Don't Be Rapey
I understand that sometimes the words we write don't quite translate to the reader. Or they translate totally wrong. In my latest WIP, my guy calls the girl a bitch. Totally meant in love. Problem is- written words don't translate inflection as well as real life or movie dialogue.
My betas were quick to point out- my hero came across a _______(insert favorite derogatory word). Bitch is now gone and I am happy to report it was beta feedback and not readers who gave me the heads up.
That's why it is soooo very important to use betas and listen to them.
My betas were quick to point out- my hero came across a _______(insert favorite derogatory word). Bitch is now gone and I am happy to report it was beta feedback and not readers who gave me the heads up.
That's why it is soooo very important to use betas and listen to them.
Perhaps if Budweiser ran this past a few people before going live, they wouldn't now be best known as the King of the Rapey instead of the King of Beers. I imagine the sensitive Clydesdales are shaking their muzzles over this:
 |
| Read the full the story here. |
And sometimes, someone else will do the same thing, and it will work.
This picture is from a Taco Bell. I took it last summer because the rapey flavor of the packets caught my attention quicker than the zesty sauce. This is proof that just because something works in one situation, it may be a huge fail in another.
******************************************************
Gatehaven is a gothic
novel with a strong Christian message, based on Ephesians 6:11: Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be
able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Set in a scary mansion in the
north of England in 1794, Shannon Aimee and Ian Colquhoun battle an evil
Frenchman with dark secrets.
The set includes:
·
Gatehaven by Molly Noble
Bull
·
The Gatehaven
Study Guide for Teachers by Jeanette Pierce
·
The Gatehaven
Study Guide for Students by Jeanette Pierce
About the workbooks...
In this Bible-based study of spiritual
warfare vs. the occult, documented background information provides a picture of
life in England and Scotland during the late 1700s, emphasizing the status
hierarchy and its effects on the people, especially those on the lower rungs of
the social ladder and the Protestant Reformation, some of its leaders, and its
effects on religion in Europe.
Also included are study questions for each chapter of the novel, a vocabulary list, questions related to the structure of the novel, and a writing assignment that students can complete independently of the teacher.
Also included are study questions for each chapter of the novel, a vocabulary list, questions related to the structure of the novel, and a writing assignment that students can complete independently of the teacher.
The Gatehaven
study guide set is designed for 8th thru 10th grade
students, but older students and adults can also use it. It is available in
both e-book and paperback versions. The teacher’s guide contains the answers
and grants permission for the teacher to make copies of the final exam.
Author Bios
Molly Noble Bull is a multi-published
Christian novelist from South Texas, and Gatehaven
is the grand prize winner of the 2013 Creation House Fiction Writing Contest.
As a result, it was published in trade paperback and e-book in March 2014.
Molly’s next novel, When The Cowboy Rides
Away, is scheduled for publication in 2015.
Jeanette Pierce is a retired English
teacher living in Houston, Texas. She holds a master’s degree and has taught at
high school and college levels. The two study guides for Gatehaven are her first published works, but stay tuned. Jeanette
is currently working on study guides for When
The Cowboy Rides Away.
###
Author links
KindleStudent Guide ~ KindleTeacher's Guide
Amazon Paperback Student Guide ~ Amazon Paperback Teacher’s Guide
Nook Student Guide ~ Nook Teacher’s Guide
***
Gatehaven Kindle ~ Gatehaven Paperback Amazon
Gatehaven Nook / B&N
You can find Jeanette and Molly here:
Jeanette’s Amazon author page
Molly’s Amazon author page ~ Molly’s website
********************************************************
.jpg) |
| Join this op weekly hop here! |
(I totally forgot to do this, so I am adding it now. Better late than never, right?)
1. I have DVR. I now have more things recorded than I can ever watch in a year.
2. Got the next round of edits. Excellent ideas galore! (Thought it means extra work.)
3. Steamed brown rice and liked it. I never liked it boiled, but always wanted to like the healthier rice option. Now, I do!
Yes, I'm learning about betas now. Oh,how I needed one. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteBetas really are special. They get nothing in return for it- a true labor of love.
DeleteMy beta readers have pointed out offensive things, which was unintentional on my part, which I always correct.
