So I finally found a critical reading group.

[Squinch]

They are generally enthusiastic about what they have read so far, and have made some great suggestions.

But this is so HARD! I have written professionally before (though not fiction) so I am shocked at how emotionally difficult this part of the process is. Of course I am not showing that to the group.

Does this get easier? How is this part of the process for you?

[CherokeeDem]

1. It can rip your gut out....

if you let it. I found when I finally decided to be brave and put my work out to be critiqued, it wasn't as scary as I feared. Like you, I found the review by my writing group to be positive and the suggestions very helpful.

Hard? Absolutely, it is very hard. I think it was Hemingway, maybe, who said you sit down at the typewriter and bleed. It certainly feels that way at times. Those words represent our blood, tears and imagination on display for others to see. Writing is very personal and sometimes you feel like you're baring your soul to strangers.

Glad you found a group you are comfortable with, not an easy task. You're going to run into jerks from time to time who want to nitpick because it makes them feel superior. Writers, for the most part, love the craft so much they seem to be willing to help.

Best of luck!

[Squinch]

4. Part of what surprises me is that

the process of writing the first, um, thousand drafts was a lot of fun. And as I said I used to write professionally, and have had tons of criticism in that capacity. It never was anything more than part of the job.

But this is so much closer to the bone. It's exactly as you say, baring your soul. I never expected that.

The group is large-ish, and though some are more brutal than others, I think each has made suggestions that have been valuable. But I am not finding this part fun. I am hoping that after a few more critique sessions, I'll get used to it. I can see already that I just have to soldier through for the benefit of the story.

But thank you for the reassurance.

Good luck to you!

[CherokeeDem]

5. I loved the writing part....

and I loved the edits I did myself... but you are exactly right....these last steps are very difficult. The query letter almost drove me crazy. It proved much harder to write than the novel.

Unfortunately, just part of the process we have to endure.

[Savannahmann]

2. Right now my neighbor is tearing my baby apart

I spent three years coming up with the scenario, the characters, the story, and the technology for my story. 80,000 + words and he's tearing into it like a Thanksgiving Turkey.

But, I value his opinion, and respect it to the extreme. He is educated, wise, and intelligent. He is in short, an excellent beta reader/editor. It is painful to see what he's done, but at the same time I know this will result in a better book. The writer has the most difficult job, they have to tell the story, the editor has an equally difficult job. They have to take a good story, and make it great. This is why the best editors make a good living at it, because their skills are invaluable to the author.

It's a difficult process, and remember, the criticism you receive may not be fair, nor accurate. Listen to it all, and consider it all, and take that which you feel is the best.

[Squinch]

3. This is what I am learning.

I have to let it all sit for 4 or 5 days after the sessions before I can sit down and revise. I am happy with the revisions, but I can't imagine another 4 or 5 months of this.

Your advice to sift through the criticisms is a very good one.

I am finding myself thinking of things that happen later in the book and thinking, "Oh, shit, they're going to hate that!"

One thing is certain, though, this process is never dull.

Thanks for letting me know it's not just me.

Good luck to you!

[SheilaT]

6. An agent or an editor would be far more brutal than a writing group.

I'm just finishing up at a writers conference. The Pikes Peak Writers Conference, to be specific.

One of the sessions I attended was An Agent Reads the Slush Pile. Actually, a reader read aloud the first two pages of the submissions, and the agent would stop, comment, explain why she was stopping, what was wrong. It was incredibly eye-opening. The two pages I turned in didn't get read. Actually, they only got to about half of the submissions. I think I actually got a lot more than I would have had she gotten to mine, because after a bit I realized she probably would have stopped after the first or second paragraph. While her critiquing of others' work was happening, I was editing my pages. Wow. I got a lot out of it.

Do try a writers conference of two. They are amazing. At least the good ones are.

[Squinch]

8. Any in the East that you would recommend?

[SheilaT]

10. I haven't been to any in the east.

I was just at Pikes Peak Writers Conference. And I found it a couple of years ago just by googling writers conferences. You could add your own state, and then just look for ones in nearby states.

Also, the Romance Writers group holds some good conferences. Even if you don't write romance, those people can be useful.

