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| Me, wanting praise. Image by warszawianka |
This brings me to my point about getting critiques. While we all like feeling like a rock star, and I've had that feeling a few times after a critique and it's lovely, what we really want is to improve. There are bad critique groups/partners out there that critique from a negative place. I've been fortunate enough to rarely experience those types of critiques. Most of my beta readers are articulate, well read and are interested in helping me discover and improve my story. I want to take a second to send a special thanks to them because it's not easy or comfortable to look over a friend's work and say, "Hey, this could be better." I feel uncomfortable every time I have to say it.
One of my beta readers last night kept saying he felt bad tearing apart my story. It made me smile because what he thought were negative statements I took as, "this is a way you can make your story better." No problems there. I give my work to other writers for suggestions and pointers, I give it to my mom when I want unadulterated praise. I agreed with most of his comments which, I have to admit, always makes it easier.
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| Critiques are good! Image provided by Anonymous |
In other news, the first draft of Grape Merriweather is nearly a quarter done. It's still fun and breezy and a nice break after Tough Girl. A few short stories are still giving me headaches but I think they'll be worth it. I'm also kicking around a few play/screenplay ideas.
How are your projects going?
Buenas o malas con las críticas también podemos aprender. me gustaría leer muchas críticas sobre mis fotos.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear your crit partners are able to give thoughtful insight AND that you're zen enough to know to walk away for a few days before coming back. It's that second part I worry about. I wonder if I'd flail and cry because people don't like my story. Okay, it wouldn't be THAT dramatic, but it would involve chocolate to soothe my soul. That much I can pretty much guarantee.
ReplyDeleteOn this end, I'm moving right along--trying to get my MS to a good place before I start asking for betas. Trying to hammer out a query during the times when I just don't want to tackle an annoying scene. And so it goes...
I've developed a thick skin from years of acting classes, film reviews (in film school), directors notes, dramaturg's notes and fun audience feedback in playreadings. If someone hurts me now, they've done a hell of a lot of work to do it. :)
DeleteGood luck with the MS and the query! Really, I don't know which is more difficult.
That's the best way to take critiques - it's the only way we can learn and develop. I've never ever had anyone say 100% negative stuff about my work - there're always good things too. Problem is we can be tempted to concentrate on the negatives and that's bad. I think the more we write and the more we get reviewed/critiqued the less the negatives hurt. Good for you to have your work checked like this - it's so important. As to writing critiques, I agree it is difficult to say negative things but if we trust each other, then we each know we're not trying to hurt.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Trust is a big component to critiques. Without it, the process can be either dull or barbed, but never fun and useful.
DeleteIt takes awhile sometimes to find the right readers, but oh, wow, when you find people who know how to be honest yet kind it's the best. Improvement should always be the goal. And you're right, it's more important to put a good story out there than one that's rushed. The world can wait a month or two for you to iron out the wrinkles.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the world will live without my debut novel for a while. :)
DeleteHi Libby - I have two great critique partners, who look at different aspects. One concentrates on the storyline and character development, the other at the finer detail like word use and places where more clarification is needed. It's a great combination.
ReplyDeleteHaving good critique partners is so important because I think we all put those blinders on and hope for the best ;)
ReplyDeleteI always get anxiety over sending my stuff out for critiques. I want the ruthless truth, but I want the ruthless truth to be that my story is perfect :)Having people who are honest but sensitive in a critique group is so good! Looking forward to the release of Tough Girl in all of it's improved awesomeness! Also, do you have a button or something I can grab for my blog to help you promote Tough Girl?
ReplyDeleteExcellent question. I don't currently you make a good point. I will get a button made very soon. Thank you so much Emily!
Deletecrit partners are invaluable. Nothing I write would be any where near as good without them.
ReplyDeleteI always hated critiques in high school, but they get easier as an adult as I learned
ReplyDeleteI am pretty new to writing in general so I haven't been through this process yet, but even when blogging I am both nervous and excited any time I post something different. I have, however, finally started writing my long awaited novel :)
ReplyDeleteI get nervous every time I write a blog post too. I made a terrible spelling error one time and the person who pointed it out was kind of rude about it. I felt pretty awesome that day...
Delete"Good" and "Really Good" CP's are worth their weight in gold.
ReplyDeleteYou're right in that it's important to find the right critique partners who will give you thoughtful feedback without being brutally honest. When I took my very first creative writing class, some of my classmates were very negative in their comments. Admittedly, the stories I wrote weren't very good, but my classmates' insults were very discouraging; that definitely didn't motivate me to write. So it's best to work with people you feel comfortable with and trust, who can give you good advice that you can actually use in the story. It's good that you've found people like that.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you're part of such a respectful group that you can trust. I enjoyed reading the excerpts from Tough Girl during A to Z, and can't wait for it to come out! Julie
ReplyDeleteHah hah hah, I can always count on my mom for unadulterated praise as well! It's actually kind of shocking what a good liar she is . . . hmmm . . . *arches eyebrow*
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I love critiques and after many of them don't mind being torn apart any longer. I mean it still sucks and my initial reaction is to throw a tantrum but now that I know how much better it can make my book, I get over it pretty fast!
I know what you mean. Some people have a tact level of zero and need to get a better grip on the words they use to explain why they don't like the book. But even those comments can inspire us, as you mentioned, to make the story better.
ReplyDeletehe Libby! I totally know what you mean! I don't rust a CP/beta who has nothing to suggest. I want to hear it all. I've learned what to use and when to trust my own gut with feedback... but what's important is having those initial reactions to guage with. When I crit, I tend to offer suggestions on anything that pulls me out of the story.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to find good critique partners. I think the big idea is: how can it be better? My wife is helpful in that way. She doesn't tear it down completely, but is always honest if she doesn't really like it. It's hard to find someone like that.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, I'm a bit of a masochist and secretly love hearing how crappy my stuff is. Perhaps that's not such a good thing. This is something that's absent from a lot of these blogfests.
I count on my critique partners to keep me from jumping the shark. Now I have an editor who helps, too. I only wish she had Stopover as well as Backworlds.
ReplyDeleteI have one partner (in town) who sometimes makes me feel like I'm insane. I had to ask my other partners separately whether they got the same thing. They all said no. Good, because I couldn't figure out where what she said came from.
She's part of the local group, so I can't axe her. Damn. Sometimes she offers something I can use. Most times I just brace myself and chant, "not my audience" over and over and over.
The others make up for it. They rock.
Soon you will have us begging for the release of Tough Girl. Great promotion strategy. ;)
I know how you feel though. I was hating Stopover for awhile after if came back from the editor. I tore parts of it apart. Now I think it's good. It's sitting for a week, waiting for the final read-through. Hope that good opinion holds. lol
Thanks for the all the comments guys! Glad to hear most everyone has found helpful critique partners. They change everything.
ReplyDelete@Neurotic - sorry to hear that. Being a new writer is difficult enough without getting crapped on for your efforts.
@ENI - Once I get it rewritten, it will be out in the world! Thank you!
@MPax - a cunning plan indeed!
Hi Libby, got the link from Michael J Sullivan's site, there's a really interesting site in development as I write this, in fact I'm what you would call a guinea-pig squealing with delight right now, never really had much luck with Beta readers, I'm involved in the testing phase and launch should be just a few weeks away as long as all goes as well as it has already. Also had some bad experiences with ego fights on some peer group UK sites, this new one I know will steer clear of all that and the concept is writer development not profit. Will let you know when launch date is announced if you are interested. Or pop in to http://tylerwills.wordpress.com/ every now and again and I will announce it there. Good luck with all your work. Tyler Wills.
ReplyDeleteWe can ALWAYS improve, but there comes a point when enough is enough, and we've got to get our work out there. I know writers who spend all their time in critique groups but never submit anything for publication. You've got the right perspective.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic post! You are so right that we all would enjoy praise- but critiques are usually how our writing and story grows the most. Over time I have become much better at accepting and welcoming constructive criticism. I think at first just putting myself out there was hard- but now I just want to make my books the best they can be! Best of luck with your writing.
ReplyDelete~Jess
http://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/