How This Critter Crits
Viewing comments for Chapter 1 "WHY This Critter Crits"GROWTH? ADULATION? HURRY -- CHOOSE!
127 total reviews
Comment from cutie
it's really good one that done by you.
your novelistic lyrics going well while reading....thanks...I like it..
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2006
  |
it's really good one that done by you.
your novelistic lyrics going well while reading....thanks...I like it..
Comment Written 16-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2006
-
Thanks, Charmy Chuckle for your kind comments. Hope you'll catch the next installment coming in a couple of weeks.
Jay
Comment from Sue-z-Q
Dear Jay:
Love your tongue-in-cheek humor, but then one realizes, it's no joke. In your bio you state you made a sale a year ago come November for a paltry $15. Luckily, that hasn't discouraged you. Don't let it. You're an exceptionally good writer in my estimation.
I made less profit on the 2 sales I've made this year. One for a novel and the other for an anthology of short stories I have at Amazon, both are self-published in CD e-book format. The only involvement of a publisher was for the ISBN's.
Two years earlier I received a dozen or so checks at $5 each for lists of words, about 40 apiece, sold to various Word Search magazines. Unrewarding to say the least. The novel took the better part of a year to write, the 26 stories in the anthology took another. The word lists only took a month, but paid better. The total funds I've received wouldn't be enough to merit celebrating at the Golden Arches. One wonders if we only beat our heads against the brick wall because it will feel so good when we stop. However, writing is like a drug. We couldn't give it up even if we wanted to.
The efforts of writers is the most unappreciated profession on earth. Maybe that's because there are so many of us, estimated in the millions ranging from wretched to brilliant, but there are only 55,000 main stream publishers world wide, each planning to do only 3 titles per year, so even the best writing often gets overlooked.
I have a gripe in my craw about the gender crap that has plagued us throughout the twentieth century. It has it's purpose, of course. It's just that I'm tired of having it stuffed down my throat and try to avoid words depicting it. Instead of the "hood" words I'll use fellowship which although indicative of gender, is less so.
Don't apologize to those who criticize you for your creative use of critter and crit. For all you know they may be secretly envious because it didn't occur to them first.
I loved this read. You do the subject justice while also injecting it full of humor. No spags jumped out at me. Keep plodding along. I think you're doing great.
Sue-z-Q
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
|
Dear Jay:
Love your tongue-in-cheek humor, but then one realizes, it's no joke. In your bio you state you made a sale a year ago come November for a paltry $15. Luckily, that hasn't discouraged you. Don't let it. You're an exceptionally good writer in my estimation.
I made less profit on the 2 sales I've made this year. One for a novel and the other for an anthology of short stories I have at Amazon, both are self-published in CD e-book format. The only involvement of a publisher was for the ISBN's.
Two years earlier I received a dozen or so checks at $5 each for lists of words, about 40 apiece, sold to various Word Search magazines. Unrewarding to say the least. The novel took the better part of a year to write, the 26 stories in the anthology took another. The word lists only took a month, but paid better. The total funds I've received wouldn't be enough to merit celebrating at the Golden Arches. One wonders if we only beat our heads against the brick wall because it will feel so good when we stop. However, writing is like a drug. We couldn't give it up even if we wanted to.
The efforts of writers is the most unappreciated profession on earth. Maybe that's because there are so many of us, estimated in the millions ranging from wretched to brilliant, but there are only 55,000 main stream publishers world wide, each planning to do only 3 titles per year, so even the best writing often gets overlooked.
I have a gripe in my craw about the gender crap that has plagued us throughout the twentieth century. It has it's purpose, of course. It's just that I'm tired of having it stuffed down my throat and try to avoid words depicting it. Instead of the "hood" words I'll use fellowship which although indicative of gender, is less so.
Don't apologize to those who criticize you for your creative use of critter and crit. For all you know they may be secretly envious because it didn't occur to them first.
I loved this read. You do the subject justice while also injecting it full of humor. No spags jumped out at me. Keep plodding along. I think you're doing great.
Sue-z-Q
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
-
Bless you, Sue-z-Q, and double bless you for all the wise, humorous, and kind things you have to add to my piece. It is for people like you that I write -- not for your praise (I blush and say "ah shucks!," but I go on reading) but for every indication that I have touched something in you and you are reflecting that back to me. Please climb aboard and ride this thing to its conclusion. I welcome you as a passenger.
