This week's Poetry Friday is hosted by the delicious poet
Heidi Mordhorst over at
My Juicy Little UniverseSo...rewriting. Can't we just skip it? Can't we just write something brilliant and then jump to that thick-carpeted Hollywood office where we're signing the movie contract based on our book?
I've been feeling discouraged this week, so here's a poem about my work-in-progress, another novel-in-poems which I'd hoped would be finished when I turned in the April 14th draft in my novel writing class.
Finished? Heaven's no! Now that I have notes on this draft, I'm messing with it again. My book clearly needs a little more curry or cumin or molasses or heaven-knows-what. *Sigh*
NOVEL THOUGHT
by April Halprin Wayland
I'm walking quickly on this path
I edit words I see are chaff
I'm making characters three-dimensional
I've integrated the high school staff
(the stereotypes were unintentional)
I've cut the zoo scene and giraffe
though it was beautifully unconventional
I'm trying not to be inflexible—
and keeping it was indefensible
(though parts of it were quite exceptional)
If only I can reach that raft
and climb aboard, untie the rope—
I'll sail off with the final draft...
at least I hope!
x
Sometimes when you write a story, it seems like all the pieces just fit together perfectly. You’ve nailed the voice, pacing, plot, setting, characters, tone, and so on. You think, there’s no way you can make it any better. It’s perfect. But a funny thing happens when someone else reads it; they don’t get it or they think it’s okay, but not great, or they just don’t like it. What happened?
Well first off, everyone has different tastes. What you like, might not be liked by everyone else. As the old saying goes, you can’t make everybody happy all the time— or something like that.
But there’s something else going on that makes your perfect story not so perfect to other people. When you write something, there’s a personal connection between you and the piece. The words you frame take on a personal meaning to you that often go beyond the printed page. While you might be reading the exact same words as someone else, you’re interpretation of them is far different due to your personal or unique understanding of those words. That unique insight or understanding often bridges gaps or overrides problems that others will see in the story who do not share that same insight or interpretation. That’s why critique groups are so essential.
A good critique group helps you see problems or solutions that you often are unable to see on your own. From lifetimes built on different experiences and circumstances than your own, they can see the imperfections in what you once believed to be the perfect story. By bringing those imperfections to light, you have the opportunity to make your story even better.
However, taking advice from a critique group can be tricky. What if you don’t agree with what they say? Well, the choice is always yours as to whether or not you act on that advice. The truth is that sometimes critique group members might give you bad advice. But if you find that multiple critiquers are giving you the same or similar suggestions, even if you don’t agree with it, it pays to try to understand why they are saying what they’re saying. Ultimately, that usually points to a problem that needs fixing one way or another.
The point is that to make your story the best it can be you need the help of others. You need readers that can look at your story from a perspective different and removed from your own. You need readers that will point out problems that you don’t want to admit or believe are there. You need readers who will be honest in their assessment, and can give you constructive suggestions on how to address them. But perhaps the hardest things is that you need to be able to hear those problems and receive those suggestions without taking them personal, and with an attitude that they present an opportunity to make a good story great.
Yep, using the right tools for planning a writing group can make it a whole lot easier. In my on-going attempts to set up and continue the regional writing group (a three-county section of the larger state organization), I had done all the "right" things: I had a list of members from the area; I had a list I collected at the first meeting; I had agreement from a used bookstore to use their backspace on a regular basis.
I started looking at e-newsletter programs, convinced that was the direction I should be going. I needed those tools to help build my writers' group. After all, this was going to be a expanding group. Even if I was volunteering for it, being around writers and creatives the cost would be worth it. But I couldn't decided on a program to use. Email would have to be my right tool. A week before the meeting, I rushed to send out an email to re-cap our first meeting and setup the second meeting. I asked the folks what they wanted to do and figured our second meeting would be spent hashing out the details about who was branching off into critique groups and who wanted to attend our programs presented by local writers.
I arrived at the meeting place and time. The bookstore had written in wobbly chalky penmanship "Writing Group Tonight" on its sandwich board outside. Passers-by, I was told, were expressing interest. It all seemed like it was coming together, I thought as I waited for the group to appear.
