US/UK spellings - yup, that hoary old chestnut again...
So I'm working through the beta for my fic (praise be to the ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
betagoddess) and I don't know what to do about the (cue organ chord, wolf howl) spelling...
It's a TS story; the characters are, as we know, Americans; that means no un-American word usage and phraseology - fine, I get that - but spelling? Do two Americans have to be spelled American?
I've done this both ways in the past, but mostly used my own Brit spelling because it's easier and I don't honestly believe we spell as we speak. But then, I get fb that tells me 'the spelling really took me out of the story' -
And I'm thinking; 'why'? Because I read American spelling in say, Doctor Who fic and all that makes me think is - the author's American. So long as British characters aren't keeping bodies in the trunk, it doesn't matter that that spare that's in the way is spelled tire and, in all honesty, my first reaction is to tell the Americans to suck it up because by far the largest chunk of the English-speaking world spells British anyway and we don't care so why should everyone else have to change to make life easier for you? - or that's to say, the few who bother to send fb complaining about it. (o:
But then, I'm getting that fb and sometimes, I cave. I used US spelling for Wind Whispering - even though it looked weird and wrong and took forever to change.
So, I'm asking an honest question of you all - does it matter, really? And if it does, why (I thought about making this a poll, but I shan't because I need more than yes or no answers; I need explanations, dammit. (o) If it really, truly, honest-to-god makes a real difference, I shall use your blasted spelling (*G* - even though it looks... really strange and will take me all day) but if it does, I'd really love to know, and why.
ETA: And messing with this all afternoon means I've done NO work - none at all - on the actual story (which was the whole point, wasn't it?) *g*
betagoddess) and I don't know what to do about the (cue organ chord, wolf howl) spelling... It's a TS story; the characters are, as we know, Americans; that means no un-American word usage and phraseology - fine, I get that - but spelling? Do two Americans have to be spelled American?
I've done this both ways in the past, but mostly used my own Brit spelling because it's easier and I don't honestly believe we spell as we speak. But then, I get fb that tells me 'the spelling really took me out of the story' -
And I'm thinking; 'why'? Because I read American spelling in say, Doctor Who fic and all that makes me think is - the author's American. So long as British characters aren't keeping bodies in the trunk, it doesn't matter that that spare that's in the way is spelled tire and, in all honesty, my first reaction is to tell the Americans to suck it up because by far the largest chunk of the English-speaking world spells British anyway and we don't care so why should everyone else have to change to make life easier for you? - or that's to say, the few who bother to send fb complaining about it. (o:
But then, I'm getting that fb and sometimes, I cave. I used US spelling for Wind Whispering - even though it looked weird and wrong and took forever to change.
So, I'm asking an honest question of you all - does it matter, really? And if it does, why (I thought about making this a poll, but I shan't because I need more than yes or no answers; I need explanations, dammit. (o) If it really, truly, honest-to-god makes a real difference, I shall use your blasted spelling (*G* - even though it looks... really strange and will take me all day) but if it does, I'd really love to know, and why.
ETA: And messing with this all afternoon means I've done NO work - none at all - on the actual story (which was the whole point, wasn't it?) *g*
no subject
>it has to be spelled correctly in some part of the world.<
LOL. Hmmm... Not sure about that - I've read *some* stories... *G*
There are some (very few, but still...) stories that I want to read despite multiple misspellings and horrible sentence structure. I have to deliberately set my brain to 'skim'; I read quickly for content, and try to ignore the other awfulness. I have thought of suggesting a spell-checker and/or a (better) beta... but if they're in a fandom, they have to have seen the rants about checking your spelling and sentence structure. If they haven't tried to improve, FB from me won't change it. So I shrug, think 'entertaining premise, too bad it couldn't be presented better,' and go on my way.
Which is why the complaint of 'you should spell MY way' pisses me off. There is such drek on the 'net, and all they can do is moan about a different (but valid) manner of spelling? Get a life, people!
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no subject
But professional writers are often as bad; I've been told (By someone who really would know) that Jeffrey Archer's un-edited work is just horrible. (o:
no subject
I've beta'd more than one story just for myself because there *are* some wonderful stories out there that've been made unreadable (to me) for want of a spell-check.
I'll do that if the story is a 'keeper', one that I'll save on my HD for re-reading in the future -- fix the spelling and punctuation. In fact, that's how I got my start as a beta; I did it for myself. Then one day I read a story by a first-time author -- Jess Riley -- and I enjoyed it so much that I wrote her a very encouraging FB. In it, I mentioned that I had saved a copy in which I had corrected some punctuation errors, and did she want a copy. (I was afraid an author would be offended that I had changed their treasured work; I didn't yet write myself.) She was eager to have it. Then, a week or so later, she said she'd written another story, and would I be willing to beta? The rest is history.
I've been told (By someone who really would know) that Jeffrey Archer's un-edited work is just horrible.
That just shows why most of us need betas. Having good ideas does not necessarily mean the nuts and bolts of the execution (spelling and grammar) will be adequate.
Going back to your 'which spelling to use' question -- Jess is adamant about not changing her Aussie spelling. Castalie used Brit spelling for a while, then decided to use American instead. Arianna prefers her Canadian spelling, but lately has decided to go with American. So, really, (a) it's not set in stone and (b) it's entirely up to you.
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