A Bit of Whine

I went through the critiques I received on Saturday. I like to give myself a day or two to breathe after the morning session. 

There were five members present in my group Saturday. Two others had to bow out due to life issues. There were six in the second group. 

I received three critiques from my group. Thankfully, two of the folk in the second group gave me critiques they had done. So I had a total of five critiques. 

I was very careful to submit only two chapters with the total word count around 2,000. That way, I figured the members wouldn't be overwhelmed.

One of my private peeves about the group. Not everyone critiques. And yet, that is part of the agreement when you join the group. 

I find I am frustrated beyond measure when I present a couple chapters and receive only five critiques when there are eleven members present.

Perhaps I don't want to receive more. Perhaps it's just as well that I carry on blindly.

Today was one of those days when I considered quitting writing for publishing. I am going back to writing a bit of fluff until after Thanksgiving. I think I need the break. 

Yet, who will tell the Muse? *g*

Life is not a bowl of cherries. Or perhaps the cherries have pits.

Opinions

Went to my writers' group today and presented chapters sixteen and seventeen. They were well received. One of the best things about these critiques is that no one finds grammatical errors with my writing. Nor POV - which is a hoot! I am very glad that after all these years of writing, I usually abide by the 'rules' of writing. The problem with these critiques is that they are superficial. Good story and that's about it.

I spent a lengthy amount of time with the sci-fi author after the meeting. I believe he finally understands that I am not a 'hobby' writer -- that I want to write well enough to be published. He was most forthright. After three years of being with the group, I finally got what I wanted. The truth.

1) He said the story, though good, has no zing. I agree. 

2) He said the story needs to have more magic -- more unusual magic. I agree. (I know why I have kept it to a minimum so far - but I think I must change that.)

3) He said the changes wrought by the wizards did not seem impactful enough to cause my heroine to need to save her world. (A point the author who did my critique on Thursday also espoused.) He said there was not enough pain (and consequences) surfacing from the changes in the environment.

4) He said there was a lack of urgency to set things right. The necromancer told my heroine she had a year to prepare -- they all had a year to prepare to fight the wizards -- and that, I know, has given my heroine a false sense of time. But that destroys the sense of urgency -- which can be fixed by taking care of point #3.

5) He said the conflict between Kaspar and Kathleen is primary. The story will only be better if I spend more time on that.

As you can see, some great points. I owe the man!!! 

Life is an adventure.

Got To Have Friends

The main problem - in my mind's eye - is that my editor wants my chapters to be as neat and clean as possible - she says it's the best way to deal with tension and stuff - keeps it moving. But when I read books like Harry Potter and such - there is a plethora of description so I almost feel like I can't trust my editor which makes me writhe.

So that's why I asked the guy at Skyline to meet with me - he writes science fiction - which is close. I want to ask his opinion. I'm not going to have it edited anymore - not till it's done. Just critiqued by the group at Skyline. They'll find the little things that need correcting.

The author gave some good input - but it goes against what my editor is saying. In some fiction, authors tend to put in a lot of description. I like that. I like the way it flows - doing it my editor’s way doesn’t have that poetic quality to it. I know she's right about cutting redundant stuff. But ... to get the feel of the landscape and the majesty of the dragon - she doesn't think a lot of description is necessary or good.

A friend wrote to me:  “You have to have such things if you are going to really feel it as a reader. I think editors these days are thinking too much of the generation that has a short attention span or something.”

I think that's it entirely and this author told me that she was very surprised to find that most of her audience is middle-aged women who are used to reading things like Pride and Prejudice and such.

Now that my friend and I discussed this -- I'm wondering - God forbid - if my editor might be right - that the kids who are the targeted audience would better read the quick short descriptions. Hmmmm.

I hope this makes sense. It does to me.

I wrote and thanked my friend - as always, after talking with her, I feel so much better.

Life is friend-full.

THE Critique

Remember? I won a raffle for a 20 minute critique of the first ten pages of 'Blue.' The critique was this morning.

I'm still reeling. The author gave me two and half pages of notes. All very good. All constructive. But at the end of the process, as so normally happens with me, I couldn't tell if she thought 'Blue' was publishable or not. I got the impression, and I could very well be wrong, that she thought I had potential. But where does that leave 'Blue.'

I'm in the doldrums tonight. Again, this is the norm for me. This author gave me totally different advise than what I'm receiving from my editor. Remember this - my editor is paid by me. She is not affiliated with any publishing house. She teaches classes all over the area. She has been published a gazillion times and has TWO books coming out in 2012. 

The crux of the matter, in my mind's eye, is that my editor is a children's book writer. My book is geared to upper middle grade or lower YA. When I read other books that I consider near my own, the format is definitely different. I am confused. Bewildered. I've asked a writer whom I respect  to meet with me after Saturday's critique session. I've got to have a third opinion of what is 'normal' for fantasy.

I'm putting everything aside until Saturday and then I'll go back and reread her notes. 

BTW - she could not have been kinder. She spent an hour with me! An hour. Perhaps I should take that as an affirmative for my writing. Would she have spent an hour with me if there wasn't something of worth?

I think I will continue to write 'Blue' and not consider any outside critiquing (just Skyline's). When it's all done, I'm going to get an agent. See what happens then.

Life is whirling, at the moment.