to mention dictionaries are constantly updating.
YChao- Anything else you wish to discuss with this history lesson rather than the idea behind this blog?
Chao- Well, this blog is about writing, and writing is always undergoing change.
YChao- And your point is?
Chao- Is there any real point in continuing some of these mechanics? Eventually laziness will win. And some people totally get emotional when it comes to grammar; it's not always polite to correct someone, lest you make them feel stupid.
YChao- And when has that ever been our problem?
Chao- When Chao is editing fan fics and creative nonfiction stories. But let's let anyone here reading this watch a video Chao saw in a class about the English language to help them understand.
How Did English Evolve? (TED video)
Chao- That was a very interesting video. Hard to imagine that the English language survived all this time, huh? But still...
YChao- Here's something you always talk about, consider this: It depends on what audience you are writing to. If you are writing to a literacy magazine or one of those high class ones, then you should definitely write with more class. But, if you're writing to younger ages, you probably would use less larger vocabulary and possibly slang.
Chao-/Agent Daisy- ........
YChao- What?
Chao- Wow, that's perhaps the most profound thing you have ever said.
YChao- Credit goes to your teacher. I'm really here to be the voice of doubt.
Chao- And so, English is a language that is always under change. It is spoken around the world, well, at least in fragments. Almost every country has its own version of English, so you may come across authors who have a first language with English as their second. But, hey, if it means exchanging ideas and fan fics, Chao is ok with it!
YChao- What now?
Chao- Chao has spent a lot of time studying English for a job as an editor. The basics in English 101 and 102, a grammar course, writing courses, editing, the history of the English language, and even (mandatory) theory.
YChao- Yes, and you wasted your life writing fan fics.
Agent Daisy- *holds up laptop with blog*
YChao- And you're just about done with school.
Chao- Yeah, but on the other hand--
YChao- PLEASE tell me you're not about to get all college-y on us.
Chao- Hey! This subject is important because it is applied in the past, present, and future.
YChao- Math? Science? Anything with real application?
Chao- Language! Language is always going after change. English, for example, has many of its words' roots from French, Latin, and the Germanic language. It was first spoken through oral tradition, and it became adapted through the trading market and invasions. Heck, when books started to being mass produced, English began to get more standardized. Not to mention dictionaries are constantly updating.
YChao- Anything else you wish to discuss with this history lesson rather than the idea behind this blog?
Chao- Well, this blog is about writing, and writing is always undergoing change.
YChao- And your point is?
Chao- Is there any real point in continuing some of these mechanics? Eventually laziness will win. And some people totally get emotional when it comes to grammar; it's not always polite to correct someone, lest you make them feel stupid.
YChao- And when has that ever been our problem?
Chao- When Chao is editing fan fics and creative nonfiction stories. But let's let anyone here reading this watch a video Chao saw in a class about the English language to help them understand.
How Did English Evolve? (TED video)
Chao- That was a very interesting video. Hard to imagine that the English language survived all this time, huh? But still...
YChao- Here's something you always talk about, consider this: It depends on what audience you are writing to. If you are writing to a literacy magazine or one of those high class ones, then you should definitely write with more class. But, if you're writing to younger ages, you probably would use less larger vocabulary and possibly slang.
Chao-/Agent Daisy- ........
YChao- What?
Chao- Wow, that's perhaps the most profound thing you have ever said.
YChao- Credit goes to your teacher. I'm really here to be the voice of doubt.
Chao- And so, English is a language that is always under change. It is spoken around the world, well, at least in fragments. Almost every country has its own version of English, so you may come across authors who have a first language with English as their second. But, hey, if it means exchanging ideas and fan fics, Chao is ok with it!
Sunday, December 8, 2013
That's New... and Interesting
Chao- So FF.net has added a new feature to their filter. Now you can look for stories without character pairings. Huh, that sounds pretty interesting. Better to use this than have people initiate flame wars?
YChao- Nope, people will continue to cause trouble all for the sake of a pairing. Not to mention you find it to be a little tricky to use.
Chao- Meh, it's just easier for Chao to look at stuff with the Romance genre gone. That takes care most of the problems. Again, at least the people running this site are thinking about the users.
YChao- Thinking about their users, or just accommodating change? Perhaps these pairing wars are gaining more and more power.
Chao- Or it could just mean excluding certain characters; it doesn't hafta mean a romantic pairing.
Pairing Visibility (Fictionpress.com blog)
Chao- But one thing that had changed that Chao doesn't like is how characters appear in the list after you selected them and published your story. It used to that the first one you chose was the protagonist; now the characters appear in alphabetical order. Chao doesn't like it because it makes it hard to know who the protagonist is. And what's up with the brackets around names?
Paring Mode Part (Fictionpress.com blog)
Chao- As long as Chao can search for stories without adding some variables, it's fine.
YChao- Which means you'll flow of updates will be cut short.
Chao- Meh. That's the nice part about having this blog; it's a place for Chao to complain.
YChao- Nope, people will continue to cause trouble all for the sake of a pairing. Not to mention you find it to be a little tricky to use.
Chao- Meh, it's just easier for Chao to look at stuff with the Romance genre gone. That takes care most of the problems. Again, at least the people running this site are thinking about the users.
YChao- Thinking about their users, or just accommodating change? Perhaps these pairing wars are gaining more and more power.
Chao- Or it could just mean excluding certain characters; it doesn't hafta mean a romantic pairing.
Pairing Visibility (Fictionpress.com blog)
Chao- But one thing that had changed that Chao doesn't like is how characters appear in the list after you selected them and published your story. It used to that the first one you chose was the protagonist; now the characters appear in alphabetical order. Chao doesn't like it because it makes it hard to know who the protagonist is. And what's up with the brackets around names?
Paring Mode Part (Fictionpress.com blog)
Chao- As long as Chao can search for stories without adding some variables, it's fine.
YChao- Which means you'll flow of updates will be cut short.
Chao- Meh. That's the nice part about having this blog; it's a place for Chao to complain.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Updates for December
Chao- *wiping off shaving cream* Can't believe the year's almost up! One semester is just about done, and hopefully one more to go! Got a lot of papers to finish up and group projects to do right now. Dunno if anything can be worked on or posted now, but maybe something will be for either category in the middle of this month. Hope to hear from you all soon!
YChao/Agent Daisy- *giggle in the background*
Chao- You guys are so dead!
YChao/Agent Daisy- *giggle in the background*
Chao- You guys are so dead!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Cinnamon, the Continuation
Chao- Why is everyone looking at Chao like that?
Random readers of blog- *stare at Chao annoyed*
YChao- I think you should take a look at your last post.
Agent Daisy- *holds up laptop*
Chao- What about it?
YChao- What the heck was that?! Are you trolling your own blog or something?!
Chao- Hey! It's called the beauty of language! This was constructed from a list of words people considered to be beautiful. It was a homework assignment while Chao's class was reading Gertrude Stein's Tender Buttons!
YChao- You do a lot of homework for classes, and I don't see you posting your failing essays or anything.
Chao- Ok, maybe it was for a good laugh. Almost everyone in class hated it at first, but some grew to like it as we examined it. Didn't care much for Tender Buttons, and Chao probably will never pick up that book again.
Agent Daisy- *tilts head to side*
Chao- People can compare that book and the past entry for this blog to cubism art. Some people like it after examining it, and some people don't. And some people dislike something simply because they don't understand it.
YChao- And does this and the past entry have anything to do with your typical theme in this blog?
Chao- Eh, kinda. Language is both a means of communication and art. Some readers will dislike something, but it should be OK to dislike something even after you examine it. After all, with fan fics or original stories, you don't need to like everything. Isn't that why there are a lot of genres out there?
YChao- Nope, it's all scam to make money.
Agent Daisy- *nods head*
Chao- That may be true, but Chao is still aiming to be an editor. Hopefully Chao won't get anyone who plans to write something like Tender Buttons.
Random readers of blog- *stare at Chao annoyed*
YChao- I think you should take a look at your last post.
Agent Daisy- *holds up laptop*
Chao- What about it?
YChao- What the heck was that?! Are you trolling your own blog or something?!
Chao- Hey! It's called the beauty of language! This was constructed from a list of words people considered to be beautiful. It was a homework assignment while Chao's class was reading Gertrude Stein's Tender Buttons!
YChao- You do a lot of homework for classes, and I don't see you posting your failing essays or anything.
Chao- Ok, maybe it was for a good laugh. Almost everyone in class hated it at first, but some grew to like it as we examined it. Didn't care much for Tender Buttons, and Chao probably will never pick up that book again.
Agent Daisy- *tilts head to side*
Chao- People can compare that book and the past entry for this blog to cubism art. Some people like it after examining it, and some people don't. And some people dislike something simply because they don't understand it.
YChao- And does this and the past entry have anything to do with your typical theme in this blog?
Chao- Eh, kinda. Language is both a means of communication and art. Some readers will dislike something, but it should be OK to dislike something even after you examine it. After all, with fan fics or original stories, you don't need to like everything. Isn't that why there are a lot of genres out there?
YChao- Nope, it's all scam to make money.
Agent Daisy- *nods head*
Chao- That may be true, but Chao is still aiming to be an editor. Hopefully Chao won't get anyone who plans to write something like Tender Buttons.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Cinnamon
Cinnamon
The soft brown color. Enchanted epiphany, epitome. Not cataclysm. Not maladroit. A plethora of words. The quiescent of a home.
The soft brown color. Enchanted epiphany, epitome. Not cataclysm. Not maladroit. A plethora of words. The quiescent of a home.
If there is sublime then there is a symphony. Mist is all around. Lullaby is soothing. Amorphous lands on the ear, drips from the mouth. Felicity.
Myriad in wants myriad in need.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Phineas and Ferb Meme: YOU KNOW YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH PHINEAS AND FERB, WHEN...
YOU KNOW YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH PHINEAS AND FERB, WHEN...
YOU USE THE CHARACTER'S CATCHPHRASES AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. (Chao- What'cha doin'?)
YOU KNOW MOST OF THE ACTORS' NAMES.
YOUR DAD SENDS YOU A TEXT SAYING "YOU BETTER NOT BE HAVING A PARTY" AND YOU SAY IT'S AN "INTIMATE GET TOGETHER"
YOU KNOW THE LYRICS TO ALL OR MOST OF THE SONGS. (Chao- Thank you hour-long commutes and family living in different cities!)
YOU ARE DYING TO GO TO AUSTRALIA, JUST TO SEE A PLATYPUS.
DRAWINGS OF THE CHARACTERS APPEAR ON YOUR SCHOOL WORK QUITE OFTEN.
YOU TURN THE TRIANGLES IN YOUR MATH WORKBOOK INTO PHINEAS.
YOU KNOW PLENTY OF RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THE SHOW AND DON'T MIND SHARING THEM WITH EVERYONE. (Chao- Hmm... Where to start?)
YOU HAVE AT LEAST ONE PNF T-SHIRT, HAVE DRESSED UP AS AT LEAST ONE OF THE CHARACTERS, AND HAVE AT LEAST ONE PLUSHIE.
YOUR PUMPKINS AT HALLOWEEN HAD PHINEAS AND FERB CARVED INTO THEM.
YOU DRAW THE CHARACTERS ON YOUR EASTER EGGS.
YOU TALK TO YOUR PLUSHIE VERSION OF THE CHARACTERS.
YOU HAVE A CRUSH AT LEAST ONE OF THE VOICE ACTORS AND/OR CHARACTERS.
YOU OWN A FEDORA.
YOU TALK TO YOURSELF/TO THE CHARACTERS, WHILE WATCHING AN EPISODE.
YOU HAVE CONTACTED ONE OR BOTH OF THE CREATORS.
YOU OFTEN COMPARE BOOKS/MOVIES/OTHER TV SHOWS TO PHINEAS AND FERB.
YOU SOMETIMES PRETEND YOU ARE A SEMI-AQUATIC, EGG LAYING MAMMAL OF ACTION.
YOU GIVE YOUR PET THEIR OWN THEME SONG, TO THE TUNE OF PERRY'S.
YOUR RINGTONE IS THE PERRY THE PLATYPUS THEME. (Chao- Not exactly. But Chao had a sister who once put "Summer [Where Do We Begin?]" for Chao.)
YOUR IPOD KNOWS TO CAPTILIZE PHINEAS AND FERB, ALTHOUGH IT THINKS THEY'RE NOT REAL WORDS.
YOU'VE SEEN THE SHOW IN SEVERAL LANGUAGES. (Chao- It's super popular for Spanish speakers for some reason.)
YOU SING THE SONGS IN GYM CLASS. SOMETIMES WHILE DANCING LIKE A MANIAC.
WHEN ASKED WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO THIS SUMMER, YOU RESPOND IN A LINE FROM THE THEME SONG.
YOU HAVE A NEMESIS.
YOU CREATED AN 8-BIT REMIX OF THE PNF THEME.
YOU CURSE THINGS IN A WAY SIMILAR TO THE DR. D CURSES PERRY, WHEN SOMETHING/SOMEONE MAKES YOU MAD.
YOU ASK YOUR PARENTS "WHERE'S PERRY?" AND THEY ASK YOU "WHO'S PERRY?"
YOU ARE PLANNING ON CALLING YOUR KIDS XAVIER AND AMANDA.
*Note: If you have all/most of these symptoms, you may have "Irving Syndrome." Consulting a doctor may result in laughing, embarrassment, and/or humiliation.
Chao- Dun dun dun! But it's such an addicting show!
YOU USE THE CHARACTER'S CATCHPHRASES AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. (Chao- What'cha doin'?)
YOU KNOW MOST OF THE ACTORS' NAMES.
YOUR DAD SENDS YOU A TEXT SAYING "YOU BETTER NOT BE HAVING A PARTY" AND YOU SAY IT'S AN "INTIMATE GET TOGETHER"
YOU KNOW THE LYRICS TO ALL OR MOST OF THE SONGS. (Chao- Thank you hour-long commutes and family living in different cities!)
YOU ARE DYING TO GO TO AUSTRALIA, JUST TO SEE A PLATYPUS.
DRAWINGS OF THE CHARACTERS APPEAR ON YOUR SCHOOL WORK QUITE OFTEN.
YOU TURN THE TRIANGLES IN YOUR MATH WORKBOOK INTO PHINEAS.
YOU KNOW PLENTY OF RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THE SHOW AND DON'T MIND SHARING THEM WITH EVERYONE. (Chao- Hmm... Where to start?)
YOU HAVE AT LEAST ONE PNF T-SHIRT, HAVE DRESSED UP AS AT LEAST ONE OF THE CHARACTERS, AND HAVE AT LEAST ONE PLUSHIE.
YOUR PUMPKINS AT HALLOWEEN HAD PHINEAS AND FERB CARVED INTO THEM.
YOU DRAW THE CHARACTERS ON YOUR EASTER EGGS.
YOU TALK TO YOUR PLUSHIE VERSION OF THE CHARACTERS.
YOU HAVE A CRUSH AT LEAST ONE OF THE VOICE ACTORS AND/OR CHARACTERS.
YOU OWN A FEDORA.
YOU TALK TO YOURSELF/TO THE CHARACTERS, WHILE WATCHING AN EPISODE.
YOU HAVE CONTACTED ONE OR BOTH OF THE CREATORS.
YOU OFTEN COMPARE BOOKS/MOVIES/OTHER TV SHOWS TO PHINEAS AND FERB.
YOU SOMETIMES PRETEND YOU ARE A SEMI-AQUATIC, EGG LAYING MAMMAL OF ACTION.
YOU GIVE YOUR PET THEIR OWN THEME SONG, TO THE TUNE OF PERRY'S.
YOUR RINGTONE IS THE PERRY THE PLATYPUS THEME. (Chao- Not exactly. But Chao had a sister who once put "Summer [Where Do We Begin?]" for Chao.)
YOUR IPOD KNOWS TO CAPTILIZE PHINEAS AND FERB, ALTHOUGH IT THINKS THEY'RE NOT REAL WORDS.
