How This Critter Crits
Viewing comments for Prologue "How This Critter Crits"GROWTH? ADULATION? HURRY -- CHOOSE!
170 total reviews
Comment from garymiller
Jay,
A couple of months ago, you were kind enough to review one of my submissions. It was uplifting (I was fortunate enough to receive a Critter-6 Star) and concise on what you liked. Thanks.
Now, I'm back to thank you for giving all of us insight into the Crtter mind. Nice autbiographical work here. I, too, work in the insurance industry (reinsurance underwriting) so you drew me in even more with the occupational connection. But I would guess that you drew most writers in because no matter how much we love to writer, most of us understand the need for the "real job."
I also want to salute you on the prolificacy of your review work and your willingness to help other writers. I've been lax on that end because I've been putting most of my time into marketing my first novel, starting the sequel, and trying to fit in a short story or two along the way. The time you devote to helping others improve their art is exceptional, and on that subjective Critter scale, you would have gotten six stars, but alas, this chapter was posted in August.
Looking forward to reading the ensuing chapters and your other work. And if you would ever like to exchange work, from one insurance guy to another, the offer is open ended.
One thing I would suggest going back and counting the numbers of times "three months" is used in this chapter.
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2006
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Jay,
A couple of months ago, you were kind enough to review one of my submissions. It was uplifting (I was fortunate enough to receive a Critter-6 Star) and concise on what you liked. Thanks.
Now, I'm back to thank you for giving all of us insight into the Crtter mind. Nice autbiographical work here. I, too, work in the insurance industry (reinsurance underwriting) so you drew me in even more with the occupational connection. But I would guess that you drew most writers in because no matter how much we love to writer, most of us understand the need for the "real job."
I also want to salute you on the prolificacy of your review work and your willingness to help other writers. I've been lax on that end because I've been putting most of my time into marketing my first novel, starting the sequel, and trying to fit in a short story or two along the way. The time you devote to helping others improve their art is exceptional, and on that subjective Critter scale, you would have gotten six stars, but alas, this chapter was posted in August.
Looking forward to reading the ensuing chapters and your other work. And if you would ever like to exchange work, from one insurance guy to another, the offer is open ended.
One thing I would suggest going back and counting the numbers of times "three months" is used in this chapter.
Comment Written 27-Dec-2006
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2006
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Thank you, Gary, for your kind words. For the last three months I've tended to exercise a lot of excesses, including trilunars. I hope you don't really thnk I'm going to go back and count them, though. I'll just take your word for it. I am so grateful for people like you, Gary, for acknowledging any assistance I might give. If you got a sixer from me, however, I don't think you needed a whole lot of help. Thanks, for just being here.
Jay
Comment from Martie
Jay....Do you know how hard it is to crit you after reading about your critterness? None the less....I read it without stopping ...and that means I didn't see any gross problems at all; I also read it with a smile almost the whole way through...I bless you for that. As for the content....FanStory is lucky as are those who get to taste the meat of the critter's crit, to have you critting. I thank you!! :)
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2006
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Jay....Do you know how hard it is to crit you after reading about your critterness? None the less....I read it without stopping ...and that means I didn't see any gross problems at all; I also read it with a smile almost the whole way through...I bless you for that. As for the content....FanStory is lucky as are those who get to taste the meat of the critter's crit, to have you critting. I thank you!! :)
Comment Written 14-Dec-2006
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2006
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Martie... And I thank you! You are a class act.
Jay
Comment from nor84
Very enjoyable read, Jay. I'm anxious to go on, just as soon as I put enough words down here to please the Fanstory computer.
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2006
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Very enjoyable read, Jay. I'm anxious to go on, just as soon as I put enough words down here to please the Fanstory computer.
Comment Written 14-Dec-2006
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2006
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Have you ever figured out how many words you need to feed that bitch!
Jay
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Yeah, she is sort a smirking bitch, isn't she. Takes two lines. Never counted the words.
Comment from butchiesmom
Loved this explanation of your critiquing style, lol. I found it amusing and informative. I'm not sure I could be as detailed about the way I critique, mostly because I don't have detailed guidelines for myself. However, if it catches my eye while reading and keeps drawing me back to it, there's probably something to it.
It's good to know, however, you have a method to (sorry about this) to your madness (feel about myself the same way).
My spelling skills are excellent (not boasting, lol) but my punctuation and grammar skills are my weakness. Having said that, I found a few places which caught my eye and wouldn't let go:
Since I've been a member of FanStory for three months, may I offer this as the quarterly report of my critting experience over that time. (since this is a sentence I'm thinking this should end with a question mark)
I'm a Critter, you see. And, I'm in good company. (There's something about these two sentences. I'm thinking they could be combined without changing what you're trying say.)
You wrote:
And, it simultaneously begins the second, third and fourth quarters of a new era.
I suggest:
It, also, simultaneously begins the second, third and fourth quarters of a new era.
You wrote:
If praise were water they'd have been drowned, in some cases scalded by my boiling passion for their genius.
