tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post6309144427442539316..comments2024-03-20T08:27:29.290+11:00Comments on .W.I.P. It: Guest Post: Cultivating Your Inner CriticLynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-57006852360126847992011-07-26T23:07:33.618+10:002011-07-26T23:07:33.618+10:00Great post!Great post!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-90300997302097954032011-07-25T10:05:05.499+10:002011-07-25T10:05:05.499+10:00Josh, gotta love to hack! And like you say, it'...Josh, gotta love to hack! And like you say, it's still essential to have trusted people to tell you about the holes you may have missed.<br /><br />Dawrei, yep, it still boggles me how much my CPs pick up even after I've been through the ms multiple times.<br /><br />Maeve, awesome<br /><br />Jeff, it's good to know your strengths and weakness. It also makes it easier to find a good match in a crit partner.<br /><br />Clarissa, hahaha I can relate ;)<br /><br />Ellie, yes! Absolutely! Only we can write our own books.<br /><br />Bryce, yes, absolutely. That's why it's important to take breaks and have crit partners.<br /><br />Nas, thanksLynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-26462947003443193232011-07-25T09:58:45.981+10:002011-07-25T09:58:45.981+10:00Laura, yes, that's why I think it's just a...Laura, yes, that's why I think it's just as important to read as much as we write.<br /><br />Talli, haha, ah yes, so familiar with the fear factor ;)<br /><br />Laila, love that: stop stalling and trust our instinct. So true!<br /><br />Carol, yes!! Exactly<br /><br />Mark, yep, we shouldn't worry too much about the first draft except maybe overall structureLynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-51649715165517824642011-07-25T08:53:26.080+10:002011-07-25T08:53:26.080+10:00Great post and excellent advice! Thanks.Great post and excellent advice! Thanks.Nashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14984530648140460594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-62368795515636612672011-07-25T08:53:18.939+10:002011-07-25T08:53:18.939+10:00Great post and excellent advice! Thanks.Great post and excellent advice! Thanks.Nashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14984530648140460594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-58484188148200207082011-07-25T05:47:51.913+10:002011-07-25T05:47:51.913+10:00Great post, Lynda!
When all is said and done, it&...Great post, Lynda!<br /><br />When all is said and done, it's the words that matter, and noone knows those words better than the writer him/herself.<br /><br />Sometimes, though, I feel TOO darned close to my WIP. Like I need to step out of the grotto of nouns and verbs and intentionally seek out another opinion. Or two. Or three. Or four.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-90946144851329466282011-07-25T01:31:25.719+10:002011-07-25T01:31:25.719+10:00Superb advice. I read a post recently where an age...Superb advice. I read a post recently where an agent said she'd rather find raw talent, and to be weary of ignoring your gut instinct in favour of critique advice. Thank you, Benoit and Lynda.Ellie Garratthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03731071128348213067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-21922876321540612912011-07-24T12:41:03.735+10:002011-07-24T12:41:03.735+10:00I used to think I was the best writer in the world...I used to think I was the best writer in the world and then I sent chapters off to beta readers. Apparently, I was crap. However, I moved on and worked hard on my writing craft until I got picked up for publication. I always listen to critics, every one of them but then I weigh each opinion before I decided what to do.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12160669603997465454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-83761522725397096842011-07-24T05:31:21.570+10:002011-07-24T05:31:21.570+10:00Great post…
I don’t trust my technical l side of ...Great post…<br /><br />I don’t trust my technical l side of writing, but trust my ability when it comes to story.<br /><br />I hope to marry the two someday.<br /> <br />I seek advice from people above my skill set… and still only take into account what works best for me.Jeff Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00667419764890599092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-71952391503589359872011-07-23T23:54:12.594+10:002011-07-23T23:54:12.594+10:00Lynda - Great Post! I am getting better at trusti...Lynda - Great Post! I am getting better at trusting my inner critique.Maeve Frazierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00788413883600771145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-2866301474118367022011-07-23T23:18:30.427+10:002011-07-23T23:18:30.427+10:00Good question, but hard to answer! I think I'm...Good question, but hard to answer! I think I'm my own worst critic at this stage, though I've had some tough ciricism at a writer's message board. The rule is to post not more than 500 words. I had gone over and over those 500 words before I posted them, and can you believe how much was still off, weird or just plain wrong with it? Haha, that was a shocking revelation, but in a good way.Mara Lihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16906195902076584664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-41963937650124091182011-07-23T03:30:44.001+10:002011-07-23T03:30:44.001+10:00Great post, an not just because you mentioned my b...Great post, an not just because you mentioned my book. I agree we have to be our own editors, it comes with the job of writing. I turn the inner-critic off whilst I write, then the next day before moving forward I look at what I wrote the day before and I am merciless, absolutely brutal. I find myself continually removing words, first passes I tend to over write. So am am always hacking away to find the story under all those words. There are a few writers I trust and my wife to give me harsh critique. They find holes I may have missed. But as you say I am the one who cares most about my writing, so final choices come to me.Josh Stallingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09913654176433125233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-59306928294543565142011-07-23T02:29:02.066+10:002011-07-23T02:29:02.066+10:00Amen, couldn't agree more. It's difficult,...Amen, couldn't agree more. It's difficult, but essential. I find that I try to save most most important self-critiques until I'm in the editing process, because if I start out to critical I'll never get through the first draft.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-76048395905819340892011-07-23T01:19:48.062+10:002011-07-23T01:19:48.062+10:00Great reminder, this guest post. Thanks to Benoit ...Great reminder, this guest post. Thanks to Benoit and you too, Lyn. I've learned to trust my judgment more. Usually it's those things that niggle at you that you KNOW you should probably fix, and then a CP mentions it. You groan and go make the changes. :)Carol Riggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14092209912983783974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-28650390101177554392011-07-23T01:16:04.997+10:002011-07-23T01:16:04.997+10:00Hi Lydia,
