Soul crushing humility, here I come!

Well, maybe just ego crushing?

I've finally finished reading and commenting for my first two beta readers, and so now I can open their comments and read without worrying that I'll get carried away and ignore their manuscripts or be unnecessarily harsh to them as payback! I'm ready to have my nearly-perfect-in-my-mind-manuscript ripped up. I can't wait.

Here's the thing about writing- You're always improving. Every word you write (type?) teaches you something more about how to do it. So I should be better than I was even a month ago.

I think the biggest thing I have learned about writing is that the real beauty comes out in rewriting. Sure, I get a rush when I'm pouring out that rough draft, but to polish something and for the words to cut right through to the heart of the conflict, to open that space where you just become the character- that takes revision. I love when I read back over something and it's what I intended it to be, or occassionally even better.

I try to look at every error as an opportunity for growth. So far, most of the people I've traded crits with have been very gracious and helpful. Even the crits that have been less tactful or downright unpalatable have taught me something important: humility.

Humility isn't thinking, "I'm a terrible writer and I'll never get published and why am I torturing myself with this?" Humility is acknowledging where your strength comes from. I'll have a good story, but not because I have mad skillz or magic in my fingers. It will be good (all the way through, too!) because my strength comes from revision and from a willingness to learn. A hunger, not a grudging one either.

Sometimes you have to accept that others do not 'get' your story. Writing fantasy, I run into this from time to time. But even the critiques from the non-fantasy readers gave me some invaluable insight into my story and where it needed to go. (Though I still pity people who don't read fantasy. I once suggested Ender's Game to a book club that had been reading 'The Life of Pi' and 'the Virginian' and 'Count of Monte Cristo'. Nothing wrong with those books, and the ladies did rather well with Ender's Game!)

A casual reader once commented that he was glad that he hadn't paid to read an early draft of a chapter. I'm not saying it didn't hurt, but I considered the source (he never reads novels, so he's never willing to pay to read it!) and got back to work. And now reading that early chapter, I can see what he meant. I still wish he'd worded their crit a little more kindly, but oh well.


How do you feel about getting crits back?
Glutton for Punishment?

Poet or Novelist?

Here's a quote from a recent critique I received-

 It pulled me forward as steadily as a cord around my waist would have. -Nice use of a simple metaphor! (By simple I mean it's not flowery or overdone, it's visceral and direct). It's especially good because there is something about 'chord around my waist' that implies a degree of coercion, of threat. However, I feel 'would have' at the end, does not work. Consider:

> It pulled me forward as steadily as a cord around my waist.

Hmm.. could we save more words?

> It pulled me steadily forward, like a cord around my waist.

I thought this was a great comment. The funny thing is that I think I worded it specifically to avoid the word 'like' since I tend to overuse that word. (When I'm writing a rough draft I write down every comparison I think of. I don't self-edit too much at that point, and then I whittle down to the very best comarisons, the ones that feel natural and just a teensy bit illuminating. If an idea is too profound, it often is a 'darling' and should be killed.

For instance, from my first draft-

“Get a hold of yourself, Lara,” I chided myself, as my mind sought for the hurricane windows, trying to bolt them down in time to face the storm raging inside my sister.

I even had some people comment that they liked the hurricane windows, but I realized it was something that my MC would know nothing about. But mainly is distracts from the story.

I read somewhere (I looked and can't find it again. Drat.) that Paul Simon was complimented that his songs were like poetry. He was asked which he considered himself: a poet or a songwriter. He said something like- If there's a choice between changing the words to fit the music or the music to fit the words, I choose to change the words. I'm a songwriter.

So, the metaphor may fit the mood or make sense, but it has to be secondary to the story.
Glutton for Punishment?

Lazy or incompetent?

Most of the reviews I get on my online writers workshop are very thoughtful and helpful. But I've gotten a few over the last *gasp* (Has it been ten months already?) ten months that were not very insightful- I 've gotten the impression that the reviewer rushed.

