Tanuki Racoon
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Posts posted by Tanuki Racoon
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Frankly, these last two posts make me sick. Next thing you know Dude will think we like him and it'll go to his head. Next thing you know, he'll be charging us admission and treating us all like STRAIGHT PEOPLE. The next Bill Gates, I tell you.
Do yourselves a favour and be terribly mean to Dude.
Thank You,
-- wbms :twisted:
PS: If you think I'm serious, well, HMPH.
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These do not belong in a well written story. Never. If you need to use a parenthetical statement to explain something, you've not written it well to begin with.
I wouldn't be so fast about that. One place where I think it might be permissible would be for a first-person novel told as a biographical piece. I seem to recall reading a Truman Capote book a few months back that used this technique, and it didn't bother me. Capote's a better writer than you and me, and I suspect he could make it work.
Capote sucks. He may write a good story but he is NOT a good writer. I will fight you to the death on this one. Grrrrrr....
However, I also maintain my position that all parenthetical bits can be better written as inline text. I do not believe that you need a parenthesis in a work of fiction. Even a dash can be used in its place and work much better.
after reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves last year -- a book that I found hilarious and also very informative -- I understood why my instincts were right.This is why I have repeatedly recommended this book and am wondering why everyone here hasn't read it yet.
About the only time I disagreed with the author was when she veered off in a Veddy British direction, pointing out situations that were wrong in England, but textbook-perfect in America.Sir, that would depend on which English you write in. Her book was originally written for a British audience with no intent of a sale here. When it was brought over here, it was done unedited and unchanged which is why parts of it confound the invariably less-educated American audience. For someone like me who is fluent in both versions of English and can write either way, the book was doubly valuable.
I think everyone here should buy it and make up their own mind, then we can have an inter-author flame war for fun :)
-- wbms
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Believe me, I could have found some stinkers but why 'diss anybody unnecessairly. That's just not good manners.
Reviews of submitted material are viewed privately where I am apt to give less worthy works their appropriate marks.
OK, I'll let you live this once :)
-- wbms
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Your system is flawed. I've read both stories. They're both good. However, I have yet to read anything online that can even remotely hold a candle to Driver's works. You've got Tapping at 91 and Quarry at 92. I firmly believe any system in which Driver doesn't get at least 10% higher than every other online story (and most offline) stories is inherently flawed.
So There.
-- wbms
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haha WBM... Your post was the reason why I wanted to start writing my story here. So in any case, I agree with many of you. Also, a plot doesn't have to be 'new', it just has to be creatively done well.
Stop it. You're making the unflappable WBMS blush....
-- WBMS
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First, thanks for all the LOOOOOOONG posts :) I appreciate the thought and effort you all put into them.
I was concerned when I first posted it, that I'd get some rather testy "why do you hate gays" type of posts. Obviously, I don't but people tend to get sensitive when you criticise a certain group which they're a member of. (Will all the straights here please speak up?) ::deafening silence follows::
But all three of you last posters make some very valid comments in addition to what I've already said. There IS quality out there but it's hard to find. Dude has done a basically good job of getting it here (he invited me, but I think he was heavily medicated at the time....)
There are NO bad stories here. There are stories I personally don't like, but that's personal taste. What's here is well written (though sometimes grammatically painful), and intelligently presented. I'll say the same thing about Beagle's site.
And there ARE new ideas out there. But, it's hard to do because we all have, when we write, influences in our subconscious. Although I'd like to think my story is entirely original, it owes a debt to Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. My new forthcoming story (soon, I promise) is also original and undoubtedly owes a debt to some authors as well.
Besides what's here, there is EXTREME EXCELLENCE if you look. Driver's stories are simply the best stories online period. Bad Driver is better than good anyone else. His work is an example of what we all should aspire to be.
Although not posted here, we also have Josh Aterovis' work in Bleeding Hearts. We have Hood's P&J as well (not to bring up a sore subject, but the story was good -- and I'm just talking story here). There was Broken as well, but now our Dude has just brought it here. Dude's good about that, BTW. If we point something out he'll get it here. Rumour is he'll sell his soul for a good story.
If we all keep an eye out for QUALITY and let Dude know (after discussing it in the forum for a consensus) we can really bring this place to the forefront of its field.
I'm rambling so I'll stop now. Thanks again for all your posts, and an apology for MY long delay in getting you new material to read. Sadly, I have a life and it's interfering with my ability to write.
Cheers!
WBMS
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Hello :)
That subject ought to have riled you all up a bit. It's true, you know, I hate most gay stories. I'm sure, coming from me, that's quite a shock.
Let me explain. I love a good story (novel, novella, short story, essay, whatever). However, many people write these specifically gay pieces and most of them, quite frankly, aren't very good -- more later.
However, good writers write a fantastic story and one or more of the characters happen to be gay. That's not the same thing. And I'm not arguing semantics. In a good story, it should work pretty well regardless of the genders of the characters.
Stories where the whole plot exists SOLELY because the character is gay are generally weak.
(I am not referring to 'sex' stories where the point is sex. If you're not sure, remove all the sex scenes. If there's no story left, you've written a sex story. Call Harlequin and understand that what you have isn't literature.)
