Satai Delenn

Oh, yeah. It would not be a good idea to crash the archive. Oh well. Thanks for the update though. It's much appreciated!

I've said this in another post regarding OCs, but I really don't understand the hatred toward them. I have several (as of yet unposted) stories about HP fanfics that include OCs. The only thing I can figure regarding the blatent hatred toward OCs (especially female) in HP fandom is that if they're paired with SS, so many people prefer (whether right or wrong) Hermione in an OFC's place that they won't even give a good OC a chance. I have two stories (one I think is better than the other) that I've been working on and off on, and they both have OFCs as the main heroine. I wish people would give OCs more of a chance. I don't know what a Mary Sue is. I just know that I try to write good, complex stories that are a bit on the angsty side. One of my favorite stories that I'm writing is an Gregory Goyle/OFC - SS/OFC with a side pairing of DM/HG. Granted, my GG is quite OOC in the fact that I've made him sensitive and intelligent, lol, but I think it's one of my better fics and his personality in this fic works well. Now, if I could just get on to finishing it, I'd be a very happy writer! Anyway, I have no problem with OCs as main characters if they're paired with a Canon character, and the story is well-written. Sometimes I prefer OC stories and especially in the HP fandom, I wish there were more stories that had them.

Sorry if this is beating a dead horse, but is there anything in the works to make the "reply within review" function available? I know I don't have any stories up yet, but I'm working on some and would prefer if at all possible, to be able to reply to reviews within the reviewer's post. I'd rather not have to reply to reviews in an Author's Note within the story. Of course, that's assuming I get reviews, lol.

OMG! Truly, as someone else said, that is every writer's worst nightmare! I've got so many stories and essays and, well, everything stored on my computer, and I do have a hard drive backup, but I don't use it nearly as often as I should. I guess this will frighten me into backing up my files more often! Btw, what's a keydrive? Is it one of those stick things that stores files on it?

I'm all for researching to make the story more plausable (especially when writing HP fanfic so that people don't yell at you), but sometimes you just have to make the decision, "Is it really necessary to be a stickler for the details in this particular instance, or can I get away with not looking "x" up this time?" If you can make the story still work without looking EVERYTHING up, then do it. But personally, (and I'm again going to use HP as an example since that's my preferred fandom) if it's something small I don't worry about looking it up. But if it's something important to the fic (such as a particular classroom, or character, or spell, etc.) then for sure I will spend as much time as possible doing the research to make it right. I hope that helps.

If you ever need to look stuff up again, I find that the only place I am willing to go is to the Lexicon. It is one of the most in-depth, detailed places to find nearly all things HP related. Here's the link: http://www.hp-lexicon.org/index-2.html I don't go anywhere else for my HP info.

OK, sorry, I know I'm a little late in responding here, but if you're interested, I'd like to point out an author that switches back and forth between 1st and 3rd person narrative in her books, and manages (I don't know how) to do it quite well. Diana Gabaldon is the author. Her heroine is written in 1st person (present and past tense, depending on what is being done), and all other characters are written in 3rd person (present and past tense, again, depending on what is being done). She's managed to write over 7 books in one series this way, and has an offshoot series based upon one of the characters found in the first series, but this she writes strictly in 3rd person. I have no idea how she keeps it all straight, but she does. Anyway, you might want to look at her books for ideas on writing in 1st person.

I've been moved by images lots of times. Art museums, mostly, but there's a really talented artist whose work I LOVE, and one of her drawings inspired me to begin a crossover fanfic (which I began writing for NanoWrimo two years ago, and unsurprisedly, never finished) between Hellraiser and Harry Potter (well, actually Severus Snape). While the original story sucked, I do eventually want to return to it and redo it. I still think it would make for an awesome story.

Interesting. I guess I don't understand why people have such a problem with OCs. I've got a story I've been trying to write for a while, and it contains an OC as a main character. I had plans to make a sequel of the current story and it would contain the OC since she's a main character in this fic, and she would be essential to the next fic. As I said, I really honestly don't understand why people balk at OCs. My feeling is, if the story is well written, and the OC is an integral part to the story and possibly another story, then by all means, use him/her.

Hi Cuzosu, What an interesting name! I sent you a PM, and I look forward to hearing back from you!

Hi, I sent you a PM.