(The suspense is building!)
How exciting that this was actually happening, I thought during my second half-hour of waiting.
I started calling my husband at that time and was willing to sit it out longer, I would just double-check what I wrote in my email. Maybe I'd put the wrong time? The wrong place?
The more I searched my email folders, the more I realized: I hadn't sent it out, at all? Could that have really been the case?
Without getting into details, I drafted another email. This time, I hit send (cc-ing myself as a guarantee) and the responses started floating in.
Now, if I can make sure that I have a speaker for next time, we'll be doing well and, hopefully, growing our little group. And getting back to writing.
What tools do you recommend for keep in touch with a group? What tools have worked for you? And has it every happened to you...when you thought you'd sent an email and you hadn't?
Elizabeth King Humphrey, who is in the midst of a month-long blogathon at The Write Elizabeth, is a writer in North Carolina.
I took a break today from doing final revisions on a novel and picked up a little writing book called Some Writers Deserve to Starve! (31 Brutal Truths About the Publishing Industry) by Elaura Niles. I don’t find the chapters very brutal–just honest. And I agree with nearly all of them.
If you’ve been writing any length of time at all, chapters like “Putting Words on a Page Does Not Obligate Anyone to Read Them,” “All Publishers Are Not Created Equal,” and “Writing Conferences Cost Bucks” will resonate with you! Frankly, I expect there is a great deal of truth in all 31 of Ms. Niles’ chapters, but I have been spared a lot of it.
What About This One?
Two of the author’s brutal truth chapters are “Writers Rarely Help Other Writers” and “Not All Critique Groups Are Critique Groups.” Because I’ve seen what she described over the years in various groups [that didn't work for me], I believe she is right much of the time. But it also reminded me how wonderfully blessed I am to have a writer friend who DOES help me.
From time to time, I trade manuscripts with a writer friend in Australia. Her thoughtful responses in the detailed critiques have been very helpful in many areas: strengthening endings, picking up loose plot threads I had inadvertently dropped, telling me which chapters dragged, etc. I’m grateful for her honesty–which is NOT brutal.
How About You?
What has been YOUR experience with critiques and critique groups? Have they been helpful–or not so much? Is the advice good–or in such conflict that you don’t know what to believe? Give me your thoughts.
Time for links to great articles on the web! You’ll enjoy them–and learn a lot besides!
6 Common Plot Fixes: Concerned you may have some plot problems? Don’t worry. Here are six easy ways to adjust your manuscript to keep your plot from feeling forced or unnatural.
Where to Find Free Images to Use on Your Blog: It’s extremely common for bloggers to reuse images from all over the Web, thinking the images are fair game. But are they? Find out how to get the images you want without (illegally) stepping on any toes.
7 Myths About Feedback: If you’re timid about feedback—toxic or otherwise—the time has come to see feedback for what it really is: an invaluable resource that can inform and energize your creative process from the first draft to the last line edit.
DropBox: Want a place to put all your information and photos from phones, laptops, Macs, PCs, and all your electronic devices? Put it in DropBox, and it will update to all your devices automatically. No more need to transfer files. It’s a free download.
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By:
Kristi Holl,
on 3/11/2011
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[Back in December I told you about an online writing class I planned to take. I promised to follow up on it when it was over. This is my review.]
I just finished Jordan Rosenfeld’s eight-week online writing class called “Fiction’s Magic Ingredient.” She’s the author of that very helpful book Make A Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time.
Here’s the class arrangement: there was material to read each week, then send-in assignments (usually two assignments ranging from 500 to 1000 words long) which Jordan critiqued and returned within a few days. We could write new material or apply the lessons to a work in progress (which I did). [More about the class below.]
When I first read through the exercises Jordan wanted us to do, I tried them out in my head, and they sounded easy. On paper, though, it was a different story!
The Rubber Meets the Road
Heather Sellers (in Chapter After Chapter) remarked on this phenomenon. “A failing we writers have is that we confuse the voices in our heads with writing; we tend to do exercises in our heads because thinking and writing feel so closely related…What’s in your head does not count, not for sculpture, not for book writing. Pencil on paper is what matters.”
