A couple of days ago I emailed one of my first completed short stories in about 10 years to a friend to look over and edit. Lesley has this story, although she's a very busy girl what with moving and working and trying to finish a novel; and I've decided it's good to have at least two or three people who look over your writing because different perspectives are good. So I sent it to Adam. Adam and I are co-workers as well as friends but I'm still nervous. Sending out something creative into the world to be examined, critiqued and even judged is a little scary. You have to separate yourself from your work, but every story has a little bit of me in it. I worry that people will read what I write and think I'm weird or crazy, but mostly I'm afraid that they'll read it and pity me because I think I'm a writer, when in reality I have no skills at all.
My solution? The ostrich approach. Head in sand and all that.
What about all you other creative types out there?
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I get the same way Amanda. Of course, in my screenwriting class in college, I ended up liking the experience because people liked what I was writing and they always gave me great ideas to make it better. I think that was because they knew everyone else was reading their writing, and so we all felt in the same boat and wanted to help each other. Maybe you could find a writing group or something to exchange material with and critique...
I enjoyed getting my work critiqued in college, too. But I think it was easier because I didn't really know any of the people in my classes. It's always more difficult with friends because of their tendency to believe that everything you write is from personal experience, or that certain characters are you.
The problem is, even if you've had your work critiqued by non-friends, your friends and family are eventually going to read it if it gets published. I can think of a couple solutions: a) always write in the third person and make the main character the opposite sex from you, or b) let loose and don't worry about what anyone will think. Don't hold back or edit yourself. Make it so outrageous that people probably wouldn't even dare think it was about you.
Good advice. With this particular story, neither of the main characters resemble me at all, so at least that's going for me. And deep down I really welcome the critiquing because outside observers see things you can't, and it'll only make the story better. At least, that's the theory, right?
Well, I think the critiques from my classmates became more valuable as I got to know them more, because I could understand their position better. (I.E., I knew by then if they had taste or not -- just kidding!) No, but when they gave me a suggestion or criticism, I had the context of their personality along with the actual suggestion to work with. If its someone I don't know, and they say this character wouldn't do such and such... well, I don't really know exactly why they don't believe it the way I would if you told me the same thing. Does that make sense?
And also, write what you want to write and what's necessary for the story. If someone thinks it's you, then so be it. But if you're changing it from the way you really would rather it be, then the story could suffer.
Listen to your heart!!!
Hi Amanda!
Through various internet channels I stumbled upon a name that seemed very familiar, calling out through the mist of 4 or 5 years, and I had to surf over and see what is up.
How's things? How's Jeremy? One of my favorite memories involving you guys (one I don't share much because it doesn't make much sense) involves the road trip from Searcy to KC after the "Summer of Angst" which included the Uplift drama...the one in which Jeremy and I drove his old brown pile behind you and Katie all the way back to KC, whilst trying to pelt the GLFYHM car with the contents of a 5-lb. bag of Animal Crackers. Ah, the days of innocence!
Anyway, just wanted to stop by and say hi. This blog phenomenon is crazy, eh?!
Say hey to Jeremy for me.
~gkb
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