ReplyDeleteThose ads and labels are all wrong.
And to think someone got paid money to come up with those awful slogans.
DeleteOh how desperately I need my betas. I have no filters in real life, therefore, how much more do I need them in my writing life? I don't even realize how bad some stuff can sound or be taken the wrong way. I don't even mean to be hurtful, I just blurt stuff out in earnest, not really thinking it through all the way. I wish my betas could come everywhere with me and help me out with my own dialogue!! LOL
ReplyDeleteThat beer label makes me cringe. What kind of creepers passed that around the marketing table and voted, yeah, that's the slogan we're going with!
My filter has huge holes in it. I try to use it, but something always slips out. I blurt out all kinds half baked ideas and thoughts. Making a beta tag along with me would be awesome. Or if even my verbals had an edit line before leaving my mouth. That would be nice too.
DeleteWow. That beer label is awful. Sometimes people really don't think.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, betas and cps are essential! I love mine. Both for making my writing better and for being cheerleaders when I need it. :)
You'd think at least one person would have suggested using the breaks on this campaign- especially the one involving alcohol. Why not just make one Rufy flavored?
Deleteking of the rapey sounds so wrong. With writing things can be taken many a way. Have to try and curb that a bit. Unless you are a crazy rhyming cat, then you amp it up a notch or two lol
ReplyDeleteIt would be really good to have a cat to blame. Cats are cool. They don't let things worry them.
DeleteLiz, I would point out that calling someone a bitch in the UK used to be OK, like if you did something nutty you might be called a silly bitch, but nothing really offensive intended. In North America it is totally different. Rapey ads are likely to stir up lots of criticism.
ReplyDeleteIt can be used both good and bad here in the States. And tone of voice usually shows the difference- something that is not easily transferred into words.
DeleteI have a new button on my site to draw in beta readers. Now, I sit and wait :)
ReplyDeleteI'm always happy to help you, Mac!
Deleteoh...and have a nice weekend
ReplyDeleteHope you had a nice weekend!
DeleteSo the beer label loses out, but just think of the free advertisement they got from this 'gone wrong' campaign, any way. I'm not too crazy about Taco Bell's pack label either.
ReplyDeleteGreat listing of books, thank you!
Good point. Do you think they intentionally push the envelope? Most likely, I'd guess. I mean no one can be that clueless.
DeleteIt's no surprise that corporations have wanted to dictate their standards or morals. Anything that makes money is well-worth their "mistake," to them.
DeleteThat is too true.
DeleteThe word "bitch" in the United States is commonly used. If it were appropriate for a specific content in one of my books, I'd use it.
ReplyDeletePrecious Monsters
Exactly. But in my case, it didn't work.
DeleteWords and wordings can definitely make difference in people's perceptions. It's amazing what we let slip past us in conversation or in a movie that doesn't work in print - which feels more permanent and possible damaging. Taco Bell and Budweiser should have known better . . . unfortunately, they may be getting too much free advertisement from the outrage.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Molly!
Print definitely makes our words much more concrete. I think you hit the nail on the head- in print they are permanent.
Delete(I added to their free advertising! Oy.)
You're so right about Beta readers. Listen to them!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen that book before, but it looks very good. Adding it to my list!
Dear Robin,
DeleteI hope the book you are putting on your list is Gatehaven, The two study guides are based on Gatehaven, and you can sample all three books right now by visiting my website, scrolling down and clicking Molly's Free Downloads. www.mollynoblebull.com
Thanks.
Molly
It is an intriguing sounding book!
DeleteWow....that's some bad marketing! You'd think as many people have to approve something like that, someone would say, "That's a step too far."
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's good in that we're all talking about it, but such a bad message. I hope it doesn't boost sales, especially the alcohol one. At least Taco Bell sauce can't be used in date rapes.
DeleteOh my! How funny!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting about Mom's book. :)
My pleasure, Melissa!
DeleteIt's pretty amazing that multi-billion dollar companies can be so dumb about things. On the bright side, it doesn't take long for people to jump up and point out their mistakes! lol Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteAnd people did jump! Which probably worked in their favor.
DeleteBetas are definitely essential!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more!
DeleteAs writers, we have to be so careful or selective of words we use. Thanks to beta readers.
