StillStunned's collection of useful pointers for writers

[alohadave]

I think people think it sounds better,

This is me. I know it's grammatically incorrect, but it sounds better to me.

 

[alohadave]

I'll never cease to be astounded at the level of perversity here

Ovipositor stories are an uncommon kink, but they are an interesting intersection of non-human, nonconsent, and breeding fantasies.

 

[onehitwanda]

Ovipositor stories are an uncommon kink

what a terrible day to be able to read.

 

[alohadave]

what a terrible day to be able to read.

Aliens is the source code for the fetish. It's a whole lot different when you think that James Cameron put that in a major motion picture.

 

[StillStunned]

I've decided to give up any hope of this thread un-derailing. What's next, wombat pooh?

 

[onehitwanda]

I've decided to give up any hope of this thread un-derailing. What's next, wombat pooh?

What? You DID ask!

 

[samhasstories]

Well that's fucking fascinating. Say more.

 

[StillStunned]

What? You DID ask!

I was wondering whether anyone would see what I was getting at.

Apparently they're cubic so they stay in place. Wombats use them to mark their territory. Or maybe for playing Yahtzee.

 

[onehitwanda]

I was wondering whether anyone would see what I was getting at.

Apparently they're cubic so they stay in place. Wombats use them to mark their territory. Or maybe for playing Yahtzee.

it's for building defensive walls to keep Taipans and Drop Bears out.

 

[StillStunned]

it's for building defensive walls to keep Taipans and Drop Bears out.

If Peter Jackson had been Australian, this is what the Battle of Helm's Deep would have been like.

 

[djrip]

No. It's the same. At least to this American. I maintain a strict distinction between "lay" and "lie." "Lay" takes an object.

People DO confuse "lay" and "lie" in casual speech all the time. I don't know if that's similarly true in Britain.

Lay is also past tense of lie. I lay in bed yesterday.

The example with "was laying" or "was lying", I think in that usage you use the present tense verb, like "I was running," so, "I was lying in bed." Right?

 

[onehitwanda]

If Peter Jackson had been Australian, this is what the Battle of Helm's Deep would have been like.

Minas Tirith but with Emus.

 

[StillStunned]

Minas Tirith but with Emus.

The Nazgul wouldn't be nearly as intimidating if they were riding emus. I mean, I know they're a right vicious species of bird, but they look daft.

 

[nice90sguy]

Ovipositor stories are an uncommon kink, but they are an interesting intersection of non-human, nonconsent, and breeding fantasies.

and they feature heavily in my current unfinished magnum opus, has spead like Japanese Knotweed all over my hard disk

 

[alohadave]

and they feature heavily in my current unfinished magnum opus, has spead like Japanese Knotweed all over my hard disk

I have an unfinished WIP with an alien couple using a woman to help them have their alien babies. On their planet, they have a tripartite reproductive method.

 

[StillStunned]

I just remembered that the natives of Barsoom also lay eggs. Including the lovely Dejah Thoris.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

There are no mistakes in the sentence it is written precisely as it should be, if perhaps obscurely

edit: I could have used passed but where's the fun in that?

I got you. Did you put the shovel back in the shed?

 

[Bramblethorn]

The Nazgul wouldn't be nearly as intimidating if they were riding emus. I mean, I know they're a right vicious species of bird, but they look daft.

There actually was an edition of The Hobbit and LotR with emus on the cover: https://briansibleysblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/hobbits-and-lions-and-emus-oh-my.html

And yes, JRRT thought they looked daft.

 

[Paul_Chance]

I've decided to give up any hope of this thread un-derailing. What's next, wombat pooh?

It's a good idea. Stick with it. The derailing will eventually end.

I'm a firm believer in the importance of the simple basics when it comes to writing.

 

[Paddleboardpnw]

Thanks for this! I submitted a few stories a couple nights ago, one already got kicked back. And I’m trying to figure out what I did wrong.

 

[Stimtheone]

Oooh, the homophones one (things that sound the same while being written differently and have different meaning) reminds me of a story I read on here where it was clear someone was writing from hearing a story and had little idea what they were putting down, like saying EXO for an executive officer when you would write it XO, or using sight instead of site. Thankfully I have Grammarly to tell me when I make such mistakes. Yes, I also make them. English isn't my first language. I still remember the time someone corrected me on how you pronounce caveat.

And I admit I have no damn idea how grammar works because I learned English like a baby, meaning with no actual rules, just "monkey hear, monkey repeat with some vague notion of what it means".

 

[StillStunned]

caveat

That's like cava, but you eat it instead of drinking it, right?

 

[onehitwanda]

That's like cava, but you eat it instead of drinking it, right?

No, you're thinking of @Cagivagurl, breathless. Caveat is like a picnic but underground, with trolls.

 

[StillStunned]

No, you're thinking of @Cagivagurl, breathless. Caveat is like a picnic but underground, with trolls.

I stand corrected. "Caveat (n.): when trolls have you for a picnic."

 

[onehitwanda]

I stand corrected. "Caveat (n.): when trolls have you for a picnic."

Silicon instead of Silicone; an easy but tragic mistake.