The work we all did for Jordan’s class reminded me of such writing exercises. I often read the exercises and think I understand and will be able to whip it off in no time flat. Not so!
Even after revising each assignment several times, Jordan’s insightful critiques came back with more suggestions on how to take the concept further, go deeper, weed out the clichés, and much more. I felt challenged–and grateful that I got my money’s worth. I have gone on to apply the lessons to my novel this week.
Comparing Prices
I don’t mean to over-emphasize the money issue, but most of us need to get the most bang for our buck that we can. I was comparing the cost of Jordan’s class (I signed up early to get her discount) and was very pleased with what I received.
The material sent each week (5-6 single spaced pages) was new material, not excerpts from Jordan’s excellent Make a Scene book. The new material built on that. The amount of critiquing we received really surprised me. It was much more than you get at a writer’s conference where you pay extra for a faculty critique.
Last year I signed up and paid for (in advance) two writing conferences. The cost of each conference (not including hotel room or food) plus the personal critique (which was extra) was as much or more than Jordan’s online class–and you got much less for it, in my opinion.
So Flexible!
The other thing I noticed was related to health and family issues. About the two conferences I signed up for last year: I had a family emergency during the first one and was running a fever the other time–and missed b
Hi All,
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I’m still currently digging out from the holidays and from a snowstorm that dumped almost two feet of snow here in the NY City area last week. But things are slowly returning to normal, which means that I have no excuse for not writing and will now need to find some other reason to procrastinate. ;-) However, I digress… (I’m good at that)
The reason for this post is that one of my children’s book critique groups currently has openings. If any writers out there are looking for a critique group, please read below and email
[email protected] if you are interested.
The Prose Shop is a supportive community of people who write picture book manuscripts, as well as magazine stories for children up to 12 years of age. We are an established online critique group created in 2005 and have a mix of both published and unpublished writers. We are dedicated to helping each other to improve technique, become more confident and capable writers, discuss and share information, and get published.
The Prose Shop is organized via a message board. This has huge advantages over groups that use an e-mail system for submitting critiques. Here, members are able to view all critiques. This is where we work as a team. Members are encouraged to comment on critiques, thus bringing about general discussion and debate that is invaluable to the author.
There are only a few rules pertinent to our group. First, we critique at least one story for each story we post. That is a minimum. The more critiques you give, the more you will receive.
Second, we expect at least one critique every 30 days from each member, whether or not they post a story.
Third, to keep the group active and encourage writers to write, we require that you post a story at least every three months. Rewrites of previously posted material will be acceptable.
We are looking for writers who demonstrate a long-term commitment to writing. We would like to see applicants who have an inventory of several picture book manuscripts and/or magazine stories available for critique.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please email
[email protected] and we will send you an application.
Regards,
Kevin
http://www.kevinmcnamee.com/
Sometimes a piece gets stuck. I see it one way. I've always seen it that way. And I can't see it any other way.
But then an editor writes back and says she'd like to see it a different way.
First Reaction: Excitement!!! She'd like to see it!
Second Reaction: Terror! How can I change it??? It's been the first way so long, I just can't see how.
That's when a great critique group comes in handy!
They read my stuck words and see where action is needed. What scenes are critical? What scenes aren't? Where is the tension good? Where is the tension missing? Where do I need to shake things up?
After a round of feedback like that, I admit I can sometimes feel overwhelmed. But then the possibilities begin to percolate in my brain. What if I cut that character? What if I changed that ending?
And suddenly I'm scribbling away and I can't stop. I revise once. Then again and again. I'm unstuck and I can't stop! Hurray!
Thanks, guys!
So, how does your critique / revision process work?
On Wednesday I suggested thinking ahead to 2011 and setting goals for your writing now . Then you can hit the floor running on January 1.
I’m doing the same thing myself. I do try to practice what I preach!
Always More to Learn
Several of you emailed me to ask what I intended to do in the new year, in case I was doing another online challenge or study program. They are fun to do together! And yes, I’ve signed up for a class myself. (More about that in a minute.)
