tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post1793171927992977078..comments2024-03-01T00:28:27.209-05:00Comments on Hello Ello: Why your husband should not be your beta readerEllo - Ellen Ohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18311917335471167591noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-87826750378429601132008-07-15T13:10:00.000-04:002008-07-15T13:10:00.000-04:00While I was away last week, I can't tell you how m...While I was away last week, I can't tell you how many times I heard the phrase "your significant other should NEVER be your beta reader". I'm sure there are exceptions, but not too many. Scott is the most wonderful man on the planet, BUT whenever I am jonesing for feedback on something, he's the worst person I could get it from. He just doesn't like the kind of fiction I write and I suspect he's always looking for ME in my protag, so without fail, I feel terrible about myself after he's read something. A couple of very wise people who are close to me have finally gotten through and I now subscribe to the philosophy of never letting him read. No good ever seems to come of it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-12907808860426623612008-07-15T13:24:00.000-04:002008-07-15T13:24:00.000-04:00Ello, I think you are very brave. I would never l...Ello, I think you are very brave. I would never let my husband be my beta reader. I never let him read anything I write because he doesn't write and would suck for feedback. Did you ever see that Chevy Chase movie set in Redbud? He gave his wife his manuscript and forced her to read it? That reminded me of this so had me laughing my butt off a bit!<br><br>BTW, I really liked your story at Jason's. Your another one I always look for, Woman!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-67213614751818925012008-07-15T13:34:00.000-04:002008-07-15T13:34:00.000-04:00Hey Ello,I've been kinda out of commission myself ...Hey Ello,<br>I've been kinda out of commission myself lately. Glad to see that the girls have gotten better. :-)<br><br>I think you should wax his eyebrow. My uncle tried to light something when he was a teenager, and singed off his own eyebrows. His eyebrows are just starting to grow back and he's in his late 50's. LOL. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-24091390898071660472008-07-15T13:42:00.000-04:002008-07-15T13:42:00.000-04:00there's this little thing college students like to...there's this little thing college students like to do to each other: shaming. <br><br>the rules go like this: first one who passes out at a party gets shamed, which means permanent magic markers to the face. go to collegehumor.com if you have never seen a person shamed. hill-air-ee-us!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-35448108592998590582008-07-15T14:09:00.000-04:002008-07-15T14:09:00.000-04:00Ello, here's a few leeetle tips. My husband is my...Ello, here's a few leeetle tips. My husband is my alpha, beta, gamma and delta reader--Yes he reads my manuscripts at least four times before my editor sees them, and catches most of the flaws so that my editor will think I am brilliant all on my own.<br><br>Tip number one: Tell him that you've nestled a steamy sex scene based on one of your best nights together somewhere within the manuscript. It may be on the 20th page, it may be on the 200th--he'll have to read and see.<br><br>Tip number two: Tell him there's a scene modeled on steamy sex you had with a stranger before you guys met.<br><br>Tip number three: When he gets all mad and asks why you lied about the sex, act all insulted and accuse him of not reading closely enough.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-22046912305734056672008-07-15T14:31:00.000-04:002008-07-15T14:31:00.000-04:00OH MY LORD but i relate to this B***S**T!!!!even t...OH MY LORD but i relate to this B***S**T!!!!<br><br>even telling the RM i had WRITTEN HIM INTO the effin' thing (ok, it was a lie, but it was a good lie!!) didn't inspire him. and i read, line edit, and typeset ALL of HIS stuff!!!! never mind follow him to all of his events like a homeless puppy. BOO!! BOO!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-80899526779055957012008-07-15T14:32:00.001-04:002008-07-15T14:32:00.001-04:00LMAO at Elizabeth's tips!Well, now you know for su...LMAO at Elizabeth's tips!<br><br>Well, now you know for sure not to rely on Da Man as a beta reader.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-67953025255436057492008-07-15T14:32:00.000-04:002008-07-15T14:32:00.000-04:00Oh, and if there is retribution, please let there ...Oh, and if there is retribution, please let there pictures. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-90513687593227828272008-07-15T14:33:00.000-04:002008-07-15T14:33:00.000-04:00Augh, I would be hurt too. So tell me, what part o...Augh, I would be hurt too. So tell me, what part of him got waxed? I can think of a place to try.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-79292179377917241132008-07-15T15:03:00.000-04:002008-07-15T15:03:00.000-04:00I want to hear from the one-eyebrowed culprit. May...I want to hear from the one-eyebrowed culprit. Maybe he has some pleas for mercy (um, excuses). <br><br>Send it to me, Ello! I'll read it. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-71816263720730360182008-07-15T15:11:00.000-04:002008-07-15T15:11:00.000-04:00I think it's a good idea not to have loved ones re...I think it's a good idea not to have loved ones read your work if you're expecting a critique. Let them enjoy or not, but looking for a reasonable critique is probably pie in the sky thinking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-18529371841182153042008-07-15T16:21:00.000-04:002008-07-15T16:21:00.000-04:00It's such a lousy idea to let your significant oth...It's such a lousy idea to let your significant other read your stuff. It's impossible for them to give an honest critique because if it's shit and they tell you - you'll hate them. If it's shit and they don't tell you - you'll hate them. If it's good and they don't rave about it - you'll hate them and lastly if it's brilliant and they tell you just that - you'll never believe them. It's a lose-lose situation. I'm thinking Da Man's probably figured that out and that's why he hasn't read it. Why he asked to in the first place is just anyone's guess. <br><br>Still - I guess he knows now how hurtful that was and I bet he's starting to realise that 24' fishing boat you're supposed to be buying him once you're fabulously wealthy is slipping further and further away - as are his eyebrows!<br><br>BTW Elizabeth's strategies are brilliant! Bloody Genius!