tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post18901795812280522..comments2023-11-17T01:32:25.790+00:00Comments on Aleksandr Voinov - Letters from the Front: Who cares, as long as they FUCK, right? (A rant)Aleksandr Voinovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06583805228909693924noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-64033056434548665762010-07-02T04:28:05.447+01:002010-07-02T04:28:05.447+01:00Then again maybe I don't want to know what I m...Then again maybe I don't want to know what I missed. my confirmation word was thret.Barbara Sheridanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136767476101027087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-44698299747145211562010-07-02T04:26:51.107+01:002010-07-02T04:26:51.107+01:00Ohh so many deletions. Now I'm curious to know...Ohh so many deletions. Now I'm curious to know what happened...Barbara Sheridanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136767476101027087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-71361257256417408262010-07-01T22:28:59.140+01:002010-07-01T22:28:59.140+01:00@A B: Oh no, all signs of disagreement are persona...@A B: Oh no, all signs of disagreement are personal attacks, clearly. <br /><br />I'm looking forward to the bitch-fighting when my next reviews go online on Speak Its Name. That will be fun. /sarcasm.<br /><br />And Mardi Gras is an awesome book.Aleksandr Voinovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06583805228909693924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-34338485266572628982010-07-01T22:24:52.527+01:002010-07-01T22:24:52.527+01:00I also find it strange that an author is allowed t...I also find it strange that an author is allowed to dish a reviewer, but when the reviewer is supported by factual argument by other authors, it somehow becomes a personal attack.<br />Authors need to learn from every review that's honestly written. Critical or not.<br />As for blogs as Damien says in "Mardi Gras":<br /><i>"If you don't like my blog, don't read it'. I wrote what I felt to be correct. If they disagreed with me, fair enough. But they couldn't tell me what to write and what not to write. I sat and stared at the screen. What was wrong with having an opinion? The world would be a dull place if we agreed on everything. Diversity rules, okay.</i><br />Snigger, got my plug in too.....<br />You can remove it if you like *winks*A.B.Gaylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02631009081489655875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-79168798542263710372010-07-01T22:16:19.166+01:002010-07-01T22:16:19.166+01:00@A B: I think the only motivation is really to try...@A B: I think the only motivation is really to try and be the best writer you can. That includes getting it "right" or at least as "right" as possible. Five minutes of research take care of about 99% of issues. A cavalier attitude to that stuff is a dealbreaker for me as a reader.Aleksandr Voinovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06583805228909693924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-37479429219440762792010-07-01T21:59:46.687+01:002010-07-01T21:59:46.687+01:00What sort of motive do you need to have other than...What sort of motive do you need to have other than desire to improve the standard of the genre you write in?<br /><br />I back Aleks up 100% on this and the other part that needs mentioning is that is that the extent of knowledge has to relate to the viewpoint character unless you're writing in omniscient.<br /><br />If the POV character is unlikely to recognize a weapon's name, they shouldn't mention it.<br /><br />They can describe it or its effect, but unless you have a plausible reason already there be careful of including facts.<br /><br />You as an author need to know, so you can describe plausible effects, but that's it.A.B.Gaylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02631009081489655875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-15667336016544867342010-07-01T21:32:51.096+01:002010-07-01T21:32:51.096+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-4149670596090857202010-07-01T21:24:00.228+01:002010-07-01T21:24:00.228+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14912934260332235848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-88194138897779064822010-07-01T20:50:29.947+01:002010-07-01T20:50:29.947+01:00@Anonymous: absolutely. What we call "psychol...