AAArrgghhh! I hate editing!

[M. R. Mathias]

Originally Posted by Ravensknight

someone sounds very bitter.

but of course, after your scintillating posts, I'm just chomping at the bit to go read your novels. Now there is some effective marketing...

The only person who sounds bitter to me is the tard who felt he had to point out that a line in my advertisement needed editing. I however am entertaining myself, and of course taking a break from editing.

See, I posted this because I have been editing and then someone posted that I need more editing. Do you not see the absurdity of that? Thus the ensuing rant.

[M. R. Mathias]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

So what is the prison time for murdering English?

Well considering I have been to England and the English think our American version of their language is pathetic I'd say that you don't have a clue. This is America in 2010, not England. The prison sentence for possession of ecstasy however in Texas is 4 years. And the only way to murder the English language is to think you actually have a grasp on it.

"Lets go let a house so we can use the loo." said the chummy chap.

And Your avatar is from my favorite comic strip ever. Monkey batteries are cool.

[M. R. Mathias]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Before I go to bed every night I think about something I learned during the day, and in this thread I today learned that there is nothing to sneer at as far as the erudition produced by the US penitentiary system.

Thank you very much, kind sir!

[Bilbo1967]

Is this some kind of 'anti-marketing' strategy?

Why throw insults at people who point out your grammatical mistakes? I'm pretty sure a lot of people looking at this thread will make a mental note never to look at one of your books; in fact, it just occurred to me that the only explanation is that you are not who you claim to be, but one of his competitors. Yep, that must be it.

Personally, I grew out of reading books about dragons about 30 years ago, so it makes no difference in my case.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Is this some kind of 'anti-marketing' strategy?

...

Personally, I grew out of reading books about dragons about 30 years ago, so it makes no difference in my case.

A sentence from his web site:

"When the Royal Wizard of Westland poisons the king so
that his puppet prince can take the throne and start a
continental war, a young squire is forced to run for his
life carrying the powerful sword that his dying monarch
burdened him with from the death bed."

There are two types of reactions to that sentence: one is those who think "wow, I think I'll give that a try." The other is those who back away slowly then after a few paces turn and run in the opposite direction.

For either side, I would think, if you don't "get" the other side's reaction, it can't be explained to you.

[Ravensknight]

Originally Posted by M. R. Mathias

This is me ranting about editing people... Read the THREAD TOPIC.... Why are you talking about marketing here? Its FREE story whats to market...lmao

What's to market? Just because something is free doesn't mean that people are going to read it.

Now, maybe while you sat in prison, repenting for your heinous crimes parking ticket, you decided to write your novels, just for yourself. Good for you.

But I'm guessing you actually want people to read your novels. Hence the banner, etc. And that is where marketing comes in. People have to WANT to read your book, and after this thread?

You blew it.

ps,
1'm lmao 2, b4t 1 am WAY 2 L33t 4 th4t sch1zzl3, y0...

[Dr. Drib]

I think this is one of the most brilliant anti-marketing strategies ever created here on MobileRead.

The author may appear to be making ignorant statements and comments (and proud of them!), but I firmly believe his "low-life" portrayal of the English language and his "attack" against the obviousness of common marketing sense, along with the tooty-frooty goofball attacks upon Members' comments is - indeed - a calculated move to exact more sales. I consider the author a marketing genius.

Of course, I could be wrong.



Don

[M. R. Mathias]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

A sentence from his web site:

"When the Royal Wizard of Westland poisons the king so
that his puppet prince can take the throne and start a
continental war, a young squire is forced to run for his
life carrying the powerful sword that his dying monarch
burdened him with from the death bed."

There are two types of reactions to that sentence: one is those who think "wow, I think I'll give that a try." The other is those who back away slowly then after a few paces turn and run in the opposite direction.

For either side, I would think, if you don't "get" the other side's reaction, it can't be explained to you.

The only people who run are the ones who were not really interested in a great fantasy read in the first place...

Have you ever seen a movie billboard? I mean really. You guys are criticizing stuff that is common practice in the marketing/advertising industry. Size constraints and font visibility override the other. Its about getting the message across. Not getting it across with proper grammar. One conflicts with the other so often that if you took a moment to watch a commercial or read a billboard you would see it.

"Coke, the real thing" is as improper as it gets. It should read "Coke is the real thing" But People are not stupid and get the point. How many periods do you see in ad slogans?

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by M. R. Mathias

The only people who run are the ones who were not really interested in a great fantasy read in the first place...

That reinforces my point-- if someone looks at that (and the short story HarryT mentioned) and doesn't think "florid purple prose", then it it isn't likely that one can be convinced otherwise.

One of my all time favorite quotes is by Mark Twain:

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."

