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Athelstone replied to the topic Beta Reading Discussion in the forum Blogs 4 years, 10 months ago
Thanks for the topic. May I add that I’m a terrible beta reader. I would like to be more useful and hope to pick up some tips if this discussion develops and hopefully turns into something more.
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JaneShuff started the topic Beta Reading Discussion in the forum Blogs 4 years, 10 months ago
Here’s a separate topic for a discussion about Beta Reading. Please feel free to contribute to the discussion both on your experiences of having your work beta read and on beta reading other people’s book.
I’ll kick it off by repeating that Beta Reading has taught me a lot. I approach it from my experience of the book as a reader. Noting down my…[Read more]
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RichardB replied to the topic "I write like" in the forum Coffee Shop 4 years, 10 months ago
Yes, in my first passage my MC was being smitten at his first sight of a young lady, and in the second someone was getting blasted with a shotgun. Hmm, content…
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JaneShuff replied to the topic "I write like" in the forum Coffee Shop 4 years, 10 months ago
James Joyce!
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JaneShuff replied to the topic "I write like" in the forum Coffee Shop 4 years, 10 months ago
I’ll try with a more lyrical section… watch this space.
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JaneShuff replied to the topic "I write like" in the forum Coffee Shop 4 years, 10 months ago
Ha ha! I write like Stephen King! I think Libby is right though and the program looks at content mostly as this was a particularly horror full section!
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RichardB replied to the topic "I write like" in the forum Coffee Shop 4 years, 10 months ago
Now there’s interesting, as we say in Wales. Based on two short extracts from the last novel I wrote, I write either like James Joyce or (wait for it) Dan Brown. Not much difference…
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Athelstone replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs 4 years, 10 months ago
What I meant was that we can post images now, providing they are online somewhere. That said, like many things on the Den, it’s a bit hit and miss whether it works.

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Athelstone replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs 4 years, 10 months ago
Hi – that was a reply to Sandra, just for avoidance of confusion. Yes, there are several very appealing forums available, including Discourse (and I must say as a longtime repairer, I like your forum and the topic). That said, with Discourse, we would need a VPS or similar non-shared server arrangement*, unlike a traditional web-host, so the…[Read more]
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JaneShuff replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs 4 years, 10 months ago
Random comments:
Yes to Beta Reading, but, time permitting, I’ve always been a keen beta reader. I honestly think the beta reader learns as much from the process as the writer, but I’m not keen on the financial aspect. I know Thea posted a request for beta readers recently. Did anyone respond @thea ?
And on that subject, I’d welcome a discussion…[Read more]-
Hi @janeshuff, the only response to my beta reading request was your kind message explaining that you aren’t able to help at present. After a month or so, I deleted the request.
I agree that it would be beneficial to have a discussion about beta reading. As you said, it’s a good learning process for both reader and writer. I guess the first thing…[Read more]
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Barny replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs 4 years, 10 months ago
OK, but what about the many other advantages of discourse?
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Barny replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs 4 years, 10 months ago
@athelstone have you looked at moving to a 21st century forum like discourse? I use it on talk.restarters.net and it’s pretty slick. You can get email notifications and reply by email; can upload pictures, has trust levels and you can restrict areas.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition July 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 10 months ago
Sand
Mum was a good woman. I say was; I mean is. She’s still alive. But since the diagnosis of dementia, well, for a long while before that, I knew she was slipping away.
She sits with me as I work.
I have a phone to repair. A capacitor has failed, a tiny surface-mount component. It is fiddly and the manufacturer won’t replace it. But I wil…[Read more]
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Barny replied to the topic Monthly Competition – June 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 10 months ago
Well done, Libby – a deserved win!! And thanks Ath.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition – June 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 11 months ago
Libby: Sound Waves.
A real slice of life. Beautifully portrayed, the violent action all at a distance and the thoughts of the protagonist so quiet so mundane that we just know a bomb is going to explode into the story.Sandra: Another fairy tale.
Ah, becoming an adult. I’m so glad I’m not the only one still waiting for that Corinthians mom…[Read more]-
Thank you @athelstone. I enjoyed writing to the theme. The other entries were so good I’m very chuffed to have won.
I’ll go away and think of a theme for July.
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Barny replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs 4 years, 11 months ago
DoW problems: Usability just isn’t what it should be; not being able to post pictures is a pain; definitely doesn’t promote idle chat.
The wordcloud was very far from perfect, but had one significant difference: the course offerings meant new people were always joining, wondering wth was going on, some figuring it out or persisting without fig…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs 4 years, 11 months ago
The garlic will be ready for harvesting in a few weeks.
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Ha, bet it’s nicer than shop bought! 🙂
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How long does it keep for?
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I’ve no idea…hang on…according to google, it lasts about a month just sitting around doing nothing, but if you put it somewhere warm and dry so that the skin-layer of leaves goes papery, it can last for several months.
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I thought you were an experienced garlic grower but I see you’re a novice like us! At least yours has grown. Ours never showed its face!
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The best I’ve managed is chives.
One thing about the weather this year: the patches of meadow pea on the lane’s verges are larger than usual. Rich golden yellow flowers liked by bees.
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Athelstone replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs 4 years, 11 months ago
Well, there’s a lot to think about. And to get started on.
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JaneShuff replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs 4 years, 11 months ago
Deeply pleased to hear other people want idle chat.
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Idle chat about what? Oh, … yeah. Yes please.
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Been lucky enough to escape Covid testing but got to have two next week before travelling. Are they really as awful as people claim?
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Ah, I can spot idle chat when it slaps me in the face. Have done one of the lateral flow type – you have to stroke your tonsils with a long cotton bud, then right up your nose. Fun. I find the tonsils one really difficult, makes me retch. OTOH I was clear 🙂 In the UK we can get free tests from pharmacies. Go for it! Hope it’s a nice holiday.
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Well, I’ll let you know Barny but it sounds disgusting!
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[idly] you did ask. Yeah let me know how it goes, but you can skim the details if you want.
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Watch this space…
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All fine! But only nasal swab for PCR test in France!!
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🙂
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RichardB replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs 4 years, 11 months ago
Even after a year-plus of lockdown in various degrees I don’t do social media at all, no Facebook, no Twitter, no Zoom, no anything, so the Silence of the Denizens has been quite saddening for me. Not that I’ve been better (except in one respect) than anyone else. My problem is the opposite of that of several leading lights here: having…[Read more]
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