Baby Evil Writers 101::Critiques

Baby Writers 101: Critiques

Julie Butcher

You can write until the cows come home but you won’t get professionally published without critique partners. There I said it. Lately it has come to my attention that there are a lot of people who claim to want to be professional and yet will not put their writing out there for comments. You guys have a lot of excuses not to have critique partners and editors and I’m going to debunk them one by one.

1.      I’m afraid that someone will steal my idea.

Seriously? You can give thirty writers the same premise and they’ll come up with thirty different stories. Not one of them will be your story. If this doesn’t give you peace of mind, the fact that your work has a copyright the very second you put your words on a document should settle you down. (Okay it does not have a copyright because it is in your head so there’s another reason to put your butt in the chair and write.)

There are no new stories. Every bit and piece has been written somewhere in time. You really need to chillax and get some constructive criticism of your work or you might as well quit right now and keep your secret storyline in your head. It will never be good enough because fresh eyes can see what you cannot. Your mind tricks you into believing that what is in your head is also on the page and that is a lie.

2.      This story is my baby and it will break my heart if people don’t love it. (whine-whine)

They won’t. At least not until you have the critiques and fix all of the plot holes and purple prose. Even then only a small percentage will love your work. Even New York Times bestselling authors have a limited supply of fans. Award winning doesn’t mean that every single person on the planet loves their stuff. Go and look. Even the huge names have horrible reviews. Get used to it because if you want to be a professional, you’ll have to suck it up and smile. The only people who are important are the ones who do love and support you.

Also unless you pulled that manuscript out of a private area of your body IT IS NOT A BABY. It is a manuscript, a story, a book. Get a grip people the pages are not sentient. Also the next time I hear someone say this I am going to smack them in the head because they are on my last nerve.

3.      Even if I get a critique I don’t trust that person. I can’t get rid of Character X, I just can’t!

Sometimes critiques are stupid. Sometimes they are downright mean. Sometimes they are worthless. But even a broken clock is right twice a day. If you have four beta readers and three of them hit a certain spot and go, “Oh, heck no!” then you should listen. Never limit yourself to one critique from other writers.  

Eventually you’ll find a group of other writers that get you, and you get their work, too. You might go through a hundred people to find four. Do not give up. There are knowledgeable people out there. You’ll find that although some writers are at a newer level than you, they still can point out plot holes and make valid points. In return, when you return the favor and critique for them, you get reminded not to make those newbie mistakes. I’ve learned more from critiquing for others than I ever would have on my own.

You absolutely must put yourself out there. Even if it feels like people are hating on you. When you get a critique back, and want to scream or yell or lash out via email, stop. Wait a day or two or three and think about it. Whoever read for you gave you their valuable time and experience. They gave up having dinner with their family or their favorite television shows. They gave up hugging their children to help you so don’t be a butthead.

Then thank them for helping you and go and fix your story.

Repetition isn't always the greatest. Repetition isn't always the greatest.

As Adrienne posted a couple weeks ago, we just have some pet peeves. Hers was winking.

For me, it's not so much any particular thing like that, but repetition. Noticeable repetition. Let me give you an example. An author whose books I really enjoy (and will remain nameless) uses some variation of this phrase at least once per novel and quite often more than that: "He popped his jaw."

And every single time, it throws me out of the story, as I wonder at that. I'm pretty sure I know what she's talking about, but frankly, describing it that way sounds painful and awkward and absolutely prevents me from absorbing that and going on with the story.

What you want is to keep your readers happy in their blissful little reader bubble, where they don't question the words on the page, but stay engrossed in the story you're creating around them.

And for me, repetition of certain words and phrases doesn't do that for me.

This is something that a critique partner can point out for you. For instance, I like to use "headed." He headed to the store, she headed outside, they headed out to lunch. Apparently, that rings better to me when I'm writing than walked, moved, went, etc. I never noticed just how often I used it until a critique partner pointed it out.

