{"id":201,"date":"2017-05-22T20:27:30","date_gmt":"2017-05-23T00:27:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/dremadeoraich\/?p=201"},"modified":"2017-05-22T20:27:30","modified_gmt":"2017-05-23T00:27:30","slug":"like-minds-and-other-sounding-boards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/22\/like-minds-and-other-sounding-boards\/","title":{"rendered":"Like Minds and Other Sounding Boards"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earlier this year I signed up for fiction classes at my local writer\u2019s center (The Muse Center \u2013 the-muse.org<\/a>). Two were one-time workshops: one to focus on finding and querying an agent, and one to discuss the importance of the first 1000 words in a manuscript. Both were excellent, and gave me a lot to think about. The third one broke up into six sessions on writing fiction. For each class, three students submitted up to 15 pages of a work in progress, while we all critiqued each other\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

Critiquing is new to me. I wasn\u2019t sure what to expect. Having gone through it a few times now, I can tell you this. It\u2019s sometimes a challenge to listen to critical input without defending what you wrote. Our workshop mediator, Lamar Giles (www.lrgiles.com<\/a>), set up a \u201ccone of silence\u201d rule. When others in the class are commenting on your work, you may not speak. At all. Afterward, you may only ask questions for clarification. You may not, under any circumstances, defend your work.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t expect it to be so hard<\/em>.<\/p>\n

But from what I understand, this is typical of critique groups, and it makes sense, if you think about it. Once your novel is on the shelf, you can\u2019t be there to defend or explain unclear plot points or character actions to your readers. If they can\u2019t figure it out for themselves, you\u2019ve lost your chance to win them over.<\/p>\n

A writer spends an enormous amount of time with her characters and plots and devised worlds. Between their initial creation, early drafts, revisions and subsequent rewrites, she understands her stories intimately, so it\u2019s impossible to see problems that lurk within the narrative. That\u2019s where fresh eyes come in. Believe me, it goes way beyond picking nits. A new reader can easily pick out overused words or plot flaws or character weakness. As the writer, I\u2019m grateful for the feedback. I always have the option to disregard any of the input offered to me and sometimes, if it goes against the grain of my intent for the story, I do. Far more often, though, my critics\u2019 words hold water and I make changes accordingly.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve also joined a local critique group in the hope of ongoing support from other like minds. So many published authors I\u2019ve met say this is helpful\u2014not only to polish a story or manuscript, but to improve your writing skills. Of course it would; when you aren\u2019t listening to feedback on your own work, you\u2019re providing feedback to other writers on their<\/em> work. Believe me, when you\u2019re spotting glitches and weaknesses in another person\u2019s writing, it\u2019s a natural next step to see the same sorts of mistakes in your own work.<\/p>\n

It took me a while to find a local critique group, so as I mentioned in a prior post, I enlisted beta readers, people who (hopefully) haven\u2019t heard me yak ad nauseum about the story or its plot and characters before they read it. They don\u2019t need to know the essentials of story structure or what the industry will buy. They only need to provide input you, as the writer, need to know. Did they enjoy the story? Was the plot clear or confusing? How did they feel about the characters? I always give my beta readers a set of questions to answer, so I can have targeted input to help me polish my work. With their help, it\u2019s easier to spot flaws on the pages, especially if every single reader makes the same or similar observations.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the thing\u2014and pay attention: this is important\u2014regardless of how well it\u2019s done, not everyone will love what you\u2019ve written. In my own admittedly limited experience, I\u2019ve had beta readers (and critiquers, too) comment with completely opposite feedback on the exact same point<\/u> in my manuscript. One reader will love the characters, find them well-fleshed-out and engaging. She\u2019ll love the protagonist and root for her. She\u2019ll despise the villain and cheer when they fall. Another reader will say the characters are flat and uninspiring. One reader will fall into the settings and imagined worlds, while another will be confused and bored, or feel that there is too much description. Same characters. Same exposition. Same settings. Same manuscript. Wildly differing opinions. Even the best of bestsellers doesn\u2019t appeal to everyone, so take all feedback with a grain of salt. Use what makes sense, and discard the rest.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a challenge, sometimes, to listen to people\u2014even well-meaning people\u2014tear down your baby, especially when you\u2019ve worked so<\/em> hard to write it in the first place. But whether you plan to take a traditional route to publishing, or self-publish your best-seller, you only get one chance to wow your reader. It seems the better option, to me, to take a few figurative gut punches before<\/em> your manuscript sees the light of day. I keep reminding myself that none of the comments are personal; they are about my work<\/em>, not about me. <\/em>That helps (some).<\/p>\n

All that said, I still sweat a little when handing over my current work-in-progress. What\u2019s your experience with critique groups or beta readers? Any advice or helpful tidbits to offer?<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"