OMA4U:

That's why some people cannot improve. 'Agidi' too much. Someone who knows better is trying to tell you what to avoid if you are serious about being a writer. At least, listen to them so that you can be better. Truly, that shorthand thing has deteriorated the way people write.
Ishilove and Larry-sun, nice contributions. Your head dey dere.

Mr. Man, abeg no attack me. I'm a learner o. I'm a novice, not even an amateur who is working hard to come out better. So don't bother to attack me. I know Nairalnders with their ever insults.

You said what you are saying and you used shorthand? Ok, let that pass.

Read Larry Sun comment and notice the objective way he tackled the problem at hand, ending with the fact that its best for story tellers to improve on their command of English while still been the Story tellers they are. Did he take a swipe at the numerous shorthands that were infront of him? Did he, as Ishilove kept hammering, tell all writers to 'go and learn from the masters of letters'? No! He attacked the situation with tact, yet he contributed wonderfully to the topic. A first timer will apperciate his contribution much more than Ishilove's method, which can be viewed as arrogant, since she/he did not even care to take to the correction someone gave of his/her reply. Thats what I am saying, hope you understand.

rapmike:
Am not going to insult you or him, i wil jst make my points clear.

I am not endorsing shorthand, know that!

What I am against is the manner in which he picked at my comment, emphasising the shorthand and ignoring the points I made. If I was a newbie, I may be totally discouraged from adding my opinion.

Then he used dat comment to pass judgment on how I will write my stories, implying that I am a poor writer. I am not the best, i agree, but I write quite well and am trying to improve on my mistakes, so looking at it from that context he did smting wrong.

Finally, I feel that just tackling the syntax of English language is nt enough to be a good Literature writer, the creativity is very key to be at such level and most writers here and in Naijastories show that, so they should be encouraged and criticised objectively and in an appropriate manner, not commenting lyke a 'know all', which Ishilove did.

Check 'AN EVENING WITH EVA' by Kayemay, he writes the main story with the right syntax bt comment with his readers with pidgin at times. How will he feel if Ishilove picks on a comment in pidgin and says that he is not good or he has no knowledge of English syntax? I tell you, he will be offended.

Truth be told? I couldn't read your contribution. I always have a difficult time reading shorthand. I can't stand it so I zone out when I encounter it.

You are going off tangent. Who is talking about pidgin English here?? Pidgin English and shorthand are two very very different things. Did I tackle the syntax of writers alone? Scroll up and read agina before you say untruths.

I don't know why I even bother because it is very obvious you are not getting the point I am trying to make (or you don't want to).







See folks, I was right, wasn't I? When you criticise them they tag you 'oversabi'. Lol. It just never changes

rapmike:
You said what you are saying and you used shorthand? Ok, let that pass.

Read Larry Sun comment and notice the objective way he tackled the problem at hand, ending with the fact that its best for story tellers to improve on their command of English while still been the Story tellers they are. Did he take a swipe at the numerous shorthands that were infront of him? Did he, as Ishilove kept hammering, tell all writers to 'go and learn from the masters of letters'? No! He attacked the situation with tact, yet he contributed wonderfully to the topic. A first timer will apperciate his contribution much more than Ishilove's method, which can be viewed as arrogant, since she/he did not even care to take to the correction someone gave of his/her reply. Thats what I am saying, hope you understand.

Like I stated earlier, go back and read ALL my posts again.

What's your definition of tact? If mollycuddling and kissing asss when I see something wrong is your definition, then you very wrong.

Haaa, I can see that you have reduced your shorthand writing. That's better! . People will take you more seriously when you write properly. Even if you are writing gobbledygook, when you write it properly, the right kind of people will take note.Write in shorthand and most folks will quickly skim through it and move on to the next.

Writing properly should be part and parcel of a writer. Reading, too

rapmike:
Ok, i don hear you....

READ MY THREAD AND TELL ME WHERE I WROTE IN SHORTHAND IN MY STORY.......

i understand ur point about improving, but you can't just judge people's abilities on an informal setting, that's my point.