I understand what you're saying. It's why I make the love interest or friend an OC. This way, I can create one character to be who I want, and then I focus on the other, already established character and try to make him/her as close to canon as possible. Though, I've been told that I make my Snape quite a bit too bastardish. I am trying to rein in his bastardness, but it's kind of hard sometimes. My initial writings were really raw, but I've worked hard and tried to learn, and I do think I've improved. Now if I could just find a good beta...

That's a new one, and I'm used to trying to see the point in likes of most Turner Prize winners. xD Google time! At one of the colleges I attended, we had to make food art. It was interesting. I made a mosaic of Jesus (which was an interesting choice, considering I'm Jewish, lol) out of graham crackers, peanut butter, and M&Ms. It was back when they had the original color M&Ms so it was really fun and easy to make... two colors of brown (the light and the dark), the orange, the red, the yellow, and the green. It turned out really well with the two different colored browns, and wouldn't have faired as well if I'd had to use the new M&Ms with the blue replacing the light brown. Yeah, I'm rambling. Sorry.

Or, perhaps you could truly embarrass the kid (and make the girlfriend concerned for her own health) by saying something like, "I don't know what to do. I have this horrible discharge, and urinating is so painful." and have the teacher add, "Well, if that's the case, you probably have gonorrhea and should see your doctor, as well as inform any potential sexual partners that they might be infected as well."

Well, since Yiddish is a direct combination of Hebrew and German, then... yes. So some one is being fucked by a staff with a snake head on it ? Dear lord, I now have an image of Lucius Malfoy in my head! lol. OK, wow. I cannot believe I just spent the past hour reading through this whole thread. Well, this confirms my desire for a beta. Unfortunately, no one seems to want to be my beta, and since I'm now more extremely insecure with my writing than I was before, I guess it will be a long time coming before I post any of my fanfic stories. *sigh* As for spelling/grammar? I'm a spelling/grammar Nazi. I cannot stand seeing words grammatically misspelled. For example: Loose when it should be LOSE. Yes, you read right! It should be LOSE! or taunt when it should be taut, as in "her TAUT nipples." I cannot tell you how many times I have screamed in frustration and wanted to break down in tears upon reading that in fics. I wanted to write to the author and say, "So, what? Was the guy taunting her nipples? 'nanny nanny boo-boo! Your nipples are too small and red!'" I have to say though, that I'm American, yet I find that I'm incorporating more British terms into my vocabulary for everyday use. Maybe it's because I focus my writing in the British realm (i.e. "Harry Potter" as well as my original novels). So, I find that I prefer "arse" to "ass" any day of the week. As for words to use in place of "penis," well, when I stumbled across "schlong" in here it also made me think of "schmuck." Though, tecnichally you can't use "schmuck" because of the meaning of it. Yes, it means "prick" but more in the sense of, "Johnny is being such a schmuck" rather than, "Johnny's schmuck..." see? Can't be used.

I'm still seeking a beta... PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That would be great. I know you all are working hard to get everything updated and such, so whenever it happens (if it happens) is cool.

Yeah, recommended reading helps, but it would be really helpful to have something that provides an active link so that I can just click on it (or a specific chapter within the story) and continue reading when the story is updated. Just an idea.