YOU'VE SEEN THE SHOW IN SEVERAL LANGUAGES. (Chao- It's super popular for Spanish speakers for some reason.)
YOU SING THE SONGS IN GYM CLASS. SOMETIMES WHILE DANCING LIKE A MANIAC.
WHEN ASKED WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO THIS SUMMER, YOU RESPOND IN A LINE FROM THE THEME SONG.
YOU HAVE A NEMESIS.
YOU CREATED AN 8-BIT REMIX OF THE PNF THEME.
YOU CURSE THINGS IN A WAY SIMILAR TO THE DR. D CURSES PERRY, WHEN SOMETHING/SOMEONE MAKES YOU MAD.
YOU ASK YOUR PARENTS "WHERE'S PERRY?" AND THEY ASK YOU "WHO'S PERRY?"
YOU ARE PLANNING ON CALLING YOUR KIDS XAVIER AND AMANDA.
*Note: If you have all/most of these symptoms, you may have "Irving Syndrome." Consulting a doctor may result in laughing, embarrassment, and/or humiliation.
Chao- Dun dun dun! But it's such an addicting show!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Updates for November
Chao- *sleeping* *exhausted from school work*
YChao- *shaking a can of shaving cream* It's been a pretty long semester so far. The days are going quickly for Chao, but Chao has had a lot of papers to write, events to prepare for clubs, and has been attending a few workshops/conferences.
Agent Daisy- *gives YChao a feather*
YChao- *squirts shaving cream onto Chao's face* Hope those who read the Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic "Dreaming of You Redux" or the previous entry of Chao's 10th anniversary were able to enjoy them. We're not sure really if anything can be published or even worked on this month. Chao's got a lot of stuff to do! But entries for this month will be updated as normal. If Chao doesn't die this month, maybe some things can come in mid-December after final papers and group presentations have been completed.
Agent Daisy- *holds camera*
YChao- Hope to hear from you all soon! *tickles Chao with feather on nose*
camera- *click*
Chao- *smashes face*
YChao- *shaking a can of shaving cream* It's been a pretty long semester so far. The days are going quickly for Chao, but Chao has had a lot of papers to write, events to prepare for clubs, and has been attending a few workshops/conferences.
Agent Daisy- *gives YChao a feather*
YChao- *squirts shaving cream onto Chao's face* Hope those who read the Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic "Dreaming of You Redux" or the previous entry of Chao's 10th anniversary were able to enjoy them. We're not sure really if anything can be published or even worked on this month. Chao's got a lot of stuff to do! But entries for this month will be updated as normal. If Chao doesn't die this month, maybe some things can come in mid-December after final papers and group presentations have been completed.
Agent Daisy- *holds camera*
YChao- Hope to hear from you all soon! *tickles Chao with feather on nose*
camera- *click*
Chao- *smashes face*
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
QnC: A Celebration of 10 Years
Chao- Ten years of being on Fanfiction.net... Started an account back in 2003 and made it up til now. It's been a lot of fun being on such a site. Although, Chao wasn't always active, especially during high school. Stories went without new chapters for months, even a year or two. Yet it was so awesome signing in and reading what people have wrote, all those awesome adventures.
YChao- So what are we doing here?
Chao- Today marks being a member on FF.net for ten years!
Agent Daisy- *blows party noise maker*
Chao- Chao has been planning this special entry for a while. After looking at the "since" section of people's profiles, it's kinda like, wow. Some people stop using their accounts after a few months while others just open new ones. Since Chao managed to keep up this commitment for this amount time, here's a special entry!
YChao- A special entry containing what? Do you have anything "special" planned?
Chao- Um.... We could just answer some questions from no particular source. Hence the title QnC, Questions and Chao. Those are always fun!
(Note: This is not a meme)
Q: Why did you decide to write fan fics?
Chao- They seemed like fun.
Q: How did you come across FF.net?
Chao- Some fan websites carried a fan fiction section, and some had links to this site. After reading some fan fics and learning how this website worked, Chao signed up for an account.
Q: What was your first category?
Chao- Yu-Gi-Oh!!
Q: What was your first crossover?
Chao- Between Sonic the Hedgehog and Yu-Gi-Oh!!. Chao pulled it down after two or three chapters of nothingness. It was random and funny, but couldn't think of much for progressing the story.
Q: What are your main goals for any fan fic?
Chao- Sometimes just entertainment while other times to give readers something meaningful. But namely Chao likes to give fans of that universe something fun to read.
Q: What are your favorite reviews to receive?
Chao- Some of them involve with how well written a story was or how well Chao managed to write canon characters. But, all and all, Chao likes receiving those reviews that say how much a reader had enjoyed reading them. Those ones are always nice.
Q: Where did your screen name originate?
Chao- The whole name started off as an email address. (It's even older than this FF.net account!) Sonic Adventure 2 Battle was one of the coolest games ever, especially since so many features were added to the chao world. The creature kinda became a nickname of what family members called Chao. The numbers were just suggested since the name was so gosh darn popular.
Q: Since your screen name was a nickname, would you respond to it in real life?
Chao- Yep, even if someone was actually referring to chow mien.
Q: Why choose the picture for your profile?
Chao- This is for anyone who did not know what a dark chao looked like. There are ways to customize them, but this one is a bit of a default. Aren't they awesome?!
Q: When did the whole talking in third person begin?
Chao- About the time the email account started. Again, it went along with having fun between family members.
Q: Have you ever thought about changing your screen name?
Chao- Sometimes, but then that would break character. It's nice, though, that FF.net allows users to do so without having to pay for plus accounts like other sites.
Q: Has this screen name been used for anything else?
Chao- For a Gaiaonline account and possibly Yahoo. Haven't been there in years, so they've probably been deactivated or frozen.
Q: Where do your partners in fan fics come along?
Chao- A lot of fans within the Yu-Gi-Oh!! community had yamis. Years ago, the trend was that users would only place the word "yami" in front of their screen name. It would fit into the theme like Yami Yugi or Yami Bakura.
YChao- Yep, I'm actually YamiDarkChao1663.
Chao- It's just something Chao never bothered to correct people, and it was easier to just type what you see now. Now it seems the trend has shifted to where these yamis have their own unique names. But they still keep their jobs of insulting authors and pointing out our flaws in the stories.
YChao- I don't speak in third person because one user doing that is already too much. Plus, it's just weird.
Agent Daisy- (points to self)
Chao- And then Daisy came along for Phineas and Ferb fan fics. It's just more fun to have a partner around for author notes.
Agent Daisy- (rolls eyes)
Chao- To be fair, some people actually like you.
Q: Does it ever get annoying to write in third person in your notes?
Chao- Actually, it does. And not everyone reading these author notes like it either (even if no one has ever said it). Plus, it seems that there can be too much passion in doing so. So, it's sometimes easier to write in passive voice, or find other ways to talk with others in PMs or beta readings.
YChao- So why not just stop? Can't be that hard.
Chao- Because, again, that would break character. This screen name has been apart of FF.net since 2003, and a lot of reviews contain this style of reviewing.
Q: Where do you draw your inspiration from for fan fics?
Chao- Music, daydreaming while sitting in a large room where old adults write strange squiggles on a large board, long rides in moving vehicles, reading other fan fics, browsing through pictures of screen caps and fan art, and, most importantly, reading/watching the original thing. We like the show/book/movie so much, what better place to start getting ideas from? Sometimes it only takes a scene or a line from one character for inspiration to start flowing.
Q: What do you do for writer's block?
Chao- Mainly procrastinate. But sometimes Chao will go back in past chapters and see what was already written in case an important minor detail was actually there for some foreshadowing purposes. Also, it's always good to read other people's fan fics; there's so much passion in them!
Q: What's your typical writing style?
Chao- Chao likes to write a few lines of character and setting details. Don't care much for stories that don't describe where the heck a story takes place. And it is easier to separate dialogue lines from narration. Chao also likes third person omniscient since it allows readers to know all details.
Q: Do you have a favorite step in the writing process?
Chao- Editing. It's fun to just add or delete little lines and punctuation marks rather than write or brainstorm ideas.
Q: Do you have a favorite fan fic that you've written?
Chao- Yep, the Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic "Dreaming of You". Chao placed a lot of work into it the first time it came out. It was a lot of work but fun getting out and completing a story ten chapters long. It may have been a typical plot of Yugi-getting-kidnapped-and-Yami-has-to-save-him, but Chao was pretty satisfied with the meanings of moving on, dealing with grief, friendship, and, obviously, the Yugi torture. It kinda coincided with one of Chao's favorite things to read. Also, the Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic "Enjoying the Present" gets a special mention since it really pushed Chao to write and write while handling such a deep plot. Plus, a lot of people were moved by it, so Chao is pretty happy with that.
Q: Do you have a favorite fan fic written by someone else?
Chao- Of course! "The Darkest Light" by Trikki. It was published and completed in 2006. It's a Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic where Yami mysteriously gets his own body, and Yugi becomes possessed by an ancient spirit wanting revenge. Each chapter is named after a card, and the beginning of each chapter begins with saying what the card does, matching the theme of the chapter. It was such an awesome story that was written so nicely that Chao simply had to give two final reviews! Chao never gets bored of the plot where Yugi becomes possessed!
Q: Do you have a favorite online author?
Chao- Well, there are some pretty awesome users that have pretty admirable writing skills, like Scribbler, CF-fanfiction (formerly known as Chaos Flower), and Cactus Bob. These guys are truly amazing in what they write and how they write!
Q: Do you have a favorite category to read and/or write in?
Chao- Despite the Sonic the Hedgehog name and a dark chao pic, Chao actually prefers to read and write in the Yu-Gi-Oh!! category. It was one of Chao's favorite shows while airing on TV, and it's how Chao came upon this site, by looking up Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fics to read. And, Chao isn't going to lie, it's fun to torture Yugi and to see him get tortured.
Q: Do you have a favorite genre?
Chao- At first it was Angst and Tragedy, but now it's Family and Friendship. Why read drama when there's already plenty served in a lifetime? Let's get something with true meaning and hope!
Q: Do you have a least favorite genre?
Chao- Romance, when it comes to fan fics. More than half of them aren't even about love. Of course Drama is also up there.
Q: Why no pairings in what your read or write?
Chao- BORING!
Q: What are your guidelines for reviewing?
Chao- If Chao has read every word within a chapter or one shot, then Chao leaves a review. (So if anyone stumbles upon a fan fic with pairings with a review from this user, please understand it was because the author did not say anything about pairings until later in the story or placed a sign in the summary at a later time.) Chao likes to say what was liked and offer advice for improvement. If the story becomes uninteresting or becomes establish to have pairings or to have OCs that aren't villains but play a major role, then Chao at least wishes the author luck.
Q: Why don't you favor OCs?
Chao- They tend to steal the spotlight from canon characters. Some characters leave readers confused since the author does not know how to write them to allow readers to become familiar with them like with the canon characters. Plus, many of them have dumb roles, like being related to the main character or having a character fall in love with them. Sometimes the OC is just the writer using a different name.
Q: How many pages/words do you write for a typical chapter?
Chao- By Microsoft Works standards of default margins, it was at first only two pages. Then it expanded to four. Then Chao expanded the margins and change the type font to Times 12. That got to six pages. Now Chao is on average for eight to ten while using Microsoft Word. No idea how many words that averages!
Q: Have you ever done a request?
Chao- Well, for anyone requesting a story, most fan fics Chao writes are already in motion when anyone asks for something. But sometimes Chao will add little things in stories by reviewers.
Q: Do you have a favorite punctuation mark?
Chao- The semi-colon. It was the first punctuation mark outside the typical period, question mark, and exclamation point that Chao had actually mastered!
Q: Do you have a least favorite punctuation mark?
Chao- The comma. People use them as a pause in speech when really they should be used to separate clauses and phrases. Dialogue and narration are one thing, but a lot of users write the way they speak, technically using the commas incorrectly and without an explanation. And sometimes these rules and knowing when to break them can get pretty overwhelming. These guys are tricky to work with!
Q: Do you prefer to read/write one shots or chapters?
Chao- Dunno!
Q: Do you prefer canon or alternative universes?
Chao- Canon. It's a lot of fun reading more adventures these guys encounter.
Q: Have you ever used fan fics for school related work?
Chao- Yep. One incident involved reading The Giver and changing all the characters to Yu-Gi-Oh!! characters with Yugi being the protagonist. Another one was to write a mystery story, and again Chao used Yu-Gi-Oh!! characters and changed the names. Recently Chao had to write a short story and did the same thing.
Q: Do you have any hobbies outside of writing fan fics?
Chao- Does sleeping count? Eh, probably reading comments in YouTube videos. Some people sure do like to argue with trollers.
Q: Have you ever had a hand at writing something original?
Chao- Yeah, and it is HARD! This is why DarkChao1663 sticks to fan fics.
Q: Any family members know about you writing fan fics?
Chao- Two sisters. It can get pretty embarrassing.
Q: Any friends know about you writing fan fics?
Chao- Only two. But the subject doesn't get brought up a lot.
Q: Have you ever had anything removed by FF.net?
Chao- Yep. It was a Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic, and it got the readers involved into the story. It was called "What Are You Thankful For?" It was up in November several years back, and it was one where readers got to say what they were thankful for and got a chance to torture a Yu-Gi-Oh!! character. It actually lasted a few chapters before it was removed.
Q: Why did you remove any fan fics from your own free will?
Chao- It's not easy, but if a story really isn't going anywhere, why keep it up? Other times it was just too big of a challenge.
Q: When did you start your Beta profile?
Chao- Maybe a little after FF.net started offering it?
Q: Do you often beta for other people?
Chao- A few times. It's fun working with people when they have asked for help.
Q: Have you had other people beta your work?
Chao- Yes, and Chao is glad to have done so; some people can offer good perspectives.
Q: Have you ever collaborated with other authors?
Chao- No, namely because Chao has always been pretty busy with current fan fics. It wouldn't be fair to the other authors if Chao has been lazy. More power to those users who do, though.
Q: Why did you start this blog?
Chao- After seeing a few users having one, it seemed like it would be a great convenience. Chao doesn't care much for using the FF.net profile to give constant updates. Plus, Chao thought it would a good way to talk about stories and help others improve them. Chao really enjoys writing these entries!
Q: Have you ever regretted an entry or retyped an entry?
Chao- Regretted? No. Retyped? Yes. And those entries will have a note at the beginning of them to let new and returning readers know that such adjustments have been made.
Q: Have you ever borrowed ideas of what to write about?
Chao- All entries are ideas that Chao believes need to be addressed, unless they're meme-related. But Chao would like to ask some authors if they would like to be featured in an entry or have their idea talked about.
Q: What are your favorite type of cookies?
Chao- Chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal raisin.
Q: Do you have a universe you would want to live in?
Chao- Not really, but Dragon Ball Z seems pretty cool. You got capsules for homes and vehicles, and if the world is in danger, it will be saved by the Z Warriors! They die? Bring 'em back with the Dragon Balls! Yep, definitely better than living a world where the balance of the world depends on punk teens playing a children's card game.
Q: How long do you plan to write fan fics?
Chao- Until Chao gets a professional job, then Chao will retire. This author plans to graduate from college in Spring 2014, so we'll see how it goes.
Q: What do you plan to do after retirement?
Chao- Retire this character. The FF.net account won't be taken down in case people still want to read these fan fics. Anyone who wants to, though, can keep Chao's email. Chao plans to keep that email active so long asHotmail Outlook remains alive!
Q: Anything else?
Chao- It's been a big pleasure being on FF.net. It's nice having a place to post up stories and have people enjoy them. It's also nice reading good stories that people have placed heart into. And, in recent years, it was nice meeting new people and having returning authors liking Chao's stories and vice versa.
xxx
Chao- And there we go! Hope anyone who had stopped by and read any/all of this had fun doing so!
YChao- Wow, thank you for wasting my time with this entry and knowing you wasted ten years of your life doing this.
