Progress is Subjective

While web surfing a few author sites, I discovered a writing tracker to post on my website.  It’s a good tool to update site visitors on my writing progress but it’s also a glaring reminder that I need to get South Beach finished before the end of July.  It says I’m only ¼ of the way there.  (Sighs)

In order to get some good feedback on novel so far I’ll enter the first chapter of South Beach to my online RWA critique group.  I’m a little nervous because the reviewers can say whatever they want.  The rules alone for this group were seven pages long and there are over 300 members.  It’s a little intimidating; it’s like a fifth grader presenting a book report to a group of high school seniors. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m very proud of my work and I received great criticism from my focus readers but the critics in this group are similar to the judges of writing contests. 

One of the rules of the group is to critique two members’ works before you submit a chapter of your work.  I didn’t think this would be problematic until I started to read the rules on writing a critique.  (Like I said above… there are many pages of rules.)  The rules state that you must be very through in your critique because they keep a database of your review.  If it’s too short it won’t count as a critique, just a comment, so you better make sure it’s worth the keyboard you’re typing it on.

I guess I can’t blame the moderator for the extensive rules, Lord knows when I submit my work I want it thoroughly assessed.  I guess I just have to remember what Charlotte Dillion said, “You should put as much effort into a critique as you hope others will use when your chapter is the one being critiqued.”  The goal is to encourage stronger writing from the writer and not to make the writer want to give up.  Every word a critic writes should be measured but the writer should also know that they shouldn’t take everything to heart.

Each of us has different likes and dislikes, and since a critique is only an opinion, the writer doesn’t have to agree with it. If they can just look through the whole critique and take what they believe is helpful, the rest can just fade in the background.  Right?

Well, I look forward to critiquing a writer’s work this weekend.  Just remind me to re-read this entry when it’s my turn to hear the comments about my wo.