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I like my story the way it is . . .
I thought that way. Then I realized something. Anyone can put words on paper and call themselves a writer. Who knows, that story may be the greatest novel ever written, but it still needs to be edited. Serious and successful writers know the value of a constructive critique; keyword being ‘constructive’.
It’s tempting to let someone close to you, a friend or family member, read your work. Been there. Done that. Their feedback is probably as helpful as my husband’s was when I let him read the first draft, of my first book, four years ago. “That’s great, Honey. As good as anything else I’ve read.” Did I forget to mention the one piece of fiction he’s read in the last twelve years was The Hobbit? Come on, like my amateurish attempts compare to J.R.R. Tolkein. I’m optimistic, not naïve.
Once you’ve got your story written, put it aside. Don’t give in to the urge to pick it up and go at it again. Walk away. Go to a movie, play with the kids, but leave the book alone. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. In this case, absence makes the eye fresher and the brain sharper. When you’ve had enough space from your characters, go back to page one and read it. Make your changes. I bet you find a lot.
Now, you’ve written your story, taken that break, and re-worked the story. What’s next? Constructive critique. Now’s the time. If you don’t have a critique partner, or group, find one. But here’s the trick. Choose a fellow writer(s), who know what you’re after, will be honest with you, and is, at the very least, vaguely familiar with your genre.
They’ve read it and given you their opinions. Are you nervous? Anxious? Don’t be.
Read the critique. Take a step back from thinking of your work as your first born child. Be objective and open minded. Think about the comments your critiquer has made. Weigh their advice and use what you agree with. If, like me, you have more than one critique partner tell you the same thing, think seriously about reworking that part of your story.
I was doing all the right things with my work, except one. I didn’t have a critique partner. Now I do and my writing’s never been better. I have a long way to go, but I’ve learned more in a month of getting critiques than in all the years of school.
What have I learned? Oh, so very much. A few of the biggies include:
Tighten the sentences. If a sentence makes sense without a word, get rid of it. If the same point can be made by re-wording a sentence, reword it. Shorten, tighten.
Don’t state the obvious. I’m very bad about this. Example: Do you ‘look up to the sky’? Or do you just ‘look at the sky’? As one of my critiquers would say, “I know the sky’s up. Don’t tell me that. Say what you mean and move on.”
Stop being passive with the writing. Don’t say her knees started to wobble. Did they or didn’t they? Her knees wobbled.
If you can do without the –ly words, lose them. They can honestly bog down the story line. Strike honestly and you still convey the same message.
Paint a picture. Why say ‘he felt angry’ when you can say ‘his blood boiled with rage’? Use that vocabulary your English teachers shoved down your throat. Make it spark.
Was, was, was. And, and, and. Okay, this I’m really bad about. Especially on a first draft. How many times do you use ‘was’ or ‘and’ on a page? What can you put in its place to convey the same point, and make the writing crisper.
Very. I had a magazine editor tell me that’s her least favorite word in the English language. Ask yourself this. Are you happy? Very happy? Or Ecstatic? Personally I think ecstatic is better than very happy. It’s tighter and crisper. I recently read a book that had the word very in almost every other sentence. It was very annoying.
Point of view, or head-hopping. Whew, this is a biggie. I have rewritten my entire manuscript to do away with the head hopping. I had convinced myself the only way to convey the message clearly was to let you, the reader, see into both people’s heads at the same time. Not so. In going back and reworking the points of view, my story has tightened, sparks more, and is less confusing. Your goal isn’t to have your reader stop mid-scene and go ‘huh’. Who has the most at stake in a scene? That’s whose head you need to be in.
The list goes on and on, but there’s only so much room in the newsletter. Tex-Critiquers is a group of savvy members of NTRWA who share a common goal: To write to the best of their ability and get published. The goal of a critique is to help you take an objective look at what you wrote, determine its suitability, and tighten and sharpen the story when possible. Remember, though, you should always make sure your voice remains your own. It is possible to critique too much.
Whether you’re looking for support or the skills to strengthen your writing, NTRWA and Tex-Critiquers is the place to be. Every member has priceless gems of advice and wisdom to share. May each and every one of you find the support and encouragement you need to achieve your writing goals.
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Copyright 2007 Nikki Duncan -- all rights reserved, please obtain written permission
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