I never want to stop learning. In addition to reading, one year I did an online course on “Defeating Self-Defeating Behaviors.” Another year I designed my own “Self Study Advanced Writing Program.” Right now I am finishing up the “100-Day Challenge” that many of you joined me on. It ends on January 1, 2011.
My First 2011 Goal
Earlier this week I gave you a Christmas list of my favorite writing books for this past year. One was Make a Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld. I wish I’d read this years ago! She’s teaching an 8-week online class based on the book which snagged my attention.
You know me, though–I don’t part with money lightly! I wanted to know how the class was set up and what you’d get for the price, so I asked. In part, Jordan’s answer was: “My classes are as interactive as the students are–if they participate in the group discussion (which I facilitate), then it’s lively. Work is critiqued by me, weekly. Lessons are uploaded via yahoo groups, so they can download at their leisure, and I email assignments back. Students can choose to critique each other’s work, but it is not mandatory.”
In my opinion, that’s a lot for the money. The weekly critiques are what caught my eye the most. The $40 off special price is good till December 20, if anyone wants to join me!
Stretch Yourself!
One good thing about taking a class is that you have to write to a deadline. It’s hard to set your own deadlines and make them stick in the early days when you’re not writing for a contract’s deadline. And online classes work for me–I don’t have to go anywhere!
If you’re just starting out, and you need something basic to launch your career, I highly recommend The Institute of Children’s Literature course. That’s where I got my own start many years ago. (And no, I don’t get any money or perks for students who sign up. Not sure how that rumor started!)
Whatever you decide to do in 2011, make a pledge to yourself to keep growing as a writer. I’d love to have you leave a comment and tell me what writerly thing you’re planning to
I climbed the stairs to the second floor, hearing the sounds of the exercise class instructor calling cues and the music of the dance class pulsing upwards. The Writers Group is meeting on the third floor said the Community House member.I tramped up the now narrower stairs to the third floor to find myself in the dark. Fumbling around I found the light switch and flipped it on and navigated into the only room that looked like it would accommodate the writing group. A fairly stark room - with tow large lunch tables and about ten chairs - and the faint sounds of the first floor activities lightly in the background.
It was different from the large and spacious room at the local library which they had been generous to let us use, and which had been a good place to meet for over ten years, but now their schedule and ours just didn't match.
When the group arrived and we started our scheduled critiques of several members' work - one chapter of a MG novel and a PB manuscript - we seemed to melt into our space comfortably. No other groups were on our high third floor but the sounds of activities from the lower floors in the distance provided comfort and ambient background noise for our discussions. Once we're underway of course we really don't hear anything else.
We are concentrating on the work and seeing the plot and characters we have been dealing with in prior versions and chapters come more fully to life. Now that we actually know the characters in these two respective manuscripts we speak of them as if they are real and living people, who we think would act, think and speak in a specific way. No, Sam would probably say this....Stella might behave like this instead....
By the end of the first evening, we were very comfortable in our attic meeting room, and I think that our literary characters are too. The space filled with thoughtful consideration - and it seems that the plainer the space the more room there is for growth and for thought to expand.
Certainly the physical place shouldn't matter and a writer could compose with just a pen and paper or keyboard, but in practical terms, a place with room to grow is a positive.
Our old space, comfortable and attractive and sometimes adorned with a local art exhibit, saw a number of books and magazine articles published and awards received, and I am hopeful that the new space will help frame the support for more good work.
Does the space where you write or group critique help mold your work or add to the atmosphere and is it helpful and conducive to the development of your work? I think our new critique meeting room is an ideal space for ideas to grow, thoughts to be exchanged and manuscripts honed into future books.
When it comes to critiquing work for a partner/friend, we all have our strengths. Kristi had an
excellent post about why it's great to have more than one crit partner. In it, she mentions one person might be great at pointing out plot holes that everyone else misses. Another catches every spelling and grammatical error.
