WordPress was upgraded this morning, I hope this signifies the end to the technical hitches you and I have been experiencing here of late.
Amongst listening to the new work-related anecdotes and eagerly anticipating the First Pay Day with bated breath, I have been doing my best to concentrate on my studies and settle back into well-worn but seemingly new routines.
Last week I received my first tutor-issued feedback on 3 short stories I’d written for a fiction writing assignment. This assignment was the first time I had ever allowed my work to be consumed and critiqued by someone other than myself since school. I was wobbly at the prospect of someone else being privy to the contents of my inner storyteller, but satisfied that I’d made what I thought was a valiant effort.
The electronic carnage that was returned to me (after marking) was on first glance, almost unrecognisable. Drafted, dissected and defaced profusely in a glaring red, all of my words, my words, the words had surprised me, made me laugh, caused me untold anguish and had been a small source of secret pride were now completely dismantled and lying in disarray. My words were broken and the pages were now bleeding from the weight of all that red. So much red.
Initially, I was horrified and defensive. I took one look at all that red and just closed the window before my eyes could even settle on the comments, my stomach sinking to my feet. Gutted. I was convinced that should I read the comments, they’d play to the dreadful tune of “What are you doing? This is all wrong, wrong, WRONG. You should feel ashamed that you’ve marred my mind with this utter drivel. In short, as a fiction writer, you are all KINDS of bad. Amen.”
Then, I got a grip. I took a peek and although my stories are indeed licking unsightly wounds, they’re surface scratches as opposed to oozing cankers, present for the most part because I can’t proofread for piss. Joy! And, because I waffle on a bit and use too many commas. But, you and I knew all that already.
The upside is that my tutor was actually very encouraging, despite the redness. She also seemed to know exactly where I was trying to go with each piece and managed to decipher exactly what it was I was trying to say (amongst all the hideously verbose clauses and superfluous comma-ing) and then provided me with not only better ways of saying it, but better ways that I would have used myself had I have been… well, better.
I don’t feel so wobbly anymore.
A full-time wheelchair user since 1998, Claire lives in an adapted bungalow in England with her Partner of 10 years and their two dogs: 
Pft. Anyone who’s visited here with any kind of regularity already knows that you’re a gifted writer. And that’s not just hot air up your arse, it’s the honest God’s truth.
If you even so much as hint at wobbling again, I’ll push you over. Hard. And steal your writing prowess in the process.
V xx
Some of the best paid writers abuse the comma… J K Rowling springs to mind. That said, you’re one up on her — I like reading your stuff.
Vixx:
Jem:
Ah, well that’s ok then
As a comma abuser myself, that always seems to be the bulk of my errors when my work gets proofread. There’s something about having my work proofread that seems to shoot up my anxiety level to unheard-of proportions; it has to be the sense of powerlessness as I hand my work to another person. Just because I’m open to criticism doesn’t mean I feel like I got slapped on the face whenever I see an inkling of red on my paper.
On the other hand, it’s great that you have an understanding tutor.
Those are rare.
Robmarie:
Welcome, welcome!
Too true…
The tutor makes all the difference IMHO.
At least your tutor was a good one. I used to put a lot of commas, and people called me Comma Girl to tease me about it.
I’d type words like this, then put a comma in it, then continue writing, and then the commas come in again. Well, you get the picture
Hi Claire,
Just stumbled across your site and have been having a bit of a nose round. All interesting stuff and you’ve been added to my RSS reader so expect to hear from me again.
Anyway just thought I’d say Hi, so… er… Hi (again!)
James: Welcome, welcome!
I’ll look forward to “seeing” you again and thanks for taking the time to say “hi” and introduce yourself, it’s much appreciated
You are indeed a gifted writer. I adding this comment so that I can say
… I knew she was before she was famous …
Been a while, but I do check in from time to time.
Dvd
Dvd:
Tis good to see you/hear from you, my friend.
Your Awesome! Just by reading the blog I can tell you would most likely make a good author!
Yay for Clare!
Thanks for the encouragement, Chris