Well clearly I should never sign up for a blog hop where I need to post daily updates the week before I'm helping out with a large art show! Uber bad timing on my part. So right now what I'm most I'm thankful for is everyone's understanding for the long delay between posts. :-)
This post is dedicated to my critique groups and partners. I've been a few over the years and they've really helped me grow as a writer. Plus I've made some great friends. Through them I've been exposed to a wide variety of writing, which is always a good thing. And been pushed and prodded to finish and submit. And been part of a discussion on... hmm, given the number of YA authors on this blog, probably should skip that one. :-)
So, thank you RWU - Romance Writers Unlimited (now defunct, :-( ), Critique Circle, (and, um, one which Daw used to sponsor but I can't remember the name of...) and ERA (Erotic Romance Authors - who are looking for members if you're interested!) plus my new partners who are helping me out (you know who you are). Getting non-family, non-judgmental feedback is so important.
Which leads me to my writing tip:
Learn to take criticism. Seriously, if you can't take criticism as a writer you're in the wrong profession. Because with a good critique you will have, NEED to have, people point out what's not working so you can fix it. And sometimes, no matter how much you think it's just fine, it isn't.
I'm not saying it doesn't hurt sometimes. It can be quite painful. But you need to step back, look at what they are saying, read what you wrote *through their eyes using the filter of their comments* and figure out a) what you need to fix and b) how to fix it.
The other thing you need to do is not think your work is awful because someone points out an area which needs work during the writing process. Holy cow, everyone revises and edits. EVERYONE. Steven King, JK Rowling, John Green, Herman Wouk. Just because someone thinks you need to clarify/boost/skip an area, work on a character, evaluate the story arc, rethink your conflict doesn't mean you're a terrible writer. It means they want to help you make your story even better. And you can do it! So go forth, find someone to give you feed back and write an even better story!
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving Blog Hop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving Blog Hop. Show all posts
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Thankful Post, the first - My Kids
Yes, it's cliche. That doesn't make it any less true.
I am very thankful for my kids who really ground me. As a single parent I am the sole shuttler, the sole feeder and the sole advisor/disciplinarian. With all these hats, and more, my kids understand that people have many different roles in life and totally 'get' that sometimes, particularly when I am caught up in a scene, I am a writer and support me in my role. Okay, maybe not so much when my older teen complains that he needs to eat now!, (working on that self sufficiency thing) but generally, particularly as they've hit their teen years, they leave me to do my thing when I tell them I'm sitting down to do some writing.
And that ties into my writing advice. Make your characters multi-dimensional. No one has just one role in life, they are a son or daughter, a person within a community, they are what people see them to be and they are what they see themselves to be. Show them in these roles, have them act in slightly different ways around different people. Are they less likely to curse around their parents? Are they going to be more patient with kids? Plus try to avoid cliches, find the unique, unexpected aspect of their personality, the person no one expects them to be, and show us that too.
This is part of a series of post for a blog hop started by Brenda Drake. Please be sure to visit the other participants!
I am very thankful for my kids who really ground me. As a single parent I am the sole shuttler, the sole feeder and the sole advisor/disciplinarian. With all these hats, and more, my kids understand that people have many different roles in life and totally 'get' that sometimes, particularly when I am caught up in a scene, I am a writer and support me in my role. Okay, maybe not so much when my older teen complains that he needs to eat now!, (working on that self sufficiency thing) but generally, particularly as they've hit their teen years, they leave me to do my thing when I tell them I'm sitting down to do some writing.
And that ties into my writing advice. Make your characters multi-dimensional. No one has just one role in life, they are a son or daughter, a person within a community, they are what people see them to be and they are what they see themselves to be. Show them in these roles, have them act in slightly different ways around different people. Are they less likely to curse around their parents? Are they going to be more patient with kids? Plus try to avoid cliches, find the unique, unexpected aspect of their personality, the person no one expects them to be, and show us that too.
This is part of a series of post for a blog hop started by Brenda Drake. Please be sure to visit the other participants!
| 1. | Casey Roach | 9. | Amy Trueblood | 17. | Jessika Fleck |
| 2. | Sarah J. Clift | 10. | Swagger Writers | 18. | Johana Vera |
| 3. | Fiona McLaren | 11. | Michelle Smith | 19. | Carrie Crain |
| 4. | Lizzy Froehle | 12. | Abby Cavenaugh | 20. | Katie Teller |
| 5. | Rachel @ Rachel writes things | 13. | Talynn Lynn | 21. | Debbie Causevic |
| 6. | Sarah Guillory | 14. | Veronica Bartles | 22. | You're next! |
| 7. | Robin Weeks | 15. | Ellie Heller | ||
| 8. | Stacey Trombley | 16. | Manju Howard |
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