Just seeing the bolded. You're very wrong. You can never know who is viewing your posts, where that big break will come from so always bring in your A-game every time.

Ishilove:
Just seeing the bolded. You're very wrong. You can never know who is viewing your posts, where that big break will come from so always bring in your A-game every time.

Oga, i have heard you. In as much as you are right abt your post, ur tone made it seem like it was a personal attack, thats what am pointing out and thats why i referred to Larry's post. You emphasised so much on the shorthand.

Well, its all cleared up now, am waiting for the next contributor to come in. I hope he/she will nt use shorthand.

Ishilove:
I don't know why I even bother because it is very obvious you are not getting the point I am trying to make (or you don't want to).
See folks, I was right, wasn't I? When you criticise them they tag you 'oversabi'. Lol. It just never changes

When ur criticism seems like a veiled personal attack(which was not your intention in any way), then you may be branded as 'over-sabi'.

As i said once, just check the tone of your criticism. It could be the difference between a wonderful contribution and a killing blow to a writer that lacks confidence or still trying to improve his/her skills.

Just be careful not to kill the writer's spirit, thats all.

Ishilove:
Truth be told? I couldn't read your contribution. I always have a difficult time reading shorthand. I can't stand it so I zone out when I encounter it.

You are going off tangent. Who is talking about pidgin English here?? Pidgin English and shorthand are two very very different things. Did I tackle the syntax of writers alone? Scroll up and read agina before you say untruths.

I don't know why I even bother because it is very obvious you are not getting the point I am trying to make (or you don't want to).







See folks, I was right, wasn't I? When you criticise them they tag you 'oversabi'. Lol. It just never changes

I was about typing that. It's true that when you criticize them they call you 'oversabi' and that's why we're not getting sound criticism. I wonder where a writer is going when he cannot even handle the constructive criticism Nairalanders provide. Someone like Ishilove criticizes with an open mind and makes you know what's left to be added or where you get it wrong, hence you become better. I could remember when she criticized Royver, she pointed out things that could not be seen with an ordinary eye, except with the eagle eye of her likes.

Listen, gentle man, what am saying is that we need good critics, though their criticism may be harsh at times, but we have to learn from them and that's only way we could get better. It's not just common critics we get, 'Ride on I don grab pop corn, I'm following you, keep it up, etc.' If someone uses bad grammar for instance, let's hit the nail on the head. 'Guy, your grammar is not up to, I think you need to learn how to make good grammatical constructions.'

The objectives of critics to writers are not something we can handle with levity, if you really mean business.
Ishilove, thanks.

rapmike:
Oga, i have heard you. In as much as you are right abt your post, ur tone made it seem like it was a personal attack, thats what am pointing out and thats why i referred to Larry's post. You emphasised so much on the shorthand.

Well, its all cleared up now, am waiting for the next contributor to come in. I hope he/she will nt use shorthand.

Rapmike, now you're talking. You have seemed to get what she was pointing out. You see, Ishilove has always been a good critic. So I'm not being biased. We shall all improve and get there someday.
Peace......

Ishilove:
You can't discuss about the development of others until you start developing yourself. That is my point here. He is a writer. Let him show some discipline, please!

Copycat

cheruv: I've noticed that everyone on nairaland is getting into one form of storytelling or the other..both on sexuality and litterature sections.some of the stories were impressive whilst the others were though good but filled with so much grammatical errors that would even make a 7 year old brilliant chap's mouth go sour(like the one am reading presently).what's your take on the issue and what solutions can be proffered especially to the ones who seem to get it wrong?

No problem with people telling stories or waxing literature here and there but my problem is the ... grammatical blunders, plagiarism and lack of substance/quality ....

It is ridiculous!

Well... some of these writers should know that not every individual must turn out a writer,it just might not be their talent.Most stories here lack creativity and suspense coupled with the fact that there are a lot grammatical blunders and the contents most times seem to promote s.ex.It can be really annoying when I read some of these but I refrain from commenting so it will not look discouraging