/lit/ - Literature

I feel this same thing when I reread my notes after a week.

>first draft

>>5497

I learnt a long time ago not to be too harsh about friends' writing. Even if I think it's a steaming pile of shit, I'll be nice, point out what's good (even if I have to make something up) and then provide suggestions for improvement.

Most of them still get pissed when I do that though because apparently I'm acting superior.

So now either they don't come to me, or I fucking just say "yeah that's pretty good man" and move on to the rest of my life.

>>5499

This. You have to remember first drafts are garbage by design. My debut novel took me seven years to write. I started it, couldn't complete the first draft. Started it again seven months later, completed the first draft, finished it, didn't even have to reread it to know it was garbage. Scrapped it all and rewrote it from scratch again, same in principle but altered more. The next year, the same thing, on and on, and now it's coming out November 2nd, and I feel in my heart it is truly great.

Remember, OP, that the greatest works often start as trash. But with dedication and hard work, great things can happen, can be learned from the process of repeated failure. What your friend has to do is suck at first, progressively not suck, and be as critical of all of it as possible while still believing in himself.

>>5513

I disagree with your fourth comma, between "songs" and "while". His second sentence is a train wreck. "No sooner had [past participle]", if I remember right, should be followed by "than", and even if that were corrected, the sentence would still sound weird, at least to me, in that [specific] correlative construction. Although quotes don't require their own paragraph, don't they need some indentation. Yeah, for example, in Guermantes' Way by Proust (Moncrieff translation, p. 227):

"[space] 'But, my dear boy, there's nothing more to say than what you've just said.'

[space] 'What a bore you are. Then tell her about Françoise in the Champs-Elysées. She'll enjoy that.' "

>>5507

What's the book called, if you're willing to divulge that information?

>>5519

Just wait for November, I'll post it here when it comes out. /lit/ might like it.

>>5497

You don't have to be mean and call him an idiot; after all, you aren't much better.

>>5507

man, I couldn't re-write it over and over, what I do is read it back and change things bit by bit, take out a paragraph, put one in, add some more description and shit.

>>5513

You just don't get his Joycean experimentalism.

>>6842

>inb4 vanity press

>friend wants to write book

>sends second draft that another friend has already looked over

>it's shit and still riddled with grammatical errors

I am surrounded by fools

>>5514

Alright, I'm just going to point out that critiquing his shit is one thing. Same with being harsh with your critique, because some people need a fire lit under their ass. In this case, though, you're actively comparing his work to yours which makes you look like a snobby prick.

It wouldn't be that big of a deal if it didn't competely discredit everything you said -at least in his mind- to try to help him improve, thus making the actual glance-over completely pointless. If he thinks you're not trying to actually help him improve, he won't listen.

>>7716

Wow, oops. Should have checked the dates on this. I'll admit that that's my bad.

>>5531

it's november

> this whole thread

Top fucking kek

>>5513

>>5514

Gotta necrobump this threat to tell this faggot what a dick he is.

So, here's the thing: Just because you're criticizing someone doesn't suddenly mean you can insult them. Be as harsh as necessary, but not an ounce harsher. Compare the following:

>Peggy, you are fat and I'm ashamed of being seen with you in public.

>Peggy, you are a fat fucking elephant and whenever I'm seen with you in public, I want to commit suicide. Also, here's some funny, related image macro.

The first is a harsh truth, but it's still just the truth. The second is being a complete asshole. Notice the difference?

Now, as for the advice itself, it really isn't brilliant. Pointing out that a sentence is missing a subject? Anyone could do that. It certainly doesn't warrant jerking off, like you did.

>>5514

I'm so annoyed at "Was it to be trampled". The syntax is just so fucking bad. The way it reads out loud is comparable to getting anally fingered at night by your older brother, without consent.

Also, if this shit ass story can get published the the book I finish this year is gonna be the next War and Peace.

>>5514

>Dylan was […]

>He takes […]

Stick to one tense nigga, this shit don't fly

>>8941

>>6948

> These faggots think a book needs to be good to be published.

Most of the books from even the big publishers are trash.