Hi there folks I am new to lush. I love writing Gay fantasy stories my problem is that, I don't understand the proper use of punctuation and grammar.
I have submitted 7 stories of hundreds I have written, but only one has been accepted for publication. I have tried my best to edit them, but I am now at the stage that I could get banned for constantly submitting work that is not up to the standard required for this site. I do have a blog that I post my stories on and although people seem to enjoy my stories my grammar and punctuation are often pointed out as being bad. I am not in a situation to ask anyone I know to help with editing my stories. I am wondering if there might be someone who can write in proper English with the time to help out a simpleton who never paid attention at school.
Teddy
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Help with punctuation in Gay Male stories
Hi TalesofTed
your posting seems rather well written.
You may want to repost this also in "Writers Resources" http://www.lushstories.com/forum/yaf_topics3_Writers-Resources.aspx as someone who is a writer may be able to assist you.
Good luck (and keep working on your grammar and punctuation!!!!)
your posting seems rather well written.
You may want to repost this also in "Writers Resources" http://www.lushstories.com/forum/yaf_topics3_Writers-Resources.aspx as someone who is a writer may be able to assist you.
Good luck (and keep working on your grammar and punctuation!!!!)
Divine Rapscallion
Good idea, Yahtzee — the thread has been moved into Writer's Resources.
Teddy, good luck, and thanks for requesting help. I hope you find someone to assist you; in the meantime, here are some links you might find useful:
• http://www.lushstories.com/writing-tips/punctuation.aspx
• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/fragments.htm
• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/consistency.htm
• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/runons.htm
• http://www.lushstories.com/forum/yaf_postst16278_Proofreading-what-is-THAT-all-about.aspx
Teddy, good luck, and thanks for requesting help. I hope you find someone to assist you; in the meantime, here are some links you might find useful:
• http://www.lushstories.com/writing-tips/punctuation.aspx
• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/fragments.htm
• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/consistency.htm
• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/runons.htm
• http://www.lushstories.com/forum/yaf_postst16278_Proofreading-what-is-THAT-all-about.aspx
Maggie R
Active Ink Slinger
Welcome to Lush, Teddy 
I just had a look at your latest submission and it is not as bad as I thought it would be. I hope you don't mind, but I thought I would reply here for future reference, and for others who have the same problem/s.
Here are some basic hints for getting a story submitted (please still look at the links that magnificent1rascal suggested). None of us are perfect, and we don't expect the stories to be perfect. All we ask is, is that the stories are readable and are presented in a reasonable format. I will try to say this in layman terms as I am (a) pretty lay myself.
1. Most importantly, please read the rules before submitting. One of the most common rules that is broken, is mentioning . Most people do not understand that while we allow stories with children, ie. A family picnic etc. - we do not allow stories where children may witness a sex act, have participated or have had sexual feelings (even crushes) under the age of 16. Or, as with your story, you have broken this rule unintentionally; you mentioned that in a 'sex industry', that they were as young as 14. That will need to be changed to 16 for it to be approved.
2. If unsure, think commas as pauses or taking a breath. Read your story out loud, and when there is a pause in the sentence, place a comma. Eg. you wrote 'I do have a blog that I post my stories on and although people seem to enjoy my stories my grammar and punctuation are often pointed out as being bad.' It should roughly read as 'I do have a blog that I post my stories on, and although people seem to enjoy my stories, my grammar and punctuation are often pointed out as being bad.'
3. A comma does not belong at the end of a sentence. This leads to run-on sentences. Breaking these sentences up, will stop you getting a rejection slip for run-on's. Our biggest run-on sentence was an entire story! Not one full stop
4. There should never be a space before a comma (or a full stop), but there should be a single space after a comma. There should be one or two spaces after a full stop - either one is acceptable. There should never be a space after or before the end of the quotation mark. ie. "This is the correct way," and " This is not the correct way. "
5. Paragraphs ideally should be between 3 to 5 sentences long. This is not a set rule, rather a suggestion for it to be easier for the reader. Block stories not only look bad, but you often lose your place. When someone speaks, it should be treated as a new paragraph, meaning a space above it and below it. And, we would prefer if there was never more than one person speaking in the same paragraph - it is confusing for the readers.
6. Narration. Hmmmm, I will give an example from your story.
This format is a play format and not for a story. It should read this way.
Often, you can miss out the 'asked' and 'replied' if there are just two people speaking. Different rule, if there are more than two.
Another example:
"Wow, this story is full of grammatical errors," she stated. "This really spoils the whole story for me." NOT " Wow this story is full of grammatical errors . "She stated " This really spoils the whole story for me "
* Please note: The red comma indicating that it should not be a full stop, and the red s should not be a capital. Narration should be treated as a sentence and have a comma and full stop.
