If you want your work published, you must learn to ask for and accept critiques. Granted, it’s not always easy. Like anxious parents, most writers feel a need to protect their “baby” when they send it out into the world. But critiques are a necessary part of the publishing process, and responding appropriately to readers’ comments helps strengthen your work. The trick is keeping those critiques constructive.

It’s thrilling to hear someone say, “I liked your story,” “This was really interesting” or “You’re a wonderful writer.” But such critiques aren’t constructive; they’re worthless, other than giving your ego a boost. You need more specific feedback to help you improve your work. Comments like, “I loved the surprise ending,” “The main character reminds me of my Aunt Betty” or “I felt like I was in the room” are somewhat better. But nothing helps as much as a specific “negative” critique.

Say what! A negative critique about your work! Yes.

When you receive negative critiques, ask the readers to be as specific as possible. Find out what they didn’t like or didn’t understand — without getting defensive or trying to explain it away. Set your emotions aside, and just listen and make notes. Again, not easy, but well worth learning how to do. If one reader didn’t like or didn’t understand something in your story, chances are that reader’s not alone. Aim to write in a way that none of your readers can misread your meaning. If it helps ease the pain, set your work aside for a while and let your subconscious mull over the comments.

I’m not saying you should make every change your readers suggest. Sometimes those changes will conflict. Everyone has different views. Weigh all comments as mere suggestions. If they ring true, you’ll feel it in your gut (once you no longer feel like you’ve been punched there). If they don’t ring true, just ignore them. Some comments will have more to do with the reader than with your work. Always consider the source.

Don’t rely on friends and family for critiques. Share your work with other writers, especially published ones. Join a writers group either online or off, or work with a writing partner. Stress that you’re asking for specific critiques, whether positive or negative. Then bring ‘em on!

Lana Castle

Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble or the print for $7.99 from the books page of this website.

One of my favorite quotes is: “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” This quote, attributed alternatively to Mark Twain, Blaise Pascal or even Samuel Johnson, attests to the difficulty of writing concisely. But doing so is important and a skill that most writers develop over time. Here are a few tips to speed your mastery.

Use vivid words, primarily nouns and verbs. Limit adjectives and adverbs, which tend to lead to wordiness. Save supersizing for fast foods; think short and direct! Watch out especially for very. She was livid is stronger than She was very mad. This is my final draft is more direct than This is my very final draft.

Use the active voice; it’s almost always more direct than the passive. Passive sentences tend to dance around your point: This blog was written for you. Instead, reveal who did what: I wrote this blog for you. The words is, are, was, were, be, am, been, being and by as well as words ending in –ment or –tion frequently — but not always— signal passive constructions: Attention should be paid to redundant phrasing. Instead write: Pay attention to redundant phrasing or Avoid redundancy. You can set Microsoft Word’s grammar-checking function to find passive sentences and then reword the sentences yourself. Just go to Options/Proofing/Settings/Style and click on the Passive sentences box on a PC, or Preferences/Spelling and Grammar/Grammar/Settings and click on thePassive sentences box on a Mac.

Eliminate unnecessary thats: She said that she never wanted to see him again. He thinks that there’s no better calling than being a writer.

Use only one or two words for overused longer phrases: like instead of along the lines of, always instead of at all times, now or presently instead of at the present time, by instead of by means of, even though instead of despite the fact that, if instead of in the event that, soon instead of in the near future and so on.

Writing to a tight word count is great practice. Draft a segment, do a word count and then challenge yourself to reduce the count by twenty percent. You’d be surprised how much you can cut and still get your point across. Happy writing!

Lana Castle

http://www.castlecommunications.com/

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Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble  or print copies for only $7.99 by using the Contact page of this website and tell Dee know how many copies you’d like and shipping address. She’ll email the ordering information.

Ever have a case of “writer’s block”? Nearly every writer claims to have experienced it. But perhaps it wasn’t writer’s block so much as it was a misunderstanding of the nature of inspiration and its place in the creative process. Many writers think the process consists of 1) getting a great inspiration, 2) then writing, 3) then publishing, sharing and/or performing their work. But those who do sometimes find their muse missing in action.

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect inspiration to appear before writing a word, then stop waiting and just write! Composer, pianist, and conductor Leonard S. Bernstein said, “Inspiration only knocks. Some writers expect it to break down the door and pull them out of bed.” That “knock” can come at any point during the creative process.

In reality, the creative process involves seven phases:

1) Identifying something you want to share: You don’t have to start with a big inspiration. You might start with only an emotion, an image, an analogy, an observation or a sensation you want to convey.

2) Preparing to write by gathering your tools: Pen, paper, computer, notes, writing exercises, coffee, you name it—whatever you need to start. Just gather them quickly and get going.

3) Implementing or “doing” the art: Letting your creativity flow, working your writing muscle—preferably without stopping to critique your work. Don’t allow your writing muscle to get flabby while you wait for your muse to show up! Frequently, inspiration arrives during this phase.

4) Evaluating: Examining what you’ve produced so far. Getting someone’s feedback. Using the suggestions that feel right and disregarding the rest.

5) Incubating: Stepping away, putting your project on the back burner and letting your subconscious work on it a while.

6) Modifying: Revising your work as needed. Editing, tightening and fine-tuning. This is where the real work usually occurs.

7) Completing and celebrating: Cutting the apron strings and getting your baby out there. Sure, send it out dressed appropriately, but don’t let perfection get in your way.

Inspiration can occur during any phase of the creative process. And the process isn’t always this orderly. Don’t wait until your muse shows up, just write!

Lana Castle,
I’ll polish your prose and make your writing shine!
www.castlecommunications.com

If you found this post helpful, please use the share buttons to spread the word about it.

Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble