I've always been a firm believer that if two or more folks have an issue with a particular section of my story, then I need to take a serious look at it and figure out why. But I also take a close look if even one person has an issue. Maybe they saw something the others have missed.
Occasionally, I can ignore comments from some of the newer members because they are not familiar with earlier parts of the story, or haven't read the previous book. They don't understand references or have missed the parts where things have already been explained. The problem is when I receive comments from 5 or 6 folks that all have different opinions or each has an issue with totally separate points in my submission.
Now I can't address all of their concerns as it might change what I was trying to accomplish as far as character development or progressing the plot. All I can do is consider what I know of each person and their different tastes in story telling. We have many genres represented in our group including non-fiction, so what the others look for in a story varies.
The focus I try to maintain is on what I consider my voice, and stay true to the vision I have for my story. If that means I'll have to eventually ignore some advice, then so be it, but I will always take the time to consider each comment or concern.
Thanks for reading.
It is interesting on the direction from which a critique comes. Several suggestions came from the aspect as to what they think an agent or publisher wants. They already have one or more finished works and overlay their feedback from the agents as to what is being sought.
ReplyDeleteOthers critique on a whole hosts of things like headhopping and word usage. I think you're right on the various genres represented coloring the slant of the critique. Literary style tends to be slower out the gate, boring, it takes a certain personality that reads it. The audience is small. Speaking of fiction, most books people like and read over and over fits a certain formula. The formula only varies slightly from genre to genre. Hundreds of books are written addressing how to write a fantasy, scifi, a historical story and then burl in on the components like story arc, character arc, evoking emotion, sympathetic characters. I think the range of critique from different people on the same piece of writing stems from personal tastes shaded by what has been learned by study of the writing presses and by doing writing their own way.
I take a hard look at every suggestion, be it one or two or more. Most of the time the critiques are used to improve the section that was under scrutiny. But not always.
Then there is the realm of personalities in the group that factors into the critiques. There are those that pretend to accept feedback or only respects feedback from a few they think is at their level. Of course, decorum maintains civility. One critique given is countered by another critique. Does that help the writer? I think so. Presenting sections written once a month over a couple years is certainly going to cause gaps in memory and people will comment that this or that doesn't make sense to them. I WAS guilty of that. But I trained myself to recognize those passages that don't make sense and I don't comment on them anymore. That will come out in the beta read if those dots don't connect.
I have to admit that a major motivation for my writing is to try and entertain the readers in the group. Second to that is an effort to present a piece without fault. HA... THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. nevertheless, I look forward to the feedback. The critiques have been invaluable to me. One thing is it has helped to retrain my mind to start noticing things in my writing that I had been dinged on so I don't do them anymore. Like a bigge early on was headhopping.
Then there are those that can talk writing craft all day long and never finish anything. They present old material or some false starts, but still their critiques are valid. They know how to write but for some reason the just don't. I've seen those people in our group. But, they don't tend to come regular or drop out altogether. The core of our group produces writing month after month. Thus, the critiques keep coming.
There the issue of sophisticated readers verse the mainstream romance or thriller types. There are those that enjoy a complex story Written at a college reading level. Most novels are written between 5 and 10 grade reading levels. The more sophisticated readers critique will certainly be different from someone that reads papermill books. That points to the audience that we want our book to have. Meaning regard the critiques that will strengthen the story we have in mind and fix mechanical, technical things no matter what the story is about.
Between Roland's blog and JBH, all I can add is a thought on submitting segments of novels. I've found that a running synopsis eliminates buckets of wasted critique comments. Prior to every submission/meeting, I tack on last submission's events to the "Previously in 'Cowgirls'..." In every meeting, someone in the group specifically expresses their gratitude for this synopsis, followed by the others all bobbing their heads in agreement.
ReplyDeleteNot only does this synopsis method eliminate the majority of memory-gap segment questions, there is generally less confusion. The group is now reading the novel as a novel, more or less, with far less dark unhappiness. ("How did the pig farmer end up on the spaceship? Is it my memory shot or has the author totally failed here?") Happy group members make more useful comments.
My current novel is closing on 100 pages. The synopsis has grown to about 8 pages, which makes it rival the length of the actual submission. It's also a valuable side exercise to boil down the plot to such a tight summary. Puts the whole thing in a new perspective and prepares me for the eventual, infamous, Back Cover Blurb.
Good point. I have been doing just that. Not quite as compressive as what you are doing though. I recap the material in the last submission.
DeleteSorry I haven't commented sooner, but I've had other things on my mind. Great points from both of you. We've tried to have files for stories in progress, but folks forget to update them and the new people forget to read them.
ReplyDeleteOh well, we do the best we can. No group is perfect.