7. No text talk. BF should be written as boyfriend!
And also, please read any link that is provided to you when you get a rejection slip.
I hope this helps in someways. As I said, we are not looking for perfection (if we were, I wouldn't be here LOL), we are just looking for a well presented and readable story. Good luck and if you have any questions, just pm me.
Fugs
I just had a look at your latest submission and it is not as bad as I thought it would be. I hope you don't mind, but I thought I would reply here for future reference, and for others who have the same problem/s.
Here are some basic hints for getting a story submitted (please still look at the links that magnificent1rascal suggested). None of us are perfect, and we don't expect the stories to be perfect. All we ask is, is that the stories are readable and are presented in a reasonable format. I will try to say this in layman terms as I am (a) pretty lay myself.
1. Most importantly, please read the rules before submitting. One of the most common rules that is broken, is mentioning . Most people do not understand that while we allow stories with children, ie. A family picnic etc. - we do not allow stories where children may witness a sex act, have participated or have had sexual feelings (even crushes) under the age of 16. Or, as with your story, you have broken this rule unintentionally; you mentioned that in a 'sex industry', that they were as young as 14. That will need to be changed to 16 for it to be approved.
2. If unsure, think commas as pauses or taking a breath. Read your story out loud, and when there is a pause in the sentence, place a comma. Eg. you wrote 'I do have a blog that I post my stories on and although people seem to enjoy my stories my grammar and punctuation are often pointed out as being bad.' It should roughly read as 'I do have a blog that I post my stories on, and although people seem to enjoy my stories, my grammar and punctuation are often pointed out as being bad.'
3. A comma does not belong at the end of a sentence. This leads to run-on sentences. Breaking these sentences up, will stop you getting a rejection slip for run-on's. Our biggest run-on sentence was an entire story! Not one full stop
4. There should never be a space before a comma (or a full stop), but there should be a single space after a comma. There should be one or two spaces after a full stop - either one is acceptable. There should never be a space after or before the end of the quotation mark. ie. "This is the correct way," and " This is not the correct way. "
5. Paragraphs ideally should be between 3 to 5 sentences long. This is not a set rule, rather a suggestion for it to be easier for the reader. Block stories not only look bad, but you often lose your place. When someone speaks, it should be treated as a new paragraph, meaning a space above it and below it. And, we would prefer if there was never more than one person speaking in the same paragraph - it is confusing for the readers.
6. Narration. Hmmmm, I will give an example from your story.
Policeman . “So are you rent, or just cruising?”
Me .“I don’t know what you’re talking about !”
This format is a play format and not for a story. It should read this way.
“So, are you rent, or just cruising?” asked the Policeman.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” I replied.
Often, you can miss out the 'asked' and 'replied' if there are just two people speaking. Different rule, if there are more than two.
“So are you rent, or just cruising?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Another example:
"Wow, this story is full of grammatical errors," she stated. "This really spoils the whole story for me." NOT " Wow this story is full of grammatical errors . "She stated " This really spoils the whole story for me "
* Please note: The red comma indicating that it should not be a full stop, and the red s should not be a capital. Narration should be treated as a sentence and have a comma and full stop.
7. No text talk. BF should be written as boyfriend!
And also, please read any link that is provided to you when you get a rejection slip.
I hope this helps in someways. As I said, we are not looking for perfection (if we were, I wouldn't be here LOL), we are just looking for a well presented and readable story. Good luck and if you have any questions, just pm me.
Fugs
Constant Gardener
Methinks that I should have attended the Fug Academy of Subtle Editing, Tutoring and Advising...before I ever attempted story verifying.
I did find though, that two boxes of cheap wine sure helped me to read and verify those story categories which were often shuttled onto my plate.
I did find though, that two boxes of cheap wine sure helped me to read and verify those story categories which were often shuttled onto my plate.
The same GQP demanding we move on from January 6th, 2021 is still doing audits of the November 3rd, 2020 election.
Matriarch
You need help with punctuation, regardless of the genre of stories. Please read the links M1 posted for you.
Good post Fugly.
Good post Fugly.
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
Good post there Professor Fugsly...I'm actually pretty impressed that you typed that all out...
Did you really see a story that was one run on sentence? Wow, I guess my moderating experience tales pale in comparison over on SS...
I do like Jeff's suggestion about the two boxes of wine though...whether reading and verifying stories or not...just saying...
Did you really see a story that was one run on sentence? Wow, I guess my moderating experience tales pale in comparison over on SS...
I do like Jeff's suggestion about the two boxes of wine though...whether reading and verifying stories or not...just saying...
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