Make sure you figure out what words and phrases you're overusing and start using the "Find" function in your manuscript to search them out and destroy them. Mindless repetition is not your friend. If you're using repetition on purpose for a point, then go for it.

But for the love of all that is evil, please don't pop your jaw while you're doing it - someone could get hurt!

The Write Attitude

Well, I'm done whining and back to talking about something useful. Phew. This is the second segment in my "Dishing as Well as You Take" critique class. The first bit was here and talks about finding the right critique group/situation for your needs. Once you've signed up...

In the event that you do find the right mesh of form, function and individual factors, a feedback situation will not work if you enter it with the wrong expectations and attitude. Too often, critique or any sort of feedback is viewed as a necessary evil, and that kind of perspective can set the writer off on exactly the wrong foot when it comes to surviving and thriving in a world that is all about criticism and feedback.

Any author preparing to enter into a critique situation should do some deep soul searching and examine their honest feelings about feedback. Will you be able to distance criticism of your work from criticism of yourself? Do you feel defensive just at the thought of someone suggesting you make changes to your manuscript? If someone simply disliked your work, would you be able to allow them that opinion without taking that judgment to heart?

In all honestly, the answer to at least one of these questions will probably be nope…not ready for that. Most authors feel the initial sting of feedback, the cringe and knee-jerk urge to defend; however, the important thing is to figure out if you can learn to accept and work in that situation without allowing that instinct to win over.

Whatever your initial reaction to a comment on your work, to succeed in a feedback situation the author must be able to detach, to put aside defensiveness, argument, and hostility and absolutely consider that the feedback might be completely accurate.

That’s not to say you’ll have to agree with it in the end, but, for at least a moment, you must be able to allow that IT MIGHT be true. Otherwise the critique process will be completely useless to you. If you answer every change with argument, every comment with defense and interpret every suggestion as attack, then you will not function well, if at all, in a feedback environment. 

Opinions and suggestions that an author is unable to honestly HEAR and CONSIDER will do nothing for them or their work. Not that there is anything wrong with feeling this way about your writing, in particular at the beginning. But, if this is the case, then a critique circle will only waste your time and your partners’.

***Adding in here. The Hear and Consider part sounds pretty simplistic, but when your baby is under the microscope, it can be a lot harder than it sounds. Even for a veteran. There will always be one work, or one character or one writing flaw that you are resistant to seeing objectively. Learning to control that resistance, at least long enough to entertain the possibility the critique is correct, is hard to do, but so worth it.
Listening can save you from embarrassment later. It can help you find your blind spots and it WILL help your writing go to print in a stronger form.

Next up: Diplomacy. How to give bad news with a smile and not come off as an ass.

The Write Group

I'm posting a segment today from a class I made up on critique called, Dishing AsWell As You Take, or, how to give and receive diplomatic critique. This section came to mind because I was raving about my writer's group to an interviewer last week, and realized just how amazing they are and how lucky I am to have them. I wish every author could have the kind of support and feedback that comes from a good writer's circle, and I know that the biggest factor in making that a reality is finding the right group...

  Writing groups, the best and worst tool you’ll ever have.

 Most authors will tell you all about the necessity of having good “beta readers,” about the importance of getting “fresh eyes” to examine your writing, and about exactly how much they owe to their “group” or “critique circle.” They will also, invariably have a horror story or two to tell about the ones that weren’t quite so helpful.

 The success of any writer’s group depends on the dove-tailing of its members needs with the needs of the group as a whole. Some groups may or may not serve the form and function that appeal to you, others may have the format you’re looking for, but for whatever reason, still not make a very good fit.

 When shopping for a critique circle, there are many factors to consider, not the least of being: do I really want one? Whatever your needs and preferences are, getting the right group can be vital in ensuring that your experience is positive instead of devastating.

