beta'ing a fic for podficcing
Aug. 4th, 2018 06:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kaixoThis is kinda… hard?
Basically, I’m beta’ing a fic that someone is writing to be podficced. The writer basically asked for SPAG (spelling and grammar) which they are getting, but I do find myself pointing out things that I probably mightn’t have done if I didn’t dabble in podfic.
For instance, there’s a lot of closed narrative. By ‘closed narrative’ I mean when it’s just the authorial voice that goes on about the background, the people, and the pov they put into things. Normally for writing, it’s okay (although not brilliant) because as a reader if you don’t like it, you can skim it, but for a podficcer, it’s not great, because it’s closed and there’s nothing to react to. You also can’t switch off when you’re podficcing one part only to switch on again.
On top of that, the listener to listen to that great wall of authorial text is deeply unfun.
So I point out to them that they need their fic to breathe, or to cut through their voice by bringing in dialogue here, action there. I’m like, “Your podficcer needs to be able to perform this, so give them something to work with.” Also, I’m coaxing them into getting rid of unnecessary dialogue tags (e.g. “I’m leaving,” he said angrily), so that their podficcer has the flexibilty to deliever the line as they see fit.
The fic is a bit… meandering in places, and I’m poking at them asking why? Because again, a reader can skim paragraphs of info dump, but podficcers have to read every word of this thing, and unless the prose is flowing poetry (which can be its own pleasure, to be fair) it can be burdensome (I have a feeling that the ending isn’t clear in the writer’s mind, so the fic is a bit fuzzy and undefined).
That being said, I’m aware that I’m influenced by the writing that works for my voice and delivery, so I’m really trying to fight against my own prejudices creeping in. But - I do find myself reading the writer’s fic aloud at turns and going, “Ooo that doesn’t rest on the ear right,” or asking them to tighten things. Or telling them to exaggerate speech patterns here and there (one of the characters is an old politician, the other a young woman), just so that there are differing voice patterns to play with.
Not that everything is a whinge, tbh. There are some parts of the fic which sing- and I think the podficcer will find interesting to do- but I guess the trick is to try and keep them interested in every part?
Even the quiet parts?
Also, writing a story that you know is going to be podficced is a different process than writing it to be read. You don’t want to be as sparse as a screenplay (in terms of setting, dialogue and some sort of indication re motion), but you can’t be James Joyce writing Ulysses either.
Not saying that my writing is perfect (hah, it isn’t, it truly isn’t), but I speak from experience.
Since I’ve had work podficced, and I’ve podficced other people’s work, I think I have a better idea of how things are supposed to sound aloud, and I’ve been writing towards that goal ever since. Also, I have some idea what the listener should gain from the experience, as well as the podficcer.
That’s a ramble for another day, but it boils down to this: above all, all prose should be clear enough for feelings and intent to shine through.
Now, off to read chapter eight of this thing.
Basically, I’m beta’ing a fic that someone is writing to be podficced. The writer basically asked for SPAG (spelling and grammar) which they are getting, but I do find myself pointing out things that I probably mightn’t have done if I didn’t dabble in podfic.
For instance, there’s a lot of closed narrative. By ‘closed narrative’ I mean when it’s just the authorial voice that goes on about the background, the people, and the pov they put into things. Normally for writing, it’s okay (although not brilliant) because as a reader if you don’t like it, you can skim it, but for a podficcer, it’s not great, because it’s closed and there’s nothing to react to. You also can’t switch off when you’re podficcing one part only to switch on again.
On top of that, the listener to listen to that great wall of authorial text is deeply unfun.
So I point out to them that they need their fic to breathe, or to cut through their voice by bringing in dialogue here, action there. I’m like, “Your podficcer needs to be able to perform this, so give them something to work with.” Also, I’m coaxing them into getting rid of unnecessary dialogue tags (e.g. “I’m leaving,” he said angrily), so that their podficcer has the flexibilty to deliever the line as they see fit.
The fic is a bit… meandering in places, and I’m poking at them asking why? Because again, a reader can skim paragraphs of info dump, but podficcers have to read every word of this thing, and unless the prose is flowing poetry (which can be its own pleasure, to be fair) it can be burdensome (I have a feeling that the ending isn’t clear in the writer’s mind, so the fic is a bit fuzzy and undefined).
That being said, I’m aware that I’m influenced by the writing that works for my voice and delivery, so I’m really trying to fight against my own prejudices creeping in. But - I do find myself reading the writer’s fic aloud at turns and going, “Ooo that doesn’t rest on the ear right,” or asking them to tighten things. Or telling them to exaggerate speech patterns here and there (one of the characters is an old politician, the other a young woman), just so that there are differing voice patterns to play with.
Not that everything is a whinge, tbh. There are some parts of the fic which sing- and I think the podficcer will find interesting to do- but I guess the trick is to try and keep them interested in every part?
Even the quiet parts?
Also, writing a story that you know is going to be podficced is a different process than writing it to be read. You don’t want to be as sparse as a screenplay (in terms of setting, dialogue and some sort of indication re motion), but you can’t be James Joyce writing Ulysses either.
Not saying that my writing is perfect (hah, it isn’t, it truly isn’t), but I speak from experience.
Since I’ve had work podficced, and I’ve podficced other people’s work, I think I have a better idea of how things are supposed to sound aloud, and I’ve been writing towards that goal ever since. Also, I have some idea what the listener should gain from the experience, as well as the podficcer.
That’s a ramble for another day, but it boils down to this: above all, all prose should be clear enough for feelings and intent to shine through.
Now, off to read chapter eight of this thing.