I've learned a lot in that time, and I'm sure that some of my earlier crits were modestly helpful at best. I know of at least one crit where I apologized for not being much help, but explained that I'd read some of this person's critiques and she was so good, would she mind taking a look? And she did and her review was extremely helpful.

But I got a review last week that had very little detail- I doubted that the reviewer had spent more than five minutes reading AND critiquing. For contrast, I usually spend at least an hour. Sometimes two if it's someone I crit regularly with.
I read part of this person's own submission and it was okay. Not great, but they weren't completely lost. So I checked their other critiques to see if mine had been an anomaly. ALL of them were ten lines or so, all drivel.

I still didn't want to not return the crit, so I suggested that they spend some more time with grammar and spelling and eliminating typos so that reviewers could focus on the real stuff- plot, characterization, etc. And I recommended some good books on writing. I did not read the entire submission- not more than 300 words of it.

Did I do right? I guess that this person wants basically free critiques. And there are some people who gave real critiques in response to her empty sentences. Which is a shame, in my opinion. You shouldn't be able to get something for nothing in a crit for crit workshop. Not every critique is going to be awesome, but I want an honest response. That is valuable. "Dialogue was great. Setting was nice. The plot moved nicely." is not really helpful. A new writer who is still learning is totally welcome to crit me and I'll be glad for their feedback. But I get annoyed if the person is capable of more.
Glutton for Punishment?

Beta Readers Comment Form

I'm trying to wrap up my edits by the end of the year so I can let my beta readers tear my manuscript up. That means I won't get it to them until February at least, but that's why it's a goal :)

I've had some friends read a few chapters, but I haven't gotten the detailed responses that I would like. So I'm playing with "Beta Reader Comment Form a-1".

Here's what I'm considering-

• A page at the beginning of each chapter so they can have it out when reading to make notes on.
• It will be preprinted with the reader's name on it so they will 'own it' and feel obligated to fill it out.
• Every sheet will ask things like (this is still tentative):
• Is there any events/actions that were confusing?
• Did the character do anything that felt "wrong" for their character?
• Did you ever think "That's dumb. Why didn't they just (fill in the blank here)?"
• Could you clearly see the action when reading? What was confusing?
• Did you skip/skim any? (Please mark where)
• Do the chapter titles work?
• Is any of it too slow? or feel like a summary (too fast)?
• Were you pulled to keep reading in this chapter?
• At the end I will ask for feedback on the title and if it matches the book. I may give a few options and ask which one they like best after reading the book.
• I will ask if any books they've read remind them of my book.
• What were their favorite scenes?
• What were your least favorite scenes?
• I will hug and squeeze them and tell them they are my good, bestest friends for life. Possible beyond.

That's what I've come up with thus far. I'm hoping this will help me completely avoid wasting their time and my paper. And I will tell them about the comment forms before they commit to reading. Just a few thousand changes to make and it will be ready!

What am I missing? How do you help your readers help you see potential problems?
Glutton for Punishment?

Proof of Progress

I've finally submitted Ch. 10 to my crit group, done a few reviews of other's work (I'm trying to get back in the habit, but haven't been critiquing as much since summer happened.) I'm putting all of the scribbles above into the computer, but mostly the marks are quick suggestions. 99% of the time I play some more. I've been wondering if I can do this. I'll share a few incidents.

On a road trip last weekend, I took a turn driving. Nathan wanted to sleep, but told me he wasn't quite drowsy enough. He asked a lot of questions about my book, listened to a plot summary of the first 8 or 9 chapters, then told me he was ready to sleep. I said fine, let me finish telling you about this chapter. I continued with the summary, asked him a question (Probably 'Does that make sense?') and got no response.

I'd totally set myself up, since he told me he was really tired and starting to nod off, but my inner scaredy-cat pounced. "You bored your husband to sleep," she purred. (This is why I don't like cats. Just kidding, cat-people. I like cats fine, wouldn't mind having one, except they like to sit on your computer or open book or whatever, and I have kids to do that.)

In his defense, he does fall asleep really fast, and had been working a lot, not sleeping enough, etc.

