As the topic says I´ve got a question about the way you write a game. With foreign authors I mean people to whom english is not their first language.
Do you write the game direct in english or do you write it in your first language and then translate it. I´m not sure what is best, in english it is somtimes really frustrating to find the right words for your ideas. If I write in german first, I´m not sure, if the translating will be more frustrating, because you can´t find an elegant way to translate it.
What do you do, has anyone tricks or experiences to share?
Rare thing to hear, but I quite like English over my native language. It just sounds like my true language I should have been born with.
Personally I just write directly in English.
I write directly in english, but I’m pretty much fluent, enough to often think in english anyway.
And, yeah, there’s some danish words and phrases I really wish existed in english, and sometimes I will use a direct translation without realising it doesn’t make sense in english. But that happens the other way around in other parts of my life, so it’s just what it is.
Sometimes, I’ll write some notes in danish, but that’s about it, and writing everything in danish first would add a lot of extra work.
I write my story directly in english, it’s just too much work to translate it. I’m usually just open Google translate if I forgot/not know what the english for certain words. Google translate not exactly reliable, but it’s better than nothing.
Not to seem condescending but if you’re not confident in your English proficiency, maybe you should improve it before attempting to write a story which is potentially hundreds of thousands of words?
Hm that might be the problem, I am unsure, if my english is good enough, but I´m also not sure if it´s just a problem with my confidence^^. I might simply lack the experience of writing in english. I´ll try to go on and get better while writing. Before I post a WIP I will probably rewrite the whole thing twice just to feel better about it^^
I´ll take a look at the app while going to work today. Thank you.
You’re English seems pretty good to me. I suspect you might simply be having confidence issues.
I find having the occasional beer while writing first drafts helps. It may sound weird but it is a technique with a long and storied tradition for just this reason.
And You could imagine that people start to write in English to JUST YOU KNOW IMPROVE AT IT? I am not fluent, I learning by myself so write is a way to get me looking dictionaries and grammar. Learning says and other information. And is just very depressing when You receive Sorry You are not good enough to write in my language.
So then How I am supposed to learn? Not everyone here write to be published. Many write to get better, to have fun … And is not cool when people had sending me pm or just say You are too shit to wrote on English …
Ideas in my native tongue flesh it out in english because i find it harder to translate the word i want to and sometimes there isn’t a exact word for it either And just do it man don’t even think about it that much just write it the way you want if its not good or there is something wrong the forum will help you anyways.
Many native English speakers have issues with poor usage and confidence problems. No writer is alone.
There are grammar tools available both online and as plug-ins that help with English’s often twisted rules and standards and a few of them are free to use.
Also there are different writing tools listed in this thread: Writing tools
It is kept updated and I found a program from that list that I love; there are a lot of options to chose from but these are being used by authors here, so you can get direct feedback if needed.
For the most part, this community is very supportive and will often provide feedback … if practice makes perfect is your motto. (Like @poison_mara getting better every time she writes.)
I like practicing my English writing even if I hit an obstacle. They say practice makes perfect and despite having a “Sub-par” English I’m happy with what I write since it is my progress and mile stone in understanding the complex English language usage.
Sure, I can converse with people in English but don’t be afraid to write in English as well. My advice is don’t be discourage when the review you get is people pointing your English grammar flaws, take it as a complement or be like me when I feel pissed at them I take pleasure at their whines at my bad grammar and do more often just to spite them. Mwahahaha
I mean to some its not hard but not everyone can easily grasp the language. Everybody has different paces and even some published English native speakers need help with editing their works because “hey shit happens”.
So yeah, I write in English to practice my English and translating from my native tongue is not fun because it doubles the work. I say go for it, my WIP “Tall tale of Draigs” Had like a dozen grammar errors yet I still persevered I thank the fans of my story because even with my grotesque English they still like my writing lols.
Oh, and just to make an example of how painful it was for me to understand some English words. In German if you think “pregnant” and “prägnant” mean the same thing, oh boy you better think again.
Spanish has a lot False friends wd called them. Words that writw same meaning is totally different. That’s really complicated for me. I have saids and words learning by pure repeating again and again. It is hard when is by yourself. i use Essential/ Advanced grammar in modern English with my Oxford dictionary and a Oxford Spanish English dictionary.
But put an example Carpet vs Carpeta. Carpeta sounds exactly same but it means folder.
Constipated vs Constipado Constipado in Spanish means have a cold or a flu… That leads ro problems.
And my main problem. Spanish like French or Italian are languages filled with metaphors and passionate exaggerated terms. English is Literal as hell. Totally people will take all your phrases face value. It is a terrible cultural shock.
Here people say exaggerated metaphors since first minute. Like If I go late my mother would chop my head out and put into the soup… That’s a normal stuff a kid says to other in school or worse Mothers just sings lullabies about monsters that will eat you if you don’t shut up and sleep etc etc… Here is normal nobody takes that seriously … Well When I came here and started writing I was terrible and used many terms that weren’t understanding by English people. But I think I still getting better. At least I have fun.
So my advice to everyone who is not fluent in English and want to get better and write. JUST DO IT. Yeah, it will be trolls but most people will help you.
And If I can be more or less understandable, You will ace it. I am probably one of most clumsy person learning a language. My only advantage is that i am more stubborn that a mule.