Agent Daisy- *nods in agreement*
Chao- Hey! If it wasn't for fan fics, then neither of you two would exist!
YChao- Oh, yes, we would have. And we'll always be here even when you stop writing fan fics. We'll be the voices in your head that questions every move you make. Every. Move.
Agent Daisy- *holds flashlight under chin*
Chao- That's ok. It's nice to have an opportunity to write in a universe that you enjoy while meeting new people. All and all, it's fun to write fan fics; they have helped Chao learn how to write and how to write good stories. *raises a box of apple juice* Here's to ten years with another one in progress!
YChao- So what are we doing here?
Chao- Today marks being a member on FF.net for ten years!
Agent Daisy- *blows party noise maker*
Chao- Chao has been planning this special entry for a while. After looking at the "since" section of people's profiles, it's kinda like, wow. Some people stop using their accounts after a few months while others just open new ones. Since Chao managed to keep up this commitment for this amount time, here's a special entry!
YChao- A special entry containing what? Do you have anything "special" planned?
Chao- Um.... We could just answer some questions from no particular source. Hence the title QnC, Questions and Chao. Those are always fun!
(Note: This is not a meme)
Q: Why did you decide to write fan fics?
Chao- They seemed like fun.
Q: How did you come across FF.net?
Chao- Some fan websites carried a fan fiction section, and some had links to this site. After reading some fan fics and learning how this website worked, Chao signed up for an account.
Q: What was your first category?
Chao- Yu-Gi-Oh!!
Q: What was your first crossover?
Chao- Between Sonic the Hedgehog and Yu-Gi-Oh!!. Chao pulled it down after two or three chapters of nothingness. It was random and funny, but couldn't think of much for progressing the story.
Q: What are your main goals for any fan fic?
Chao- Sometimes just entertainment while other times to give readers something meaningful. But namely Chao likes to give fans of that universe something fun to read.
Q: What are your favorite reviews to receive?
Chao- Some of them involve with how well written a story was or how well Chao managed to write canon characters. But, all and all, Chao likes receiving those reviews that say how much a reader had enjoyed reading them. Those ones are always nice.
Q: Where did your screen name originate?
Chao- The whole name started off as an email address. (It's even older than this FF.net account!) Sonic Adventure 2 Battle was one of the coolest games ever, especially since so many features were added to the chao world. The creature kinda became a nickname of what family members called Chao. The numbers were just suggested since the name was so gosh darn popular.
Q: Since your screen name was a nickname, would you respond to it in real life?
Chao- Yep, even if someone was actually referring to chow mien.
Q: Why choose the picture for your profile?
Chao- This is for anyone who did not know what a dark chao looked like. There are ways to customize them, but this one is a bit of a default. Aren't they awesome?!
Q: When did the whole talking in third person begin?
Chao- About the time the email account started. Again, it went along with having fun between family members.
Q: Have you ever thought about changing your screen name?
Chao- Sometimes, but then that would break character. It's nice, though, that FF.net allows users to do so without having to pay for plus accounts like other sites.
Q: Has this screen name been used for anything else?
Chao- For a Gaiaonline account and possibly Yahoo. Haven't been there in years, so they've probably been deactivated or frozen.
Q: Where do your partners in fan fics come along?
Chao- A lot of fans within the Yu-Gi-Oh!! community had yamis. Years ago, the trend was that users would only place the word "yami" in front of their screen name. It would fit into the theme like Yami Yugi or Yami Bakura.
YChao- Yep, I'm actually YamiDarkChao1663.
Chao- It's just something Chao never bothered to correct people, and it was easier to just type what you see now. Now it seems the trend has shifted to where these yamis have their own unique names. But they still keep their jobs of insulting authors and pointing out our flaws in the stories.
YChao- I don't speak in third person because one user doing that is already too much. Plus, it's just weird.
Agent Daisy- (points to self)
Chao- And then Daisy came along for Phineas and Ferb fan fics. It's just more fun to have a partner around for author notes.
Agent Daisy- (rolls eyes)
Chao- To be fair, some people actually like you.
Q: Does it ever get annoying to write in third person in your notes?
Chao- Actually, it does. And not everyone reading these author notes like it either (even if no one has ever said it). Plus, it seems that there can be too much passion in doing so. So, it's sometimes easier to write in passive voice, or find other ways to talk with others in PMs or beta readings.
YChao- So why not just stop? Can't be that hard.
Chao- Because, again, that would break character. This screen name has been apart of FF.net since 2003, and a lot of reviews contain this style of reviewing.
Q: Where do you draw your inspiration from for fan fics?
Chao- Music, daydreaming while sitting in a large room where old adults write strange squiggles on a large board, long rides in moving vehicles, reading other fan fics, browsing through pictures of screen caps and fan art, and, most importantly, reading/watching the original thing. We like the show/book/movie so much, what better place to start getting ideas from? Sometimes it only takes a scene or a line from one character for inspiration to start flowing.
Q: What do you do for writer's block?
Chao- Mainly procrastinate. But sometimes Chao will go back in past chapters and see what was already written in case an important minor detail was actually there for some foreshadowing purposes. Also, it's always good to read other people's fan fics; there's so much passion in them!
Q: What's your typical writing style?
Chao- Chao likes to write a few lines of character and setting details. Don't care much for stories that don't describe where the heck a story takes place. And it is easier to separate dialogue lines from narration. Chao also likes third person omniscient since it allows readers to know all details.
Q: Do you have a favorite step in the writing process?
Chao- Editing. It's fun to just add or delete little lines and punctuation marks rather than write or brainstorm ideas.
Q: Do you have a favorite fan fic that you've written?
Chao- Yep, the Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic "Dreaming of You". Chao placed a lot of work into it the first time it came out. It was a lot of work but fun getting out and completing a story ten chapters long. It may have been a typical plot of Yugi-getting-kidnapped-and-Yami-has-to-save-him, but Chao was pretty satisfied with the meanings of moving on, dealing with grief, friendship, and, obviously, the Yugi torture. It kinda coincided with one of Chao's favorite things to read. Also, the Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic "Enjoying the Present" gets a special mention since it really pushed Chao to write and write while handling such a deep plot. Plus, a lot of people were moved by it, so Chao is pretty happy with that.
Q: Do you have a favorite fan fic written by someone else?
Chao- Of course! "The Darkest Light" by Trikki. It was published and completed in 2006. It's a Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic where Yami mysteriously gets his own body, and Yugi becomes possessed by an ancient spirit wanting revenge. Each chapter is named after a card, and the beginning of each chapter begins with saying what the card does, matching the theme of the chapter. It was such an awesome story that was written so nicely that Chao simply had to give two final reviews! Chao never gets bored of the plot where Yugi becomes possessed!
Q: Do you have a favorite online author?
Chao- Well, there are some pretty awesome users that have pretty admirable writing skills, like Scribbler, CF-fanfiction (formerly known as Chaos Flower), and Cactus Bob. These guys are truly amazing in what they write and how they write!
Q: Do you have a favorite category to read and/or write in?
Chao- Despite the Sonic the Hedgehog name and a dark chao pic, Chao actually prefers to read and write in the Yu-Gi-Oh!! category. It was one of Chao's favorite shows while airing on TV, and it's how Chao came upon this site, by looking up Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fics to read. And, Chao isn't going to lie, it's fun to torture Yugi and to see him get tortured.
Q: Do you have a favorite genre?
Chao- At first it was Angst and Tragedy, but now it's Family and Friendship. Why read drama when there's already plenty served in a lifetime? Let's get something with true meaning and hope!
Q: Do you have a least favorite genre?
Chao- Romance, when it comes to fan fics. More than half of them aren't even about love. Of course Drama is also up there.
Q: Why no pairings in what your read or write?
Chao- BORING!
Q: What are your guidelines for reviewing?
Chao- If Chao has read every word within a chapter or one shot, then Chao leaves a review. (So if anyone stumbles upon a fan fic with pairings with a review from this user, please understand it was because the author did not say anything about pairings until later in the story or placed a sign in the summary at a later time.) Chao likes to say what was liked and offer advice for improvement. If the story becomes uninteresting or becomes establish to have pairings or to have OCs that aren't villains but play a major role, then Chao at least wishes the author luck.
Q: Why don't you favor OCs?
Chao- They tend to steal the spotlight from canon characters. Some characters leave readers confused since the author does not know how to write them to allow readers to become familiar with them like with the canon characters. Plus, many of them have dumb roles, like being related to the main character or having a character fall in love with them. Sometimes the OC is just the writer using a different name.
Q: How many pages/words do you write for a typical chapter?
Chao- By Microsoft Works standards of default margins, it was at first only two pages. Then it expanded to four. Then Chao expanded the margins and change the type font to Times 12. That got to six pages. Now Chao is on average for eight to ten while using Microsoft Word. No idea how many words that averages!
Q: Have you ever done a request?
Chao- Well, for anyone requesting a story, most fan fics Chao writes are already in motion when anyone asks for something. But sometimes Chao will add little things in stories by reviewers.
Q: Do you have a favorite punctuation mark?
Chao- The semi-colon. It was the first punctuation mark outside the typical period, question mark, and exclamation point that Chao had actually mastered!
Q: Do you have a least favorite punctuation mark?
Chao- The comma. People use them as a pause in speech when really they should be used to separate clauses and phrases. Dialogue and narration are one thing, but a lot of users write the way they speak, technically using the commas incorrectly and without an explanation. And sometimes these rules and knowing when to break them can get pretty overwhelming. These guys are tricky to work with!
Q: Do you prefer to read/write one shots or chapters?
Chao- Dunno!
Q: Do you prefer canon or alternative universes?
Chao- Canon. It's a lot of fun reading more adventures these guys encounter.
Q: Have you ever used fan fics for school related work?
Chao- Yep. One incident involved reading The Giver and changing all the characters to Yu-Gi-Oh!! characters with Yugi being the protagonist. Another one was to write a mystery story, and again Chao used Yu-Gi-Oh!! characters and changed the names. Recently Chao had to write a short story and did the same thing.
Q: Do you have any hobbies outside of writing fan fics?
Chao- Does sleeping count? Eh, probably reading comments in YouTube videos. Some people sure do like to argue with trollers.
Q: Have you ever had a hand at writing something original?
Chao- Yeah, and it is HARD! This is why DarkChao1663 sticks to fan fics.
Q: Any family members know about you writing fan fics?
Chao- Two sisters. It can get pretty embarrassing.
Q: Any friends know about you writing fan fics?
Chao- Only two. But the subject doesn't get brought up a lot.
Q: Have you ever had anything removed by FF.net?
Chao- Yep. It was a Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic, and it got the readers involved into the story. It was called "What Are You Thankful For?" It was up in November several years back, and it was one where readers got to say what they were thankful for and got a chance to torture a Yu-Gi-Oh!! character. It actually lasted a few chapters before it was removed.
Q: Why did you remove any fan fics from your own free will?
Chao- It's not easy, but if a story really isn't going anywhere, why keep it up? Other times it was just too big of a challenge.
Q: When did you start your Beta profile?
Chao- Maybe a little after FF.net started offering it?
Q: Do you often beta for other people?
Chao- A few times. It's fun working with people when they have asked for help.
Q: Have you had other people beta your work?
Chao- Yes, and Chao is glad to have done so; some people can offer good perspectives.
Q: Have you ever collaborated with other authors?
Chao- No, namely because Chao has always been pretty busy with current fan fics. It wouldn't be fair to the other authors if Chao has been lazy. More power to those users who do, though.
Q: Why did you start this blog?
Chao- After seeing a few users having one, it seemed like it would be a great convenience. Chao doesn't care much for using the FF.net profile to give constant updates. Plus, Chao thought it would a good way to talk about stories and help others improve them. Chao really enjoys writing these entries!
Q: Have you ever regretted an entry or retyped an entry?
Chao- Regretted? No. Retyped? Yes. And those entries will have a note at the beginning of them to let new and returning readers know that such adjustments have been made.
Q: Have you ever borrowed ideas of what to write about?
Chao- All entries are ideas that Chao believes need to be addressed, unless they're meme-related. But Chao would like to ask some authors if they would like to be featured in an entry or have their idea talked about.
Q: What are your favorite type of cookies?
Chao- Chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal raisin.
Q: Do you have a universe you would want to live in?
Chao- Not really, but Dragon Ball Z seems pretty cool. You got capsules for homes and vehicles, and if the world is in danger, it will be saved by the Z Warriors! They die? Bring 'em back with the Dragon Balls! Yep, definitely better than living a world where the balance of the world depends on punk teens playing a children's card game.
Q: How long do you plan to write fan fics?
Chao- Until Chao gets a professional job, then Chao will retire. This author plans to graduate from college in Spring 2014, so we'll see how it goes.
Q: What do you plan to do after retirement?
Chao- Retire this character. The FF.net account won't be taken down in case people still want to read these fan fics. Anyone who wants to, though, can keep Chao's email. Chao plans to keep that email active so long as
Q: Anything else?
Chao- It's been a big pleasure being on FF.net. It's nice having a place to post up stories and have people enjoy them. It's also nice reading good stories that people have placed heart into. And, in recent years, it was nice meeting new people and having returning authors liking Chao's stories and vice versa.
xxx
Chao- And there we go! Hope anyone who had stopped by and read any/all of this had fun doing so!
YChao- Wow, thank you for wasting my time with this entry and knowing you wasted ten years of your life doing this.
Agent Daisy- *nods in agreement*
Chao- Hey! If it wasn't for fan fics, then neither of you two would exist!
YChao- Oh, yes, we would have. And we'll always be here even when you stop writing fan fics. We'll be the voices in your head that questions every move you make. Every. Move.
Agent Daisy- *holds flashlight under chin*
Chao- That's ok. It's nice to have an opportunity to write in a universe that you enjoy while meeting new people. All and all, it's fun to write fan fics; they have helped Chao learn how to write and how to write good stories. *raises a box of apple juice* Here's to ten years with another one in progress!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
A Short Meme of 22 Questions
1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 81, and find line 4.
Chao- "A Gallehault indeed, that book and he..." The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri.
2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can, What can you touch?
Chao- The bedroom wall.
3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Chao- The Simpson's.
4. Without looking, guess what time it is:
Chao- Well let's see, Chao was watching The Simpson's at 10:00, so... 10:52 p.m.?
5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
Chao- 10:51 p.m. Wow! Chao was close!
6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
Chao- Exception of the computer? Wow. Right now, nothing. It's actually quite nice!
7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
Chao- This evening to see a movie.
8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
Chao- A few documents for fan fics.
9. What are you wearing?
Chao- Pajamas.
10. Did you dream last night?
Chao- Probably.
11. When did you last laugh?
Chao- Watching Regular Show. No, not during The Simpson's. That show hasn't been funny for a while.
12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?
Chao- Posters of cartoons, movies, and videogames. There's also a calendar of American landmarks.
13. Seen anything weird lately?
Chao- This meme.
14. What do you think of this quiz?
Chao- It was fine.
15. What is the last film you saw?
Chao- In theaters? Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. Not as awesome as the first one, but it was hilarious! It was totally worth seeing it in 3D!
16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
Chao- The copy rights to Yu-Gi-Oh!! Nah, jk! A trip to Disneyworld!
17. Tell me something about you that I don't know...
Chao- ... What do you already know?
18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
Chao- People need to chill over what other people like and dislike. We all have likes and dislikes. If we want to be given respect, then show it to others.
19. Do you like to dance?
Chao- Sure, but Chao isn't great at it.
20. George Bush:
Chao- Are we talking about a president of the United States or some random guy with the same name? If it's the former, President #41 or #43? If it's the latter, hopefully he isn't hopelessly lost in the woods or something.
21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Chao- Jessie (Pokémon) because Chao can't think of good names and Chao plans on not having any kids.
22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
Chao- James, again, Pokémon. Wouldn't it be weird if some kid was actually called Yugi? Joey and Tristan may sound normal, so yeah.
xxx
Chao- Well, that was an interesting meme.
Chao- "A Gallehault indeed, that book and he..." The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri.