But still. He fell alseep.

And...

I have about six chapters out with my mom, and another friend has the first three chapters. I've been waiting for them to bring it up.

No more. Last night I asked my mom how much she'd read. She knew I was really asking what she thought and said "It's better than the last version I read". Ouch. Bad Kitty.

She did say it in a really sincere way, not an I-have-to-tell her-something way. The first version made her cry, so for it to be better is good, right? (But mothers all cry about that kind of stuff. I cry over my kid's word-for-word copy of their teacher's example of a Mother's Day card.)

I was hoping for a call three weeks ago, her asking me to email her the rest Because She Has to Know What Happens Next! If your mom won't do that, who will?

But still...

I've gotten back two reviews from the crit group. Both were positive and honest and reassuring to my battered ego. They did not say it was perfect, ready to publish, but I knew it wasn't. I just want some progress.

I read a crit partner's new version of her ch. 1 and it was so much better. It wasn't perfect, but her hook was there, characterization was there. Somehow it made me happy for both of us.

Where have your big lifts come from? If you want to hear a great podcast on how to use emotion in the writing process and guide the readers' emotions, check out this "Writing Excuses".
Glutton for Punishment?

Weakness into Strength

Good news, folks. I now consistently recognize passive voice in other people's writing. This is a great sign--one day soon I'll be able to pick it out of my own sentences. I cannot express how helpful it is to have a crit group to learn from. When I started critiquing, often I knew something was wrong or off, but couldn't put my finger on it. I was clueless unless they were mixing point of view or verb tenses.

How have I reached these *dizzying* heights of editing? Practice and effort.

First I remember that other writers are just as invested in their work as I am in mine. I love what I've written. Every misplaced comma and dangling participle and mixed metaphor.

How can I love this ugly baby? It's kind of misshapen, and I dropped it on its head a few times, but I don't see that. I see what it is becoming. I see it the same way my little girl fixing her hair reveals her to me in the distant future getting ready for her first date. She's six, so I imagine her in pigtails, but whatever she does with her hair, I KNOW she'll be gorgeous. Everybody loves their baby, and I try to show respect for other people's ideas and creation.

Everyone has strengths. When someone reviews my work, I try to listen first. I've been told I use passive voice too much, that I've too much description, that this phrase is awkward, this is funny, but slows things down. This is funny, but makes the characters seem too adolescent.

Those comments usually confirm a thought so fleeting that I lost it. Anything that I already kindof wondered about, I nod my head to and start typing.

Some times a reader will miss details- like when Lara fell, and a reviewer asked me a few paragraphs later how she ended up on the floor. Even if the words are there, the comment alerts me that there may be a problem. I might need to start with a new paragraph so that the fall is not lost. I may need Lara to say, "Help! I've fallen and I can't get up." Even if I don't change anything, it's good to take a closer look, because what confuses one person will likely confuse others, too.

When I review another person's post, I go slow and note anything that pulls me out of the story. I usually read the submission two or three times, and then I reread my review to make sure it's clearly worded. Then I post it.

THEN I learn. I read the other reviews on that submission. This is the best thing I've done. It helps me to name those niggling issues that I recognized but couldn't verbalize. It has taught me things I didn't know that I didn't know.

A few reviewers have been so thorough and right-on that I have reviewed their work, just so they'd return the crit. My crit group has personal info, and if I need someone who has law enforcement experience, I look for someone with that background. When I wanted some guys to read the chapter I'd written from a man's POV, I reviewed some posts by men. I got the crits from men that I wanted.

I try to email everyone who reviews my submissions to say thanks. Sometimes I ask for clarification, or explain something they commented on, but mostly I email because when I started thank you emails, it helped me see the workshop as a friendly place where people are trying to help each other. This has led to some repeat reviewers, and a few wonderful, amazing, faithful crit partners, whom I wouldn't trade for gold statue replicas of themselves...You get it, right? A good crit partenr is worth their weight in gold.

Thanks to Teresa, Aleta, and Kristen!
Glutton for Punishment?