Hi, I posted a notice in the "Seeking Beta" section, but just read your notice here. I am looking for a beta who is reliable (as I have had 4 betas in the past two years who abandoned me, all due to personal crises in their lives, not because of any falling out between us; we all seemed to get along great). I currently write HP stories (only one posted though, and I HATE it, but it was an early fic of mine and the only one that I had completed, so.... *shrugs*), but I am taking writing classes and have branched out into original stories (but not for online posting. I'm hoping to get published one day... aren't we all? Lol) but I do have some short stories and poetry that I want to post. I tried posting at other sites, only to be rejected due to my punctuation (specifically, comma usage). The pairings I tend to do are SS/OC but the one I've pulled out from the "dusty closet" that I'm working on right now is an SS/OC, OC/RL fic. It is also a dark fic, which tends to be the norm of what I write, with the exception of the fic I have posted elsewhere which was a PWP that had a (bad) attempt at humor, and is the one I hate. I don't have a title for the current one aside from "Snapefic" which is kind of funny since my Remus!muse took over and it's turning into a Remus fic with a Snape subplot. I really want to get this current story that I'm working on beta'd and start posting it, so I'd really appreciate your help. I need someone who is reliable, understanding, patient, and keeps in communication with me, even if it's just a "Hi, got your chapter/section, I'll get it back to you in "x" days" and if you have a delay for whatever reason, just tell me, please. I am flexible about getting stuff back so long as you tell me it will take additional time for you to go through my stuff. I also need someone who can Brit Pick (as I'm American. I do have good grammar, spelling, etc. skills, and I can sometimes use proper British spellings thanks to having spent the past five years talking to people from the U.K. and learning how they talk, write, etc., but, like you, I'm not perfect and I could use some back up in that department, especially when coming up with food ideas since there are a lot of British foods that I am totally baffled by), as well as someone who can give me advice on working out plot holes (as you mentioned with the girl with the broken arm). I am getting better at this, but I still need work in this department. I also need assistance with details. Again, thanks to my writing classes, I'm getting better, but it just isn't natural for me to put lots of small descriptive details into my stories (and have it sound natural, and not forced). So, if you decide you can take on another "author" and you think you can work with me, please let me know. I really would love to have your assistance. My email is private, but I'd be happy to give it to you via PM if you decide to take me on. Sorry to have rambled so much. Thank you! Delenn

As my title said, I need a very reliable, well-seasoned beta. In the past two years, I have lost 4 betas. All due to major personal crises in their lives. Now, while I understand that real life must intercede in online life every so often, I am really tired of being abandoned. It's hard enough to find quality betas, but then to lose every one of them? It's kind of left me jaded. My genre ranges from original poetry to Harry Potter fanfiction (mainly Snapefics). I currently have three HP fanfics I am working on. They have all been put on the back burner for one reason or another, but after having taken some writng courses, I have pulled one of them back out recently. It is a OC/SS, OC/RL fic. It is about 45,000 words so far, and no where near finished yet. I have plans to turn this fanfic into an original story by changing characters and taking it out of the magical world, and changing the era, etc. but for now, I want to see how this would fair as a fanfiction. It is a darkfic, as many of my stories are. My one attempt at a PWP was dismal. I am not good at "fun, light, fluffy" fics, so I am back to what I consider my strengths. So, what am I looking for from a beta, besides reliable? I am looking for someone who is definitely over the age of 18 (preferably, someone over the age of 20). Someone who is very good with grammar and punctuation. Mainly, comma placement (as I am sure you are seeing here). My stories in the past have mainly all been rejected due to comma placement, rather than sentence structure or spelling (since I keep two dictionaries and a thesaurus on hand for writing at all times). I also need someone who can make suggestions if they see something that might work better than something I have written. I would prefer that my beta make corrections inside the copy of the story I send them so that I can pull it up along side my pre-edited copy and see what needs to be changed. I think I am slightly dyslexic, but have not been diagnosed. I sometimes see a word spelled a certain way and can read it up to six times because I'm thrown by it, and suddenly out of the blue see it the way it is really spelled, and then the sentence makes sense. So, I must ask that any changes made please be typed in a red color so that I see the difference, or at least know to look for a difference between it and the original word. Someone who is VERY open to reading anything. Because my fics tend to be on the darker side, there is semi-graphic to graphic rape scenes. There is mutilation in the current fanfic I am working on, so I need someone who is not easily squicked. I need someone with attention to detail; i.e. if you think I haven't put in enough detail and you have suggestions, please make them. Even better would be to show me with an example. I am a visual person, so I don't always understand textbook defintions without a sentence showing me what you mean. I should also warn in advance that I am highly insecure, so if you take me on as a beta and say you'll get back to me with "x" chapter or section in "7 days" I will get very nervous if I haven't heard back from you on or before the 7th day if something has happened and you need more time. I am very flexible on when things are returned to me so long as there is communication and I know that there is going to be a delay. It is only if someone disappears on me without warning that I get upset. Also, I am currently in no hurry regarding posting times for my stories. So if you are a beta for others and they have a pressing need for a chapter to get up and you need to make that the priority, that is fine. Again, I just need communication regarding that. I hope that I haven't scared any betas off, but I would rather you know upfront what to expect, than agree to take me on only to find me a draining annoyance later, lol. Thank you in advance, Delenn