Beta Readers/Crit Requests

I need short and sweet advice. I'm going over the galley of Leather, Denim & Silver for editing errors and anomalies, and am supposed to send any mistakes I find by tomorrow.

So far I've only found one technical error, where I had a comma before the and and for some reason the editor put a comma after the and, as well. There are only a few changes I've found, very minor things, though one changes the whole tone of the sentence, and I wish he'd left it alone (and think he should have). But I'm not going to quibble about it.

But one change is driving me nuts. The editor changed "more clever" to "cleverer."

I know it's technically a word, but me putting "more clever" in there was deliberate. Cleverer, along with stupider, sound like shit to me, and so I don't use them. Do you think it's worth mentioning that I'd really prefer it be changed back, or should I just let it go? What would you do? Is it just me who thinks these words look and sound ridiculous? I realize that it may be just me.

Shelley

I have no problem with cleverer. I quite like that word, actually.

However, I don't like stupider. To me, the "der" just sounds awful.

So, I'd let it go. But that's me. I don't see any reason why you should not ask that it be changed back, since it's bothering you. You're the writer, and your word choice was deliberate.

Heh. Der is kind of fitting, giving the definition of the word, isn't it? Stupider rings wrong to my ear, even though it's correct. So does cleverer, but it's probably just me.

I only found two tiny errors to point out--and they do want those pointed out--so I don't think I'd look like a complainer to mention it. I'm not sure if I will. I'm anal about some things, and the word is correct. I may randomly ask several people today if they'd say 'more clever' or 'cleverer' to see if it's just me.

Shelley

If the "cleverer" thing is the only thing you're going to mention, go for it. I think if it's the only request (aside from the actual errors you found) you are making, it won't be a big deal.

It's your work. You are proud of it. You should be able to say how you think it should be. Now, if you rejected all the changes they made, then you'd just be high maintenance.

I like "more clever" better. It's betterer, is what I'm trying to say.

I hate "cleverer" too. It sounds like a made-up word (even though I know it's not), and if looks even worse on the page than it sounds.

If this is the only change you are going to stand your ground on (and you can defend your position), and you feel strongly about it, then go for it.

Just curious, is this in dialogue?

Thanks for your input, guys!

If this is the only change you are going to stand your ground on (and you can defend your position), and you feel strongly about it, then go for it.

Just curious, is this in dialogue?

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No, it's in narration.

Even if I do mention it, I'm not really going to dig my heels in over it. I'll just make it clear I figure it wouldn't hurt to ask, since I strongly prefer "more clever."

Shelley

This might be a good time for the old feedback sandwich, you know, positive-negative-positive, i.e. "Thanks for your edits, they were amazing they have really made the book smoother and tighter. There's just one teeny-weeny thing I want to change, but beside that, everything is perfect. Good job!"

Shelley,

I think you got it exactly right. Mention to the editor that you intentionally used "more clever" and prefer it that way, but are willing to be flexible if the editor feels strongly about the change.

I've had an edit I disagreed with come up only a couple of times so far. In both cases I sent a short e-mail explaining/defending my original wording and the editors were happy to oblige. No editor ever got upset with me over this (in my admittedly limited experience).

If it's important to you, say so. It might be kind of annoying to do so, but it'll be worse staring at "cleverer" every time you open up your story for the next twenty years.

Just out of curiousity, would there be any interest in a W1S1 workshop? I see a lot of the beta reader requests are going via email and the SYW section is pretty dead. Other workshops are slow or dead.

I don't really see the point in a separate workshop when one's already established. I'm glad to crit any W1S1 who wants more eyes*, but we can all do that as well as attract others in SYW.

*though I don't know how helpful I'd be outside of SFFH

I'm not much of a SYW-er, but I'm almost always open to taking a look at things sent to me. Consider this an open invitation to anyone looking for an extra set of eyes for short stuff.

Looking for feedback on a 4k short story. It's posted over in the SF/F SYW - April Challenge: Hail.

It's a rewrite (from the ground up) of a story I first wrote almost three years ago. In addition to needing to edit the hell out of the new one I'm wondering if anyone has any market recommendations. The previous version went to: Clarkesworld, GUD, Weird Tales, Glimmer Train, AGNI, and Boston Review (I think).

I'd be happy to trade off beta-reading something of similar length. (My internet is out at the moment so it may be a few days before I get back to any requests. There's only so long I can sit in my car at Starbucks. )

Would anyone be willing to beta a 4,664 word literary-ish piece?

Also, I'll be glad to beta someone else if they desire it.

I finally finished my revision of Leaving Love and posted it. It's certainly different. Better/more comprehensible? I'm not sure. I'm long past the point where I'm just slashing and burning for its own sake, so I think it's time to let go for a bit.

@OtterFactory, if you need eyes, feel free to send it to me, but be warned that I'm relatively inexperienced with literary fiction, so I might not be that useful. Consider SYW, if you haven't thrown it up there yet.

Okay, this wasn't a W1S1 story, but I'd like to sub it this month. I love it, I hate it, I'm not sure what to do about it!

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215305

Thanks =)

Thanks, Izz! Just taking the time to read it is enough for me. =)

One of my May stories posted here, if someone could take a look?

~900 words, speculative/fantasy/something in that direction.

I have a super shortie posted in the flash crit area, if anyone is so inclined. It's been submitted once, but I was unhappy with it and changed some things, and I'm still not sure it's there. I keep feeling like I should expand it, but I don't want to. Then it feels long and wordy. I worry that it only has meaning and impact inside my own head.

I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts.

Shelley

zanzjan said:

Comments posted over there. Bear in mind that I feel like I've written something super-super-short if it comes in under 6k. (-:

-Suzanne

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Thanks!

Shelley

Commented.

Me too.