McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Who/where do you bounce ideas?
MrWiggles:
My best friend is my creative partner. So, I ask him. We don't fear or resent each other for calling one another idea shit. Which, is most of the time.
Occasionally, I'll throw something at my mom.
Snowleopard:
--- Quote from: MrWiggles on February 08, 2011, 03:12:52 AM ---My best friend is my creative partner. So, I ask him. We don't fear or resent each other for calling one another idea shit. Which, is most of the time.
Occasionally, I'll throw something at my mom.
--- End quote ---
You have a very, good friend. Most people don't have this kind of friend - one they can disagree with without messing up the friendship - also one they can be totally honest with. Congrats.
MrWiggles:
--- Quote from: Snowleopard on February 08, 2011, 03:14:46 AM ---You have a very, good friend. Most people don't have this kind of friend - one they can disagree with without messing up the friendship - also one they can be totally honest with. Congrats.
--- End quote ---
We grew to understand, that by rejecting an idea, is not rejecting the person. You are not your idea. From my experience, most folks don't understand this. And most folks, from my experience, take criticism of their idea, and criticism of them personally. I find this very silly.
But yea, Nintaku and I are pretty strong friends.
Snowleopard:
--- Quote from: MrWiggles on February 08, 2011, 03:45:58 AM ---We grew to understand, that by rejecting an idea, is not rejecting the person. You are not your idea. From my experience, most folks don't understand this. And most folks, from my experience, take criticism of their idea, and criticism of them personally. I find this very silly.
But yea, Nintaku and I are pretty strong friends.
--- End quote ---
I think that's one of the hardest lessons for a young writer to learn. How to take criticism. As you say, they view it as a personal attack and not an over view of their work. On top of which - this is their 'baby' someone is talking about and they get highly defensive. It may be silly but it is very much a fact of life, I suspect, for new writers in whatever genre.
Heck, I've heard a budding mystery writer getting all defensive with an established author in that situation.
My attitude is - honey, he's sold books you haven't - time to stop and listen.
Nickeris86:
I agree it is rather silly to get offended by criticism. That was one of my biggest issues I faced in my writing classes is that very few people were willing to give criticism, I suspect that they didn't want to hurt feelings but it kind of dulled the point of the entire class.
However on the other hand you have to be careful who you ask for opinions because some people don't know how to give constructive criticism. I have had people tell me something I wrote sucks but they didn't give me any ideas on how to correct it. Now that I find to be very irksome.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version