Tanuki Racoon

That is, indeed, the correct answer. You can also use DOUBLE CURLY, SINGLE CURLY, DOUBLE STRAIGHT, and SINGLE STRAIGHT quote marks. Although not quite textbook you can visually see the different levels of quoting. -- wbms

Been through two myself. I'm sure he'll do fine and if he has any questions, I can answer them in gorey and gruesome detail. -- wbms

Silly me! I guess my mistake is assuming that if one can write a good story, then you're a good writer. No, I've seen some fantastic story ideas that were written terribly poorly -- enough that I can't stand them. In fact "Fool's Tavern" comes to mind (available at Amazon but I'd not recommend it.) Yes, I agree on both counts. Pudding to the lot, I say :) I agree. I don't use that convention. It looks 'icky' :) -- wbms

Nice idea, but don't get caught. That would be a Bad Thing. I have all-but given up my Napster & Limewire habits. I know people who've been busted and it's not worth the risk. Mutter. Mutter. Mutter. -- wbms

Always, especially when it's from a confirmed smart-ass. -- wbms

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.

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. This is why I have repeatedly recommended this book and am wondering why everyone here hasn't read it yet. 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

OK, I'll let you live this once :) -- wbms

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

Stop it. You're making the unflappable WBMS blush.... -- WBMS

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

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]

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

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

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.

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

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

As an author, I despise them with a passion and will never use them. 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

I have 'em too. :/ -- wbms

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

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

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