McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Question for... Everybody, I Guess

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prophet224:
Just a couple of other notes -

- Beta readers and critique partners (strangers) will always be hit or miss with their reviews and honesty.
- So will friends/family
- If you are in school for something other than writing, take a creative writing class as one of your electives. Other students often just don't care about your feelings.
- Try checking for local groups. For instance, Maryland has the Maryland Writer's Association with local chapters and critique groups.

Breandan:
Just beware of "professional snobbery", I've run into it before where a published author or industry type criticizes your work based on how they think it should be written. Frankly, find beta readers from your target audience, from a neutral audience, and from the audience that generally isn't into that kind of book. Compile the common points of their critiques- positive and negative- and you have what the general reception will be. It will help you tweak and edit the book accordingly. I took it a step further and sent it to someone who seriously disliked me personally, and even he admitted (albeit grudgingly) that it was good, and the few criticisms he had were largely valid and easily fixed. So, if even your enemies like it, you know you've done well :D

the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
IME, the very best feedback you can get is from someone who is a moderately better writer than you are.  Not so much better that you can't make sense of what they are saying because what's natural to them is outside your horizons at the moment.  If you find someone like that who's willing to give you feedback, keep them close; they are priceless.  (And you're unlikely to be able to reciprocate at the same level, considering the "moderately better than" thing.)

This advice is based on the position that there is good writing and there is bad writing and it's possible to tell the difference between them, and that one is trying, on the whole, to become a better writer.   

meg_evonne:
Great question, great discussion, and sound great advice.

I will further suggest that as a writer, young or old, you must be incredibly devoted and passionate about your work. You will always be the best judge of your work, because you must. Do you like what you wrote? Take pride in your own opinion. Yes, over time and as you mature, as we all do, you will find that your personal crit monitor is more than adequate.

As to those reports back that are vague and soft, simply smile, nod, thank them, and then don't ask them to read it again. Most non-writers do not understand what you want, and if they do, then they are obviously not going to be honest enough. OTOH are you listening as closely to their comments as you should? Can you not expand on their thoughts with open ended short questions to lead them along. Perhaps they simply don't know how to crit.

Learning to read critically is not taught well and few can properly express their thoughts--whether being soft or hard.

Keep writing! Keep positive! Keep perspective--after all you are young and your writing will reflect that. Writing young is not a fault, but might be a plus. Perhaps you can use it to your advantage in your writing.

Are you writing your age or are you attempting to write as an older, experienced person? If failing in that attempt, then you deny a great advantage.

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