2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can, What can you touch?
Chao- The bedroom wall.
3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Chao- The Simpson's.
4. Without looking, guess what time it is:
Chao- Well let's see, Chao was watching The Simpson's at 10:00, so... 10:52 p.m.?
5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
Chao- 10:51 p.m. Wow! Chao was close!
6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
Chao- Exception of the computer? Wow. Right now, nothing. It's actually quite nice!
7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
Chao- This evening to see a movie.
8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
Chao- A few documents for fan fics.
9. What are you wearing?
Chao- Pajamas.
10. Did you dream last night?
Chao- Probably.
11. When did you last laugh?
Chao- Watching Regular Show. No, not during The Simpson's. That show hasn't been funny for a while.
12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?
Chao- Posters of cartoons, movies, and videogames. There's also a calendar of American landmarks.
13. Seen anything weird lately?
Chao- This meme.
14. What do you think of this quiz?
Chao- It was fine.
15. What is the last film you saw?
Chao- In theaters? Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. Not as awesome as the first one, but it was hilarious! It was totally worth seeing it in 3D!
16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
Chao- The copy rights to Yu-Gi-Oh!! Nah, jk! A trip to Disneyworld!
17. Tell me something about you that I don't know...
Chao- ... What do you already know?
18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
Chao- People need to chill over what other people like and dislike. We all have likes and dislikes. If we want to be given respect, then show it to others.
19. Do you like to dance?
Chao- Sure, but Chao isn't great at it.
20. George Bush:
Chao- Are we talking about a president of the United States or some random guy with the same name? If it's the former, President #41 or #43? If it's the latter, hopefully he isn't hopelessly lost in the woods or something.
21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Chao- Jessie (Pokémon) because Chao can't think of good names and Chao plans on not having any kids.
22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
Chao- James, again, Pokémon. Wouldn't it be weird if some kid was actually called Yugi? Joey and Tristan may sound normal, so yeah.
xxx
Chao- Well, that was an interesting meme.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Heeding People's Warnings
Chao- When we first get into reading fan fics, we are open to a new world. We meet people who are interested in our favorite universes, and we may start uploading our own fun. We come across new ideas regarding characters--seeing them in ways we may not have. But reading such adventures also means exposure to ideas that might be considered dark or offensive to some. And then there's also the issue with pairings.
YChao- We could get into the discussion of whether or not authors can just say there will be pairings and how some users may see that by even doing that the authors are already giving hint as to what lies in their story. But that's a different topic, one that Chao doesn't plan on touching.
Chao- Now, Chao is someone who looks for warnings before beginning a story to read. Chao also likes to place warnings in fan fics in case there's a topic some people are not comfortable with. After all, there are other issues that people may not feel comfortable reading: Swearing, abuse, rape, alcohol and drugs, gore, racism, fetishes. The list goes on.
YChao- And there are some pretty strange fetishes out there.
Agent Daisy- (nods in agreement)
Chao- And these are only minute warnings. There are fan communities that have gathered against particular fan fics and try and warn others not to read them
YChao- Fans gathered against a common enemy? Or is this more of reverse psychology?
Chao- Well, here are two examples. "Dipper Goes to Taco Bell". Dunno what it's about, but it's a Gravity Falls fan fic, and people have screamed not to read it for one reason or another. For those who are into My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, there's also the fan comic "Cupcakes". And many fans in that universe have been appalled by the violence found in it.
YChao- Seriously? There's stuff like that just for kids' shows?
Chao- Well, no matter the genre or universe, some people think they're being "funny" doing such things. And then some people read these stories out of curiosity.
Agent Daisy- (shakes head in grief)
Chao- All and all, if you read in the summary or in the author notes that there's an issue you may not be comfortable with, seriously, don't read it. And if a majority of fans are telling you not to read it, do yourself a favor and save time by NOT reading. Luckily most authors place these warnings somewhere, and readers generally adhere to a simple rule: Don't like, don't read.
YChao- We could get into the discussion of whether or not authors can just say there will be pairings and how some users may see that by even doing that the authors are already giving hint as to what lies in their story. But that's a different topic, one that Chao doesn't plan on touching.
Chao- Now, Chao is someone who looks for warnings before beginning a story to read. Chao also likes to place warnings in fan fics in case there's a topic some people are not comfortable with. After all, there are other issues that people may not feel comfortable reading: Swearing, abuse, rape, alcohol and drugs, gore, racism, fetishes. The list goes on.
YChao- And there are some pretty strange fetishes out there.
Agent Daisy- (nods in agreement)
Chao- And these are only minute warnings. There are fan communities that have gathered against particular fan fics and try and warn others not to read them
YChao- Fans gathered against a common enemy? Or is this more of reverse psychology?
Chao- Well, here are two examples. "Dipper Goes to Taco Bell". Dunno what it's about, but it's a Gravity Falls fan fic, and people have screamed not to read it for one reason or another. For those who are into My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, there's also the fan comic "Cupcakes". And many fans in that universe have been appalled by the violence found in it.
YChao- Seriously? There's stuff like that just for kids' shows?
Chao- Well, no matter the genre or universe, some people think they're being "funny" doing such things. And then some people read these stories out of curiosity.
Agent Daisy- (shakes head in grief)
Chao- All and all, if you read in the summary or in the author notes that there's an issue you may not be comfortable with, seriously, don't read it. And if a majority of fans are telling you not to read it, do yourself a favor and save time by NOT reading. Luckily most authors place these warnings somewhere, and readers generally adhere to a simple rule: Don't like, don't read.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Remember Your Audience and Purpose
Chao- It's easy to get lost in your whole story when you're so focused on making sure that every small work and paragraph illustrates your story. You may be so absorbed on one chapter that you forget what you had already placed in for foreshadowing or what ending you have in mind. How can we be better prepared for ensuring our stories aren't chopped up? Take a look what's written in bold.
Purpose: What is the purpose of your story? Does it have a theme or a lesson you want to convey?
Chao- Knowing what the purpose is can help motivate you to display it throughout the whole story.
Audience: Who is your audience: Readers in the category you are submitting? Readers searching for a specific genre? Or is this story just for you?
Chao- Many of us like to get reviews for our stories; they mean other people are reading and want to know what's gonna happen next. Do you want them to feel something after each chapter? If the story is for yourself, remember to pat yourself on the back from time to time.
Category (FF.net): Everyone already has an idea of where to submit: one category or crossover.
Category (FP.com): Prose or Poetry?
Chao- This seems pretty clear.
Genre: What genre are you aiming for?
Chao- There are plenty of genres to pick from. Which ones do you believe fit best for your work?
Remember!: If you are posting your story on FF.net of FP.com, it is ok to change genres!
Chao- Sometimes we find out stories actually hitting other genres than what we started out with. That's ok. You can adjust them and let your audience know in your author notes. Keeping these notes can really help you out and motivate you to what you started out with even if you decide you want to morph it into something else.
Purpose: What is the purpose of your story? Does it have a theme or a lesson you want to convey?
Chao- Knowing what the purpose is can help motivate you to display it throughout the whole story.
Audience: Who is your audience: Readers in the category you are submitting? Readers searching for a specific genre? Or is this story just for you?
Chao- Many of us like to get reviews for our stories; they mean other people are reading and want to know what's gonna happen next. Do you want them to feel something after each chapter? If the story is for yourself, remember to pat yourself on the back from time to time.
Category (FF.net): Everyone already has an idea of where to submit: one category or crossover.
Category (FP.com): Prose or Poetry?
Chao- This seems pretty clear.
Genre: What genre are you aiming for?
Chao- There are plenty of genres to pick from. Which ones do you believe fit best for your work?
Remember!: If you are posting your story on FF.net of FP.com, it is ok to change genres!
Chao- Sometimes we find out stories actually hitting other genres than what we started out with. That's ok. You can adjust them and let your audience know in your author notes. Keeping these notes can really help you out and motivate you to what you started out with even if you decide you want to morph it into something else.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Updates for October
Chao- Got a new laptop with all previous files backed up and got Microsoft Word installed! They're running pretty nicely. Gosh, in that time without a computer it was difficult not having a chance to read fan fics or write them. It's good catching up on some reading. But even with this laptop/Word situation solved, Chao isn't sure what can be worked on; got a lot of readings and papers to work on for school! On the other hand, it is October, and Chao has been planning on special Yu-Gi-Oh!! fan fic. That will be posted towards the end of this month. There will also be a special entry around the same time. Guess we'll see how they go! Hope to hear from you all soon!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Excuses, Excuses (and Writer's Block)
"I was in a rush."
"I lost interest."
"I didn't know how to write it, so I skipped it."
Chao- We all have reasons explaining why a part of a story was dull, neglected, or rushed through. Some readers are more understanding about these factors than others. But, come on, is that really fair to your readers or to yourself as a writer? This isn't an academic paper! Here are a few ideas to get back on track. Try them out!
Take a Break: Sometimes walking away for a bit can clear your mind and give you a new perspective.
Look at Something Similar: Some artists who first start drawing trace and copy poses in How to Draw books. Writers can look at something similar in writing and try and mimic that.
Visualize it (a scene, a character, etc) in Your Mind: If you can see it in your mind, you'll have an illustration to refer to.
Read It in a New Layout: On some writing programs, like Microsoft Word, you can change the format you are looking at your work. By default it's on Print Layout, but you could try something new like Web Layout.
Try a Writing Exercise: There are websites and books that offer various types of exercises for you to explore in areas you are comfortable with to situations you may have never thought of on your own.
Chao- Perhaps the reason why we skip over certain parts is due to writer's block. If we write at least something, we can get on with our other adventures, right? Here are some websites that talk about that!
Overcoming Writer's Block
The 10 Types of Writers Block and How to Overcome Them
Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block
Chao- Fanfiction.net, Fictionpress.com, and deviantART.com all have ways to communicate between authors and readers through the comments feature, profiles, or author notes. This is fine to use for explanation, but remember that stories are meant to be illustrated, not told. With published books, unless you have a chance to meet the authors or stalk them on their blogs, you won't know what goes on their mind. All you have is the summary, a little author bio, and maybe a line for dedication. Chao is definitely gonna miss reading author notes when leaving FF.net. But that won't be for a while!
"I lost interest."
"I didn't know how to write it, so I skipped it."
Chao- We all have reasons explaining why a part of a story was dull, neglected, or rushed through. Some readers are more understanding about these factors than others. But, come on, is that really fair to your readers or to yourself as a writer? This isn't an academic paper! Here are a few ideas to get back on track. Try them out!
Take a Break: Sometimes walking away for a bit can clear your mind and give you a new perspective.
Look at Something Similar: Some artists who first start drawing trace and copy poses in How to Draw books. Writers can look at something similar in writing and try and mimic that.
Visualize it (a scene, a character, etc) in Your Mind: If you can see it in your mind, you'll have an illustration to refer to.
Read It in a New Layout: On some writing programs, like Microsoft Word, you can change the format you are looking at your work. By default it's on Print Layout, but you could try something new like Web Layout.
Try a Writing Exercise: There are websites and books that offer various types of exercises for you to explore in areas you are comfortable with to situations you may have never thought of on your own.
Chao- Perhaps the reason why we skip over certain parts is due to writer's block. If we write at least something, we can get on with our other adventures, right? Here are some websites that talk about that!
Overcoming Writer's Block
The 10 Types of Writers Block and How to Overcome Them
Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block
Chao- Fanfiction.net, Fictionpress.com, and deviantART.com all have ways to communicate between authors and readers through the comments feature, profiles, or author notes. This is fine to use for explanation, but remember that stories are meant to be illustrated, not told. With published books, unless you have a chance to meet the authors or stalk them on their blogs, you won't know what goes on their mind. All you have is the summary, a little author bio, and maybe a line for dedication. Chao is definitely gonna miss reading author notes when leaving FF.net. But that won't be for a while!
Sunday, September 15, 2013
New FF.net Filter Add On
Chao- OCs.... Own Characters.... Characters that authors create to go alongside canon characters.
YChao- You've never been fond of them.
Chao- Can't help it. Sometimes, not always, authors give these guys more "screen time" than canon characters. They tend to steal the spotlight from canon characters. Plus, many of them have dumb roles, like being related to the main character or having a character fall in love with them. Sometimes the OC is even just the writer using a different name.
YChao- Maybe some readers like that.
Chao- Other times, though, authors don't know how to work OCs along with canon characters. Anyone else think that some authors leave out essential details to OCs?
Agent Daisy- (shakes head)
Chao- It just seems like authors expect readers to be as familiar with OCs like with canon characters.
YChao- But weren't all canon characters OCs at some point? They do belong to the original authors until they sell their souls to big companies to make their work an anime or movie.
Chao- Exactly. And those authors spend time allowing readers to become familiar with them. Some OCs leave readers confused since novice authors do not know how to write them and allow readers to become familiar with them like with the canon characters.
YChao- And was there a point to this entry?
Chao- The fact the FF.net staff has added OC to the characters slot! It's is hilarious! Now Chao can finally filter fan fics with that!
YChao- You've never been fond of them.
Chao- Can't help it. Sometimes, not always, authors give these guys more "screen time" than canon characters. They tend to steal the spotlight from canon characters. Plus, many of them have dumb roles, like being related to the main character or having a character fall in love with them. Sometimes the OC is even just the writer using a different name.
YChao- Maybe some readers like that.
Chao- Other times, though, authors don't know how to work OCs along with canon characters. Anyone else think that some authors leave out essential details to OCs?
Agent Daisy- (shakes head)
Chao- It just seems like authors expect readers to be as familiar with OCs like with canon characters.
YChao- But weren't all canon characters OCs at some point? They do belong to the original authors until they sell their souls to big companies to make their work an anime or movie.
Chao- Exactly. And those authors spend time allowing readers to become familiar with them. Some OCs leave readers confused since novice authors do not know how to write them and allow readers to become familiar with them like with the canon characters.
YChao- And was there a point to this entry?
Chao- The fact the FF.net staff has added OC to the characters slot! It's is hilarious! Now Chao can finally filter fan fics with that!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Things that Rocked
Copy and paste this into your profile if when you were young...
There were only 150 Pokemon.
Digimon was popular.
Yugi-Oh actually had Yugi in it. (Chao- Thank goodness for the manga!)
You didn't get weird looks when you went Trick-or-Treating.
Nobody cared what you looked like.
Hamtaro ROCKED.
Catching a pigeon was cool.
Pirates before Pirates of the Carribean. (Chao- Or One Piece!)
Nobody knew how to spell 'Volcano'.
Pinky and the Brain were cartoon characters, not body parts.
Saying 'moron' was a swear word.
Fire was considered dangerous.
The only thing you had to worry about were cooties.
Cursive writing was just a bunch of swirly lines.
Multiplication was scary.
Dora the Explorer and that goddamned monkey who follows her EVERYWHERE didn't exist.
The first Harry Potter was the coolest thing since sliced bread.
If you were, copy and paste then write your name.
Chao- Ah, memories of childhood. It's always something funny to read no matter the age of people. Of course, now you have kids getting iPads and cell phones for gifts rather than coloring books or board games. Oh, well! That is life!
There were only 150 Pokemon.
Digimon was popular.
Yugi-Oh actually had Yugi in it. (Chao- Thank goodness for the manga!)
You didn't get weird looks when you went Trick-or-Treating.
Nobody cared what you looked like.
Hamtaro ROCKED.
Catching a pigeon was cool.
Pirates before Pirates of the Carribean. (Chao- Or One Piece!)
Nobody knew how to spell 'Volcano'.
Pinky and the Brain were cartoon characters, not body parts.
Saying 'moron' was a swear word.
Fire was considered dangerous.
The only thing you had to worry about were cooties.
Cursive writing was just a bunch of swirly lines.
Multiplication was scary.
Dora the Explorer and that goddamned monkey who follows her EVERYWHERE didn't exist.
The first Harry Potter was the coolest thing since sliced bread.
If you were, copy and paste then write your name.