I suggest:
If praise were water they'd have been drowned, in some cases scalded by my boiling passion for their genius. (been should be deleted)
You wrote:
I tried at first being tactful with them, going to great lengths to point out what they might want to consider changing this, adding here or deleting over there.
I suggest:
I tried, at first, being tactful with them, going to great lengths to point out what they might want to consider changing, adding here or deleting over there.
As always, my suggestions are just that. Some, I think, are subjective. I hope this helps!
Funny prologue! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the chapters.
Gail
reply by the author on 11-Dec-2006
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Loved this explanation of your critiquing style, lol. I found it amusing and informative. I'm not sure I could be as detailed about the way I critique, mostly because I don't have detailed guidelines for myself. However, if it catches my eye while reading and keeps drawing me back to it, there's probably something to it.
It's good to know, however, you have a method to (sorry about this) to your madness (feel about myself the same way).
My spelling skills are excellent (not boasting, lol) but my punctuation and grammar skills are my weakness. Having said that, I found a few places which caught my eye and wouldn't let go:
Since I've been a member of FanStory for three months, may I offer this as the quarterly report of my critting experience over that time. (since this is a sentence I'm thinking this should end with a question mark)
I'm a Critter, you see. And, I'm in good company. (There's something about these two sentences. I'm thinking they could be combined without changing what you're trying say.)
You wrote:
And, it simultaneously begins the second, third and fourth quarters of a new era.
I suggest:
It, also, simultaneously begins the second, third and fourth quarters of a new era.
You wrote:
If praise were water they'd have been drowned, in some cases scalded by my boiling passion for their genius.
I suggest:
If praise were water they'd have been drowned, in some cases scalded by my boiling passion for their genius. (been should be deleted)
You wrote:
I tried at first being tactful with them, going to great lengths to point out what they might want to consider changing this, adding here or deleting over there.
I suggest:
I tried, at first, being tactful with them, going to great lengths to point out what they might want to consider changing, adding here or deleting over there.
As always, my suggestions are just that. Some, I think, are subjective. I hope this helps!
Funny prologue! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the chapters.
Gail
Comment Written 11-Dec-2006
reply by the author on 11-Dec-2006
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I'm curious, Gail. Did you start from the end and work back? I keep thinking you've finished the chapters, then here comes another. AND, this is the prologue you're commenting on now. Anyway, girl, you need to go take a nap. You've working awfully hard for about 14 cents. As usual... Thank you for all your close work.
Jay
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When I want to do a great review, and there's not that many chapters, I go to the beginning and work my way to the present one. It takes some time, but it's worth it.
Gail
Comment from sandramarie
I don't know how I missed this when it was first posted. This is an
entertaining, well written and thought-provoking write, Jay. It made
me think about the way I crit, as well.
"If praise were water they'd have been drowned, in some cases scalded by my boiling passion for their genius." .....tee hee...I LOVE this line!
I'll have to read the remaining chapters to see if you still crit this way...especially since you gave me a four star rating. ...good to passable? ouch! Say it isn't so!
Take care,
Sandy
reply by the author on 11-Nov-2006
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I don't know how I missed this when it was first posted. This is an
entertaining, well written and thought-provoking write, Jay. It made
me think about the way I crit, as well.
"If praise were water they'd have been drowned, in some cases scalded by my boiling passion for their genius." .....tee hee...I LOVE this line!
I'll have to read the remaining chapters to see if you still crit this way...especially since you gave me a four star rating. ...good to passable? ouch! Say it isn't so!
Take care,
Sandy
Comment Written 11-Nov-2006
reply by the author on 11-Nov-2006
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Sandra, thank you so very much for the kind review. I hope you stay aboard for the remaining chapters in the series. I'm working on Micro-Critting now and it should be out in a couple of weeks. Four stars, huh? Oooops. And you gave me five. Okay, if I owe you one, I'll give it to you on your next. A one star rating! Whoa! Seriously, Thanks again, Sandra.
Jay
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LOL! That's okay. You can keep the one star! I don't need it. ;-)
Just keep critting my work. You're very helpful (and funny).
Sandy
Comment from tecate
Two cents? I only get two cents for critiquing this...this. Ok! So I'd pay you just to read it. Wrote to you the other day, and am plunging in (into?) the whole series, do or die. On a more serious note, I think it is very kind of you to care enough to help us would be writers out. You should be teaching in the little ones so books (reading) won't follow along behind the dinosaurs. I'm getting a little wordy (is that a word?) here so I'd better back out and get busy reading the rest of your formula for instant success. (well, maybe not instant) give or take a couple weeks, working at least fifteen minutes a day. Hmmm, I think that was some other course I attempted to take. Sorry, but I will write again later...you could move you know. Self preservation? Adios for now, Tecate
You notice, I'm still...using those damed dots. T
reply by the author on 04-Nov-2006
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Two cents? I only get two cents for critiquing this...this. Ok! So I'd pay you just to read it. Wrote to you the other day, and am plunging in (into?) the whole series, do or die. On a more serious note, I think it is very kind of you to care enough to help us would be writers out. You should be teaching in the little ones so books (reading) won't follow along behind the dinosaurs. I'm getting a little wordy (is that a word?) here so I'd better back out and get busy reading the rest of your formula for instant success. (well, maybe not instant) give or take a couple weeks, working at least fifteen minutes a day. Hmmm, I think that was some other course I attempted to take. Sorry, but I will write again later...you could move you know. Self preservation? Adios for now, Tecate
You notice, I'm still...using those damed dots. T
Comment Written 04-Nov-2006
reply by the author on 04-Nov-2006
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Thank you, tecate, thank you, thank you. This is a tribute, indeed, when one reads the current installment and then goes back to square one and reads them all -- and for a total of, what?, 6 cents? I do hope you enjoy all of them and hook up for all the ones to come. I so appreciate you.
