Growing, growing, always growing. I post these things so that I remember. I hope they help you, my dear readers, too.
As I've said before, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
No truly. When I began this creative journey, I didn't react well to criticism of my writing - good or bad - it made no difference. I didn't react well. I've been getting better, to the point where I can listen and do something about the changes, hints, things that folk offer.
Tonight - drum roll please - I went to a party for a bunch of writers from different groups that I belong to. One man came up and said how very much he liked my newest book, but there was one thing that had him flummoxed. I didn't even flinch. I said, with a ton of heart-felt enthusiasm, "Tell me!" I really wanted to know because I want to make the book the best ever. What he described made perfect sense. And a very easy fix. Though his wife, bless her, said she understood exactly what I was saying. *g*
I think all this growth, by leaps and bounds, is because I am become more secure in my writing. I don't think, if I was the least bit concerned, that I could accept these comments.
It was an awesome party. Lots of creative juices flowing, along with wine. The hostess wrote an educational book on the wine industry in the area where I live, so there was wine. And good fellowship and lots of laughter. A bunch of us stood/sat in a corner and gleaned lots of hints about writing from each other. In the groups, we don't get to do that. Too busy critiquing. This was fun and productive and helpful.
Here's a link to her blog. http://claudiatallermusings.blogspot.com/
I've got an idea for editing that I'll talk about tomorrow. I think it will help.
Life is ideas.
Being secure in your ability and in your writing is so very important. It really does help you take what others have to say about your work, whether it's praise or criticism. For whatever reason, I think I was able to develop security in my writing early on, and it helped me a lot, especially with the criticism part. There was a specific incident some years ago when a reader told me in no uncertain terms that I absolutely could not go in the direction I was heading with a character. I was secure enough in myself that I was willing to at least consider what she was saying, and I discovered that she was right. I was able to make a change in direction at just the right time that it didn't affect what had already been written, and the story benefited greatly as a result.
ReplyDeleteI'm really happy that you are finding your security! Being strong enough to know when criticism is unwarranted as well as when it needs to be acknowledged is going to take you to awesome places in your writing!