Critiquing

The merits of critiquing are numerous. I am currently a member of two critique groups; a One-On-One and a Multi-Member group.  There are advantages to both.

The One-On-One: This is where another author and I agreed to submit twenty pages (completing a chapter if it ends within a couple of pages of that twenty page mark) via email for review of each other's work. We then determine a specified time to have a phone conference to offer suggestions on perfecting the work. We agreed to talk once every week, allowing no longer than two weeks pass without a session. This way, we will each have our complete manuscript reviewed within two months time.

The following critique criteria surface:Punctuation, Grammar, Ease of comprehension for the given age group that we are targeting, Semantics, Story Viablity, Character Depth and Pace. The intimacy of this one-on- one work review makes for a more in-depth critique, which we have both found incredibily useful. Our critique time is morely individually beneficial because our time is divided between just two writers, thus having more time to talk in depth with suggestions as to how to improve the work.

The Multi-Member critique group that I have also committed to is with SCBWI members.  SCBWI is the acronym for the Society of Children Book Writers and Illustrators. For information on critique groups in your area, visit www.SCBWI.com

We meet locally once a month. Members wishing to submit work for review must email it prior to a submission deadline to be considered. In each meeting, we generally review one chapter from two or three writers, a short story and/or a  poem.  Writer/Illustrators also join us and offer their insights.

While there may be a lot to read and review for one meeting, there are lots of take-withs even if you are not the featured writer in that given month.  It is interesting to be among such talented individuals and to see their novels progress month after month.

A take-with from a Multi-Member critique group takes for in the variety of comments that your work receives. There becomes a commonality in people's view on aspects of your work that either make you want to edit your work further, or you can choose to side with the few that liked the segment that other writers thought needed some change(s). Either way, you come to realize the value of how your work is perceived and how you can make it a better read.

Generally Speaking: Independent of the size of the group there are a few rules to make critique groups run smoothly.  They are:

1.  Read the submitted work and have honest comments as to how to improve the work.

2.  Submit your work within the timeline offered or forgo your opportunity to be critiqued until the following month.

3.  Be kind/sensitive to the writer/author indicating what you like about their work and then go on to talk about what needs to be changed and why. Why a scene worked, or not, etc, with details. It is always good to end with a heartfelt positive comment. After all, writing is hard work, which we are willing to do, but not at the cost of being made fun of because we didn't see the proverbial forest for the trees.

Bread Crumbs

 I can't stress enough about the importance of researching a prospective agent or publisher. I recently shared my aspiring author follies in the post called, Sipping the Wine, and just so you know, I've resubmitted that manuscript elsewhere. I remain on my humbled path to publication.

Because these days are laiden with so many distractions, before and after my day job, I am convinced that investing a block of time to research the best market for each piece of work that I want to submit is the best way to concentrate my efforts.  I began writing a decade ago and now I have several manuscripts ready for publication. Can you tell that I prefer the creative process over the business aspect of novel publication? I'm sure that I am not the only one out there. It is, after all - a daunting task.

You know as well as I that we must eventually get down to business; that part where we query, prepare our synopsis, outline and determine where the manuscript should be sent to - that part, that if we never took time to do, well, our work would never be read by anyone, except perhaps on a blog, facebook, or as a tweet.

During  a recent research session I've found myself getting derailed by thinking, "Oh, this publisher isn't right for ___(whatever the title may have been), but  it would be a good home for ___(another title from my repretoire). See what a time bandit this can be? When you finally get back to considering that alternate work, you have to pour yourself over those same pages and hope to find that opportunity again. It is painstakenly long and tedious to work this way. Trust me, I know.

Having recognized this need too keep focused, I've come upon a system that works for me; perhaps it will work for you, too. Bring your bread crumbs to your work space. No, not Progresso's; what I'm referring to are Post It Notes Flags. You can find them on www.postitnotes.com . They come in variety packs with bright colors also in varying widths. You can even write on them -noting your manuscript title, tagging the margin, referencing the place you want to revisit. I now, tag all possible homes for one submission with one color, and other genres get their own color flag. They're easily removable; or you may want to just leave them there for future reference. Easy right? Piece of cake.

Due to that effort, my Writer's Market now has a rainbow of flags ready for me when I sit down to consider the markets for the next manuscript  that I want to concentrate on. Once I send a manuscript out, I log that information on a spreadsheet. Record keeping is another under-talked about subject.

Maybe you already do this or have some other system that suffices like my bread crumb Post It Flags. Whatever works to help make you more effecient in this profession is a good thing.  Please feel free to share your ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you.

Creating Characters From Life

One of the best things about reading a novel is finding out what each of the characters want and then learning how they go about getting it. What is at stake? And, for whom? Do you remember finishing a chapter that you just couldn't close the book on - didn't you just have to read on to satisfy your curiousity? That's when you know the author did his/her homework. Homework? Really?

The truth is, every good author spends time working on Character Profiles, or Bio for each character in your story. Beside age, gender and what part of the country the story takes place, you can begin with a listing of attributes. Going deeper then, is the consideration of what is the driving force to make that character behave in certain ways or situations. What are their flaws?  - Be sure to add them, because nobody wants to read about a perfect character, especially since none of us reading are...perfect.

My first novel developed from release writing. After a year or insomnia it was complete. That was ten years ago. Then I began to study the craft of writing. Wow, was there a lot to learn! While there are a myriad of aspects to consider and plan for, creating and keeping a log of character details is extremely beneficial when drafting a story. Each character needs their own worksheet to help you keep their nuances straight; this also applies to what they might say or do.

As we well know, each story has a problem to solve. It's in the telling; the weaving of characters and how they go about responding to and solving the problem that makes it interesting. The most fascinating thing I stumbled on in this process is creating each character's voice.

When considering my antagonist, Emerson Gray, (in my forthcoming novel, The Forgiveness Factor) I needed him to have a sinsiter voice, one truely psychologically scarey. To me, that cinamatic voice comes from Anthony Hopkins. Hopkins' has portrayed a host of psychologically scarred individuals and it's easy to recall his voice from any of those movies. So, in an effort to create a living, breathing character, Emerson Gray comes to life with Hopkins' voice. Although Gray's physical characteristics differ from Mr. Hopkins, what Gray says, his demeanor, etc are deratives of Hopkins' screen performances.

Putting a real life voice to your characters will help set the stage for a good reader connection. Give it a try!

Read and keep writing,
Diane Rau