Today though, we're talking about something that can be a little hard to stomach for a lot of us, because many of us don't want to know what people really think about our work, and because we tend to relate people's liking of our writing to people's liking of us, which, let me tell you, is a bad frame of mind. People can love and cherish you and still tell you your work needs help. Believe me.
Resolution #5: Be Critiqued
Okay, so there are a few ways to go about being critiqued. Most of us who are writers have writer friends, or know a friend of a friend who used to write who knew when. That means we at least have someone we can go to.
But that's not the only way to get a critique.
1. Writers
Like I said, most of us have writer friends. And all of us need some critique of our work. So find one of those writer friends, and swap stories. Read your friend's work, and give them an honest critique—and expect the same back from them. Help each other to do better with writing, because that's what we should be for each other.
And if you can't find a writer friend, then go to a writer's forum and post something. Some people will likely be a little rude on the forums... But it'll at least give you some ideas of where you might go with your work.
2. Readers
A lot of people don't think of this, but readers also give amazing critique when it comes to writing. See, they're readers. They're the people we're trying to reach, so they have a very good idea of what's good and what's not. Give a reader your work, and they'll be able to tell you what's good about it and what might need some help.
And they'll be supremely honored that you allowed them to read it, because hey, they're readers, and you're one of those mythical writers they've always heard about.
3. Editors
Honestly, this is the best type of critiquing you can get. Send your work out to editors, to agents, and see who bites. Some publishing houses allow free critique of a small sample of your work—use those houses to get a better idea of what you're good at and what might need some help. Many of them are nice enough to start out by telling you something they liked about your work, so it's less gut wrenching.
As long as you can find someone to read your work, someone to give you an honest opinion of it, you're heading in the right direction. Take what they say to heart, and use it to your advantage. Don't be put down when they don't like something you wrote. Take what they said, and better your work.
That's what critique is for, after all.
But it's also important that you know how to critique as well. Don't be a jerk, don't hold your expertise above someone else's head. Just show them what you liked and what you didn't like, what you think needs work and what you think is beautiful. Critique as you would have others critique you.
That should be our new motto, for those of us who take on this resolution.
[love]
{Rani Divine}
This is a hard one for me, but still very important
ReplyDeleteAgreed. It's still difficult for me to do as well, but I try to make sure I find someone to critique parts of my novels at least a couple times a year.
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