Please hire a copyeditor. Thank you.
Fragrance Bloggers…You Have to Love Them! Fragrance Bloggers … You Have to Love Them!
Well, no I don’t,; I will just try to like them.
At times I am perplexed by what I read written by bloggers when they critique the work of our industry. I have often thought of critiquing the critiques. Well not really,. I just liked the way it sounds, and my devious alter ego would enjoy it. I do like a good debate! Although, it is hard to debate when one person in the argument is lacking in substance or knowledge. <This was worded in the way traditionally used when “one” is talking about him or her self.>
Then there are the commenters adding their pennies penny’s worth of verbiage. I would say two cents‘ worth … <see earlier edit regarding ellipses> if, in fact, it was! Now, I do appreciate freedom of speech,. hHowever, I’m rethinking this after reading comments that lead consumers down a false path of misinformation.
On one hand, I do agree that there has been an absence of quality. <In what? Abrupt transition.> I could write a chapter in a book to many of the reasons why on the many reasons why. However, if I did , however, past employers may might get nervous, as would some of the giant manufacturers. … Trust me. tThere are many Nniche brands that would not escape my honesty either.
Quality… is defined as “the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something: an improvement in product quality.” <Need citation. Also, suspect colon was semicolon in source.> Wait!
Here is the part I love and find enlightening and a source for a healthy debate:
• “general excellence of standard or level: a masterpiece for connoisseurs of quality.“<Need citation. Colon or semicolon in source?>•
Ahhhhh, a connoisseurs,. dDescribed by Webster’s is as an expert judge of taste! I do believe I’ve found my source of contention. These are not the critiques of experts judging the criteria of fragrances based on the realization how well the fragrances realize certain criteria. …. that there is a pro and con. <Deleted because unclear> One person’s distaste for, is another person’s infatuation or love of.
Read, my friends, another defining characteristic of quality:
“A distinctive attribute or characteristic possessed by someone or something.” <Need citation.>
Another chapter or two could be written on this the subject… tof the total lack of creatively distinctive fragrances that have the opportunity to be commercially viable at counters around the world. I’ve always said the world doesn’t need another new fragrance. We do need, more distinctive fragrances with real signature!
For those who are reading and are blogger’s, please don’t misunderstand me. … I think what you bring to this industry can be very good. I’m just exhausted with the amount number of critiques and pontifications that mislead the consumer. Personally, I think many need to learn how to smell correctly and learn to understand what youthey smell without looking at the wonderful fragrance pyramids. B, which would be better known as quasi-contrived fragrance ingredient lists. God, I love one who smells by reading! <Unclear. See apparent contradiction with last two paragraphs.>
I would hate when an editor of a magazine would hated it when a magazine editor requested a fragrance pyramid.
I often told them to go to Egypt, where they can see all the pyramids they want.
Please don’t describe our creations as merely a list of ingredients. BTW h Here is your are all the ingredients to make your blueberry pie– the sugar, cornstarch, blueberries, and flour. and all the other ingredients that go into your blueberry pie.
Write about emotion and make me dream by what I smell! <The word “by” in this sentence is unclear.>
Please note that this edit only corrects grammatical and syntactical errors, not the general lack of focus in the piece or the language choices that are questionable from a stylistic standpoint.
Bravo!!!
Thank you! (virtual bow)
Jen, in the event (heaven forfend!) I ever need a copy editor, you are SO hired! Although I’m delusional enough to believe my understanding of grammar, syntax and punctuation is good enough as it is!
Thank you for taking this herculean task upon yourself!
It is no delusion.
Plus, for my red-pen finger to really begin itching, the writer has to appear really arrogant, and that will never be the case with you!
APB, let’s make a deal: I will never write such articles and you will never go over those that I do write with a red
pen… fontDeal!
Girl, I know you were worried about 2 snarky posts in one week, but frankly I don’t remember the last time I wrote a non-snarky post! This post made me laugh heartily, nothing to worry about. Also, I have no idea what this article is about. Perfume bloggers aren’t experts? But neither are magazine beauty editors? Here are the ingredients for blueberry pie?
Exactly! By the time I got to the blueberry pie bit, I was thinking ‘He is messing with us. No one writes this badly.’ And thank you for reassuring me regarding the snarkiness!
Fantastic!
They say the pen is mightier than the sword. Your pen IS the sword!
I had no idea you were such a talented grammar swashbuckler. I bet he had no idea his writing skills were so poor. How on earth can he justlfy his criticism of bloggers?
Grammar swashbuckler!
I am going to add that to my CV. Thank you, Joann!
WR 102: don’t quote from the dictionary.
I loved your copyediting! But I beg you, please don’t apply your talents to *my* humble blogging— I’m more of a “paint you a picture of what I want to say” kind of writer than say, a “grammatically literate” kind of writer. LOL!
Don’t worry! I don’t normally jump all over bad grammar like I did with this.
Goodness knows I make loads of mistakes myself, and editing is essentially my “real” job, so I have no excuse!
Touche!!!!!
As a writer you now can understand how we the real fragrance experts of the industry feel reading the “snarky” comments coming from some very unprofessional bloggers.
If you take offense to poorly written articles, then I’m sure you can understand how we take offense to bloggers that lack the knowledge to judge our work.
On the other hand, we do appreciate a “good blogger”!
Raymond, thank you for your response! Truly, I believe it is the responsibility of both the writer and the magazine to ensure that articles are error-free and (even in the case of op-eds) not unnecessarily inflammatory. Coming from our different positions, I’m not surprised we disagreed on the topic of your op-ed, but I do appreciate you being a good sport about my red pen.
And, of course, I appreciate you stopping by!
I’m confused by this response. In your op-ed piece you implore us bloggers to “write about emotion” which does not take knowledge of perfumery per se, but rather the ability to write about how a fragrance makes one feel. If that is the salient point of a perfume review, then we all have the foundation by which to “judge” a perfumer’s work.
I’m not sure what blogs you are referring to, but the ones I read (and I read a lot of them) are not the ones you seem to have a problem with. I imagine the “snarky” ones you are speaking of are very few in the large pool of perfume blogs, and therein lies the problem I have with your commentary. Your broad generalizations and condescending tone make it difficult to get to the heart of your argument which I’m sure is valid.
To speak in such a manner about bloggers who, by and large, adore perfume and just want to share their passion seems misguided and misleading.
~Trish
PS: Sometimes snarky is just plain fun to read and I’ll bet it’s typically pointed at large corporate manufacturers of perfume, so I’m sure they can take a hit from a blogger or two.
Well said Trish!
Thanks dee
XOXO
T
It’s too bad Raymond has not come back to respond to your comment. You raise the pertinent questions about what he was actually trying to say, and he hasn’t addressed those questions here or on Scentless Sensibilities. Too bad. I would be interested to hear his responses.
I would really like to read a reply from him as well. It is too bad.
XOXO
T
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