Positive Feedback

Is always very welcome. Sometimes negative (provided it's not completely negative) feedback can be positive as well since it should encourage the author to look again at the work and set about fixing it or making it work. I must admit I'm particularly flattered by feedback from a 'reader' who really knows the background I draw on to paint my scenes like this - 

"Diplomacy by other means" is alive and well, even in the far future. 

Reminiscent of the WWII alliance of convenience between, the US, GB, SU, and the FF. De Gaulle a constant, petulant pain in the posterior, the Russians an imponderable though necessary factor in conducting the war. 

Interesting that the equivalent of acknowledging a Geneva Convention is mentioned. One of the fears the Nazis, and Japanese imperialists had near the end of the war was the probability of being called to account for their bestial treatment of their captives. 

The backfire is a consideration. The Allied Powers in WWI had the handicap of the gas blowing back into their lines, effectively negating any advantage to its use. The Germans, on the other hand, could simply let fly with the prevailing easterlies carrying it directly toward the allied lines. 

Nicely done, with a historical touch of the brow to our near past and the complications it might cause in future conflict. 

As I believe that human history is cyclic in many respects, drawing on previous history to paint a future scenario provides the reader with something familiar, and yet, not, since it is in a new context. I also draw on my own experiences of dealing with situations, people and the things I have little or no influence or control over to paint the background to the stories. So it is very useful when you have a 'reader' able to spot the parallels and confirm their appropriateness - or otherwise. Then there are the really helpful edit suggestions as well, such as this from another of my abused friends in the craft ...

"Now, Pack Leader. Let him know we have teeth as well." Harry said this quietly and Regidur grunted a response. 
These lines read strangely. You've told me how Harry said something after he actually said it and thus I have to go back and reread the line in the way you suggested, ie-quietly. 

Harry felt a wave of relief 
the relief from the strain bursting over them like a wave 
a bit of a repeat within the same sentence you might like to sharpen up. 

relief flooding through him 
then he gets another dose of relief. Is he now doubly relieved? 

Feeling slightly dazed, Harry 
to the lounge in a slight daze and stopped 
so I assume he was 'slightly dazed'? 

It is people like this that help me polish my work and get it to the point where I think I can risk sending it out to find a publisher. After my 'official' editor has had a go to catch anything else I've missed!

Feedback is so important at every step of the way. I'm a firm believer in the idea that I stand far to close to my work to be able to see everything that is wrong with it. From experience I know that going over it myself I can spot repititious words, but will not always see a glaring typo. Nor can I always spot the run-on sentences or the slightly confused imagery I'm painting. I know what I mean so I read it that way. Others don't and that is where having a group willing to read your drafts and throw birckbats and accolades is so useful.

That's my view - and I'm sticking to it.

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