A Conversation for The Alternative Writing Workshop

A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 1

Redz

Entry: Chapter one, of Something - A771301
Author: Redz - U191521

Future career as a novelist? hmmm, i wonder!?!


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 2

Tonsil Revenge (PG)

Nah. Maybe a mentally healthy individual?
It works as stream of unconsciousness stuff.
I don't have anything against it.
A little less hard on the eyes formatting, maybe, but that's about it.


smiley - sharksmiley - whistle So Happy Together!


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 3

a girl called Ben

I like most of Redz's stuff, but I found this is a bit tougher to read, partly because it is fiction smiley - run partly because it is longer, and partly because it is, as tonsil pointed out, not particularly well formatted.

However I am bumping it up to the top, so that other people can read it, and say what they think.

Redz hasn't posted since Mar 1, 2003. smiley - sadface

Ben


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 4

Deidzoeb

Shouldn't we advise authors of anything unfinished to submit later when they feel it's finished? (I didn't read the whole thing, so if "untitled, unfinished" is part of a joke relating to the rest of it, kick me HERE <===


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 5

a girl called Ben

Ok, I will vote to remove it on the grounds

1) it is unfinished fiction, and therefore will not make it to the UnderGuide

2) the author has left

As you rightly say, if Redz gets back, (s)he can always revise and finish it.

Btw, I have dropped an email to Redz, which actually got delivered, so it is possible that (s)he may appear again.

(Bloody gender-neutral pronouns!)

Ben
(not gener-neutral at all)


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 6

Tonsil Revenge (PG)

Throw it to Jwf.

I think it deserves notice.

I thought the UG was into rubbing the dirt off the gems?

Even unfinished, I think it is a much more useful entry than some I have seen.


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 7

UnderGuide Editors

We can't ask gem polishers to finish a story, or anything else, so if it's unfinished, it would be presumptuous of us to finish it smiley - smiley

It's a shame though...

Jodan - smiley - brr


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 8

a girl called Ben

I'll tell AGG/GAG/CAC.

It is worth noting that one of the things I see this Review Forum as being for, is as somewhere that pieces which deserve reading can be stored. (This is one of the reasons I am keen to take out the trash).

If the mood of the meeting is that this is worth reading, despite the fact that as it stands, it is unpickable for the UnderGuide, then it should stay here for other people to find and read.

B


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 9

Tonsil Revenge (PG)

smiley - ok


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 10

Tonsil Revenge (PG)

"We can't ask gem polishers to finish a story, or anything else, so if it's unfinished, it would be presumptuous of us to finish it

It's a shame though...

Jodan - "

Jodan, while in the main, I keep my "unfinished" stuff on my space, there has been a mini-tradition on H2 of people hoping that while their space is not a well-travelled venue, that if they post something to a forum then it might actually get looked at and commented upon.

"taking out the trash", as that other post (I've forgotten from whom, I didn't write it down on my hand) so succintly put it, is a kind of oxymoron, as H2 is filled with what normal people and the publishing industry would call "trash".

Dealing with fiction requires both a reader's and a writer's eye.
Since it is all "lies" in the first place and all humans lie, then fiction is a barometer of the human condition, if only just the one particular individual.

Sometimes, as with symphonies, "unfinished" is as good as it gets, particularly as a human is not "finished" until it is dead.

My Uvula, The Queen of the Obvious, the mother of my child, almost never reads "fiction", but she will read "inspirational" literature, sales ads and unsolicited mail from people wishing to get our money for various suspicious reasons. She buys things off the TV in the middle of the night that are supposed to help her become "self-sufficient". Thus, she gets her diet of lies anyway.

It is one thing to have standards, but sometimes you have to play "Stardust" the bebop way, because if the rules rule, then they become more important than people.

smiley - run off to tell more lies!


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 11

a girl called Ben

The point that trash is in the eye of the beholder is well made. Margaret Meade, the anthropologist, defines 'dirt' as 'matter out of place'.

One of the fucntions of all of the review forums is to act as repositories for writing that people what to have read and discussed, *even if that writing is not going to make it into the EG or the UG*.

There is much pleasure to be had, simply lurking in the AWW and reading what you find here.

However...

There IS stuff here, a lot less than there was, which was not... What...? Up to scratch? Worth the effort of the page-click? Worth reading? As a courtesey to those who lurk and work here, it makes sense to remove it.

25 entries a week are taken out of PR, destined for the Edited Guide.

The AWW seemed destined to grow and grow, with no curtailments and no limits.

TR - You have a valid point, and it is easy to get gung-ho about removing things, and if you have concerns, I suggest you check out the articles listed in the threads which hang off A974522. Some have been directed towards the Flea Market, some have been shown to AGG/GAG/CAC, and others are destined to have the AWW threads returned to the entries themselves.

If you think we are being over-hygienic please say so. But please check out what is *actually* happening. We can wander round in hypotheses, slinging accusations at each other, until we all get lost.

And truly - if you do think we are being over-hygienic then I am certain that Jodan and GTB as UnderGuide Eds will want to know, and as a Miner, I definitely do.

And now, back to this specific entry: I originally voted for its removal; however both Jodan and TR like it, and I am arguing myself into keeping the AWW as a forum for readers as well as writers, so I am withdrawing that vote.

Thanks for your input guys. I always like it when people force me into thinking.

Ben


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 12

Tonsil Revenge (PG)

"If you think we are being over-hygienic please say so. But please check out what is *actually* happening. We can wander round in hypotheses, slinging accusations at each other, until we all get lost."

smiley - ok
Actually, slinking around in my own little world, I am only aware of what you are doing when it involves an entry that I once posted to.
This being a situation wherein I am only reacting, not really participating, it makes little sense for me to engage in bailiwick-protecting behavior.
I apologize for the reflex.
Just have had too many experiences where the lyrics of "Won't Get Fooled Again" are all too true and I sometimes shoot first and yell,"Halt, who goes there! Advance and be shot at again!" in true Goon fashion.







A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 13

Tonsil Revenge (PG)

I'll look at that link again later.
I'm cleaning out my garage.
Anybody need anything?


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 14

a girl called Ben

No worries TR. I am a bit touchy and not very feely at the moment, myself. And accountability is the keystone of responsibility. We need people to call us on what we are doing.

B


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 15

Tonsil Revenge (PG)

smiley - divaShe called me a people!smiley - diva
smiley - runto mark calendar!

smiley - sorry, my self-esteem has been riding the small smiley - busrecently!


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 16

Redz

hey everyone! its me, Redz.
wow! im so amazed that people have read my thingy, i wrote it about two years ago, and think that i might get in and do some more work on it, although ive just started another 'maybe novel' about a pilchard farmer....

anyway, thank you all!

off to write, feeling very happy and inspired!

Redz xxx


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 17

a girl called Ben

Welcome back Redz! smiley - bubbly

It will be good to hear more of your voice here on hootoo. I will bump some of your other things up off the bottom of the AWW now that I know you are back.

Ben


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 18

Tonsil Revenge (PG)

Wow! There's others?


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 19

J

A762923 Circle Theory:
A771248 The typing of this article:
A771266 Interconnectedness:
A771257 Inspiration:
A771275 Revision:
A771284 Sellotape:
A771293 Truth:

Are the others, Tonsil

smiley - blacksheep


A771301 - Chapter one, of Something

Post 20

Ridiculous Chicken† - a very absurd little bird

How about I ask Redz about it? She's actually my best friend so I'll probably speak to her pretty soon! Hopefully I can encourage her to return to hootoo! smiley - smiley


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