Most of the authors here are good authors and write good stories that happen to have gay characters. Sure, some elements won't work -- like getting your ass kicked in school because you're straight.
And there are exceptions "New Brother" is a fine work and if the character wasn't gay the story just wouldn't exist. No rule is absolute.
Anyway, I wanted to vent after getting hosed, yet again, on Nifty. But I keep going back because sometimes you find a piece like "tapping" which is well worth sifting through the hellish morass of crap that lives at Nifty.
-- wbms
[/b]
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I've read several stories where a copyright acknowledgment has been included because of the inclusion of song lyrics.
What I'm not sure about is where the line needs to be drawn?
For example: song, book and movie titles, one or two lines from a song?
I've been assuming that mentioning something by title does not need a copyright acknowledgment, but I'm not sure if something is quoted from them, when a copyright acknowledgment should be included.
Believe it or not, I can answer this question PROPERLY.
From a LEGAL standpoint, if you use ANY line from a song (or movie or play), you MUST give full credit (at the start or end of your work will suffice). However, you CANNOT have that story published anywhere without the copyright holder's permission. For example if you use a few verses of a song (as I do) and Dude posts it, and the record company sends him a letter, he MUST remove it. And legally he shouldn't post it at all. There are fair use exceptions which generally would be a line that has gone into common use, "Frankly My Dear, I don't give a damn." Also when the title of the work is also in the work "Stairway to Heaven", you can use it safely.
Mentioning a TITLE of something (book, movie, play, song) requires absolutely no credit whatsoever. Though some authors (me!) like to give credit anyway.
That is your legal answer (summed up and lots left out).
Your practical answer is different. You can use a few lines, but you should give credit -- failure to do so is plaigarism. We all like to give nods to things we like. Just don't do it when you're submitting to a publisher.
-- wbms
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For the record... I have received no recommendations that I post the story either from forum members or the author. I would be glad to consider it if that's what you want...
I can't be everywhere! :P
Why the hell not? You are the omnipotent leader and we expect you to be everywhere. Next thing you know, you'll be telling us you're a mere mortal. I, for one, will not believe it.
So :P :P :P :P
Love,
WBMS
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I have finally read it and wonder whyfore it hasn't made its way here. It's pretty good. Yeah, there are typos and other issues but the most important part is a Good Story and you've got better than that: it's fantastic. You also have a nice writing style: it flows well.
Keep it* up.
-- wbms
* The story, you perves, the STORY.
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which leads me to an even more wondeful tangent that i'd like to include. reader requests. they're nice. complaints, as inconsequential as a drop of water falling in the desert. you shouldn't listen to readers when they tell you to write them in the story.
You have a flaw here. The nature of the request dictates if you should listen. If they say "OH, I want to see A fuck B" or "you should have something bad happen to C" I agree. However, readers often make good requests.
For example, "Your explanation of 'event' wasn't clear and I think it should be re-done."
As an author, I will re-read the part in question and sometimes the reader IS right. Sometimes the reader is obtuse. You cannot dismiss a request out of hand without considering the nature of it. NOBODY here is a perfect author. I like reader e-mail. I have been lambasted over word choice and I rather enjoy those. I've also been told on any number of occaisons I should fix this bit or that. That's fine when the reader is right. However, when readers start telling me what SCENES and CHARACTERS I should have, I am not interested. (My favourite reader emails involve continuity gaffes....)
-- wbms
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(There are exceptions in stories where characters have multiple nicknames)
The only consistent criticism of New Brother that I receive is that of keeping track of who is who, because of the interchanging between nicknames and their real names.
Would this be one of the exceptions you are talking about? This is a serious question, because I am thinking of adding a Dramatis Personae for exactly this reason.
Yes, this is an example of a story that would benefit greatly. In fact, it's the one I had in mind. It doesn't have to have one, but it would be helpful. (In a completed work, this ought to be either as an appendix or as a foreword.)
-- wbms
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a list of the main characters with a blurb to help the reader place them. Authors: What are your thoughts?.
As an author, I despise them with a passion and will never use them.
Readers: Would it help?As a reader, I feel the author is talking down to his/her audience. If you're reading it, and it's well written it should be a bother.
(There are exceptions in storie where characters have multiple nicknames)
-- wbms
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I have 'em too. :/
-- wbms
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Metallica(pre-black album). like Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, Tom Petty, EltonI love music.
Metallica rocks (literally) but some of their post black-album stuff is awesome. How can you categorically dismiss it. TP is great but I like his older stuff better than his newer stuff, though DJ kicked ass. Damn the Torpedos! Elton is great, Floyd is sublime, and Zeppelin may be great but they are the single most overrated group in history: their legend far surpasses the overall quality of their oeuvre.
-- wbms
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Okay, I kind of lost my virginity last night and it was really awesome. I mean it was so amazing. But the guy I was with was acting differently.
You "kind of" lost it? ::cough::
He's probably just either (a) feeling guilty or (b) not knowing what to say. You COULD make the first contact.
