A question y'all might be able to help with...

[Recidiva]

Of course I'm dancing... I am, by nature, a diplomat. The fallacy that a diplomat never takes a strong position is not one I am subject to... but nor am I one who takes it as a personal won/loss thing. That road leads to dissatisfaction for all.

The only place I "put my foot down" was starting a sentence or paragraph lower case.

I would say that if you looked at the finished product and knew that there had been a change, I was not doing a very good job as an editor.

I very deliberately am not being specific here. I would be dismayed if someone were to figure out the work in question at a later date. I wanted guidance, not an opportunity to rant.

BTW, the "hir" pronoun thing is staying put. The narration is first person and the usage is absolutely consistent with the story, so there is no reason to change that.

I'm a diplomat. Off the board. Which is why being here gives me the opportunity to not be one. Diplomats mask their true feelings for the benefit of those observing them. That's their value. Doesn't mean they're not doing an internal end zone dance while they're appearing solicitous and humble. Diplomats don't become diplomats unless they see the value of group agreement as it pertains to their personal survival and then choose to capitalize on it.

You being vague on purpose? NEVAH. I don't believe it.

I'm glad the hir is staying and that the caps are in at the beginning of a sentence.

 

[Keroin]

It's definitely a competition and a game. It's a business.

If you have the authority to make it a noncompetitive and nonlosing game in your corner of tbe business, good. That's because you have the authority to do so and you should be commended.

That's not the nature of every corner of the business, however. It is most definitely a competition and a game and a lot of money goes into sustaining that image.

Sounds like you have enough authority and idealism to balance the two and not crash, and that's great. I hope you can sustain that and be happy there, that's ideal.

It wasn't my experience with books that had millions riding on them one way or the other. From my point of view it was absolutely a game. A disillusioning and painful one that really changed my view of literature and marketing. Also not an experience I would have liked to do without, because it was enlightening in its horrible, cool way in the sense that an autopsy gives you an idea of how a body works. To see the beating heart of publishing is not for the faint hearted. And ultimately I wussed out and couldn't stand it any more. I am here because I want to be an amateur forever. The profession oogied me out terminally.

It's possibly entirely a difference in scale and avarice. Or you just have better literary karma. Either way, I'm genuinely happy for you.

Meh. The minute you turn any art form into business it grows a dark underbelly. Nature of the beast.

Film business? *Laughs herself silly*

 

[MisterSir]

On a related subject, there is the use of "hir" as a pronoun, which from context seems to mean a "female (perhaps strictly lesbian) sir."

Sidenote: The first time I heard people using "hir" was relating to the character Vaarsuvius from the Order of the Stick webcomic - it's a running joke that hir gender has never been stated, shown or anything, and it's the contraction of his and her. Anybody else heard it used like this?

 

[Keroin]

Sidenote: The first time I heard people using "hir" was relating to the character Vaarsuvius from the Order of the Stick webcomic - it's a running joke that hir gender has never been stated, shown or anything, and it's the contraction of his and her. Anybody else heard it used like this?

I'd never heard of "hir" before today. If I'd come across it in a piece of fiction, I would have assumed it was a spelling mistake - unless it was obvious in the context or had been explained beforehand.

I'm still not entirely sure of the exact definition.

 

[00Syd]

I'd never heard of "hir" before today. If I'd come across it in a piece of fiction, I would have assumed it was a spelling mistake - unless it was obvious in the context or had been explained beforehand.

I'm still not entirely sure of the exact definition.

Same.

 

[intothewoods]

I had heard "hir" was a gender queer thing, to indicate that someone preferred not to identify as male or female.

 

[the captians wench]

"jargon," as you put it, within the lifestyle, that goes against the rules of the English language, drive me up a wall.

Same here!

I had an editor correct my capitialazations because she felt that it would be more enjoyable to my owner if I did that whole Sir/sub thing.

I did it, even though it went against every grain in my body to do so, then found out that he could give a flying fuck whether I used "proper" caps or gramatical caps.

 

[Belegon]

Sidenote: The first time I heard people using "hir" was relating to the character Vaarsuvius from the Order of the Stick webcomic - it's a running joke that hir gender has never been stated, shown or anything, and it's the contraction of his and her. Anybody else heard it used like this?

I'd never heard of "hir" before today. If I'd come across it in a piece of fiction, I would have assumed it was a spelling mistake - unless it was obvious in the context or had been explained beforehand.

I'm still not entirely sure of the exact definition.

I had heard "hir" was a gender queer thing, to indicate that someone preferred not to identify as male or female.

I have discovered that the author's intent is to have a gender neutral pronoun. We will be using it that way...

 

[Etoile]

Again, the efficacy of language is the issue. I think "hir" less disturbing than trying to sex a character if I'm reading a stroke story. Things like "cum n vs. come v" drive me apeshit. You're mistaking what could almost be considered dialect or language fluidity for non-grammar in this case.

The fags and dykes will get it, the straights will get it from context if they care enough to read on.

The reason I read so little erotica is that the emphasis on angst and plot and Strunk and White has often eclipsed all hot. If you have a "her" pulling her penis out I now have absolutely no idea if it's a girl with a strapon, a butch woman, a drag queen, a transman or what. If you leave "hir" I know instantly that this person is gender non-normative and other description will explain what.

What she said!

 

[Corylea]

I capitalize my sub's name, and it annoys me to read postings by people who don't. My sub is of lesser power than I but not lesser worth -- he deserves his capital letter.

 

[graceanne]

Sorry if I repeat anything that's been said.

When I'm scanning through stories looking for something new, the story has about three, maybe four, paragraphs to catch my attention. Granted, I have a short attention span. Either way, there are a few things that will instantly get a story put in the 'not gonna read' pile. (In order of what I look for.)

1. No paragraphs.

2. A detailed description of the chicks body down to her measurements.

3. Weird terminology that makes the story hard to read. Like O/our, W/we, and anything else like that. I have, on occasion, read stuff that doesn't use the standard slang words, but only if the the story is REALLY good and really catchy and not ordinary (like the meeting the online master/mistress for the first time).