@Anonymous: absolutely. What we call "psychological warfare" today.Aleksandr Voinovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06583805228909693924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-4985466131593381812010-07-01T20:44:27.057+01:002010-07-01T20:44:27.057+01:00Ninja lover here... If anyone did their actual res...Ninja lover here... If anyone did their actual research on the Ninja they would know that the sect was in fact considered mystical - part of their MO was to confuse and scare, which would appear as mystical powers to the uniformed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-80256214334329814912010-07-01T20:39:13.463+01:002010-07-01T20:39:13.463+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14912934260332235848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-62900281402142032162010-07-01T20:08:00.194+01:002010-07-01T20:08:00.194+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-59373616269088288002010-07-01T19:33:16.764+01:002010-07-01T19:33:16.764+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-46822964366896017412010-07-01T19:08:35.412+01:002010-07-01T19:08:35.412+01:00Outstanding blog. Research is a must, especially i...Outstanding blog. Research is a must, especially if you (the author) are exploring unfamiliar territory. Even a sprinkling of truth is better than not bothering at 'tall.kbcutterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05304670618838431666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-55553927604004957972010-07-01T18:07:50.697+01:002010-07-01T18:07:50.697+01:00Loved this blog post, Alexs! What you said is spot...Loved this blog post, Alexs! What you said is spot on. It's completely crazy to me that a writer would NOT take the time to make the story as authentic as they could. To not take the time to make the story the very best it could be in every aspect from the romance to accurate details of the time period, setting, ect. <br /><br />I spend time researching the littlest things sometimes. I can spend hours reading up on a detail I want to add to my work because I want the reader to believe the scene and get lost in its authenticity. <br /><br />The assumption romance readers don't need the extra effort is ridiculous and insulting. As a reader, I want the romance/sex in a well- developed story that builds up to the culmination of the characters having sex,unless I'm reading straight erotic, but even then I want a researched story.<br /><br />I love reading romance/erotic but I also enjoy thrillers, sci-fi and horror. I expect the same level of excellence from them all.Angela Nichellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03316117577189900650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-48706953955765155172010-07-01T14:19:21.061+01:002010-07-01T14:19:21.061+01:00As for the languages: When Jet Mykles wrote Heaven...As for the languages: When Jet Mykles wrote Heaven Sent - Hell, she explicitly asked me to check her German sentences and correct them.<br /><br />There´s nothing worse, than wrong language use in books. Bleh<br /><br />And no, sadly there are always people, who think that prehistoric stuff is SO cool.<br />And then write some Victorian stuff in bronze Age.<br /><br />Double bleh!Kat Haeskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18256298820672391963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-42575571493096348692010-07-01T13:54:52.473+01:002010-07-01T13:54:52.473+01:00@Ralph: Yeah. If I was to use a martial art in a b...@Ralph: Yeah. If I was to use a martial art in a book, there's plenty of clips on youtube that gives you a good idea how stuff looks (and buying into the hype of anything makes you look stupid).<br /><br />I'm happy to make allowances. Personally, when I just facts during writing, I try and validate anything with a 5minutes internet search. In 99% of all cases, that's enough.<br /><br />@Elaine: I must have been dreaming the hippos walking down your streets, then. Kidding. :) <br /><br />See, a quick search of a Singapore tourism website, a Singapore tourism guide or even just bleeding wikipedia would have prevented that. As law studied taught me "ignorance is no excuse." <br /><br />It's not just middle America that's reading English-language books (this is a good start for a blog post, thank you for the idea). <br /><br />Languages are another problem. I once called out a writer on using wrong German. Their response was "but my readers are American who don't speak German." And I said "well, guess what, I'm in Ur Language, paying Ur royalties."<br /><br />And yes, I will never understimate romance readers. I mean, I read that stuff, and I'm pretty belligerent when the writer is taking the piss. And many of my readers are formidable people I wouldn't want to mess with.<br /><br />@Kate: I assume she watched "Ninja Scroll" as "research"? Would that work?<br /><br />@Kat: You don't have to have been there, but I'd asume you did do some reading about Scotland? :) i've never been to Afghanistan, either. <br /><br />Pre-historical stuff? I think that's been done to death after "Ayla".Aleksandr Voinovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06583805228909693924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-58073336107152249632010-07-01T08:07:33.234+01:002010-07-01T08:07:33.234+01:00I must admit, I wrote a book about a Scottish Were...I must admit, I wrote a book about a Scottish Werewolf and have never been to Scotland. Bad me.