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!
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