The Librarian's Discovery: The Librarian's Discovery
by Emily J Jerome
Note: I know that it probably isn’t my place to say, but I’ve noticed that many fanfic writers don’t put as much care into their work as they could. Thereby I’ve taken it upon myself to point out a view common problems. The point should be made that there are many writers out there who do a fabulous job with their fics. Likewise, there are many who have too many distracting problems left in. This is, if nothing else, a way for me to put a quickie English lesson into a fun fanfic. Or semi-fun, at least. I have missed mistakes, I know. It’s 1 o’something in the morning… I’m burnt… I’m tired… the typical whine of a high schooler. ;) I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, and whether you do or you don’t, I’d like you to let your thoughts be known. Also, while I’m at it, I don’t really want everyone to think that I’m a English professor at some prodigious school. I’m simply me – a high school freshman (cut the freshman cracks… I’m only in this place for 12 and a half more days ) who actually likes writing and the English language as a whole. I make mistakes. I was educated through eighth grade in the California public school system. I DO MAKE MISTAKES! I’ve gone through spell check on this thing, just like everyone else does. Basically, don’t think I’m taking down to ya’, because that really isn’t my intent.
Also, the typical... I don't own the characters you reconize... Beyond that, it's mine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Giles walked up to the laptop sitting in the corner of the library. After taking a look at the flying colored lines on the screen, the man sighed.
"I swear. Willow must leave this... thing here - on, nonetheless -, just to try to get me to do... whatever it is you do with it," he said under his breath.
After a few more minutes of non-coherently staring at the screen, Giles decided that he may as well go for it. Resting his elbows on the edge of the counter, he put his finger softly on the small red mouse positioned between the keys. Not until he tried everything else did the librarian run is index finger over the button, an action which finally interrupted the indefinitely repeating colors. "Finally," he murmured as his finger kept hitting the ball, making the cursor fly across the screen. Only after chasing the thing with his eyes for a few minutes did he realize that it was, in fact, is actions that were causing the rapid movement. Only when the white arrow had finally ceased movement Giles was able to focus on the true content of the screen.
"Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fanfic," he read out loud. "They KNOW? Who are these people?!? And what is fanfic?"
Repositioning his glasses on his nose and navigating the cursor to the correct link, he clicked. As he rested his head on his right hand, he began to read.
a pom four angle
oh angle i love yo i wish you wer myne forevr and
ever and you are so sexi and i luv you and you ned
to dump tht bufie girl
He read the words on his screen once, then twice, and a third time aloud before truly understanding what it said. "Poem!" the reserved man exclaimed, perhaps a little too loud for is solitary state. "They think they wrote a POEM! Not a pom!" Then, after future consideration he added, "Except that's technically prose... and lacking complete sentences... and correctly spelled words... and grammar of any kind... and any sense whatsoever." He punctuated his thoughts with a sigh, completely having forgotten the similarity to his own life what he was reading held.
It took awhile, but eventually Giles found the 'Back' button on the browser and returned to the story listing. He followed another link and took the time to read, hoping that this writer was a little more caring of their work.
Happily Ever After
So far, the title looked good. This persuaded the man to read further.
Writers Note: I wrote this by myself. I do not own these people, some guy with a lot of money does. I don't have any money. I'm just a poor 13-year-old who doesn’t know how to write. This is just fun for me. Send your comments to me at girl13@aol.com. Oh, and I don't make any money off of this. None. Not at all. And I own everything you don't know. Ha, ha, ha. Mine, mine, mine. I was smart enough to make them, not you, so they're mine.
"And I'm not sharing!" he added in a faux high-pitched voice. "Well then... cocky are we?" With that he moved on to another story.
Without Fear
Authors Note: You know the typical... I don't own 'em, I don't make any money off 'em, no copyright infringement intended. Please send all comments to me at medawriter@yahoo.com.
Xander walked into the library. He looked at Giles standing by a table. Giles was reading another book. He was always reading a book. "What are you reading?" the boy asked. "A book," said the librarian. "What's it about?" Xander asked. "Vampires and demons," the librarian said. "Oh. That's what you always read about," the boy said. Then he said some sarcastic comment, because he always does.
Willow came into the library. She hit Xander because he said something stupid. "Xander," she said. "What?" he said. She sighed at him. Then all three of them turned to the door to see Buffy walk in.
"Potential, at least..." Giles murmured. "Full sentences... even if they are predictable and repetitive in format. Quotes... with unnecessary tags. Quotes, still. It may have had a good story, even." Deciding the story was too constant in phrasing, Giles once again moved on.
My Life as a Slayer
Author's Note: I can't spell, so get ovr it.
I hat slaing vampires. Their stupid. I dont lik them. it wood be nice if they'd all die ded. But thats my job thou. I gues I can do it. I dont wat too tough.
Not even taking the time to read after the first few lines, he carried on. These machines did have spell checks, right?
A Good Fanfic
"Woah, catchy title…"
As Buffy walked into the library, she looked around. She notices it was empty, and decided to find out why. Walking quickly out the door, she will run down the street, only to find it empty just like the library is.
"Tense agreement… I would have thought everyone would have learned that young…" Knowing that the inconsistency of tense would make him nervous, Giles went on to one last story before finally leaving school for the day, just past 11 o’clock at night.
The Librarian’s Discovery
Authors Note: I know that it probably isn't my place to say, but I've noticed that many fanfic writers don't put enough care into their work as they could. Thereby I've taken it upon myself to point out a few common problems.
"Where does she think she gets all that power from? My god..." He skipped that one as well, closing the computer down to the best of his ability. "And what is fanfic, anyway?"
This story archived at: The Slayer\'s Fanfic Archive
The Slayer\\\\\\\\'s FanFic Archive - http://www.slayerfanfic.com/viewstory.php?sid=2702