Is this allowed? (Letters/transcripts question)

[pacifist91w]

I had written only a couple of sentences in a new "letters and transcripts" story when I hit a snag.
The correspondence takes place on online feedback boards. As we all know, most people don't care about spelling and grammar there. So...I want to include common errors to make the story feel authentic. But the site doesn't want errors in stories.

Am I allowed to leave common spelling and grammar errors (for example, "Their gonna be feeling alright in a couple hours, so its no big deal.") for the sake of the story? Have any of you done this?

 

[patientlee]

I had written only a couple of sentences in a new "letters and transcripts" story when I hit a snag.
The correspondence takes place on online feedback boards. As we all know, most people don't care about spelling and grammar there. So...I want to include common errors to make the story feel authentic. But the site doesn't want errors in stories.

Am I allowed to leave common spelling and grammar errors (for example, "Their gonna be feeling alright in a couple hours, so its no big deal.") for the sake of the story? Have any of you done this?

Yep. I Won a Basket of Porn. No trouble with acceptance. Only one comment criticized the errors.

 

[RejectReality]

So long as you let Laurel know that the errors are there on purpose ( use the "notes" section of the submission form to alert her to this ) and they're all in the online conversations, you should be fine.

Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to leave a note in the text for readers as well, so they understand that you can spell, and the errors are on purpose so the chat is realistic. LOL

 

[sr71plt]

Don't put any URLs in your story, though, even made up ones. They are accepted.

 

[pacifist91w]

Thanks for the answer!

Yep. I Won a Basket of Porn. No trouble with acceptance. Only one comment criticized the errors.

I appreciate the quick and clear reply, kind author.

 

[pacifist91w]

Thanks--that sounds smart.

So long as you let Laurel know that the errors are there on purpose ( use the "notes" section of the submission form to alert her to this ) and they're all in the online conversations, you should be fine.

Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to leave a note in the text for readers as well, so they understand that you can spell, and the errors are on purpose so the chat is realistic. LOL

Very useful tips. The second one might never have occurred to me, so thank you for that one especially!

 

[pacifist91w]

Thanks for the useful advice.

Don't put any URLs in your story, though, even made up ones. They are accepted.

I appreciate it--I hadn't even thought about URLs and their implications. Thank you very much for pointing out that possible pitfall!

 

[sr71plt]

I appreciate it--I hadn't even thought about URLs and their implications. Thank you very much for pointing out that possible pitfall!

They aren't accepted is what I meant to say--but you seem to have gotten the idea.

 

[robertreams]

I once attempted,(it is now in my LATER file) to write a story in computer chat talk. That was before full blown texting, but I could not maintain it. If you can do it believably, go for it. Just don't do what many inexperienced writers do and use it as an excuse for bad spelling, grammar and vapid slang.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I had written only a couple of sentences in a new "letters and transcripts" story when I hit a snag.
The correspondence takes place on online feedback boards. As we all know, most people don't care about spelling and grammar there. So...I want to include common errors to make the story feel authentic. But the site doesn't want errors in stories.

Am I allowed to leave common spelling and grammar errors (for example, "Their gonna be feeling alright in a couple hours, so its no big deal.") for the sake of the story? Have any of you done this?

Yep. I deliberately wrote one character with hideous spelling/grammar to help the readers feel my heroine's pain I didn't include a note to Laurel on that one, but if you're doing it a lot that might be a good idea - she has to read quickly, so sometimes the context is missed.

 

[pacifist91w]

Thank you for your input!

I once attempted,(it is now in my LATER file) to write a story in computer chat talk. That was before full blown texting, but I could not maintain it. If you can do it believably, go for it. Just don't do what many inexperienced writers do and use it as an excuse for bad spelling, grammar and vapid slang.

I know exactly what you're saying! I remember the early days of chatting well; not that I was a chatter, I simply had friends who chatted.
When we're talking about the errors themselves...as a stickler for grammar and punctuation, it will hurt me emotionally to write this way. However, I can't figure out another way to get the correct atmosphere....

 

[pacifist91w]

I've never heard of that; it's interesting!

Yep. I deliberately wrote one character with hideous spelling/grammar to help the readers feel my heroine's pain I didn't include a note to Laurel on that one, but if you're doing it a lot that might be a good idea - she has to read quickly, so sometimes the context is missed.

You invented quite a creative way to show the suffering of your character. Which story is it; I'm very curious now!