@mamma- Thanks for the information, it will ONE DAY help, but my point in saying the second portion that you quoted was to avoid a novel's worth of an explanation that's already been given and things I am aware of. My talking about sending something away is all hypothetical. I would like to EVENTUALLY get to a point where I do not feel as though I need an editor. In all serious I probably will never get there because every step I take forward I fall three back. I figure I will reflect on my writing many years from now and see if I have learned enough but for right now since I only have on average ten hours to put into my writing HOBBY weekly I am just doing what I can, working on what excites me instead of what frustrates me. Writing helps me deal with problems in my life. It's my escape. So in the end if it's horrible? I really could care less. It makes ME happy and that's really all I care about. If my writing were to remain just that for the entirety of my life I am fine with that. =) I am fully well aware of my inexperience and lack of knowledge. But while some people are of great help here others tend to give off this mentality that I HAVE to write for publication and THIS and THAT HAVE to be THIS way. I write because I enjoy it. I realize many of my flaws and I do work on them but for me writing isn't just about all that jazz. Yes, I say "sending it away" but that is hypothetical. I am way too lacking of knowledge in the field, way too unsure about aspects of grammar and punctuation, way too inexperienced. I asked about italics, not about what the bulk of your post was about, and although your intent was to help, it wasn't where the help was being asked for. If I went on a thread where someone was asking the behavior habits of monkeys I wouldn't go on about dolphins =P I am just not to the point where I can entirely make use of half this information. So I feel bad that people keep making big posts about stuff that 1) isn't what is being asked of and 2) I cannot, at this time, make use of. Something like your post about the editor stuff may be useful for me in a year or so down the line, when I hopefully don't have so much going on at home, but I am just trying to get my training wheels ON and balance on all four wheels, not taking them off and being pushed down a hill xD But really, thank you. I will be looking for that type of guidance eventually so I hope we are both still here and a part of this website =) @Alesia- Thank you for the link! Checking it out now =)