Chao- Ah, memories of childhood. It's always something funny to read no matter the age of people. Of course, now you have kids getting iPads and cell phones for gifts rather than coloring books or board games. Oh, well! That is life!
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Updates for September
Chao- Hope the first month has been going well for those attending school! Sorry that nothing has been done lately. Getting a new computer since the old/current one's Internet and system are not operating well and Chao is busy trying to back up all files. All that is gonna take some time, so any and all updates for any and all fan fics is gonna hafta wait. And reviews are gonna be on pause since Chao doesn't have time to read. Will do that at a given chance. Other updates for this blog will be on pause too. Gonna update this after the new computer has arrived and is set up. Hope to hear from you all soon!
Monday, August 26, 2013
100 Stupid Things that People Do Meme!
This is the stupidity test! 100 stupid things that people do! Bold the ones that you have done!
1. Forgot to put the lid on the blender, turned it on, and had everything fly out
2. Gotten your head stuck between the stair rails
3. Broken a chair by leaning back in it
4. Had gum fall out of your mouth while you were talking
5. Choked on your own spit while you were talking
6. Had people tell you that you are blonde when you're not/or had had people tell you that your blonde highlights are going to your head
7. Been caught staring at your crush by your crush him/herself
8. Have looked for something for at least 10 min then realized it was in your hand
9. Tried to push open a door that said pull
10. Tried to pull open a door that said push
11. Have actually believed someone when they said that they knew how to make a love potion
12. Have hit yourself in the process of trying to hit something else
14. Have actually exploded marshmallows in the microwave
15. Have gotten gum stuck in your hair
16. Had gum fall out of your mouth while trying to blow a bubble
17. Have had the juice from a mini tomato squirt out and hit somebody else when you bit into it
18. Have had your drink come out your nose because you were laughing so hard
19. Have called one of your good friends by the wrong name
20. Have skinned your toe because you were playing soccer or kickball with flip flops on or you were barefoot
21. Have put a sticker on your forehead, forgot it was there, and went out in public with it on
22. Have fallen out of a moving vehicle.
23. Have run into a closed door
24. Have almost shot someone with a cork-gun while trying to shoot something else
25. Searched for your cell phone while you were talking on it
26. It has taken you longer than 5 min to get a joke
27. Have gotten your hair stuck in a blow dryer
28. Have gotten your hair stuck in a fan
29. Tripped on a crack in the sidewalk
30. Said o'clock after saying how many min after the hour, example: 5:30 o'clock, or 6:15 o'clock
31. After someone told you that there was gum on the ground, you stepped in it
32. Put on a white shirt even though you already knew it was raining outside
33. Have ever walked up to a stranger because you thought they were someone else
34. Ever been kicked out of a grocery store/off their property
35. Touched the stove, the curling iron, a hot pan, etc on purpose even though you knew it was hot
36. Picked out your change of clothes, took off the ones you had on and then accidentally put the old clothes back on
37. Wondered why something wasn't working then realized it wasn't plugged in
38. Put the cereal in the fridge, or put the milk in the cupboard
39. Walked into a pole
40. Wore two different earrings or shoes by accident
41. Put your shirt on backwards/inside-out without realizing it then left your house
42. Tried to take a picture of your/someone's eye with the flash on
43. Gotten a ring stuck on your finger because you put it on even though you knew it was too small
44. Walked out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to your shoe without realizing it
45. Went to go do something/go get something, then when you got there forgot what is was that you were going to do.
46. Picked up someone else's drink and drank out of it by accident when your drink was right next to it
47. Fallen out of your chair while trying to pick something up
48. Have poked yourself in the eye
49. Have gotten in the shower with your socks still on
50. Melted your hairbrush while blow drying your hair
51. Have done enough stupid things to make a test
52. Have accidentally stabbed yourself with a pencil
53. Have sung the wrong verse to a song without realizing it
54. Have given an odd answer to a question because you didn't hear the question in the first place and didn't feel like asking what it was.
55. Told someone you were the wrong age because you seriously forgot how old you were
56. Looked into an overhead light purposely while it was on
57. Got up early and got ready for school/work/meeting, then realized that you didn't have school/work/meeting that day.
58. Have tripped on a cord after someone told you to watch out for it
60. Have ever laughed at a joke or movie that no one else thought was funny
61. Done the Macarena to the electric slide or vice versa
62. Said funner, then had someone make fun of you for it
63. Have repeated yourself at least twice in the same sentence
64. Brought up an inside joke with the wrong person
65. Didn't do the backside of an assignment because you thought that there wasn't one or because you had already looked and forgot that there was another side
66. Did more work than you had to on an assignment because you didn't read the directions
67. Corrected someone's grammar/pronunciation then figured out that you were the one that was wrong
68. Put something in a special place so that you would remember where it was, then forgot where you put it
69. Put ice in your drink after the glass was full of liquid and had it splash out.
70. Told a lie then forgot what it was that you had said and got caught
71. When wearing goggles, you pulled them away from your face and let go so that they would come back and snap you in the face
72. Forgot to make sure that the lamp was off before you replaced the light bulb
73. Ran into a door jam
74. Told someone that you hardly ever do stupid things, then immediately did/said something stupid
75. Told someone to watch out for something, then you were the one that ran into it
76. Have purposely licked playground sand
77. Have purposely and repeatedly flicked yourself with a rubber band
78. Gotten so hyper that someone actually thought you had eaten lots of plain sugar when you haden't had any
79. Have been so hyper you actually scared people
80. Put duct tape on your body then pulled it off to see if it would pull your hairs out
81. Put duct tape on your hair/someone else's hair then pulled it off
82. Put a clothes pin/hair clip on your lip, figured out that it hurt, then did it again
83. Sat and wondered why men’s dress shirts have a loop on the back
84. Made up a code name for someone so that you could talk about them to someone else and no one else would know who you were talking about
85. Have gotten a hairbrush stuck in your hair
86. Used the straw to blow the straw wrapper at someone
87. Shaved your tongue because you thought your taste buds looked weird
88. When at a restaurant/cafeteria, you used your spoon to fling stuff at people
89. Have flung forks at people in a restaurant/cafeteria
90. Sucked on a cup and got a suction ring from it
91. As you were writing, you moved your head back and forth with your pen/pencil
92. Have drawn finger puppets on your fingers then named them
93. Have wrapped someone in a roll of toilet paper
94. Have used somebody else's toothbrush without even realizing it wasn't yours
95. Started telling a story and forget what you were talking about or what happened in the story
96. When you saw a ‘beware of dog’ sign, you told the owners to beware of the dogs not realizing they owned the dogs
97. You have spelled your own name wrong before
98. When lying in bed you look for pictures in the texture of the ceiling
99. Have used your calculator as a form of communication in class
100. Have popped a balloon in your mouth
Chao- This was fun to "fill out", and there were some good laughs, but at some point, this meme seems to stray away from stupid things to random things. Oh, well.
1. Forgot to put the lid on the blender, turned it on, and had everything fly out
2. Gotten your head stuck between the stair rails
3. Broken a chair by leaning back in it
4. Had gum fall out of your mouth while you were talking
5. Choked on your own spit while you were talking
6. Had people tell you that you are blonde when you're not/or had had people tell you that your blonde highlights are going to your head
7. Been caught staring at your crush by your crush him/herself
8. Have looked for something for at least 10 min then realized it was in your hand
9. Tried to push open a door that said pull
10. Tried to pull open a door that said push
11. Have actually believed someone when they said that they knew how to make a love potion
12. Have hit yourself in the process of trying to hit something else
14. Have actually exploded marshmallows in the microwave
15. Have gotten gum stuck in your hair
16. Had gum fall out of your mouth while trying to blow a bubble
17. Have had the juice from a mini tomato squirt out and hit somebody else when you bit into it
18. Have had your drink come out your nose because you were laughing so hard
19. Have called one of your good friends by the wrong name
20. Have skinned your toe because you were playing soccer or kickball with flip flops on or you were barefoot
21. Have put a sticker on your forehead, forgot it was there, and went out in public with it on
22. Have fallen out of a moving vehicle.
23. Have run into a closed door
24. Have almost shot someone with a cork-gun while trying to shoot something else
25. Searched for your cell phone while you were talking on it
26. It has taken you longer than 5 min to get a joke
27. Have gotten your hair stuck in a blow dryer
28. Have gotten your hair stuck in a fan
29. Tripped on a crack in the sidewalk
30. Said o'clock after saying how many min after the hour, example: 5:30 o'clock, or 6:15 o'clock
31. After someone told you that there was gum on the ground, you stepped in it
32. Put on a white shirt even though you already knew it was raining outside
33. Have ever walked up to a stranger because you thought they were someone else
34. Ever been kicked out of a grocery store/off their property
35. Touched the stove, the curling iron, a hot pan, etc on purpose even though you knew it was hot
36. Picked out your change of clothes, took off the ones you had on and then accidentally put the old clothes back on
37. Wondered why something wasn't working then realized it wasn't plugged in
38. Put the cereal in the fridge, or put the milk in the cupboard
39. Walked into a pole
40. Wore two different earrings or shoes by accident
41. Put your shirt on backwards/inside-out without realizing it then left your house
42. Tried to take a picture of your/someone's eye with the flash on
43. Gotten a ring stuck on your finger because you put it on even though you knew it was too small
44. Walked out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to your shoe without realizing it
45. Went to go do something/go get something, then when you got there forgot what is was that you were going to do.
46. Picked up someone else's drink and drank out of it by accident when your drink was right next to it
47. Fallen out of your chair while trying to pick something up
48. Have poked yourself in the eye
49. Have gotten in the shower with your socks still on
50. Melted your hairbrush while blow drying your hair
51. Have done enough stupid things to make a test
52. Have accidentally stabbed yourself with a pencil
53. Have sung the wrong verse to a song without realizing it
54. Have given an odd answer to a question because you didn't hear the question in the first place and didn't feel like asking what it was.
55. Told someone you were the wrong age because you seriously forgot how old you were
56. Looked into an overhead light purposely while it was on
57. Got up early and got ready for school/work/meeting, then realized that you didn't have school/work/meeting that day.
58. Have tripped on a cord after someone told you to watch out for it
60. Have ever laughed at a joke or movie that no one else thought was funny
61. Done the Macarena to the electric slide or vice versa
62. Said funner, then had someone make fun of you for it
63. Have repeated yourself at least twice in the same sentence
64. Brought up an inside joke with the wrong person
65. Didn't do the backside of an assignment because you thought that there wasn't one or because you had already looked and forgot that there was another side
66. Did more work than you had to on an assignment because you didn't read the directions
67. Corrected someone's grammar/pronunciation then figured out that you were the one that was wrong
68. Put something in a special place so that you would remember where it was, then forgot where you put it
69. Put ice in your drink after the glass was full of liquid and had it splash out.
70. Told a lie then forgot what it was that you had said and got caught
71. When wearing goggles, you pulled them away from your face and let go so that they would come back and snap you in the face
72. Forgot to make sure that the lamp was off before you replaced the light bulb
73. Ran into a door jam
74. Told someone that you hardly ever do stupid things, then immediately did/said something stupid
75. Told someone to watch out for something, then you were the one that ran into it
76. Have purposely licked playground sand
77. Have purposely and repeatedly flicked yourself with a rubber band
78. Gotten so hyper that someone actually thought you had eaten lots of plain sugar when you haden't had any
79. Have been so hyper you actually scared people
80. Put duct tape on your body then pulled it off to see if it would pull your hairs out
81. Put duct tape on your hair/someone else's hair then pulled it off
82. Put a clothes pin/hair clip on your lip, figured out that it hurt, then did it again
83. Sat and wondered why men’s dress shirts have a loop on the back
84. Made up a code name for someone so that you could talk about them to someone else and no one else would know who you were talking about
85. Have gotten a hairbrush stuck in your hair
86. Used the straw to blow the straw wrapper at someone
87. Shaved your tongue because you thought your taste buds looked weird
88. When at a restaurant/cafeteria, you used your spoon to fling stuff at people
89. Have flung forks at people in a restaurant/cafeteria
90. Sucked on a cup and got a suction ring from it
91. As you were writing, you moved your head back and forth with your pen/pencil
92. Have drawn finger puppets on your fingers then named them
93. Have wrapped someone in a roll of toilet paper
94. Have used somebody else's toothbrush without even realizing it wasn't yours
95. Started telling a story and forget what you were talking about or what happened in the story
96. When you saw a ‘beware of dog’ sign, you told the owners to beware of the dogs not realizing they owned the dogs
97. You have spelled your own name wrong before
98. When lying in bed you look for pictures in the texture of the ceiling
99. Have used your calculator as a form of communication in class
100. Have popped a balloon in your mouth
Chao- This was fun to "fill out", and there were some good laughs, but at some point, this meme seems to stray away from stupid things to random things. Oh, well.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Contractions and Possessions
Chao- These two things that require an apostrophe can get confusing. They also give readers headaches if used incorrectly. After all, how many times have we stumble upon in either our own work or another's and read you're when it should be your or vice versa? Talk about a face palm moment.
YChao- You made such mistakes before, even now.
Agent Daisy- (opens very old fan fics) (points at flaws)
Chao- Yep, not gonna deny that. Anyway, here are some websites for people who may need a refresher.
Apostrophe (Oatmeal)
Guidelines for Using Apostrophes Correctly (About.com)
The Apostrophe (Purdue OWL)
Chao- And even if we become aware of what we write, how can will cut down on these mistakes? Try this little exercise.
Exercise: Try writing without using either apostrophes. Write out the possessions and contractions.
Example: Instead of "he's" write "he is". Or instead of "you're" write "you are".
Consider this: While examining your own work, either for clarification or if you are at the revision stage, read every paragraph backwards. All sentences should stand on their own, and it will give you a better way of seeing mistakes.
Chao- FF.net and FP.com have Previews available. You can try reading your story in that format, so it will give you a new view on the piece. Sometimes it's easier to catch mistakes if you see your story in a new format.
YChao- You made such mistakes before, even now.
Agent Daisy- (opens very old fan fics) (points at flaws)
Chao- Yep, not gonna deny that. Anyway, here are some websites for people who may need a refresher.
Apostrophe (Oatmeal)
Guidelines for Using Apostrophes Correctly (About.com)
The Apostrophe (Purdue OWL)
Chao- And even if we become aware of what we write, how can will cut down on these mistakes? Try this little exercise.
Exercise: Try writing without using either apostrophes. Write out the possessions and contractions.
Example: Instead of "he's" write "he is". Or instead of "you're" write "you are".
Consider this: While examining your own work, either for clarification or if you are at the revision stage, read every paragraph backwards. All sentences should stand on their own, and it will give you a better way of seeing mistakes.
Chao- FF.net and FP.com have Previews available. You can try reading your story in that format, so it will give you a new view on the piece. Sometimes it's easier to catch mistakes if you see your story in a new format.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Free Writing Exercise
Chao- As writers, we want to do our best in illustrating our stories to our readers. But what if we struggle with writing something like, for example, action scenes? How do we illustrate a fist fight or a car chase? In a past entry, Chao had suggested trying to take a story or one shot and focus on one aspect while writing the plot. But there are other exercises to experiment with as well. Like with artists and how they practice the fundamentals, like character expressions, writers need to always improve their own styles.
Exercise: Take a blank document. Write a scene only with your character interacting with something you want to improve.
Chao- And keep these documents in a folder either in your computer or real life filing cabinet. You may want to save them for something else. You can also compare the first time you wrote something to how it is now, like with athletes and comparing times.
Exercise: Take a blank document. Write a scene only with your character interacting with something you want to improve.
Chao- And keep these documents in a folder either in your computer or real life filing cabinet. You may want to save them for something else. You can also compare the first time you wrote something to how it is now, like with athletes and comparing times.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Take on a Word Count Challenge
Chao- Hi, all! Here's an idea to try out for writing!
Exercise: Write an entire story a certain word length. Depending on where you're submitting your work, like a magazine, you may have a word limit. Try out what you typically have for one story and decrease it from there.
