I can’t over emphasize the value of critiques–both getting and giving them. They’re not only how we make a story better, they’re also how we grow as writers.
I’m starting to work through the critiques of MAGIC’S FOOL so the topic of how to make the best use of these critiques is very apropos.
Some critiques are like ringing a bell. They start an avalanche of ideas that makes the writer jump up and down shouting “Of course. Of course, why didn’t I see that.” Those critiques are precious. Sometimes you have to work a little harder for that same insight, but it’s just as valuable when you do see it.
Often a critique or a group of critiques will point out a problem that the writer isn’t aware of. After all, as the writer, you know all sorts of things about the story that didn’t make it onto the page and no matter how long you let it rest you can’t ever completely come to the story the way a reader would. If three or more people say the same thing, you probably ought to pay attention because there likely is a problem there. But, and here’s where things get interesting, it isn’t always the problem that the critiquer points out. It might be something deeper. Occasionally, it’s something much simpler that leaves me saying to myself something like, “Yes, but if I hadn’t been an idiot and cut this paragraph, that would have made much better sense and you wouldn’t have been confused.”
In this case, I’ve got an interesting mix of critiques. One reader says that I need an external antagonist. Another keeps asking me to show not tell and says the first half was slow, but the second half was great. Still another says that the story has potential, but lacks excitement. As a writer what am I to make of this?
The first thing is to wonder if they’re all reacting to the same thing and just saying it in different ways. I think they are. I think what they’re trying to say is that they’re not feeling the protagonist’s problem, at least during some parts of the story. I haven’t done a good enough job of ratcheting up the conflict.
And now I have at least some ideas of how to make my protagonist’s conflict much stronger. I’ll need more, but that’s what revision is all about. So, thanks to my great beta readers. It’s going to be a much stronger story when I’m through with this revision.
I agree… critques are always helpful- Thinking you wrote something earth shattering is one thing… being told you actually accomplished that is another feeling in itself.
Add to that even harsh critiques are needed- whenever I come up with an idea or even a short story I always find myself saying to friends or family “give me your worst” because critism (contructive or not) helps us grow as writers and even helps develop that thick skin we all need. 🙂
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Oh, yes. The very first thing we need to do is develop a thick skin. Criticism and rejection are part of this process.
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The longer I do this, the more I think that interpreting critiques is an art form as important as any other part of what we writers do. You’re right, the comment doesn’t always tell you what’s wrong directly, especially when they’re mixed, so you have to see where they all come together and what they point to. It’s rarely so easy as “just fix this part”. Good luck with the edits. I’ll be doing a round of that myself when I finish the first draft of my latest.
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Yes, sometimes–when I’m not being lazy, anyway–I think that the critiques that make me work for it, that force me to think about it, are the best. They generate new ideas.
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Or force you to reexamine the existing ones, which can lead to new insights, change the way you want to portray something. Definitely. I’m learning that it’s a good idea to sit on critiques for a while before going back and plugging things in from them for exactly that kind of thing. 🙂
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It can be so confusing, trying to figure out what the sometimes conflicting comments are saying. I keep hoping that with more experience I’ll get better at that. Maybe.
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Sometimes it takes really thinking about it. And letting the critiques sink in for a little while.
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