The Critique
by Luisa Adams
Barbed wire
Words,
The artist's soul
dangles.
Opinion's hoarfrost
Icy,
The creative helix
tangles.
Devouring egos
Flay,
The tender skin
mangles.
Critic's cord
Encircles,
The artist's soul
strangles.
(When I was asked to participate in a segment on criticism (literary/film) for the CBS Sunday Morning Show, my friend Luisa Adams, author of Woven of Water, sent me this poem she had written after receiving a particularly negative critique.)
When does criticism cross the line between "the analysis and judgment of the merits an flats of a literary or artistic work" to "the expression of disapproval of someone or something based on received faults or mistakes"?
When creating something out of nothing, which is what a writer does daily, constructive criticism can help grow brighter a writer's light. Negative criticism and voicing objection to something, only with the purpose of showing what is wrong and generally suggesting disapproval is often interpreted as a personal attack and usually serves to dim a writer's light (especially if the comments touch off a sensitive backstory wound and trigger self-loathing and the inner critic's crippling and negative self-talk).
I find writers benefit from a critique that is balanced between what is working and what could be improved.
~~~~~~~~
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By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 3/2/2014
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 11/12/2010
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: learning the craft, Cause and Effect, screenplay, le, How Do I Plot a memoir, banishing the inner critic, craft of writing a novel, Add a tag
1) Writers Balk at Plot
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By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 3/2/2014
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: criticism, banishing the inner critic, CBS Sunday Morning Show, backstory wound, criticism in literary and film, hurtful critiques, Luisa Adams, Woven of Water, Add a tag
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By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 11/12/2010
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: learning the craft, Cause and Effect, screenplay, le, How Do I Plot a memoir, banishing the inner critic, craft of writing a novel, Add a tag
Whether a romance writer, historical novelist, screenwriter or memoirist, all writers bog down at one time or another or two or three or five hundred.. In my work with writers, I have spotted 5 classic reasons writers falter when it comes to the craft of writing:
1) Writers Balk at Plot
Why the visceral reaction?
The act of creation generally comes from the right side of the brain and the linear, concrete structure of plot comes from the left, making structure for writers inherently counter-intuitive.
At some point, however, every writer, even those who work out their stories on the page, requires some sort of structure in which to present their work. Plot is the interweaving of character emotional development, dramatic action and thematic significance. In other words, someone acts or reacts. In so doing, that someone is changed and something is learned.
2) Writers Concentrate on Their Strengths, Forgetting that Plot is not Merely Action-driven Nor is it Only Character-driven
The rhythm of story telling is in all of us right now, especially for those of us who were read to as youngsters and continue to read fiction today.
(PLOT TIP: The best way to becoming a better writer is to become a more voracious reader).
Natural born storyteller tap into this rhythm unconsciously and are able to weave all three plot lines without much conscious thought to structure. For the rest of us who have something to say and long to be heard or, in our case, read, our stories tend to turn out lopsided. Why? Because we get stuck either by concentrating on action only, forgetting that character makes up 70% of good fiction, or by delving into the inner-workings of characters with little regard for conflict, tension and suspense.
3) Writers Forget the Importance of Cause and Effect
The structure of story has remained essentially the same since the beginning of time. The elements that vary are the beat or tempo and the intensity. Take, for example, the best seller The DaVinci Code (dramatic action-driven story) by Dan Brown with its break-neck pace of action versus the more leisurely plot pace of the early 19th centur
At some point, however, every writer, even those who work out their stories on the page, requires some sort of structure in which to present their work. Plot is the interweaving of character emotional development, dramatic action and thematic significance. In other words, someone acts or reacts. In so doing, that someone is changed and something is learned.
2) Writers Concentrate on Their Strengths, Forgetting that Plot is not Merely Action-driven Nor is it Only Character-driven
The rhythm of story telling is in all of us right now, especially for those of us who were read to as youngsters and continue to read fiction today.
(PLOT TIP: The best way to becoming a better writer is to become a more voracious reader).
Natural born storyteller tap into this rhythm unconsciously and are able to weave all three plot lines without much conscious thought to structure. For the rest of us who have something to say and long to be heard or, in our case, read, our stories tend to turn out lopsided. Why? Because we get stuck either by concentrating on action only, forgetting that character makes up 70% of good fiction, or by delving into the inner-workings of characters with little regard for conflict, tension and suspense.
3) Writers Forget the Importance of Cause and Effect
The structure of story has remained essentially the same since the beginning of time. The elements that vary are the beat or tempo and the intensity. Take, for example, the best seller The DaVinci Code (dramatic action-driven story) by Dan Brown with its break-neck pace of action versus the more leisurely plot pace of the early 19th centur
2 Comments on 5 Reasons Writers Get Stuck with Tips How to Unstick, last added: 11/14/2010
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Thanks for pointing those out. I know I'm a victim of often telling rather than showing. I will try to keep it in mind as I continue writing. Great blog!
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