Example in Usage: Summaries in FF.net and FP.com permit 384 characters, which includes spaces.
Chao- While attending a writing club meeting, Chao reviewed someone's work, and she had a word limit of 800 words. 800 words, huh? When we reach that number, some of us aren't even close to finishing a simple chapter! Having a word limit may help you construct carefully written sentences and find ways to appreciate any and all words in that work. It may heighten your word choice and how you want your work presented. Anyway, it just seems like an interesting exercise.
Exercise: Write an entire story a certain word length. Depending on where you're submitting your work, like a magazine, you may have a word limit. Try out what you typically have for one story and decrease it from there.
Example in Usage: Summaries in FF.net and FP.com permit 384 characters, which includes spaces.
Chao- While attending a writing club meeting, Chao reviewed someone's work, and she had a word limit of 800 words. 800 words, huh? When we reach that number, some of us aren't even close to finishing a simple chapter! Having a word limit may help you construct carefully written sentences and find ways to appreciate any and all words in that work. It may heighten your word choice and how you want your work presented. Anyway, it just seems like an interesting exercise.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Updates for August
Chao- It's been a great summer so far--doing nothing but working at a summer job while finding time to finish up fan fics. Hard to imagine it's already August! School starts the 22nd for this author/blogger. Dunno what can be accomplished during the school year, but let's take a look at a few updates this month.
Yu-Gi-Oh!: "Offspring of Heroes" is just about done. It's got about three more chapters left. Hope you all have been enjoying the latest one shots! Although a sequel to "Present with You Always" was aimed to be published in a previous update, the date for publication is unknown.
Chao- Sorry about the wait for that sequel. It's under work, but not much got to be written. But it has been promised, so it will be out one day.
Phineas and Ferb: "The Value of a Smile" will go under another reconstruction. No other current news at this time.
Chao- Gonna do some catching up for the new episodes this month. Don't spoil anything!
Cats Don't Dance: No current news at this time.
Chao- Can't believe it's been about a year since Chao has started this blog. Hope any of these entries have been helping those who have been stopping by! But on a side note, Chao is gonna delete the Livejournal account; it's just too much work to maintain two blogs.
YChao- Lazybones.
Chao- And for those who are starting school, have an awesome year!
Yu-Gi-Oh!: "Offspring of Heroes" is just about done. It's got about three more chapters left. Hope you all have been enjoying the latest one shots! Although a sequel to "Present with You Always" was aimed to be published in a previous update, the date for publication is unknown.
Chao- Sorry about the wait for that sequel. It's under work, but not much got to be written. But it has been promised, so it will be out one day.
Phineas and Ferb: "The Value of a Smile" will go under another reconstruction. No other current news at this time.
Chao- Gonna do some catching up for the new episodes this month. Don't spoil anything!
Cats Don't Dance: No current news at this time.
Chao- Can't believe it's been about a year since Chao has started this blog. Hope any of these entries have been helping those who have been stopping by! But on a side note, Chao is gonna delete the Livejournal account; it's just too much work to maintain two blogs.
YChao- Lazybones.
Chao- And for those who are starting school, have an awesome year!
Friday, July 26, 2013
New Filter Feature on FF.net
Chao- The new filter feature they added--wow!
Agent Daisy- (prepares tranquilizer darts)
YChao- Why are you so excited? You were totally confused first looking at it.
Chao- It's just so odd; users can filter as they normally do, but now the website as added an Exception feature. Know what that means?!
Agent Daisy- (shrugs)
YChao- You can remove Romance?
Chao- Yep!
Agent Daisy- (blows party favor noise maker)
YChao- Pardon me for the cliché, but I do love to rain on your parade--
Chao- As someone who lives in the desert, it's always awesome when it rains! (gets blown away by monsoon)
Agent Daisy- (grabs rope) (lassoes Chao back)
Chao- Chao could fly!
YChao- Anyway, as I was saying, your idea doesn't work perfectly. There could still be pairings within the story with the authors seeing their stories falling more under different categories.
Chao- That is true.
YChao- And you probably won't see much in your direction.
Chao- Meh, that's ok. At least the website people are thinking about their users.
YChao- Is this really what you wanted to talk about for your weekly update?
Chao- Yes and no.
Agent Daisy- (prepares tranquilizer darts again)
Chao- There are some other things prepared, but they are planned to be published later. This was just something so exciting and stunning that Chao HAD to talk about.
YChao- You are one crazy author/blog writer.
Chao- Ok, random people who stop by, that's all for this month! Hope to see you in August! (gets blown away by monsoon again) AAAHHH!!!
Agent Daisy- (prepares tranquilizer darts)
YChao- Why are you so excited? You were totally confused first looking at it.
Chao- It's just so odd; users can filter as they normally do, but now the website as added an Exception feature. Know what that means?!
Agent Daisy- (shrugs)
YChao- You can remove Romance?
Chao- Yep!
Agent Daisy- (blows party favor noise maker)
YChao- Pardon me for the cliché, but I do love to rain on your parade--
Chao- As someone who lives in the desert, it's always awesome when it rains! (gets blown away by monsoon)
Agent Daisy- (grabs rope) (lassoes Chao back)
Chao- Chao could fly!
YChao- Anyway, as I was saying, your idea doesn't work perfectly. There could still be pairings within the story with the authors seeing their stories falling more under different categories.
Chao- That is true.
YChao- And you probably won't see much in your direction.
Chao- Meh, that's ok. At least the website people are thinking about their users.
YChao- Is this really what you wanted to talk about for your weekly update?
Chao- Yes and no.
Agent Daisy- (prepares tranquilizer darts again)
Chao- There are some other things prepared, but they are planned to be published later. This was just something so exciting and stunning that Chao HAD to talk about.
YChao- You are one crazy author/blog writer.
Chao- Ok, random people who stop by, that's all for this month! Hope to see you in August! (gets blown away by monsoon again) AAAHHH!!!
Friday, July 19, 2013
Screwed Up Life Meme
[x] Gotten detention.
[ ] Gotten your phone taken away in class
[x] Gotten suspended.
[ ] Gotten caught chewing gum.
[ ] Gotten caught cheating on a test.
Total: 2
[x] Arrived late to class more than 5 times.
[x] Didn’t do homework over 5 times
[x] Turned at least 3 projects in late
[ ] Missed school cause you felt like it.
[x] Laughed so loud you got kicked out of class.
Total: 4
[ ] Got your mom / dad etc. to get you out of school.
[x] Texted people during class.
[x] Passed notes.
[ ] Threw stuff across the room.
[ ] Laughed at the teacher.
Total: 2
[ ] Pulled Down The Fire Alarm.
[ ] Went on Myspace , Facebook , Xanga , etc. on the computer at school.
[ ] Took Pictures during school hours.
[ ] Called someone during School hours.
[x] Listened to an iPod , CD , etc... During class.
Total: 1
[ ] Threw something at the teacher
[ ] Went outside the classroom without permission.
[x] Broke the dress code.
[x] Failed a class test.
[ ] Ate food during class.
Total: 2
[ ] Gotten a call from school
[ ] Couldn’t go on a field trip cause you behaved badly.
[x] Didn’t take your stuff to school
[ ] Gotten a detention and didn't go.
[ ] Stuck up your middle finger at a teacher when they were not looking.
[ ] Cursed during class loud enough so the teacher could hear.
Total: 1
[x] Faked your parents signature.
[ ] Slept in class.
[ ] Cursed at a teacher to their face.
[x] Copied homework.
Total: 2
Now multiply your total by 3 and put "I screwed up_Of My Life ".
Chao- Chao screwed up 43% of Chao's Life!
[ ] Gotten your phone taken away in class
[x] Gotten suspended.
[ ] Gotten caught chewing gum.
[ ] Gotten caught cheating on a test.
Total: 2
[x] Arrived late to class more than 5 times.
[x] Didn’t do homework over 5 times
[x] Turned at least 3 projects in late
[ ] Missed school cause you felt like it.
[x] Laughed so loud you got kicked out of class.
Total: 4
[ ] Got your mom / dad etc. to get you out of school.
[x] Texted people during class.
[x] Passed notes.
[ ] Threw stuff across the room.
[ ] Laughed at the teacher.
Total: 2
[ ] Pulled Down The Fire Alarm.
[ ] Went on Myspace , Facebook , Xanga , etc. on the computer at school.
[ ] Took Pictures during school hours.
[ ] Called someone during School hours.
[x] Listened to an iPod , CD , etc... During class.
Total: 1
[ ] Threw something at the teacher
[ ] Went outside the classroom without permission.
[x] Broke the dress code.
[x] Failed a class test.
[ ] Ate food during class.
Total: 2
[ ] Gotten a call from school
[ ] Couldn’t go on a field trip cause you behaved badly.
[x] Didn’t take your stuff to school
[ ] Gotten a detention and didn't go.
[ ] Stuck up your middle finger at a teacher when they were not looking.
[ ] Cursed during class loud enough so the teacher could hear.
Total: 1
[x] Faked your parents signature.
[ ] Slept in class.
[ ] Cursed at a teacher to their face.
[x] Copied homework.
Total: 2
Now multiply your total by 3 and put "I screwed up_Of My Life ".
Chao- Chao screwed up 43% of Chao's Life!
Friday, July 12, 2013
...Are We Supposed to Reply to Reviews?
Chao- You know, FF.net placed in the ability to reply to reviews in what feels not too long ago. And though some people can start off great conversations, some users just give their thanks for the kind words. But... are we supposed to reply to people who leave reviews? Is that some sort of common courtesy? Or is this more like a social obligation?
YChao- It could just be users' preferences. What problems do you have with this?
Chao- What if people do get a reply from their review? Are authors supposed to respond to this reply and then have the reader respond back? And then do we reply back? When will it end?!
Agent Daisy- (pours bucket of cold water on Chao)
Chao- Ah! Cold!
YChao- You worry too much.
Chao- But this is a legit concern!
YChao- How so?
Chao- Are people upset when authors don't reply to their reviews? Chao only does so to explain something if a reviewer has asked a question. But is it rude to NOT reply to someone?
YChao- Maybe? Giving a person a thanks for leaving a review would be more of a common courtesy. Wouldn't it show that you're grateful that they took the time to leave you words that your crave for? Whether it be kind words or brave constructive criticism?
Chao- ...What is this "kindness" you speak about?
YChao- Are you really going down that route?
Chao- Hey! Random people who stop by this blog! What do you think?
YChao- It could just be users' preferences. What problems do you have with this?
Chao- What if people do get a reply from their review? Are authors supposed to respond to this reply and then have the reader respond back? And then do we reply back? When will it end?!
Agent Daisy- (pours bucket of cold water on Chao)
Chao- Ah! Cold!
YChao- You worry too much.
Chao- But this is a legit concern!
YChao- How so?
Chao- Are people upset when authors don't reply to their reviews? Chao only does so to explain something if a reviewer has asked a question. But is it rude to NOT reply to someone?
YChao- Maybe? Giving a person a thanks for leaving a review would be more of a common courtesy. Wouldn't it show that you're grateful that they took the time to leave you words that your crave for? Whether it be kind words or brave constructive criticism?
Chao- ...What is this "kindness" you speak about?
YChao- Are you really going down that route?
Chao- Hey! Random people who stop by this blog! What do you think?
Monday, July 1, 2013
Updates for July
Chao- Been typing like crazy for different stories since Chao will be very busy in late August when school starts. But until then, here are the updates for this summer month. If something has not been finished and is not mentioned here, consider the story to still be on hiatus.
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Hope you all have been enjoying the new chapters for "Offspring of Heroes"! The story is just about done. The promised sequel to "Present with You Always" is in progress and will hopefully debut in August. A few one shots may also get published this month.
Phineas and Ferb: No current news at this time.
Chao- Missed a few new episodes. Maybe in August Chao will find time to watch them and allow the flow of creativity and inspiration to come by. Chao will also find time to finish "The Value of a Smile" and "The Mysterious Book" after a few other promised stories have been published/completed.
Cats Don't Dance: Been trying to get a few one shots completed. No news about the future chapter fic at this time.
Chao- It's not so bad finding time to write once you get it down in a routine. Chao finds it easiest to write in the early morning since most people are asleep and Chao can get some writing done. But it's also easier since there's no school and homework to worry about!
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Hope you all have been enjoying the new chapters for "Offspring of Heroes"! The story is just about done. The promised sequel to "Present with You Always" is in progress and will hopefully debut in August. A few one shots may also get published this month.
Phineas and Ferb: No current news at this time.
Chao- Missed a few new episodes. Maybe in August Chao will find time to watch them and allow the flow of creativity and inspiration to come by. Chao will also find time to finish "The Value of a Smile" and "The Mysterious Book" after a few other promised stories have been published/completed.
Cats Don't Dance: Been trying to get a few one shots completed. No news about the future chapter fic at this time.
Chao- It's not so bad finding time to write once you get it down in a routine. Chao finds it easiest to write in the early morning since most people are asleep and Chao can get some writing done. But it's also easier since there's no school and homework to worry about!
Monday, June 24, 2013
Redundancy vs Important Repetition
Chao- This is probably something that slips by a lot of writers. We write a paragraph or even a sentence and don't even realize we've repeated an event or detail.
Example 1: He was on the lookout to look for enemies.
Chao- Some may see this as a mistake only novice writers make. But unimportant information that gets repeated does happen to even advance writers.
Example 2: A few feet from where he was standing, the boy saw a familiar looking sock not too far from where he was.
Chao- Isn't that just a little redundant? It seems like they are taking up space.
Suggestions to Fix This:
Example 1: It may be true he held such a fear in his heart, but he also held a dream. He dreamed that one day he would be able to let his friends know what his one wish was.
Example 2: She couldn’t believe he was a vampire. She couldn’t believe her innocent friend had somehow been brought into a battle between creatures. She couldn’t believe the strange situation she had landed in.
Chao- Both of these involve a word or two repeated. Authors can look in a thesaurus for synonyms, but what if they had a point they wanted to make? If you want something to stick to your readers, or if you want them to take notice of something, this can be a good skill to try out.
Example 1: He was on the lookout to look for enemies.
Chao- Some may see this as a mistake only novice writers make. But unimportant information that gets repeated does happen to even advance writers.
Example 2: A few feet from where he was standing, the boy saw a familiar looking sock not too far from where he was.
Chao- Isn't that just a little redundant? It seems like they are taking up space.
Suggestions to Fix This:
- If you come across something you are questioning, consider if all words are needed just for that sentence.
- Prepositions at the end of sentences tend to have readers lose their focus, especially if its prepositional phrase after prepositional phrase after prepositional phrase.
- Read the sentence in question out of context. If it can stand alone without any other explanation, keep it.
Example 1: It may be true he held such a fear in his heart, but he also held a dream. He dreamed that one day he would be able to let his friends know what his one wish was.
Example 2: She couldn’t believe he was a vampire. She couldn’t believe her innocent friend had somehow been brought into a battle between creatures. She couldn’t believe the strange situation she had landed in.
Chao- Both of these involve a word or two repeated. Authors can look in a thesaurus for synonyms, but what if they had a point they wanted to make? If you want something to stick to your readers, or if you want them to take notice of something, this can be a good skill to try out.
Monday, June 17, 2013
"Everyone" and "Their" Business
"Everyone bring their own laptop."
"Everyone bring their own laptop."
"Everyone bring their own laptop."
Chao- Sure a lot of people have written something like this in their work at one time or another. We may even ignore it if a writing program tells us this is wrong. Why should this matter? Isn't easier to type this than continuously write "he/she" or taking a risk in sounding sexist by selecting one sex noun? Not if you want to be a good writer, which means following all grammatical rules (unless, of course, you have a reason for breaking them, and ignorance does not count).
Making Subjects and Verbs Agree
Correcting Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement
Self Teaching Unit: Subject - Verb Agreement
Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb Agreement: Watch the subject-verb agreement in your sentences when...
Suggestions on Fixing This:
-Consider this: How can a singular truly mean all?