Some writers know the difference-- many more (including many that hit the New York Times best seller list) don't.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

A sentence from his web site:

"When the Royal Wizard of Westland poisons the king so
that his puppet prince can take the throne and start a
continental war, a young squire is forced to run for his
life carrying the powerful sword that his dying monarch
burdened him with from the death bed."

There are two types of reactions to that sentence: one is those who think "wow, I think I'll give that a try." The other is those who back away slowly then after a few paces turn and run in the opposite direction.

For either side, I would think, if you don't "get" the other side's reaction, it can't be explained to you.

Very true. I'd be in the crowd sidling away, but I am fully appreciative of the fact that some people may read that and rush to the bookshop to buy it.

Of course, they're wrong and I'm right though.

[M. R. Mathias]

Dr. Drib, Thank you for your input.

This is to you not about you: There is an old saying "If you do not have something nice to say then don't say anything"... Well the posters who visited my editing rant thread chose to say things that were not nice. I DO NOT NEED OR WANT THEIR MONEY. It is ultimately they who lose here. I don't need to sell five books to these folks. I am not desperate for sales. I do however feel the need to defend myself against the clowns who think they are better than someone else because they have been posted here longer. I'd bet if they were actual book buyers instead of hecklers they might have a few less posts here and spend more time reading.

There are 300 billion people out there (More I suppose) I can afford to lose the sales of 3 or 4 people who came to this thread to post negative comments and point out my flaws.

I mean that's exactly why people come here is to have a bunch of dorks point out their flaws. You might have more visitors if the 'in crowd' here wasn't so pathetically smug.

As a whole it has been fairly cool here, but some people think that they are something they are not. I know I am a bad typist and a poor editor. It's OBVIOUS. To have people come around the forum to point that out is.... Well it's sad. Because my novels all have four and five star reviews and are all professionally edited. But my posts get heckled all the same.

Unlike most authors I am not here to sell books. If that isn't obvious then I don't know what is. That simple fact alone, the fact that I am not here just to sell books, should garner some respect. I mean from what I've heard, the people here don't like authors who just come to sell books. Well they don't seem to like the ones that are not here for that either.....

[M. R. Mathias]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

That reinforces my point-- if someone looks at that (and the short story HarryT mentioned) and doesn't think "florid purple prose", then it it isn't likely that one can be convinced otherwise.

One of my all time favorite quotes is by Mark Twain:

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."

Some writers know the difference-- many more (including many that hit the New York Times best seller list) don't.

Well I'm not trying to be Mark Twain. I rehabilitated myself and kept my sanity while serving four years in prison by writing. If one person likes my work I am happy, and by the looks of all my reviews, Including the one by FBC Fantasy Book Critics I think I have done that. Mark twain didn't say anything about punctuation though. I have the right words, I just don't have the commas in the rigt places....LMAO

I am a civil person. I am not trying to be an azz. I just get riled.

[M. R. Mathias]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Very true. I'd be in the crowd sidling away, but I am fully appreciative of the fact that some people may read that and rush to the bookshop to buy it.

Of course, they're wrong and I'm right though.

You are not right or wrong. You are just you. One person of billions. Nothing more, nothing less.

Since they are only ebooks I suppose the people rushing to the bookshop to buy any of my novels are foolish.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by M. R. Mathias

As a whole it has been fairly cool here, but some people think that they are something they are not. I know I am a bad typist and a poor editor. It's OBVIOUS. To have people come around the forum to point that out is.... Well it's sad. Because my novels all have four and five star reviews and are all professionally edited.

With the greatest respect, Mr. Mathias, you asked for criticism of your work. Right here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...00&postcount=2

You said:

Please find my mistakes. I need someone to point them to me....

But then when someone does what you ask, you fly off the handle. If you don't want people to point out mistakes to you, why ask in the first place? You are of course very welcome to disagree with my point of view, but I'm afraid that I stand by the view that to advertise a forthcoming book with a poorly-worded banner ad is a mistake. Now I know, though, that you are not in fact interested in receiving constructive criticism, I certainly shan't waste your time and mine by offering it again.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by HarryT

With the greatest respect, Mr. Mathias, you asked for criticism of your work. Right here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...00&postcount=2

You said:



But then when someone does what you ask, you fly off the handle. If you don't want people to point out mistakes to you, why ask in the first place? You are of course very welcome to disagree with my point of view, but I'm afraid that I stand by the view that to advertise a forthcoming book with a poorly-worded banner ad is a mistake. Now I know, though, that you are not in fact interested in receiving constructive criticism, I certainly shan't waste your time and mine by offering it again.

Well said Harry. I'm out of here too.

"Authors" who can't write correctly and start flinging insults when their errors are pointed out just aren't worth the effort.

Added to my Ignore list, reason; crimes against the English language (the country that is unfortunate enough to have Mathias as a resident and the year are irrelevant - it most definitely is English he's mangling) and extreme f**kwittery.