#1 Writer’s group or beta readers. A writer’s group is a collection of authors all of whom have needs that the group should address. The format provides a diverse pool of skills and opinions, but also requires a give and take and will not allow (or should not allow) one person to dominate with their needs at the expense of other members. If you are willing to give as well as receive, the rewards here can be enormous.
 Beta readers are not necessarily other writers. Certainly, they can be, but this situation often involves readers who exchange free or early access to an author’s works for feedback. While some writer’s groups exchange beta reads, often a beta reader situation is a one way street with the author focusing on writing and not an exchange of criticism.

 #2 Writing Workshop vs. Critique Group A writer’s group can be strictly an exercise, seminar and workshop scenario, where authors come to learn and practice their skills with little or no feedback. It can also be a heavily formatted critique circle and/or any combination of the two. If what you want is practice and exercises, a critique group where there are strict set schedules and only one author at a time, formal critique is not going to meet your needs. The same is true of the author who really only wants a critique source…the writing seminar style group is likely to prove disappointing.

 #3 Compatibility Even if you find a group that follows the format that you seek, compatibility can be an issue on many levels. A group that focuses on poetry will have little to offer the fiction writer, and a group that stresses literary fiction can be next to useless to the commercial genre author. With beta readers, an author must find readers who enjoy and understand their particular genre, as well as their writing style. Having a reader continually disparage your work because they simply don’t like the way or what your write is not beneficial as a tool for growth. On the same note, working in a beta or group situation with someone who has a strong personality conflict can cause more problems than it provides benefits.

 #4 Help not Ego A group that leans too far in either direction, be it too gentle or too harsh, will be of little use to anyone. A critique circle that provides nothing but praise and positive feedback may make its members feel good, but it will do little to advance their art or careers. Conversely, a group that sets out to trash one another’s work only serves to feed some twisted sense of ego and superiority. Brutality will only make an author gun-shy and defensive and far less likely to hear anything legitimate inside the feedback barrage.

An author's group is just one more tool that the writer can choose to take or leave, but if you happen to discover one that really suits you, I don't think anything else can compare to it. They can also be a lot of fun, and a source of some amazing friendships.

A good critique partner is hard to find...

My parents are opposites. I mean, really opposite. My dad was an electrical engineer, my mom was a philosophy major. So yeah, not too much in common there. But clearly, it's worked out okay for them as they'll be celebrating their 46th wedding anniversary this year.

The best part about having a spouse that's your opposite is that they often complement you in a variety of ways (and hopefully compliment you too!). Where you are weak, they are hopefully strong, and vice versa.

Critique partners are kind of like your spouse. In some ways, you want them to be your opposites. You need them to balance you out. If you're fantastic at writing dialogue, but weak at description, you're going to want a partner who can be really good at figuring out where to put description.

So what I'm saying is that you shouldn't pick a critique partner who is exactly like you. Yeah, it's helpful if they like to read the kind of stuff you like to write, and there are no doubt going to be some similarities no matter what, but make sure you find the partner who works with you, not for you.

Some helpful hints:
1. Don't pick someone who only compliments your work. While nice for the ego (hi, mom!), it doesn't help improve your writing. You need someone who points out your weak points and helps you get better.
2. Don't pick someone who is overly critical. Yeah, you need criticism, but CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, not the kind of insults that leave you depressed and never wanting to write again.
3. Realize that you may not find all the qualities in a single critique partner. You may have one person who reads for dialogue, and one for description, and one for... I don't know, commas (I LOVE commas). Or something. This works out better than creating your own Frankenstein monster of a critique partner (and it's easier on the electrical bill).
4. Realize that if a critique partner isn't helping you, it's time to move on. I still use my original critique partner, who is also a great friend, because she's good at what she does. But no matter how good a friend she is, if she'd not helping me when she reads my books, I'd kick her to the curb. I'm just a bitch like that, I suppose.

and most importantly:
5. YOU MUST HAVE A CRITIQUE PARTNER!! I don't care how brilliant you are (I'm quite the genius myself), your writing will be made better by having someone else read it. Trust me.