ReplyDeleteYou're right as usual Peaches!
DeleteThanks for featuring my Gothic historical novel, Gatehaven, on your site and Jeanette's two study guides based on Gatehaven. Gatehaven is pretty scary, but it also has a strong Christian message. You can sample Gatehaven and the two study guides by visiting my website, scrolling down and clicking Molly's Free Downloads. www.mollynoblebull.com And read my 57 reviews by clicking here. http://bit.ly/Gatehaven
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Molly Noble Bull
It looks like a wonderful book, Molly. It was a pleasure to share it. Best of luck.
DeleteUgh now I am seriously ticked off. EW WHAT THE HECK TACO BELL AND BUDWEISER?!?! So offended right now...ugh why people, why?!
ReplyDeleteAnd YES betas are pure gold, I absolutely love mine =)
But UGH seriously. Now I am in such a bad mood.
I can't decide if it was ignorance or intention, but it definitely wasn't an attempt to tap into the noble side of their buyers's characters.
DeleteHmm... yes, it seems a particularly bad move to stick something that sounds even vaguely rapey on an alcoholic beverage. You know, given how many people get attacked/raped because they were drunk?
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing the taco bell sauce just doesn't have the same connotations.
Which I suppose is a great example in subtext.
Best of luck with those edits!
I agree. The slogan on a can of beer is just wrong, wrong, wrong.
DeleteKudos to betas everywhere.
ReplyDeleteYep, high fives for them all!!
DeleteMy hubs showed me that Budweiser thing the other day. Seriously, how could that slip by them? Yay to betas - can't live without them :) And so glad the brown rice worked for you. I'm going to have to try steaming it.
ReplyDeleteThe rice was much better steamed. Boiled brown rice always tasted chewy to me. I could never get past the texture. Steamed it is delicious.
DeleteOh my goodness - that Budweiser ad is awful!! What were they thinking??
ReplyDeleteI love my beta readers... they're amazing!
I'm not sure if they were just clueless, or were going for the outrage to push the campaign further. Either way, it's a fail. Have a Coors tonight :)
DeleteWhen I heard about the Budweiser thing I didn't think rape, I thought drunk driving. Still a terrible slogan.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's true, we see our characters one way, but the readers don't always see them in that same light. Thank God for beta readers steering us in the right direction.
Guys probably don't get the date rape lectures that girls do. Leads to a very healthy paranoia. I never even thought of drunk driving- that is even worse.
DeleteYeah, not everything in life translates to fiction. I find this to be a tad hypocritical of people, but that's how it goes.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're doing great, Elizabeth. We need to catch up!
I think we do have a tendency to take everything too seriously. In my personal life, I try to give the benefit of the doubt to what people say off the cuff. I know I put my foot in it right and left.
DeleteAnd we do need to catch up!
DeleteYeah, not everything in life translates to fiction. I find this to be a tad hypocritical of people, but that's how it goes.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're doing great, Elizabeth. We need to catch up!
Hope you've had a productive and pleasant Monday, Elizabeth.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra!
DeleteWe recently had ANZAC Day in Australia, which is our day to remember fallen soldiers. It was the 100th anniversary of the start of Australia's bloodiest ever battle too, so there was a lot of hype around it.
ReplyDeleteWoolworths (called Safeway in America) cashed in by using the image of a WWI soldier to promote the brand. They were vilified for it. Someone probably should have lost their job over that.
We had a Woolworth's when I was a little girl. I remember it had the old fashioned candy counter. I hadn't thought of that in years. They're all gone now.
DeleteTrying to touch the heart can go badly so easily. If they wanted to use an image that is so tragic, they'd have been wise to have used the campaigns profits as a donation to a WWII cause. It's tacky to use something so awful just to make a buck.
Actually, donating profits might have worked...
DeleteI don't even work in advertising and I could have told them not to look like they were profiting on tragedy. It's crass.
DeleteLol, I know the exact part you're referring to in your WIP! :)
ReplyDeleteBut, I never knew about those "rapey" ads! I'm SHOCKED that they have those kinds of sayings out there! Wow. Truly disappointing...
Oh yeah- you caught it in a heart beat!! It's good to know I have friends who will tell me when I have spinach in my teeth.
Delete