I find it easy to trust my own writing...Hi Lydia, <br /><br />I find it easy to trust my own writing. The problem is that after a while of writing it I like it too well. It becomes imperative to have someone else have a looksie to give me a heads up and let me know if I'm screwing up. There should come a time when we stop stalling and trust our instict though. It's all really about telling a great story. Great advice! Thanks for posting. :)Laila Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08430076999393883312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-55436981754176933512011-07-22T22:30:11.621+10:002011-07-22T22:30:11.621+10:00Great post! I use my inner critic to motivate me f...Great post! I use my inner critic to motivate me for sure. That, and fear!Talli Rolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04780882465745107715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-77175222886477464252011-07-22T22:20:30.548+10:002011-07-22T22:20:30.548+10:00I think just like writing, judging your own work, ...I think just like writing, judging your own work, gets better the more you write. If I take a break and read published books that I know did it right and then go back to my own, it's easier to pick out the parts that need to be fixed. Great post, Benoit!Laura Paulinghttp://www.laurapauling.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-43540656882892591652011-07-22T18:33:11.640+10:002011-07-22T18:33:11.640+10:00Alexia, getting feedback is crucial, just as trust...Alexia, getting feedback is crucial, just as trusting your gut.<br /><br />Anne, hehe, gotta love the dark font on a light background ;) And a huge congrats on getting your novel accepted by a small press!!<br /><br />Aylssia, sounds like a good book. I approve of non-conformists in writing. It takes bravery and skill to get it right.<br /><br />Rachna, That's great to hear about your new CP :)Lynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-13919648372298374842011-07-22T18:28:49.388+10:002011-07-22T18:28:49.388+10:00Ben....lets shake hands. You are my kind of a writ...Ben....lets shake hands. You are my kind of a writer. Till a month back I did not have a Crit Partner, for my first lot of books, I just trusted my Inner Editor.<br />But, let me confess, I am enjoying my interaction with my CP...she is awesome. <br />Thanks, Lynda for this hosting Ben.Rachna Chhabriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-61506975131442222042011-07-22T18:27:44.853+10:002011-07-22T18:27:44.853+10:00Crystal, yep, that's a good way to approach it...Crystal, yep, that's a good way to approach it.<br /><br />LynNerd, stewing time is important.<br /><br />Suze, me too<br /><br />Ibdiamond, I don't think we ever stop developing it.<br /><br />Ben, thanks again for writing a great post.<br /><br />Beth, haha yep.<br /><br />Jemi, so true.Lynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-73736945414653695122011-07-22T12:50:46.008+10:002011-07-22T12:50:46.008+10:00Gosh, this is a great post. I'm currently read...Gosh, this is a great post. I'm currently reading Finding Your Own Voice by Les Edgerton, and he touches on these same points. To quit trying to conform to what you "think" people want to read or what you "think" Madam Uber Editor will publish, and just write your darned story! In YOUR voice.<br /><br />Easier said than done. Sometimes I think we have to retrain ourselves. Recapture our natural voices that have somehow gotten lost on the road from childhood to adulthood. It's a fact: We let WAY too many people influence our work, when--just as Ben pointed out--we're the artist. It's our story, our baby. Write it the way you want.<br /><br />Yep. Definitely sage advice. Thank you!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16514163880053470414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-12070541850681826622011-07-22T12:16:20.766+10:002011-07-22T12:16:20.766+10:00Hi Ben--nice to see you here--(& in a dark fon...Hi Ben--nice to see you here--(& in a dark font on a light background:-))<br /><br />This is so true. We have to know when to turn off our inner critic and when to turn it back on. I fall in love with my book in first draft, then hate it in the second and third. Then I think it might be OK when I send it out, then when it gets rejected, I think it sucks and edit the hell out of it again. That's when I need to kick the critic to the curb, but I usually let it sit in my head like a little black cloud.<br /><br />But hey, I just got a novel accepted by a small press today. The editor sent me an email that said, "Wow. I'll put the contract in the mail tomorrow." <br /><br />So shut up, inner critic. So there!Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-33664031260913370012011-07-22T10:53:47.919+10:002011-07-22T10:53:47.919+10:00I love getting feedback on my writing, good and ba...I love getting feedback on my writing, good and bad, but I can pretty easily determine the feedback I think is legit. Not that all feedback doesn't have value, but like you said, you have to trust your gut on whether you use it or not.<br /><br />Great post!alexiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07122487552931794871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-72735797597218435262011-07-22T10:46:30.956+10:002011-07-22T10:46:30.956+10:00Learning to find and then trust your inner critic ...Learning to find and then trust your inner critic isn't easy - but it's vital if we want to improve. I'm getting better at this :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030453069845909403.post-61706064032089716782011-07-22T10:32:20.696+10:002011-07-22T10:32:20.696+10:00I walk the line on trusting my inner critic. If pe...I walk the line on trusting my inner critic. If people tell me it's great and I think it sucks, I will SO give into peer pressure. HA! But if I know it's great and people just don't get it, I will walk away from it and look at it in weeks. Sometimes I see what they're saying, and sometimes they just don't get it.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09962862566388212238noreply@blogger.com