I've been thinking about critiquing lately, because I honestly don't think I'm that great at it. I'm that word girl, the one who spots the spelling errors. But I've noticed that I don't always have a lot of in-depth things to say. Then I realized, that's not entirely true. I have done a lot of critiquing, not just for my Sisters, but for personal friends, acquaintances etc. And I've given great (I hope) feedback. My problem is that I don't always apply myself. I don't do my best. And the biggest reason for that is self doubt.
I have been blessed with AH-MAY-ZING crit partners and on occasion I catch myself feeling like the weakest link and it shows in my feedback. Who am *I* to give her criticism on this incredible piece? I'm a reader. I'm a writer. And I honestly want her book to be the very best it can be. So even if you can't make sense of what doesn't work in your partner's piece, still tell her about it. Do your best. Try to pinpoint it but if you can't at least let her know "This part feels slow to me for some reason" or "That dialog stands out".
We all have self-doubt. Can we really write a novel? Can we get an agent? Will we ever be published? Honestly, not everyone will. Because not everyone will push through the self-doubt and keep on truckin'.
Self-doubt manifests its self in a lot of different ways. We all go through bouts of it--be it with our critique groups, or our own writing goals--but you can get through it. And it helps to talk about it with your partners. Sometimes you just need a little pick-me-up. An ego boost, if you will. So talk with your partners. Talk about writing, or talk about the strategy of your critiquing. What is working? What isn't? Are you doing your best? Why not? Lean on them. Use them. They can help.
But ultimately, it is up to you. You have to be willing to look at your writing or your critique style objectively and WANT to do better. Sure, you could sit back and say, "I suck anyway, so there's no point in really trying. This is as good as it gets."No, it's not. But it will be if you have that attitude. Writing and critiquing is work. But it's our passion! And what can be more rewarding than that?
Happy Thursday!
By: Kathy Temean,
on 9/15/2010
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Writing and Illustrating
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Today the subject of critique groups came up and since I am starting to get feedback from other writers on my middle grade novel. I wanted to encourage all of you to find a critique group. It amazes me how much others can point out about a story.
So what do you do if you are not in a critique group? Here are some of my thoughts:
1. If you are a member of the SCBWI, contact your regional advisor and ask if they can post something to the members letting them know you would like to join a group or start a group.
2. Visit your local book store or library to see if they can advertise something in their store/library letting writers know you are forming a group.
3. Come out to SCBWI events to meet other writers. You are not alone. Other writers will be happy to help you find a group or join with you to make a new one.
4. Don’t limit yourself to just hooking up with local writers. Cast a wide net.
5. Visit writers blogs and talk to the other writers. Ask if anyone is looking to start a group.
6. Consider joining an online group. There are a lot of pluses to online groups. They open you up a broader range of writers, because you don’t have to worry about coordinating meeting locations and times. Another plus is you can work on other people’s submissions when it is convenient for you and since the pool of people is larger, you can join a group of like-minded writers. That might not be an easy task if you are limited by geography.
7. Join a writers list serv. Make friends and let them know you want to form a group.
8. Get on Twitter and put out some tweets.
9. Volunteer your time at your local SCBWI chapter or other writers organization.
The main thing new writers do wrong is write something and rush it out without other writers taking a peek. Getting feedback from your friends, students, and family doesn’t count unless they write. Believe me when you are starting out everything you write will sound great to you. I know, because I have seen it over and over and I did it myself. I swear I thought everything I wrote my first year was fantastic. I read the “How to” books that told me to let it sit, so I did that and then I went back and revised and sent them out. All were rejected. Then one day about a year and half later, I was cleaning out my files and found some of the pieces I had sent out. OMG! I was so embarrassed. I prayed no one would remember my name. Then I sold a few magazine articles and since it takes a couple of years for the articles to come out, I felt the same way. I had grown as a writer, so it was still OMG!
As a Regional Advisor I have watched so many writers grow and develop, so all I am saying is don’t rush. Make sure you allow your skills to develop. A good way to check when you think you are ready is to attend an SCBWI event and sign up for a one-on-one critique with an editor. In the meantime, read, learn your craft, educate yourself on the standard guidelines, get a critique group and network.
Remember you have choices if you are serious about advancing your writing career and getting published. Make a plan of things you can do to make your way down the publishing road and stick to it. I just know finding a critique group is one of the important stops on that road.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
PS: If you have any other tips that can help a follow writer, please share them here.