Jay
Dear Jay:
nothing else occurs to me that heeds saying here except that I may indeed become a passenger on this ride.
Sue-z-Q
Comment from ooh baby
From one critter to another maybe critter? I enjoyed reading this, it had a good pace, and I like your honesty...I know I will never have any of my stuff on the ah...internet to sell my books. I don't buy from the internet, so I will probably never sell on it anyway. That is, if I ever write any books...hahaha! Not everyone can be a critic...I was just talking aout this to another Fanstorian yesterday, in a way it is a little unfair that we are forced into this position.
I like the title Critter, it fits for me. Colorful...and describes the new creature I become when I am doing my crittin'...I am ready for your third installment...I just have to go back and read your first. Interesting write.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
|
From one critter to another maybe critter? I enjoyed reading this, it had a good pace, and I like your honesty...I know I will never have any of my stuff on the ah...internet to sell my books. I don't buy from the internet, so I will probably never sell on it anyway. That is, if I ever write any books...hahaha! Not everyone can be a critic...I was just talking aout this to another Fanstorian yesterday, in a way it is a little unfair that we are forced into this position.
I like the title Critter, it fits for me. Colorful...and describes the new creature I become when I am doing my crittin'...I am ready for your third installment...I just have to go back and read your first. Interesting write.
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
-
ooh baby, ooh baby, thank you so much for the great commendation. I really appreciate it. Don't leave, ooh baby. More stuff to come in a couple of weeks. I hope it lives up to what I envision. Good folks, like you, make it so worthwhile.
Jay
Comment from Nanette Mary
Hullo Jaysquires ...
Congratulations on this piece of honest writing. I like it very much.
I specially like the part where you say ... "We are here to sell books, not to be
honest."
From what I have seen of so many of the so-called reviews on FanStory, they are not reviews at all. I have learnt that with so many writers, if you dare to award them 4 stars instead of the 5 stars they seem to think is their due, even when their work is peppered with obvious mistakes, their reply amounts to a frigid "Thank you" - written only because they have to! Give the same writers 5 and their replies are as overflowing as bubbly Champagne.
I really like the way you have written this. It has a back-ground of good humour and common sense whilst, at the same time, you state your case with
clarity and honesty.
Here are a few suggested corrections for you ...
* You have - snuck ... There is no such work in the English language - it should be 'sneaked' and yes, I know .... I had a rasberry from one writer who told me that where she lives, they use that word and she will continue to use it. So be it.
* In well-written English, never start a sentence with 'And' or 'But'. Usually what the writer wants to say with such a start is just a continuation of the thought that has gone before it.
* You have - What is important, as I said, were all of us writers. No, this is not
correct. Try - What is important, as I said, is that all of us were writers.
I will settle for your honest 'crits' - thank you.
With love from ....... Nanette Mary.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
|
Hullo Jaysquires ...
Congratulations on this piece of honest writing. I like it very much.
I specially like the part where you say ... "We are here to sell books, not to be
honest."
From what I have seen of so many of the so-called reviews on FanStory, they are not reviews at all. I have learnt that with so many writers, if you dare to award them 4 stars instead of the 5 stars they seem to think is their due, even when their work is peppered with obvious mistakes, their reply amounts to a frigid "Thank you" - written only because they have to! Give the same writers 5 and their replies are as overflowing as bubbly Champagne.
I really like the way you have written this. It has a back-ground of good humour and common sense whilst, at the same time, you state your case with
clarity and honesty.
Here are a few suggested corrections for you ...
* You have - snuck ... There is no such work in the English language - it should be 'sneaked' and yes, I know .... I had a rasberry from one writer who told me that where she lives, they use that word and she will continue to use it. So be it.
* In well-written English, never start a sentence with 'And' or 'But'. Usually what the writer wants to say with such a start is just a continuation of the thought that has gone before it.
* You have - What is important, as I said, were all of us writers. No, this is not
correct. Try - What is important, as I said, is that all of us were writers.
I will settle for your honest 'crits' - thank you.
With love from ....... Nanette Mary.