-- wbms
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Relax, WBMS and Jeff -- Advertising Rule of Thumb: If 10% of everyone who sees / hears your message replies (by buying your product or coming in the store or calling) you are doing *fantastic*. Besides, do you really want all 3000 hits to e-mail you and say, "Gawd, I loved it so much, I love you, I want pictures, here are my pictures, I came *twice* just reading it...." Or the reverse, "Eww, I hate you, I hate your goldfish, I hurled...." See? If you get even *one* comment that actually shows they weren't asleep when they read your story, that even has some useful comments, pro or con, then feel blessed. -- Feel free to remind me the next time I get down about some story or project.
I've only received one flame. I've received a few "there's not enough sex" e-mails. I've received a few rather unintelligent replies. I've also received some regular fan mail. And, more importantly, I've received some very nice intelligent, well thought out emails.
Amazingly, I answer every single email. And, yes, I do wish every reader would check in even if to say "I'm out here and reading."
However, I prefer not to know how many loads my readers blew. :)
-- wbms
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tis there going to be any story about the future of AWMS?
If you mean a sequel, I wouldn't suggest holding your breath. If you mean a story with either or both of the main characters, I already tried a prequel and it was, shall we say, a resounding flop.
Will I continue to write. But of course. Prior to AWMS, I had written two other novels. I just don't always show what I've written to people. I am not motivated that way. However, when I decide to post something it's because I think it's worthwhile. So, when I get ignored, it hurts.
However nobody was put on earth to spare my feelings. I understand and accept that. It's just sometimes I get discouraged and think I should stop posting my stories. But I'll not stop writing.
In reality what will probably happen is that I'll email stories to a few of my more loyal fans who've corresponded with me over the past few years.
Aw, who the fuck knows WHAT I'll do. I just didn't want to ignore this post.
-- wbms
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If his counters don't show four hits' date=' he'll finally realised that they're faulty and that [i']LOTS[/i] of us have actually read and enjoyed it.
Yeah, but apparently the majority of my audience is heavily challenged by the use of a keyboard.
When I read it' date=' he was still working on his "director's cut" version, and I was too enthralled to wait, so I tracked down the original version and finished by reading that one.[/color']You're missing out. The D/C is ever so much better. I like the original but it's just missing stuff. Most of the changes are subtle, but they account for another 8,000 words :)
-- wbms
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you ever find a story you couldn't put down' date=' no matter how tired you are? this is it.
i was reading until bout 5:30am reading every bit, start to finish. i was going to post this when i was done, but my brain was fried.
great story, i'll be reading it again.[/color']
Nothing pleases me more than to cause you insomina :) I really do appreciate you taking the time post a note. As I tell my readers who do write, I appreciate even more the fact you spent your time to read what I have to say. AWMS is definitely a story with a message :)
-- wbms
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Does anyone have any guidelines on the difference between plagarism and inspiration?
Yesterday' date=' I saw a British TV show about a time in the future where chocolate was made illegal. I was busy at the time nursing a sick child, but as far as I could gather, a political party called "Good For You" had gained control of the country. They deemed chocolate to be bad for you, and therefore made it illegal.[/color']
I was intrigued by the concept, and given exit polls from the recent USA elections where "moral issues" were high in the list of concerns for a lot of voters, it wasn't hard to consider a time in the future where a "Morality" political party took control of a country and made anything they considered immoral illegal.
If I was to write a story on this basis, is this legitimate inspiration, or is it plagarism of the original idea from the TV show (which in turn was based on a book)?
From a moral and ethical standpoint, the story would be fine because you're basing your entirely own story based on a single idea out of an entire TV show, though you'd have to be careful not to use any of the other ideas realted to it.
From a legal standpoint, you may be guilty of plagarism. You have not created a derivative work or a work 'inspired by' but rather have taken someone's very unique idea and used it. If you did the same thing and made, for instance, ketchup illegal you'd probably be ok. (Based on existing US laws).
I am not espousing that I agree specifically one side or the other. We are, as writers, after all, inspired by what we see, read, hear, and feel. I am certain if you read my work you will find things reminiscent of other authors. I have a subway in my book, but have I stolen from Neil Gaiman? Of course not. There's a fine line somewhere and it's very vague.
-- wbms
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So why is it so different in people's minds, even our own minds maybe, to be gay?
It is, IMHO, because your sexual orientation ivolves your very most intimate acts. Things that aren't normally discussed in polite company, and things our culture perceives as 'dirty' -- so if you aren't in the majority (normal) you are by default in the minority (abnormal).
There is my quick, conscise explanation of why people thing it is "wrong" or "different"
There is an obvious fallacy in that logic, but most people don't actually practice proper logic.
-- wbms
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I certainly truss that you will...and have her bound and trussed in no time!
Thanks but S&M isn't my THANG.
-- wbms
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more precise than WBMS? Oh dear god...lol
Good lord no! More precise than Truss.
Hey, I'll give that bitch a run for her money :D
-- wbms
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Thanks Dude!
in The Raccoon's Den
Posted
Always, especially when it's from a confirmed smart-ass.
-- wbms