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Critiquing a manuscript
I’m involved in two local critique groups, one for children’s writers like me and one for writers of varied interests. I met with the second group last Saturday, and we took pictures. Here are a couple. (I’m the writer in the pink top.)
A critique group meeting
Most of the writers in my critique groups have fewer publishing credits than I do. Still, I rely on their critiques to help me improve my work. Even unpublished writers usually read extensively and can provide insights on what does or doesn’t work in a piece. I’ve read enough books on writing and attended enough writing classes and conferences to discern fairly well what advice hits the target and what misses the mark. Both groups are on target more than off.
And it’s fun to spend time with others who love language and communicating meaning through stories. As we respond to one another’s manuscripts, we open our lives to all. In the four years I’ve been in these groups, I’ve developed close friendships. I look forward to Saturday morning critiques.
One caveat about posting these photographs: The background (a group member’s backyard) looks lovely and it was. But, lest I give anyone the notion that writers need such idyllic surroundings to write, let me just say I’ve written in buses and at bars, on napkins and on notebooks, during lectures and performances, at work (only when I had nothing else to do, of course!–ahem) and totally alone in the middle of the night. Surroundings don’t make much difference. Writing takes me away from all that anyway.
0 Comments on Critique Groups as of 1/1/1900
Critiques are very valuable, but in the end, you have to be the judge of your own stories. You have to believe in your own writing. And trust me, negative critiques come to everyone.
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7 Comments on Answers Part 1, last added: 8/13/2010
Over the weekend, I hope you’ll have time to check out some very helpful and thought-provoking blogs I read this week.
I probably used to but not after becoming a writer and realizing that even though as a Christian, I had no desire to write inspirational women’s fiction. :) Which means at some point, I’ll offend someone in my extended family – but I don’t write for them. I know the tastes of my writer friends and I don’t ask them to read something I know is not to their taste. Interesting topic.
This is a topic I have been thinking about a lot lately, because the relationship in my WiP can be considered a problematic one. And many times I have found myself changing my plot lines or my characters’ actions, in case they’re found offensive.
However, I’m trying to curb that impulse. No book will be universally liked. Somebody will always find something in any book to take offense at. And what I want is to remain true to the vision that I have.
I’ve curbed word usage but not content in my writing. I grew up in NJ. And well, the f-bomb was used very loosely. Adjective, adverb, verb, noun. All the time. The word in my world had lost it’s punch from being used so frequently. When I started writing I wrote my characters using this language. But I’ve lived in a number of places in the country since my teen years, and have learned that the good ol’ f-bomb is rarely used, if at all. When it is used it’s meant to cause offense. So I’ve taken it out of my writing. Now, if I were to specifically write NJ teens, I’d most likely add that bit of flavor back in to my writing. And I’m sure it would offend, but then I’d be true to what I was writing about and I do think that matters.
Lots of deep questions today, Karen! And I have to say, my heart goes out for that poor woman in your critique group! How awful!
Like Emily, I’m writing a pretty controversial manuscript at the moment, too. Thankfully I haven’t had any problems (yet!) with people being offended by it. However, since it deals with such difficult issues, I feel a heavy responsibility on myself to get it right (at least, what *I* deem “right”). Sure, my characters say some awful things, and act in ways I don’t approve of, but I’ve been trying to make sure the text as a whole portrays a different picture.
But of course, all this could easily be for nought if readers disagree with what I consider “right”. And I’m sure some will. Not an easy business! But at least I’ll know I’ve said what I meant to say.
I share your belief that someone has the right to be offended but not to censor. That said, I hope I don’t judge or project an opinion on a writer based on what he or she has written.
My novel Buck Fever shows an illustration of a boy holding a gun and facing a deer, yet the novel is about this boy not wanting to be a hunter. Still, at times during book signings and events, offended parents have pulled their kids away from the book because of the cover. When I can and the opportunity allows, I explain what the novel is about, but I don’t know that there’s much I can do beyond that (other than accept their reactions as their own).