Great Job KA

[ka.dick. (imported)]

Don't get jumpy. That rule is not in the guidelines (http://www.eunuch.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=10515). The only thing mentioned there is the 5-day queue. I don't have problems with delays, I was inquiring about the rejection.

Hey, I've been an admin to a few large web sites so I know what trash gets posted by users. I don't doubt moderation is needed. But I also know how bad it can get when good content gets rejected due to unclear rules. I know one web site which basically died because of that (decline of userbase), and another one which has suffered a lot.

I really don't want to argue. Just to put things in perspective: I'm a writer and when I write and publish online the amount of text I've submitted here in the past weeks, it pays my rent for three and a half months (I just did the math). So you can't really wonder I get bitchy when I don't even know why the story gets rejected. That doesn't mean I don't respect your rules or rights as a publisher or that I don't appreciate EA and the moderators.

So next time I'll wait before submitting more chapters and I recommend you add such extra rules to the guidelines to avoid confusion with other authors.

Edit: But thanks for telling me instead of rejecting the story again...

[TheOtherSide (imported)]

WTF? You punish authors for writing more?

I've never seen it as designed to punish authors. In the past there have been complaints by readers about the 'new stories' list being nothing but multiple chapters of a single story. I think that's one of the reasons the rule was put in place, to help keep that kind of thing from happening. At least, that's always been my take on it.

[Old Greebo (imported)]

Scalp.

Thanks, ka-dick, for a good story.

I enjoyed reading it, although I'll confess that I was expecting a better edited work after reading your prolonged (and interesting) exchange of correspondence with the EA moderators!

Several times my attention to the story was diverted by some confusing mix-ups of tenses (such as the second para of part 1 where your "I've" would have been better as just "I"). And in the next para your "Fortunately, I knew I won't need to be..." ought to have said "Fortunately I knew I wouldn't need to be..."

You have a 'to' somewhere where you should have said 'too'.

The punctuation could be improved. For example, the first commas in paras 2 and 3 are redundant.

I'm often told that we can't ever do a proper edit of our own writings. It's better to have a sympathetic but educated friend to read them through and red-line anything that detracts from the reading pleasure. Of course we can then completely ignore whatever our friend says, but usually there's a smidgeon of sense that needs to be taken into account one way or another.

I'm in no position to criticise though. I've posted several stories myself (here and elsewhere) and I've never had them edited by another person before posting. Perhaps I should. But it's not easy to find editors for this sort of reading matter, is it?

There are quite a few erudite contributors to the EA Message Boards. I wonder if some of them might volunteer to act as (unpaid) editors for authors who submit fiction? It might simplify the process of accepting/rejecting EA stories if a submitted story has previously been edited by an accredited EA member?

I'll be willing to put my name forward if others join in.

[Paolo]

And the writing help center forum has only been there for what, five years?

[Old Greebo (imported)]

Sorry Paolo.

I wasn't wanting to diss the establishment.

If there is a Writing Help Centre Forum (and I really didn't know, honest!) maybe it needs to be bumped up and thrust in the faces of aspiring EA contributors?

[kristoff]

Of course, we don't have to host someone's writings. Not a big deal.

[Paolo]

Christ...the header for it is right UNDER the header for this forum.

[TheOtherSide (imported)]

And before this gets too much further off track....

Thank you KA, for submitting your stories to the EA, they are great, and even if not entirely my personal cup of tea, very well written. I do hope that you continue submitting them, as I (and likely many others) quite enjoyt reading them.

[ka.dick. (imported)]

I enjoyed reading it, although I'll confess that I was expecting a better edited work after reading your prolonged (and interesting) exchange of correspondence with the EA moderators!

Thanks, I'll check. Although I've been actively using English for some 20 years, it's not my native language. I'm used to a totally different composition and grammar... For example, It's quite difficult to use the correct tense in English. There's a rumor that only native speakers (and British to boot) always know when to properly use past perfect or past simple and it can't be learned

BTW it's also true that editing one's own text can rarely eliminate all the mistakes. That's why the good magazines and publishers have up to three editors, checking the text after it's finished, and even so, some errors get through. I've worked at a company where someone submitted hand-written text, someone else typed it in, two other people checked it for typos and when I've worked with the data, I could still find an error here and there.

I'm sure the moderators here could use more help with the stories. (Unfortunately I can't volunteer in this case.)

[Old Greebo (imported)]

Paolo, Kristoff -

OK guys, I accept that you have a difficult (sometimes thankless, but I'll say 'Thank You' now) task keeping this excellent website going. I do appreciate it. Apart from the obvious (and valuable) support you provide for people who have problems with the physical kit that Fate (or God, whatever) gave them, there are SO many people who value and appreciate you for maintaining this site.

Me, I don't 'navigate' the Eunuch.org website. I'm an old man, and I just log on to the home page and see where it gets me. When I do, I see a list of interesting and current threads on the right-hand side, and if any of them prompt me to reply I take the trouble to log in and reply. If I'm not moved to write a comment, I suppose I just show up as a lurker.

On the left hand side I see a list of the most recently posted stories, and if I'm honest it's the stories that keep me coming back here.

I don't often delve deeper. But yes, you're right, there are pointers to all sorts of help for would-be contributors to the Archive, and the pointers are up there for all to see. OK, I was trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs when I suggested EA contributors could offer their services as unpaid editors. The intention was good ...

But ...

Do you have to be so bloody curt when you respond to people who, with the best of intentions, are trying to add value to the Archive?

ka.dick, thanks for your recent message. I didn't realise that English wasn't your native language. In the circs I suppose I should say you did a pretty good job with your story! However, I stick to my criticisms, and I'm glad you're taking them in the (constructive) manner I intended!