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
-
Let me just pop my head out of the bubbly and thank you heartily for your kind words. Also for the suggestions. I, too, have a thing about "snuck." For years I never used it. And, now I choose to use it in a colloquial, chatty kind of context. It is in the dictionary, though, Nanette Mary. In the Merriam Webster. It's the secondary choice, but a choice none the less. I still won't use it in formal situations. The second point's a situation where I realize there is both a correct usage and a conventionally accepted usage. Pick up almost any contemporary novel, or just about any magazine fiction and you'll find that sentences starting with "and" or "but" are not even questioned by the editors. I am from the school of writing that says to first learn the rules, then if you choose to depart from them, know why you are doing it, then do it. And, if we do violate them we should have every expectation that a critical reader may come down on us for it. Then, it is up to the violator to explain the reason for his violation -- or suffer the damnation for it.
I do sincerely thank you, Nanette Mary, for bringing those points to my attention. The third one, I'm going to have to study more in its context. I may take your suggestion.
I hope you stay aboard for the succeeding installments. I hope they are informative and entertaining. What can I tell you... I'm a Leo.
Jay
-
Thank you, Jay .... Yes, I agree - you can pick up books and magazines and find all sorts of bad writing but ... is that what you want to do? The fact that "everybody does it" doesn't make it correct.
Of course, everybody is free to write as they please but, my choice is to write in such a way that I uphold the standard of good writing.
About the 'word' snuck - it is not in the Concise Oxford Dictionary but that it is in some American Dictionary does not surprise me. I don't say that nastily because I know that, whoever is to blame, for some
reason in America they have made their own rules about spelling and pronunciation of the English language.
"Some say tomaytoes ... and some say tomaatoes ..."
Remember that delightful song?
In the same way, because everybody does it, some of the writers here choose to include foul language. Why? You can tell a good story with strong emphasis and not use any bad, filthy or obscene language.
Yes, I am looking forward to more chapters of what you are writing.
With love from ..... Nanette Mary.
Comment from mamaboots
Hi Jay,
This was really funny but I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed since you whetted my appetite with the first one - but this was an enjoyable, although lengthy parentheses! I did not find any SPAG here. One thing though, have you been to Critique Circle? Everyone there is a "critter" because they write critiques.
I do my best to be fully honest with my reviews, but have on many occasions skipped some where I could find no redeeming qualities in a work! Do forgive me, I will attempt to do a few in the future :)
Thanks for sharing, Jay, and have a great day,
mamaboots
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
|
Hi Jay,
This was really funny but I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed since you whetted my appetite with the first one - but this was an enjoyable, although lengthy parentheses! I did not find any SPAG here. One thing though, have you been to Critique Circle? Everyone there is a "critter" because they write critiques.
I do my best to be fully honest with my reviews, but have on many occasions skipped some where I could find no redeeming qualities in a work! Do forgive me, I will attempt to do a few in the future :)
Thanks for sharing, Jay, and have a great day,
mamaboots
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
-
mamaboots, thank you for you for reading this one, through your disappointment. I did promise something I didn't deliver. In fairness, I postponed it. It's coming. I'm working on it now and it should be finished in a couple of weeks. No, I've never heard of the Critique Circle. Here at FanStory? I haven't seen it in the Q & A. Hang in there, mamaboots; I don't think the next installment will disappoint. I hope it doesn't any way.
Jay
-
Hi Jay :)
I'm not THAT disappointed!!!!
Critique Circle is another writing place that I visit occasionally. It just takes so long for your piece to come up for review/critique that I don't post there very often - but the reviews are extremely detailed. I can't wait for the next offering in your book!
Have a great day,
mamaboots
Comment from JoAnna Lee
Wonderful. I truly enjoyed this from start to finish and (better yet) I am looking forward to the next installment. Your style of writing was pleasant and humorous and painful all at the same time. Great Job!
There was just one line that "ruffled the fur of this critter" a bit:
"What is important, as I said, were all of us writers."
I'm definately no expert when it comes to SPAG, but I think the word "were" is gramatically incorrect? I think perhaps it should be written:
What is important (as I said) is, "all of us writers."
Something just felt off in the tense? Does that sound better?
Great piece of prose, my friend!
Thanks for sharing,
Donna
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
|
Wonderful. I truly enjoyed this from start to finish and (better yet) I am looking forward to the next installment. Your style of writing was pleasant and humorous and painful all at the same time. Great Job!
There was just one line that "ruffled the fur of this critter" a bit:
"What is important, as I said, were all of us writers."