Jay
Comment from Frech54
I read this with a smile. You've hit upon the topic of many a conversation on this sight. All you have to do is look on the forum to see just how many of us have questions about ratings and such. I find that you have expressed many a concern with the ability to look at it with humor. Nicely done.
reply by the author on 22-Oct-2006
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I read this with a smile. You've hit upon the topic of many a conversation on this sight. All you have to do is look on the forum to see just how many of us have questions about ratings and such. I find that you have expressed many a concern with the ability to look at it with humor. Nicely done.
Comment Written 22-Oct-2006
reply by the author on 22-Oct-2006
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Okay, now this is scary. You've gone ALLLL THE WAYYYY BACCK. French, you are a wonderful person. Thanks for your confindence in me.
Jay
Comment from Granny Sandy
Jay I just critted chapter 4 and have gone back to read the previous chapters. Still have found no pain in the lessons but I did find one nit in this one.
I know this is a VERY late crit but thought you might want to know
pointed out (what) that they might
Again, thanks for sharing. I am now off to chapter 2
reply by the author on 18-Oct-2006
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Jay I just critted chapter 4 and have gone back to read the previous chapters. Still have found no pain in the lessons but I did find one nit in this one.
I know this is a VERY late crit but thought you might want to know
pointed out (what) that they might
Again, thanks for sharing. I am now off to chapter 2
Comment Written 18-Oct-2006
reply by the author on 18-Oct-2006
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Thanks Granny for the heads up on that nit. Sometimes I think the nit demon comes in after FS closes and changes things that were SPAGless. Thanks for everything.
Jay
Comment from bookishfabler
I like the way you write. I was wrong, previously, I had a chapter and a prologue. I have been here since February and an totally addicted to FS. I haven't found to many of those three's your talking about. I guess, If the story is a real mess, I tend to skip it, rather than give a real low rating. I can't help it. I think I have only given two sixes. I guess I'm stingy with them. Well, Jay, moving right along. I would like to read chapter number one.
Peace
bookishfabler
reply by the author on 07-Oct-2006
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I like the way you write. I was wrong, previously, I had a chapter and a prologue. I have been here since February and an totally addicted to FS. I haven't found to many of those three's your talking about. I guess, If the story is a real mess, I tend to skip it, rather than give a real low rating. I can't help it. I think I have only given two sixes. I guess I'm stingy with them. Well, Jay, moving right along. I would like to read chapter number one.
Peace
bookishfabler
Comment Written 07-Oct-2006
reply by the author on 07-Oct-2006
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Thank you bookish fabler for your kind comments. It is always an honor to find someone who enjoys what I write. It's also a responsibility. I hope I continue to satisfy.
Jay
Comment from lerkun
hey jay, thought I'd take the 2 cents and give you mine in return...tho over here we use 2 bob being 20 cents so my value is apparently higher...c now I'm paying you ::casts a furtive glance over review for typos and grammatical errors::
Well here goes ..I'd have to say that being an insurance salesman would guarantee you a slickness few of us ever have hope of finding (should I mention my years in r/e). The categorization is a scream...probably because I guess where I may fit in your scheme of things... k that's about 2 bobs worth so am off to the next instalment...u do take payment in instalments don't u?
;-D
be well
lerk
reply by the author on 05-Oct-2006
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hey jay, thought I'd take the 2 cents and give you mine in return...tho over here we use 2 bob being 20 cents so my value is apparently higher...c now I'm paying you ::casts a furtive glance over review for typos and grammatical errors::
Well here goes ..I'd have to say that being an insurance salesman would guarantee you a slickness few of us ever have hope of finding (should I mention my years in r/e). The categorization is a scream...probably because I guess where I may fit in your scheme of things... k that's about 2 bobs worth so am off to the next instalment...u do take payment in instalments don't u?
;-D
be well
lerk
Comment Written 05-Oct-2006
reply by the author on 05-Oct-2006
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I do. I do. And, now I'm totally befuddled. You gave me a 5. Ooops! Importantly, are you getting anything out of it? Not Nirvana or any of that crapola, but fodder for your critter mind? Thanks for your time, your humor, and your kindness. Jump aboard.
Jay