<br /><br />But then, and since that character totally refused to be moved anywhere else in the world, I decided, to just stick to the things I DO know, which was surprisingly much, though. -.-<br /><br />I don´t read historical romance.<br />Especially not that type of pre historical romance, that floated around for a while. <br />In Germany novels about the Nebra Star disks were very much en vogue for a while, and I just wanted to run screaming. Nobody messes with my Bronze Age!<br /><br />Oh well, where was I. <br />The other subject, I usually don´t read is PTSD. Half of the time I want to throttle the idiots, who wrote it. <br />Salute to Aleks for not provoking that reaction.<br />That was a first.<br /><br />Research, is a must.<br /><br />If you can´t bring your own knowledge to a level, where you KNOW the subject. Where you can out of the blue say, for example, if bronze age people used bronze arrowheads... don´t do it.Kat Haeskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18256298820672391963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-53930731101338011892010-07-01T07:22:17.423+01:002010-07-01T07:22:17.423+01:00*stands up and applauds*
Oh, and ninja are mythic...*stands up and applauds*<br /><br />Oh, and ninja are mythical? Where the hell did that come from? o_OKate Cotonerhttp://www.katecotoner.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-39943786317783187332010-07-01T00:05:56.338+01:002010-07-01T00:05:56.338+01:00Say what they may, but I'm one of those reader...Say what they may, but I'm one of those readers who, when assaulted (or insulted, take your pick) by poor or obviously non-existent research, do let them know where they went wrong.<br /><br />One romantic suspense writer had her book set partly in Singapore and had her characters wading through mangrove swamps and escaping crocodiles ala Tarzan on the Singapore-fucking- River! She had her villains taking an expressway that was running north-south to the airport when said airport is located in the East. Worse, instead of having her character arrive at Changi Int'l Airport, the writer said he landed on Seletar Airport. That airport ceased being used for commercial flights about half a century ago and today is used as flight school, flying club and chartered flights to nearby islands. All this can be gotten from Wikipedia and Aleks, having been to Singapore not too long ago, I'm sure you can confirm the Singapore River isn't teeming with crocodiles and mangroves along the banks. The only crocs I know laying in wait there are the real estate developers and their agents selling the multi-million dollar apartments.<br /><br />Language is another area romance authors tend not to do research on. I don't know why they bother to set their scenes in foreign locales but don't bother to look up basic facts - such as the Sinhalese-dominated (99%) Sri Lankan military speaks Sinhala, not Tamil (which is the language of the separatist group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (TTLE).<br /><br />Since this wasn't the first time that author didn't bother to do her research, I stopped buying her Tradeback books because I just got too disgusted with being treated like an ignoramus or end up believing that the majority of romance readers are barefoot, pregnant ho's who've never been out of Godforsakenville, USA.<br /><br />Many of my friends who read romance are professionals - lawyers, doctors (one is an assoc. professor of pediatrics), directors of multi-national companies and such. We read romance to chill and while we love our hot, sexy heroes, we don't switch off our brains the minute we pick up a romance.Elainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-35204246481320970302010-06-30T22:59:07.215+01:002010-06-30T22:59:07.215+01:00I hate when authors don't do their research. I...I hate when authors don't do their research. It drives me insane when I read a book about a topic I know a lot about and see so many inaccuracies. <br /><br />I do tend to give authors a little bit a lee way, I mean everyone makes mistakes. But they should at least put in the effort. I cannot read a book about martial arts since 90% of the writers barely research it when they write about it. I can only read about Tae-Kwon-Do being this awesome epic self-defense style so many times before I want to pull my hair out.<br /><br />Thanks for giving other writer's a kick in the ass to do their research!Ralph Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05603601285156630234noreply@blogger.com