• In total there are 29 users online :: 0 registered, 0 hidden and 29 guests (based on users active over the past 60 minutes)
    Most users ever online was 789 on Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:08 am

So what would you do?

The perfect space for valuable discussions that may not neatly fit within the other forums.
Forum rules
Do not promote books in this forum. Instead, promote your books in either Authors: Tell us about your FICTION book! or Authors: Tell us about your NON-FICTION book!.

All other Community Rules apply in this and all other forums.
User avatar
CoolSummer

1F - BRONZE CONTRIBUTOR
Experienced
Posts: 123
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:37 pm
9
Location: Maryland
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 52 times

So what would you do?

Unread post

I play game of war quite a bit, and a person in one of my alliances has written a book. I thought I would support them by purchasing it because it was on Amazon. My problem is many fold with it. Bad format, bad punctuation, and bad word usage. They have asked me what I think several times, but I am struggling with it to be brutally honest, should I just let it ride and say I'm too busy to read it. I know there are quite a few authors on here, what do you guys thin the kindest thing to do is?
"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
I am haunted by waters.”
User avatar
Brooks127
Senior
Posts: 359
Joined: Wed May 15, 2013 6:23 pm
10
Has thanked: 82 times
Been thanked: 110 times
United States of America

Re: So what would you do?

Unread post

Being an author, and also a person who beta reads for others, I would politely explain the issues you see. I could have used the help when I was starting out, but too many people didn't want to hurt my feelings. Just be kind in your approach. Writing is an ongoing learning process. I've been writing for quite sometime, and still I ask for feedback.
Last edited by Brooks127 on Sun May 29, 2016 9:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Cattleman
Way Beyond Awesome
Posts: 1141
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:19 pm
11
Location: Texas
Has thanked: 474 times
Been thanked: 507 times

Re: So what would you do?

Unread post

I'm with Brooks. If no one tells this guy his mistakes, he will keep making them. But be polite, and criticize the writing, not the writer.
Love what you do, and do what you love. Don't listen to anyone else who tells you not to do it. -Ray Bradbury

Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done, and why. Then do it. -Robert A. Heinlein
User avatar
Crystalline
Agrees that Reading is Fundamental
Posts: 292
Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2013 7:57 am
10
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 105 times

Re: So what would you do?

Unread post

Advise him to get an editor, tell him the truth gently, but also find something good to say, even if it's to praise him for the effort of having done it. It takes a lot of effort to write a book, at least it did for me.
Post Reply

Return to “Everything Else”