I'm definately no expert when it comes to SPAG, but I think the word "were" is gramatically incorrect? I think perhaps it should be written:
What is important (as I said) is, "all of us writers."
Something just felt off in the tense? Does that sound better?
Great piece of prose, my friend!
Thanks for sharing,
Donna
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
-
Donna, you are so kind in your crit. Jeeze. Do ya think I was wrong in my choice of agreement. Yours sounds better. That's true. I'm stumped. I tried to agree "were" with "all." I've learned not to trust my ears -- as big as they are, they don't retrieve all things correctly. Sometimes, what seems dead wrong is right, grammatically. Tell you what. I'm going to submit your suggestion (anonymously, of course), to a few of the best SPAG detectors with FanStory and see what they say. I'll get back with you. Thank you so very much, though, for your obviously close read and suggestions.
Jay
Comment from DEEPTI GUPTA
A sensitive writing. It seems you have a treasure of emotions and
sentiments. A sensitive person like you writes great things like this -
a text full of true feelings and reactions. Only the readers like us can appreciate such vibrating writings with an open heart.
Kudos ! Warm wishes.
Deepti
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
|
A sensitive writing. It seems you have a treasure of emotions and
sentiments. A sensitive person like you writes great things like this -
a text full of true feelings and reactions. Only the readers like us can appreciate such vibrating writings with an open heart.
Kudos ! Warm wishes.
Deepti
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
-
You are so kind, Deepti, and generous with your comments. I sincerely hope you stay tuned for the segments that will follow, beginning in a couple of weeks. I'm hoping they will be helpful, and that all this won't turn out to be mere fence pointing. Bless you, Deepti.
Jay
Comment from Mrs Jones
"this much I pledge to you: they represent the best I can do with the knowledge I have at this moment in time." Now that is more than fair. A very interesting write. Thank you.
Cheers
Rose
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
|
"this much I pledge to you: they represent the best I can do with the knowledge I have at this moment in time." Now that is more than fair. A very interesting write. Thank you.
Cheers
Rose
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
-
Thank you, Rose, so very much. This isn't the first time we've met. I don't remember whether you reviewed something of mine, or I something of yours. I hope the segments that follow won't disappoint. Please jump aboard and check them out.
Jay
Comment from CBetts30
excellent work as usual Jay.It's good to be able to get a glimpse inside that brilliant brain of yours and see how it works. I hope a lot of us take your attitude when it comes to critiquing.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
|
excellent work as usual Jay.It's good to be able to get a glimpse inside that brilliant brain of yours and see how it works. I hope a lot of us take your attitude when it comes to critiquing.
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
-
My God, CBetts, what wonderful things you said. And I couldn't be more pleased coming from someone whose work I so respect! Which brings me to a question: in the next segment (or possibly the one after that) may I use the example of your Novel as the effective use of the colloquial in fiction? PM me with your answer. And, thanks, again for your wonderful, kind crit.
Jay
-
Sure. I'd be honored if you did, old buddy.
Comment from Cairn Destop
Am not really sure where this installment is going. I can understand the aversion to the word "reviewer" now, since it seems a tainted word based on your earlier experiences. Hopefully you are learning there is a stronger desire for honesty here and I would expect such from anyone reviewing my stuff. Yes, we all want the high accolades, but how does such false praise help those desiring publication? (Fortunately, the old hedgehog writes for whatever pleasure it gives others with no desire at publication.) I do believe your material missed the very reason you claimed for writing it, the reasons behind your continual evolvement as a critic.
very much like FanStory's = forgot to capitalize first word of sentence
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
 |
Am not really sure where this installment is going. I can understand the aversion to the word "reviewer" now, since it seems a tainted word based on your earlier experiences. Hopefully you are learning there is a stronger desire for honesty here and I would expect such from anyone reviewing my stuff. Yes, we all want the high accolades, but how does such false praise help those desiring publication? (Fortunately, the old hedgehog writes for whatever pleasure it gives others with no desire at publication.) I do believe your material missed the very reason you claimed for writing it, the reasons behind your continual evolvement as a critic.
very much like FanStory's = forgot to capitalize first word of sentence
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
-
Thank you for your close read and your honesty! Please stay tuned, Cairn; I'm hoping something in the segments that follow will be helpful and possibly even entertaining. In the meantime, bless you for speaking your mind. And, also the bonus catch of the period instead of a comma
Jay