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-21365662689516630182008-07-15T16:45:00.000-04:002008-07-15T16:45:00.000-04:00Wax an eyebrow? That's not enough. I think you nee...Wax an eyebrow? That's not enough. I think you need to wax a "skunk stripe" down the middle of his head. Once that is done paint it bright white so everyone will see him coming. Yeah, I'm a bitch that way. I might even spit in his food or color his face with Sharpies of all colors. Draw a huge penis, maybe a vagina or something. I love to get revenge. LOL!<br><br>That being said - Don't count on your spouse to read your stuff. Mr. will read mine but then asks me "What does this word mean?" Honey, the word "the" means "THE!" DOH! :DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-12191745829086308282008-07-15T16:59:00.000-04:002008-07-15T16:59:00.000-04:00i'll read for you..i read on like an 8th grade lev...i'll read for you..i read on like an 8th grade level though....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-30239600342027565472008-07-15T17:24:00.000-04:002008-07-15T17:24:00.000-04:00Just for the record:- I am the king of procrastina...Just for the record:<br>- I am the king of procrastinating (and generally pretty lazy),<br>- I do not watch MTV,<br>- I do have an affinity for fishing shows altough I used to laugh at those that did, and moreover,<br>- I do not have hairy arm pits.<br><br>That said, I know I volunteered to read the manuscript and fully intend to. In fact, I venture to say I will have completed the task by this coming weekend (including thoughtful edits and incredible insights).<br><br>. . . stay tuned.<br><br>Da' ManAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-69679009628215808632008-07-15T18:23:00.000-04:002008-07-15T18:23:00.000-04:00Yikes. Now I understand why I'd so often wake up t...Yikes. Now I understand why I'd so often wake up to find my girlfriend at the time staring in silence...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-71478790896400082642008-07-15T18:57:00.000-04:002008-07-15T18:57:00.000-04:00you are brave, el... elizabeth has the best tips.....you are brave, el... elizabeth has the best tips... and i trust no family/sig other to tell me the truth about what i writeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-39073479917246292092008-07-15T21:45:00.000-04:002008-07-15T21:45:00.000-04:00Memo to self: always be nice to ello. (I like my e...Memo to self: always be nice to ello. (I like my eybrows the way they are).<br><br>Hope he gets over his man-ness soon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-51536613699639214322008-07-15T22:11:00.000-04:002008-07-15T22:11:00.000-04:00PS - Sorry for dropping the F-Bomb. If it's deplor...PS - Sorry for dropping the F-Bomb. If it's deplorable, feel free to moderate and delete the comment!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-66487264081060572352008-07-15T22:18:00.000-04:002008-07-15T22:18:00.000-04:00Oh, yes, let there be pictures... and now you hav...Oh, yes, let there be pictures... and now you have me feeling all guilty because I haven't sent you crits yet - they're coming, I swear...<br><br>It could be worse though, my husband type person is not a reader and really thinks I'm just playing around online whenever I'm on the computer - which is sometimes true but not always... he's never read any of my fiction... okay, he used to read it while we were dating, which I think is what they call a bait and switch, acting all supportive and then, umn, not so much....<br><br>The one letter I wrote for the school to send publicly (long story) it was the first thing I'd written for people to see in a while, having been buried at home with the kids for a good long stretch, and I made him read it just to get another opinion before handing it in....<br><br>he told me it read like stereo instructions...<br><br>It didn't, by the way, if he was an honest critic I wouldn't still be pissed about it...<br><br>Ah well, that was a fun rant... back to my reading.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-20536914001475193082008-07-16T02:02:00.000-04:002008-07-16T02:02:00.000-04:00So now we know the real reason Da' Man is on crutc...So now we know the <i>real</i> reason Da' Man is on crutches. "Yes, officer, it was a... um... soccer injury. Yeah, that's the ticket."<br><br>I found out with my first manuscript that it is unfair to ask my wife to read my writing. It's no different than a woman asking her husband, "Does this make me look fat?" There is no possible answer he can give that will be satisfactory, and most possible answers will cause trouble.<br><br>Same thing with a manuscript. "Do you like what I wrote? Be honest." Totally, totally unfair question for a significant other.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-25874549394462648672008-07-16T03:14:00.000-04:002008-07-16T03:14:00.000-04:00Pretty pretty template - I love the new look! :0)Pretty pretty template - I <i>love</i> the new look! :0)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-85254004060205704662008-07-16T09:16:00.000-04:002008-07-16T09:16:00.000-04:00Promises, promises, hmmm....He'd better learn to s...Promises, promises, hmmm....<br>He'd better learn to show a little respect.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-42982429858789606512008-07-16T11:30:00.000-04:002008-07-16T11:30:00.000-04:00Hey, Ello, thanks for poking up your head at my bl...Hey, Ello, thanks for poking up your head at my blog. I don't know why I haven't been over here before, since I have seen you around at Moonrat's.<br><br>But I'm glad I visited today, because I'm going through the same thing you describe here, even down to the armpit-waxing thoughts. That one made me snort. <br><br>My guy tried to read my manny, enthusiastic at first, but after a few days of lying untouched on the coffee table, I quietly put it on the bookshelf, and it hasn't been missed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595491177347226789.post-54462576758483639212008-07-16T14:12:00.000-04:002008-07-16T14:12:00.000-04:00No no, you must wax his groin. That will at least...No no, you must wax his groin. That will at least approximate your pain. <br><br>Don't let him read your stuff. Just take it back and say that you value your marriage and your great and abiding love and respect for him over his no doubt valuable opinion of your work. (That may not be quite passive-agressive enough, but you get the gist.) Seriously, though, marriage before his no doubt valuable insights. You have more than one beta reader, but only one father to the children.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com