-Consider this: Use it sparingly.
Chao- Once you become familiar with grammar jargon, or decide to stop ignoring the explanations, understanding why Microsoft Word placed squiggles under a part of a sentence will start to make sense. Whether we are writing for a hobby or would like to have something published one day, keeping Subjects and Verbs in agreement in important. The links above do apply to the common "was vs. were" and so on. And dialogue is excluded since people try and not want to sound sexist.
"Everyone bring their own laptop."
"Everyone bring their own laptop."
Chao- Sure a lot of people have written something like this in their work at one time or another. We may even ignore it if a writing program tells us this is wrong. Why should this matter? Isn't easier to type this than continuously write "he/she" or taking a risk in sounding sexist by selecting one sex noun? Not if you want to be a good writer, which means following all grammatical rules (unless, of course, you have a reason for breaking them, and ignorance does not count).
Making Subjects and Verbs Agree
Correcting Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement
Self Teaching Unit: Subject - Verb Agreement
Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb Agreement: Watch the subject-verb agreement in your sentences when...
Suggestions on Fixing This:
- Change everything to plural -- "All employees bring their own laptop."
- Delete the determiner altogether -- "Everyone bring a laptop."
- Rewrite the sentence as a who clause -- "Everyone who has a laptop should bring it."
- Keep it to one sex -- "Everyone bring his own laptop."
-Consider this: How can a singular truly mean all?
- Continue to write he/she -- "Everyone bring his/her own laptop."
-Consider this: Use it sparingly.
Chao- Once you become familiar with grammar jargon, or decide to stop ignoring the explanations, understanding why Microsoft Word placed squiggles under a part of a sentence will start to make sense. Whether we are writing for a hobby or would like to have something published one day, keeping Subjects and Verbs in agreement in important. The links above do apply to the common "was vs. were" and so on. And dialogue is excluded since people try and not want to sound sexist.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Whose Eyes Are We Seeing Through? YGO Edition
Chao- Came upon this thought while writing and keeping in mind who are the "main" characters for the fan fic. While reading stories, we see the characters hold reactions to the events around them. We may read a block of text about everyone's reactions, and others we read one specific character.
Example 1: From one of the drawers of Yugi’s desk, Yami removed a First-Aid kit. He opened it and took out a large Band-Aid and a disposable packet of rubbing alcohol. He gently pulled off the used Band-Aid, careful to not peel too quickly least his harm his friend or leave remains. Holding the disposable cloth, he leaned closer to Yugi’s face.
Chao- But whose expressions are we reading about and why?
Example 2: Yugi saw Yami removing the First-Aid kit from one his desk's drawers. As Yami opened it and pulled out a large Band-Aid and a disposable packet of rubbing alcohol, Yugi tightened his grip on his bed sheets. He closed his eyes and felt the old Band-Aid peeling off his face at a safe rate, ensuring that it would not sting his cheek nor leave remains. He knew what would be coming next: The alcohol.
Chao- This idea may overlap narration and point of view. We may come upon something like these two examples in the same story, maybe even in the same chapter. Guess some writers like to have their readers read each viewpoint.
25 Things You Should Know About Narrative Point of View
Narrative POV
Fiction Factor - Exposition vs. Narrative
Narrators and Narrative Structure in Fiction
Chao- The nice thing about FF.net is that you are allowed to make changes to your story as you move along. You may feel other characters should take the slots of what you had originally placed. And, recently, FF.net had allowed more characters to be added in the slots instead of two. Of course you can always select none, but a drawback would be when users select characters in their search.
Example 1: From one of the drawers of Yugi’s desk, Yami removed a First-Aid kit. He opened it and took out a large Band-Aid and a disposable packet of rubbing alcohol. He gently pulled off the used Band-Aid, careful to not peel too quickly least his harm his friend or leave remains. Holding the disposable cloth, he leaned closer to Yugi’s face.
Chao- But whose expressions are we reading about and why?
Example 2: Yugi saw Yami removing the First-Aid kit from one his desk's drawers. As Yami opened it and pulled out a large Band-Aid and a disposable packet of rubbing alcohol, Yugi tightened his grip on his bed sheets. He closed his eyes and felt the old Band-Aid peeling off his face at a safe rate, ensuring that it would not sting his cheek nor leave remains. He knew what would be coming next: The alcohol.
Chao- This idea may overlap narration and point of view. We may come upon something like these two examples in the same story, maybe even in the same chapter. Guess some writers like to have their readers read each viewpoint.
25 Things You Should Know About Narrative Point of View
Narrative POV
Fiction Factor - Exposition vs. Narrative
Narrators and Narrative Structure in Fiction
Chao- The nice thing about FF.net is that you are allowed to make changes to your story as you move along. You may feel other characters should take the slots of what you had originally placed. And, recently, FF.net had allowed more characters to be added in the slots instead of two. Of course you can always select none, but a drawback would be when users select characters in their search.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Updates for June
Chao- Sorry if anything that had been promised to be published last month didn't come. Kinda got sidetracked by other projects. And now that summer has arrived, Chao will be busy with a summer job and possibly summer school. But don't worry! A few things shall get published over the course of this time of year!
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Been working on chapters for "Offspring of Heroes" and a few one shots. Try and get those posted some time this month.
Phineas and Ferb: No current news at this time.
Cats Don't Dance: No current news at this time.
Chao- You know what's funny about these updates? Chao had decided to write them so readers could know what was planned to come out that month. Chao always gets pumped at the beginning of each month since it gives time for Chao to write a list of things that need to get done. But as time goes on, such motivation gets diminished, and it's sometimes hard to find time to get fan fics done when so much needs to be done in the real world. Curse you, reality!
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Been working on chapters for "Offspring of Heroes" and a few one shots. Try and get those posted some time this month.
Phineas and Ferb: No current news at this time.
Cats Don't Dance: No current news at this time.
Chao- You know what's funny about these updates? Chao had decided to write them so readers could know what was planned to come out that month. Chao always gets pumped at the beginning of each month since it gives time for Chao to write a list of things that need to get done. But as time goes on, such motivation gets diminished, and it's sometimes hard to find time to get fan fics done when so much needs to be done in the real world. Curse you, reality!
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Analyzing Reviews
(Note: This entry does NOT deal with flames.)
Chao- We are pretty happy when we receive reviews for our stories, aren't we? We like reading that people have enjoyed what we wrote, saying they cannot wait for the next section to be up. It's nice to have such encouragement, right? But what if we get reviews that are the opposite? What about the people who wrote that they were unhappy with the plot, characters, or a part of the story?
YChao- You get their address and burn their place to the ground!
Agent Daisy- (prepares torches)
Chao- .... Or instead the writers can evaluate what has been written...
Ask yourself these questions:
Remember!: Your story can't and won't please everyone. Your story is written for at least one person: Yourself. But if you place up your story that allows comments, be prepared for both praise and criticism.
Chao- Even some great authors and stories, like Harry Potter and Dragon Ball Z, aren't liked by everyone, ignoring political and religious reasons for the former. If you are interested in improving your work, examine the advice your reviewers gave to you. You should also consider the voice of a majority of what you're receiving. If you need help handling all this, here are some websites you may want to consider reading.
Tips for Handling Criticism
Handling Criticism and Praise
Deal Criticism
What to Do When You Get Panned Handling a Negative Review
Chao- This is just a suggestion. You are always free to write your story however you want. But if you place your work in the open for people to read, don't expect all reviews to be sunshine and glitter.
Chao- We are pretty happy when we receive reviews for our stories, aren't we? We like reading that people have enjoyed what we wrote, saying they cannot wait for the next section to be up. It's nice to have such encouragement, right? But what if we get reviews that are the opposite? What about the people who wrote that they were unhappy with the plot, characters, or a part of the story?
YChao- You get their address and burn their place to the ground!
Agent Daisy- (prepares torches)
Chao- .... Or instead the writers can evaluate what has been written...
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is there any truth behind their words?
- Do those who are giving me advice credible?
- What is their tone?
- "Respect the reviewers. Not all reviews will strictly praise the work. If someone rightfully criticizes a portion of the writing, take it as a compliment that the reviewer has opted to spend his/her valuable time to help improve your writing." (FF.net)
Remember!: Your story can't and won't please everyone. Your story is written for at least one person: Yourself. But if you place up your story that allows comments, be prepared for both praise and criticism.
Chao- Even some great authors and stories, like Harry Potter and Dragon Ball Z, aren't liked by everyone, ignoring political and religious reasons for the former. If you are interested in improving your work, examine the advice your reviewers gave to you. You should also consider the voice of a majority of what you're receiving. If you need help handling all this, here are some websites you may want to consider reading.
Tips for Handling Criticism
Handling Criticism and Praise
Deal Criticism
What to Do When You Get Panned Handling a Negative Review
Chao- This is just a suggestion. You are always free to write your story however you want. But if you place your work in the open for people to read, don't expect all reviews to be sunshine and glitter.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Revisions
Chao- After spending a lot of time working on a chapter or a one shot, you are prepared to hit submit. And after you do, you get a few reviews. Some say they liked it, but some point out a few errors, like spelling, misusing words, or forgotten punctuation marks. Others say they got lost in long paragraphs or are confused between dialogue and narration. What happened?
Readers for this blog who write- We dunno! We placed in our hearts like any other writer would! Don't the reviewers know that we took time to write this out?!
Chao- Well, did you go over your work before submitting?
Readers- (procrastinate answering questions)
Chao- No? There are different ways to correcting your own work: Reading your work sentence by sentence, word by word; printing out your work since your eyes will see it differently on paper as oppose to a screen; or even ask for someone to look at it. Here are a few articles you can look at for other ideas.
Revise, Revise Again: Seven Steps to Flawless Work
How To Self Edit
Word Count
Chao- Have you turned in an essay for school and when you go it back there were markings for misspelled words or forgotten punctuations? Sometimes the computer does not have everything that you have typed registered. Other times it's because we think at a faster rate from what we type, and we believe the paper will resemble exactly what we thought.
Chao- Revisions are an important step in the writing process like brainstorming and first drafts. But they must be taken in separate times. If you rush your work, you can easily overlook some mistakes. You will know what your story is saying, but someone reading the story for the first time will not.
Readers for this blog who write- We dunno! We placed in our hearts like any other writer would! Don't the reviewers know that we took time to write this out?!
Chao- Well, did you go over your work before submitting?
Readers- (procrastinate answering questions)
Chao- No? There are different ways to correcting your own work: Reading your work sentence by sentence, word by word; printing out your work since your eyes will see it differently on paper as oppose to a screen; or even ask for someone to look at it. Here are a few articles you can look at for other ideas.
Revise, Revise Again: Seven Steps to Flawless Work
How To Self Edit
Word Count
Chao- Have you turned in an essay for school and when you go it back there were markings for misspelled words or forgotten punctuations? Sometimes the computer does not have everything that you have typed registered. Other times it's because we think at a faster rate from what we type, and we believe the paper will resemble exactly what we thought.
Chao- Revisions are an important step in the writing process like brainstorming and first drafts. But they must be taken in separate times. If you rush your work, you can easily overlook some mistakes. You will know what your story is saying, but someone reading the story for the first time will not.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Try a New Writing Genre
Chao- So a lot of us are already familiar with fiction and fan fiction, using characters from an existing program, like cartoons, books, movies, and writing these characters in situations that do not relate to the program. But a lot of us have giant textbooks or take mandatory classes were we read original works in different genres, plays, auto/biographies, poetry, etc. So why not try and branch out for something different? Why not give writing in a new writing genre a try? They can be used for fan fics or original work. They may also spark something new.
Write A Script (wikiHow)
How to Write Creative Non-fiction (Yahoo!)
Writing Creative Nonfiction
How to Write Creative Nonfiction (eHow)
How to Write a Non-fiction Story (eHow)
Write A Poem (wikiHow)
Chao- Note the rules for a place in which you are thinking about publishing a story before you do it. For example, FF.net and FP.com don't allow scripts in their websites, probably because so many users were uploading stories that were just chat speak rather than a creative play script or screenwriting. But you can always try literacy magazines, deviantART.com, public library magazines, and even your own blog or private diaries. You may just find a new genre to enjoy.
Write A Script (wikiHow)
How to Write Creative Non-fiction (Yahoo!)
Writing Creative Nonfiction
How to Write Creative Nonfiction (eHow)
How to Write a Non-fiction Story (eHow)
Write A Poem (wikiHow)
Chao- Note the rules for a place in which you are thinking about publishing a story before you do it. For example, FF.net and FP.com don't allow scripts in their websites, probably because so many users were uploading stories that were just chat speak rather than a creative play script or screenwriting. But you can always try literacy magazines, deviantART.com, public library magazines, and even your own blog or private diaries. You may just find a new genre to enjoy.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Updates for May
Chao- It's kinda interesting that a year from now Chao will hopefully be graduating with a degree in English and a Writing Certificate. But until then, Chao will be working on fan fics. Let's us review what may be coming and what has been already been promised.
Yu-Gi-Oh!: "Offspring of Heroes" and "Where I Belong" have a few rough drafts of future chapters.
Chao- The promised chapter stories are the sequel to "Present with You Always" while completing "Offspring of Heroes" and "Where I Belong". The promised one shots are "The Vow", a sequel to "Social Obligations", and another somewhat spin-off to "Comfort Objects".
Phineas and Ferb: No current new at this time.
Chao- The promised chapter stories include "The Mysterious Book" and "The Value of a Smile". Perhaps a few ideas for one shots can be morphed into chapters for "The Mysterious Book". This author/blogger would also like to make time to write another chapter fic written in first person.
Cats Don't Dance: No current new at this time.
Chao- The promised chapter story is one that will hopefully be about 10 chapters. There are two or three one shots that can hopefully be submitted.
xxx
Chao- Hmm... This is going to be a challenge. Fan fics have been like drugs, and one way to get off of them is to slowly pull back on them. Chao would like to work on other fics, but it's important to get these ones done before graduation. These ones are on the priority list, and maybe there will be time to publish other ideas. Time to get started now that summer is here!
Yu-Gi-Oh!: "Offspring of Heroes" and "Where I Belong" have a few rough drafts of future chapters.
Chao- The promised chapter stories are the sequel to "Present with You Always" while completing "Offspring of Heroes" and "Where I Belong". The promised one shots are "The Vow", a sequel to "Social Obligations", and another somewhat spin-off to "Comfort Objects".
Phineas and Ferb: No current new at this time.
Chao- The promised chapter stories include "The Mysterious Book" and "The Value of a Smile". Perhaps a few ideas for one shots can be morphed into chapters for "The Mysterious Book". This author/blogger would also like to make time to write another chapter fic written in first person.
Cats Don't Dance: No current new at this time.
Chao- The promised chapter story is one that will hopefully be about 10 chapters. There are two or three one shots that can hopefully be submitted.
xxx
Chao- Hmm... This is going to be a challenge. Fan fics have been like drugs, and one way to get off of them is to slowly pull back on them. Chao would like to work on other fics, but it's important to get these ones done before graduation. These ones are on the priority list, and maybe there will be time to publish other ideas. Time to get started now that summer is here!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Editing -- More Than Just Reading -- A Personal Story
Chao- Finding time to read so much Work in Progress (WIP) sure is a big job. Chao always tries to leave good reviews in the writing club while coming up with good arguments about whether or not we want to accept a piece for the literacy magazine class. And for fan fics, Chao has always tried to leave a good review of something positive and constructive criticism. And that's why sometimes when Chao reads a story it will take time to leave a good review; Chao wants to make sure all thoughts and ideas are included since FF.net hadn't placed in an editing review feature.
YChao- It may come around. They used to expose people's emails when people left a guest review. Now they placed an icon for a reply realizing that people's emails were exposed to the Internet world.
Chao- Anyway, Chao is gonna try and get the same class for the literacy magazine next semester since it's good experience for editing. If so, then Chao could get a title of Senior Editor for this campus magazine! Yay!
