If you've been reading this blog for some time you might remember that I've written a romantic novel. One that has been rejected more times than Harry Potter was.
In fact most things - short stories, articles, ideas - I've written and submitted over the last few years have been rejected. I've joked about it but I realise it must have affected me more than I was willing to admit as I've done very little creative fiction writing for ages.
The year before last (I think it was) I joined the Romantic Novelists' Association. The subscription for the first year included a critique of an unpublished novel and I duly sent mine in.
Now you'd think that a critique being sent to a beginner would have something positive and encouraging in it, wouldn't you? Mine was negative from start to finish. The closest my reviewer got to a compliment was something along the lines of 'I think it is meant to be funny.' (I'm sorry if you've read about this before but it's important to the rest of the post.)
Fortunately she - and I'm sure it was a 'she' - was so totally disparaging and, I felt, out of touch, that I couldn't take what she said seriously. Just as well, really. If I had, I'd either have given up writing or thrown myself off the pier!
As well as criticising everything about my writing she said some things about the plot, such as 'It's implausible that a woman would forget to order a Christmas turkey,' and that 'A woman who knows she needs to diet would do it, not keep failing, as this character is.' Do you see my point, ladies? Out of touch?
But recently I've thought about my novel again. Because the review was too hideous to re-read, I didn't take on board comments that could have been relevant and valid. Now I can see things that are wrong with it, and ways in which I think it can be improved. I still think it is funny and not as bad as the reviewer would have me believe. So tomorrow, I'm going to pick up my pen and write again.
It's sort of scary going back to it. The old critics are still with me saying, 'Ah, well, it might sound better in your head now and you might think you have new and wonderful ideas but you won't be able to translate that onto the paper.' And, 'All those agents can't be wrong.' And 'What makes you think you can write anyway?' I have to silence them and the best way is just to sit down and do it.
I have ideas for another novel in my head too but they're still fizzing and formulating so I think it best to let them brew a little longer and concentrate on that which I already have in clear pictures.
So ... I'll let you know tomorrow if the pen stays in the holder or gets used (metaphorically).
6 comments:
Sounds like you need to be in a writer's group, one in which the members encourage each other first of all and offer constructive criticism as well. Good luck, I envy you the fact that you have this wonderful writing ability. Plus you are a published author, don't forget that. I wonder if that critic is.
I think the problem with the critics is they focus on the negative things instead of saying this is good but think about changing these things!
& Woo I wish I had enough words to write a book, I just write in summaries!!!
Maybe we should encourage each other. I keep finding excuses NOT to work on my memoir. I hope you are able to use that pen.
Maybe if you can take it - go through the crit with a highlighter and drawn out the useful criticism...... just a thought. it might lead you to some key revision of the script :-)
That reviewer sounded like an idiot. I can see her as being very prim and proper and always in control of herself. If she doesn't know how it is to want to lose weight and not be able to stick with it, she is obviously not a normal person. And as for forgetting to order a Christmas turkey - I could see myself doing that with no problem whatsoever! What a jerk.
There, I feel better now that I've trashed your writing critic.
I think the suggestion of a writers' group is a good idea - you need supportive, constructive criticism of the writing, not of the main character's, um, character.
Keep on writing Liz...if you have the ability keep going..:-)
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