I guess it's a question of morals - PPC Posting Board

Subject: I guess it's a question of morals
Author: IndeMaat
Posted on: 2009-01-22 08:58:00 UTC

I left a review for a story on my forum and then the author came along and asked if I wanted to beta read her story. I was "yay, this person appreciates tough love". I accepted her request, but did tell her I did not like to beta for grammar and punctuation.

It turned out she was pretty bad at punctuating dialogue. Rather than correcting all the errors, I thought I would explain her about the rules and let her fix the errors herself (and send the fic back to me for checking over any missed punctuation). The idea was that she would learn how to punctuate so that future chapters would have less errors in them.

This person turned out to be a bit of an idiot. That she didn't apply the rules is her choice, but she also did not remove my comments from the document. She uploaded a chapter that opens with my suggestions on how to improve her punctuation as a sort of author's note.

we've recently fallen out over a little addition I had made to my original review.

Now, would it be very petty of me to PPC one of her other fics?
Or should I just follow that rule of thumb I've followed so far: if I've beta read them (or they've shown in another way they are willing to consider advice someone has given them) I should not PPC them?

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I guess it's a question of morals by IndeMaat on 2009-01-22 08:58:00 UTC

*snorts* by thejadefalcon on 2009-01-23 10:51:00 UTC Reply

I've encountered this type of person before. You beta their Word doc or whatever, send it back with comments in or out of the fic and they immediately post the chapter without even checking them. At least people can now see what a fool she is that she hasn't even deleted your in-fic comments.

The amazing thing is by IndeMaat on 2009-01-23 16:48:00 UTC Reply

She has looked through the document before uploading it. None of my in-text comments made it into the posted chapter (except for a few instances of bold text which I had used to mark my changes). She had just left the notes on the top of the story. Perhaps she scroled past them thinking they were her own notes. They're gone now, after I reminded her of them a third time during our falling out.

She didn't delete the author's note at the end that I'm her new betareader. Hmm.

*rolls eyes* by thejadefalcon on 2009-01-23 17:01:00 UTC Reply

This is why I even check my own author notes for edits. Because I have no idea (of course, this is also why I make all of my comments outside of the fic now, so that someone doesn't miss one and publish it by mistake).

I don't suppose you know, but can anyone tell me what FF.net's reaction would be if I posted something which still had edits visible from Word's Track Changes feature. I'm predicting spontaneous combustion.

"She didn't delete the author's note at the end that I'm her new betareader. Hmm."

:P I got fired a while ago for being too good. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4763715/1/ She's improved a bit in the later chapters, but she wouldn't listen to any of my comments that 'this makes no sense at all' and 'the characters suck'.

II'd err on the side of caution... by Sedri on 2009-01-22 21:18:00 UTC Reply

Which means not PPCing the work yourself. It's too easy for her to find it, and that'll just make things worse; the last thing you want is her throwing a fit at you personally.

I'd say toss it out for another PPCer to pick up and wash your hands of her work. It'll keep her from being wounded - perhaps far more deeply than if you were a random stranger - and preserve your reputation. Someone around here will deal with it. :)

Sounds like a good alternative. (nm) by IndeMaat on 2009-01-23 10:34:00 UTC Reply

Yup. by Purplefluffychainsaw on 2009-01-22 13:14:00 UTC Reply

I probably would. But I'm not a very nice person. XD

If you've tried to help her and she hasn't accepted that help, then that just makes her worse. At least some of the others might be doing it because they're ignorant. Unless you're wanting to PPC one of her fics simply because she annoyed you, rather than because it genuinely needs dealing with.

It depends on whether you can handle the follow through as well. If it's going to make you feel guilty then perhaps it's not worth it.

Just my $0.02. I'm obviously a newb who's opinion isn't that important, but I hope it's helpful. ;)

Your thoughts on the matter count as much... by IndeMaat on 2009-01-22 17:04:00 UTC Reply

as the next boarder's.

Well, the fic genuinely needs dealing with. One of my first thoughts when she asked me to beta was "dang, now I can't PPC her stuff anymore". There's a Sue (and an imported friend), there's more people out of character than you can wave a stick at (because in this fandom they might shoot you if you do), there's historical inaccuracies and the plot has holes.

It's just, the author already thinks I'm out to get her, so this might gave me even more of a bad rep.

Give us the link to the story by Five_redclawed on 2009-01-22 19:41:00 UTC Reply

Show us the link and if the rest of the PPC Hive Mind agrees, someone will probably PPC it. Alternatively, one of us might try to take over your role in supervising her fics, seeing as how you two have fallen out. She has shown some willingness to revise her stories, which is more than most Suethors, so I'd go easy on her for a little while longer--see if we can't bring her back to the straight and narrow.

What's the fandom, by the way? If it's one of mine, I'd be willing to look her over.

I'll give a link to the author's profile by IndeMaat on 2009-01-23 16:41:00 UTC Reply

Doctor's Gal 1792.

The story I betead was the fifth chapter of "Before the Worst". Incidentally, in her request to me she mentioned that her other beta had abondoned her. There may be something of a patern there.

The story I would be interested in PPCing is "The Lost Daughter". It has an interesting premise, but in my opinion the author screws it up by having the lost daughter and her dad bonding from the moment they meet. Which I feel unlikely since (a) the dad thought she died 100 years previously, and (b) she is now working for an organisation he hates. Also, around chapter seven or eight, the author introduces a friend of hers as bit character.

Those two stories are both Torchwood. The author has also written a few others (that might be Sue worthy, I haven't checked) in that fandom. A few stories in Doctor Who (among others one where she retells the story of "Titanic" with 10 and Rose in the roles of Jack and Rose; that's got to be good).
And some stories for Titanic and Enchanted.

Interesting... by Five_redclawed on 2009-01-25 21:59:00 UTC Reply

"Before the Worst" is passable, and could possibly be shaped into something decent. I can't see it becoming a masterpiece, but hey, baby steps. I'll give her a review and see what happens.

I don't know much about Titantic, but from a Whovian perspective, the story is... I'm sorry, I just can't see the Doctor sitting around and moping about how lonely he is and how he needs a soulmate to share his life with while Jack is on board the TARDIS. Beyond the fact that the Doctor generally keeps his angst to himself, I feel a strong urge to point out that Jack would happily be his "best mate to the one person he really loved." Actually, I'm not sure what that means, but you get the idea.

I'd still recommend you placing up the stories on "Fics-to-be-killed," seeing how you've been involved in her affairs. Surely there are other Whovian Agents in the PPC?

I guess so... by Makari on 2009-01-22 09:25:00 UTC Reply

It was a good thought -- besides, how's she going to learn if someone does it all for her? I never learned things that way. : |

Anyway, IMO, it would be at least somewhat petty to PPC any of her 'fics. You've a good rule of thumb there, methinks. PPCing something of hers seems to me almost like giving up on her ability to improve and change, and if we all did that, well, no one would get anywhere. >.>

Well, that's just my take on it. ^^;