I don't think I'm that demanding of a reader. At least, not where typos/grammar are concerned -- as long as it reaches the "generally passable" standard and doesn't dip into "barely readable" territory
If I see a typo in a posted story, I'd want to tell the author (if it were my story, I'd want it fixed asap) but I'd do it privately (email or IRC), and not make a big deal out of it. "Hey, typo alert -- this looked weird, was it really what you meant to say?" If it's an author I don't know particularly well, I try to *always* remember to say some positive things about the story, too. With friends, it's different. I can be rude to them
because they already know I'm enjoying the story & like their writing generally.
But I'm not hypersensitive to misplaced commas, for instance -- sometimes I notice them, sometimes I don't, but nearly all the time I just don't care
The British/American phrasing can jar me out of the story momentarily, especially if it would mean something else to an American ("he didn't like her apartment, so he knocked her flat"). I think I have a decent grasp of distinctly British phrases & usages (thank you, Doctor Who!
) I might or might not point it out to the author, though, depending on a multitude of things. Come to think of it, this might be how I started beta-ing for Wendy... But anyway, my attitude is always that I can provide the writers with info, but they may or may not change anything, and that's okay, either way.
PJ