Agent Daisy- (blows a party noisemaker) (shakes a party rattle)
Chao- Spending even just this semester in a literacy magazine class and a writing club sure has taught Chao a lot about writing and editing. It's good to hear other people's opinions on a single piece of work. There's so many debates between what works and what could use improvements in addition to people's preferences from the author's perspective.
YChao- I can understand debates for a magazine, but what is this "people's preferences"?
Chao- Some editors or members of writing clubs try and gear a story more in their direction rather than the original author. Editors must be careful not to take away the author's voice; it's kinda disrespectful.
Agent Daisy- (points to published stories for magazine)
Chao- Yeah, it was fun working on the stories we finally accepted. What was interesting was that one of the authors gave the OK to make any changes we wanted for his work due to him having medical reasons.
YChao- And?
Chao- And... it was a little shocking. Chao doesn't want to change an entire work! All authors deserve to have their voice (literacy term)!
YChao- Is this really how you're gonna act while being a professional editor?
Agent Daisy- (goes online to make an appointment with psychiatrist)
Chao- Well...
YChao- See if you get hired anywhere.
Chao- Ok, ok. Chao is still in school, learning and stuff, both for academic credit and personal growth. That's one semester down, and hopefully two left to go.
Agent Daisy- (places on party hat)
Chao- Oh, yeah, there was an awesome party for the celebration of the end of the semester for the literacy magazine! Chao even got a certificate! It said Chao was an editor! Chao is so happy!
Agent Daisy- (blows a party noisemaker) (shakes a party rattle)
YChao- I guess I'll have to wait and see what new mistakes you'll make.
Chao- Best to make 'em now and learn from them! And there's always that expression of if you do something you love then you'll never work a day in your life. Yep, some people change majors as they move along their college career, but editing is something Chao can see in the future.
YChao- It may come around. They used to expose people's emails when people left a guest review. Now they placed an icon for a reply realizing that people's emails were exposed to the Internet world.
Chao- Anyway, Chao is gonna try and get the same class for the literacy magazine next semester since it's good experience for editing. If so, then Chao could get a title of Senior Editor for this campus magazine! Yay!
Agent Daisy- (blows a party noisemaker) (shakes a party rattle)
Chao- Spending even just this semester in a literacy magazine class and a writing club sure has taught Chao a lot about writing and editing. It's good to hear other people's opinions on a single piece of work. There's so many debates between what works and what could use improvements in addition to people's preferences from the author's perspective.
YChao- I can understand debates for a magazine, but what is this "people's preferences"?
Chao- Some editors or members of writing clubs try and gear a story more in their direction rather than the original author. Editors must be careful not to take away the author's voice; it's kinda disrespectful.
Agent Daisy- (points to published stories for magazine)
Chao- Yeah, it was fun working on the stories we finally accepted. What was interesting was that one of the authors gave the OK to make any changes we wanted for his work due to him having medical reasons.
YChao- And?
Chao- And... it was a little shocking. Chao doesn't want to change an entire work! All authors deserve to have their voice (literacy term)!
YChao- Is this really how you're gonna act while being a professional editor?
Agent Daisy- (goes online to make an appointment with psychiatrist)
Chao- Well...
YChao- See if you get hired anywhere.
Chao- Ok, ok. Chao is still in school, learning and stuff, both for academic credit and personal growth. That's one semester down, and hopefully two left to go.
Agent Daisy- (places on party hat)
Chao- Oh, yeah, there was an awesome party for the celebration of the end of the semester for the literacy magazine! Chao even got a certificate! It said Chao was an editor! Chao is so happy!
Agent Daisy- (blows a party noisemaker) (shakes a party rattle)
YChao- I guess I'll have to wait and see what new mistakes you'll make.
Chao- Best to make 'em now and learn from them! And there's always that expression of if you do something you love then you'll never work a day in your life. Yep, some people change majors as they move along their college career, but editing is something Chao can see in the future.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
A Community?
Chao- It's pretty cool seeing how many new features FF.net has added over the years, like communities, polls, adding cover art, replying to reviews, adding which "world" the fic takes place. Man, so many new features since Chao first got an account in 2003. Speaking of communities, they are such a cool place to see stories with agreed themes. Chao is thinking about starting a Yu-Gi-Oh! community, making it about Friendship since that's the base for the show and manga. To narrow down the theme, it should be with COMPLETED stories that way people who swing by can read a story without worrying about abandonment issues.
YChao- Does that mean I'll get to read more stories about Yugi in pain?
Chao- Maybe. And you know what else will be cool? Starting a community for Phineas and Ferb, one for family.
Agent Daisy- (tilts head to side) ....?
Chao- Well, there are a wide range of characters, so it could be with the Flynn-Fletcher family or Doofenshmirtz. He cares about his daughter so much!
YChao- What about stories with OCs, OCs that are somehow related to a character or go on adventures with them? We all know about your attitude towards them.
Chao- We'll cross that bridge when it comes. This is just an idea right now.
YChao- Does that mean I'll get to read more stories about Yugi in pain?
Chao- Maybe. And you know what else will be cool? Starting a community for Phineas and Ferb, one for family.
Agent Daisy- (tilts head to side) ....?
Chao- Well, there are a wide range of characters, so it could be with the Flynn-Fletcher family or Doofenshmirtz. He cares about his daughter so much!
YChao- What about stories with OCs, OCs that are somehow related to a character or go on adventures with them? We all know about your attitude towards them.
Chao- We'll cross that bridge when it comes. This is just an idea right now.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Why, Yes, Every Word Does Count in Writing
Chao- Many of us enjoy reading a good fan fic whether it involves detailed scenery or greatly written action. But what defines good? What makes something you read capture your attention?
One way to have something special: Make every section count. Whether you're writing an introduction, a scenery, or a character's appearance, make every work count. It's important to cut down on wordiness and pointless repetition while focusing on powerful verbs and descriptive adjectives.
Why?: You may know what's going through your head and what your story will hold, but your readers won't. You want them to understand what you're writing. You want them to see an illustration, not a wall of text.
Chao- Honestly, how many of us skip through those large walls of text? (raises paw) Chao may like good description, but not something like The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne (same dude who wrote The Crucible).
Exercise 1: Take an index card and write a short story. You may use both sides. See how any words you chose fit into your compressed canvas.
Chao- This is a good exercise because it gives you a limited space to write. Limited space makes you think what words to use and what to say in your story. Now on a Word document you have much more space, but it is important to keep in mind your readers will grow bored if what you write isn't important, especially if you think so as well.
Ask yourself this: Do you enjoy lengthy descriptions of objects? If so, then write what you like. If not, then keep in mind what descriptions are important to the story.
Notes: One way to trim words is to use words that carry deep meaning. Many of us use a dictionary and/or a thesaurus whether it is through a document program, a published book, or online sources. Using new words don't need to be big and elegant. They just need to be used properly and replace what many words convey.
Example: Very big can be replaced with large, ample, or massive.
Chao- If you look at your own work or a work you really like, keep an eye how a small portion is written. What has and has not been working for you? These are important questions as they will have you analyze your work and find new ways to express your story.
One way to have something special: Make every section count. Whether you're writing an introduction, a scenery, or a character's appearance, make every work count. It's important to cut down on wordiness and pointless repetition while focusing on powerful verbs and descriptive adjectives.
Why?: You may know what's going through your head and what your story will hold, but your readers won't. You want them to understand what you're writing. You want them to see an illustration, not a wall of text.
Chao- Honestly, how many of us skip through those large walls of text? (raises paw) Chao may like good description, but not something like The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne (same dude who wrote The Crucible).
Exercise 1: Take an index card and write a short story. You may use both sides. See how any words you chose fit into your compressed canvas.
Chao- This is a good exercise because it gives you a limited space to write. Limited space makes you think what words to use and what to say in your story. Now on a Word document you have much more space, but it is important to keep in mind your readers will grow bored if what you write isn't important, especially if you think so as well.
Ask yourself this: Do you enjoy lengthy descriptions of objects? If so, then write what you like. If not, then keep in mind what descriptions are important to the story.
Notes: One way to trim words is to use words that carry deep meaning. Many of us use a dictionary and/or a thesaurus whether it is through a document program, a published book, or online sources. Using new words don't need to be big and elegant. They just need to be used properly and replace what many words convey.
Example: Very big can be replaced with large, ample, or massive.
Chao- If you look at your own work or a work you really like, keep an eye how a small portion is written. What has and has not been working for you? These are important questions as they will have you analyze your work and find new ways to express your story.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Practice a Review with a Review
Chao- Whether we're writing a fan fic or an original story, we like to hear/read reviews from people. As reviewers, some of us already know what to write while others need some time to think. But what do we write in a review? Do we ramble on and on about what we liked and what we didn't liked? Or should we act cautiously since other people can read them too? And why do reviews matter at all?
Why you should review: They are nice to read. They allow authors to know how their work is and what may need improving. A review can be like attending a sports game; showing up is one thing, but cheering can really help players endure the rough times and encourage them to move forward.
Chao- Have you ever read a movie or book review? Did you agree with what that person was criticizing and/or praising? If you read a review before seeing a movie or reading a book, did any of their word discourage you from looking at it? If you want some practice, consider following these steps.
Steps for Writing a Review:
1. Start with a positive comment -- people are already nervous enough when it comes to showing their work to the Internet world. A positive comment is a good way for an introduction.
2. Go on to state whether you like it or not -- you don't have to like everything you read.
3. Move on to say what you liked specifically or what you did not like. -- It doesn't help to say "Your work is wonderful! Update!" or "You suck".
4. Offer some writing advice (without being mean) or make other suggestions. -- If you have no writing experience, then skip this.
5. If you worry about hurting an author's feeling, wish them luck with the rest.
So, whether you send a review or subscribe to a story, it's like telling the author you are interested in the story and would to know what will happen next. Reviews are nice to read.
Chao- A technique that Chao had learned when reviewing public speakers is to use the "cream cookie/Oreo cookie/sandwich cookie review". You give a compliment, "sandwich" a constructive criticism, and then finish with another compliment. Let's face it, a lot of us really do prefer selective hearing, hearing what we like and ignore what we dislike. At least by using this technique we can handle criticism better.
The use of I:
Chao- Apparently it's also best to use "I" when saying what you liked or disliked when writing a review. It's also supposed to help the writer feel less defensive or something like that.
Example: "I liked reading this story from this character's viewpoint. I really got a sense of the emotion he went through. I didn't like reading a few spelling errors because I had to go back and re-read a few lines a few times. I liked the ending you gave; it made me laugh."
Chao- This entry is for those interested in expanding their review when many authors WANT constructive criticism and all they get was "Update soon". But, in the end, sometimes that's all you get. Oh, well, at least you got a review with someone interested in your story.
Why you should review: They are nice to read. They allow authors to know how their work is and what may need improving. A review can be like attending a sports game; showing up is one thing, but cheering can really help players endure the rough times and encourage them to move forward.
Chao- Have you ever read a movie or book review? Did you agree with what that person was criticizing and/or praising? If you read a review before seeing a movie or reading a book, did any of their word discourage you from looking at it? If you want some practice, consider following these steps.
Steps for Writing a Review:
1. Start with a positive comment -- people are already nervous enough when it comes to showing their work to the Internet world. A positive comment is a good way for an introduction.
2. Go on to state whether you like it or not -- you don't have to like everything you read.
3. Move on to say what you liked specifically or what you did not like. -- It doesn't help to say "Your work is wonderful! Update!" or "You suck".
4. Offer some writing advice (without being mean) or make other suggestions. -- If you have no writing experience, then skip this.
5. If you worry about hurting an author's feeling, wish them luck with the rest.
So, whether you send a review or subscribe to a story, it's like telling the author you are interested in the story and would to know what will happen next. Reviews are nice to read.
Chao- A technique that Chao had learned when reviewing public speakers is to use the "cream cookie/Oreo cookie/sandwich cookie review". You give a compliment, "sandwich" a constructive criticism, and then finish with another compliment. Let's face it, a lot of us really do prefer selective hearing, hearing what we like and ignore what we dislike. At least by using this technique we can handle criticism better.
The use of I:
Chao- Apparently it's also best to use "I" when saying what you liked or disliked when writing a review. It's also supposed to help the writer feel less defensive or something like that.
Example: "I liked reading this story from this character's viewpoint. I really got a sense of the emotion he went through. I didn't like reading a few spelling errors because I had to go back and re-read a few lines a few times. I liked the ending you gave; it made me laugh."
Chao- This entry is for those interested in expanding their review when many authors WANT constructive criticism and all they get was "Update soon". But, in the end, sometimes that's all you get. Oh, well, at least you got a review with someone interested in your story.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Authors and Editors
Chao- Hiring another author to look over your work isn't all a bad idea. It's always good having a set of fresh eyes reviewing your work for any mistakes. Some authors, though, make better editors than others. Some are more aware of grammar; plot and characters; tone and style; or working on a macro or micro level (what the story is vs. how it will be told respectfully). How do you know who to choose? Dunno, but here are a few ideas you may want to consider:
Chao- Authors may have experience writing, but not all of them make great editors. One thing to look out is what they edit and how. A big mistake new editors make is that they focus too much on their own style. Editors must be aware and accept tones and styles differ from their own. They may rearrange an entire paragraph without permission and expect you to take their word for it. Is that fair to you, or did you honestly have a reason for that style?
Consider their credibility:
Chao- If you are happy with their work, you can continue asking them for assistance. You are also free to ask other people for help on the same content. Keep in mind that everyone you ask will not always be helpful. And it is ok to change editors!
You may want to change people if:
Chao- Hope this helped those looking for editors to over look their work! Hmm... Maybe Chao should create an entry for beta editors....?
- Why are you asking certain authors for help?
- Do you like the way they write their stories?
- Are their stories written well enough for your standards?
- Do you like their attitude in their author notes or when you PM them?
- Have you read their Beta profile if one is available? Do you agree with those guidelines?
- Do they offer an explanation for a correction, or do they merely scratch them in?
- If they do explain, is it in a language you understand, or is it all jargon?
- Is your language their first language?
- Are most repairs correct? Do they truly cover what is grammatically right, or are they relying on outdated rules?
- If you trade a document uploaded by Microsoft Word, do they know how to operate the Comments and Track Changes? If it is done through Word, do they highlight their changes either through the highlight or font color?
- Do they commend you on anything, like writing a good analogy, joke, or action scene, or are they strictly focused on fixing mistakes?
- Are they focused more on grammar, or can they tell you the pros and cons of your story as a whole?
- Do they ask for your views on anything you wrote?
- Do they ask if you want them to look at anything specific? Do you tell them if there's anything specific? Do you mention if you just want a general overview?
- Do they return the work in a good amount of time, or at least send a(n) email/PM if there's been a change?
- As a writer you are free to decline any corrections or advice they give. Are they all right with that, or do they give you negative remarks?
- Are you happy with their work in the end?
Chao- Authors may have experience writing, but not all of them make great editors. One thing to look out is what they edit and how. A big mistake new editors make is that they focus too much on their own style. Editors must be aware and accept tones and styles differ from their own. They may rearrange an entire paragraph without permission and expect you to take their word for it. Is that fair to you, or did you honestly have a reason for that style?
Consider their credibility:
- They've written fan fics or other stories
- They are familiar with the characters you are using
- They know about the original story your fan fic is from
- People who have hired them liked their editing work
- They are aware of and admit their strengths and weaknesses
- They offer you outside sources, like books or web pages
Chao- If you are happy with their work, you can continue asking them for assistance. You are also free to ask other people for help on the same content. Keep in mind that everyone you ask will not always be helpful. And it is ok to change editors!
You may want to change people if:
- what they provided was weak, poor, contradictory or inconsistent edits
- enforced their own style
- wrote mean comments to you or what you have written
- changed your meaning of your work, even rewriting what you have
- ignored or forgot about you
- you have a personal issue with them or vice versa
Chao- Hope this helped those looking for editors to over look their work! Hmm... Maybe Chao should create an entry for beta editors....?
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