tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042906897152963913.post531541482504371860..comments2023-07-23T02:07:51.261-07:00Comments on Dawn's Rise: Critique Technique QnAAndrew Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09215333688753781447noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042906897152963913.post-36050380327035234052009-06-23T06:54:46.725-07:002009-06-23T06:54:46.725-07:00I think the reason even the best storytellers and ...I think the reason even the best storytellers and best writers need editing is because of the inherent flaws in all communication. The teller translates his thoughts into words for which language is always inadequate and the reader must translate them back into thoughts. These transactions are too much for the writer, who remains hooked on their original thoughts, to have complete cognizance of. You can't read your own work objectively without your original thoughts getting in the way.<br /><br />When I edit for people, I rarely tell them how I think they should do something differently - because I don't want the voice to become mine and not theirs. I like to give hints instead. Where something seems not to work I tell them how I am interpreting the word or the sentence or the chapter etc. and let the reader judge if that is a desired interpretation or if they need to make a change. Only in matters of grammar might I actually draft an alternate text as a suggestion.<br /><br />I try to be a very gentle but thorough editor and I never hesitate to praise the elements that seem to work.Fantasy Writer Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10009677348939299315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042906897152963913.post-61092011809605850902009-06-22T07:37:08.368-07:002009-06-22T07:37:08.368-07:00great post...thanks for sharing. found you from j...great post...thanks for sharing. found you from jody's on the path blog. i hear ya about the platform...growing readers and subscribers. we all need all the help we can get to get "there." :)Jeannie Campbell, LMFThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13958943404601029395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042906897152963913.post-91640928873646913622009-06-20T22:00:50.124-07:002009-06-20T22:00:50.124-07:00Great post :)
I'm very lucky to have a little...Great post :)<br /><br />I'm very lucky to have a little local crit group of 6 (plus me, but only six people are critiquing one work at a time) that formed from my regular NaNoWriMo crew. These are people who've all known each other for years now and have a good level of trust and respect for one another. I've just joined the group this year and have only done one critique so far, but it's a really eye-opening experience!<br /><br />One thing our group emphasizes is that you <b>must</b> tell the author what worked for you as well as what didn't work. The good has to come with the bad, and if only the bad is pointed out then the author will likely get dejected (unless they've got really thick skin). <br /><br />My novel goes up for critique soon, so I'll get to see the process from the other side. :)<br /><br />I've had short stories critiqued by friends and some of the fine people over at <a href="http://fmwriters.com" rel="nofollow">Forward Motion for Writers</a> (where I've also reciprocated). But I think it's easier to get people to look at a shorter work and it's also easier to edit a shorter work after critique.<br /><br />Being a critiquer is tough work. I always find it difficult to know how to word things so that they don't feel overly harsh for the author, but at the same time I do not want to sugar coat anything. It really is a valuable skill to hone as a writer, though! I've learned a lot about what to keep an eye out for in my own works after critiquing the works of others.Violethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08435114205277341195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042906897152963913.post-86828075977411720982009-06-20T16:59:43.916-07:002009-06-20T16:59:43.916-07:00I look for a reader with a critical eye, and one w...I look for a reader with a critical eye, and one who reads in my genre. It's no good getting your SF novel reviewed by someone who reads Romance; there are too many tropes in both genres that just don't cross the genre line.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10255083486196598825noreply@blogger.com