But when you find something on line, look at exactly what they offer, what the workshops are. One that brings in editors and agents and has pitch sessions available are good, even if you are not at all ready to pitch a project. It would need to be in what you consider publishable form to pitch and you need to be prepared to send them a completed manuscript. They may not ask for a full, but only a partial, and that is a huge victory. Oh, and even if you consider it perfect, it will probably need more editing and fixing than you think it does. They always do.

It is immensely gratifying to talk to fellow writers, especially fellow writers at about your level. And ones who are published and who remember exactly what it was like to be at your level. And to have editors and agents treat you as near equals. Not all of them at a conference will, but many will, and that is quite gratifying. The contacts you make at conferences can be very useful down the road.

[Brainstormy]

7. It IS difficult!

Having your fiction or poetry analyzed by others can feel like vivisection. But you'll toughen up, and be better prepared for agents and editors or other critics who can be much more brutal. Pay most attention to those whose own work you respect the most and heavily discount the rest.

[Squinch]

9. Yes, I am seeing that this is the trick: who do you listen to and who do you discount.

I am glad to hear I'll toughen up.

But on the other hand, after feeling nauseous for a couple of days after my last critique, I edited the pages, and they are SO much better. So I just have to put on my big girl panties over this.

[SheilaT]

11. What's especially difficult

is if someone trying to critique doesn't read or doesn't like the kind of thing you write. They can't be helpful.

I write science fiction, and I have yet to find a group for me. I've tried a couple but didn't work out because the others don't read s-f.

I have been accepted into the Taos Toolbox this July. It's a two week long science fiction novel writing workshop held in Taos, NM, and I'm quite psyched to be going. I will finally be with people who write and care about my preferred field, teachers who are not only well published but have strong reputations as teachers in the genre. I hope to learn a lot.

[Squinch]

12. Good luck with that. I'm going to have to look into more workshops.

[pnwmom]

13. Hi Squinch! I just discovered this group.

writing.shawguides.com lists writing conferences by state and genre.

I agree with others that they can be a wonderful resource.

I've been writing for children -- middle grade lately. What do you write?

[Squinch]

14. Pnwmom! Hi! I have a mystery novel that has

gotten some good feedback from an agent. I'm revising it with a writer's group that I just found. Years ago I wrote advertising copy for a living, but that is whole different animal.

Is it YA you are writing? That's a tough group from what I hear.

I will check out writing.shawguides.com. Thank you so much.

[SheilaT]

15. What do you mean by good feedback from an agent?

Did the agent ask to see more? Make suggestions for changes? If that's the case, do the changes and get it back to the agent.

Of if that agent isn't interested, despite the feedback you got, absolutely find a writers conference with agents and editors and get a pitch session.

I know that by hearing what the people who might really market or buy my work say, I've toughened up a lot, and my self editing is, I'm pretty sure, a whole lot better.

[Squinch]

16. She said it was not ready for publication, but she

said, "I think there is really something here and I'd like to see it after it is revised again." She suggested some specific changes on the first 100 pages.

[SheilaT]

17. I sincerely hope you are working on those changes.

From what I understand of the entire publishing industry, that is excellent feedback.

[Squinch]

18. .

I am, but as I did them, I realized the revision needs to be a bit extensive. I am just going to get it in shape as fast as I can but it's not going to be all that fast.

[CrispyQ]

19. I'm glad you found a group!

I've found two critique groups, but they meet on the same day & too close to the same time to go to both, so I go to the one that is smaller.

I have put my work up for critique four times now & I can't tell you how helpful it has been! I had one critique that was difficult. They told me the chapter was intriguing but not believable. I was crushed. What good is a story that isn't believable? But then one woman told me, "You can fix a believably issue, but not everyone can fix a boring story."

The other part of a critique group is critiquing someone else's work. It's hard when it's a genre you aren't into & even harder when the writing is bad. There is a member in our group who is prolific but his stuff stinks! The writing is so bad I have to search for good things to say so I don't sound too harsh.

[Squinch]

20. I just had a critique where they pointed out a problem that is pretty big, and I knew it was in

there, but I was hoping no one would notice. But they did. I guess it keeps us honest. I've known all along that I needed to do the work to fix this thing, so now I guess I'll get on it.

It is hard, but I do keep seeing how much better the manuscript is getting.