We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.
Several writer friends and I got into a conversation this weekend about critiques. Each of us regularly ask a range of other people to read and critique our works, so it was only natural that we discuss it. The conclusion we reached was that being a writer makes each of us into a keyboard-wielding version of Willy Wonka.
I love that film (the Gene Wilder version--I've yet to see the Burton/Depp attempt). Do you remember it? I do. Fondly. At the end, Mr. Wonka told Charlie that he knew he'd have to find a child to take over the factory. That an adult would want to do things his way--not Willy Wonka's way.
Getting critiqued is like that.
A lot of people (other writers, for the most part) cannot separate themselves from a manuscript enough to purely delve into another author's creation. They carry, as we all do, inner critics. Evil, beasty little voices that pick and pick and pick until there's not a shred of confidence left. And the inner critic doesn't just criticize the writer's work, oh no. It also criticizes other writers' works. A fact that is sad, but in most cases true.
One of my friends complained that a recent critiquer had ripped her manuscript to shreds and that the experience had left her filled with self-doubt--something she'd never really had a problem with before. I reminded her of the quote above, We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams. In short, don't let someone else's doubts invade your creative world. Take the good, solid advice and throw the rest away.
Because in the end, the only person's opinion that matters...is yours.
I love that film (the Gene Wilder version--I've yet to see the Burton/Depp attempt). Do you remember it? I do. Fondly. At the end, Mr. Wonka told Charlie that he knew he'd have to find a child to take over the factory. That an adult would want to do things his way--not Willy Wonka's way.
Getting critiqued is like that.
A lot of people (other writers, for the most part) cannot separate themselves from a manuscript enough to purely delve into another author's creation. They carry, as we all do, inner critics. Evil, beasty little voices that pick and pick and pick until there's not a shred of confidence left. And the inner critic doesn't just criticize the writer's work, oh no. It also criticizes other writers' works. A fact that is sad, but in most cases true.
One of my friends complained that a recent critiquer had ripped her manuscript to shreds and that the experience had left her filled with self-doubt--something she'd never really had a problem with before. I reminded her of the quote above, We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams. In short, don't let someone else's doubts invade your creative world. Take the good, solid advice and throw the rest away.
Because in the end, the only person's opinion that matters...is yours.
posted by Heather Brewer at 9:34 PM
2 Comments:
The act of giving a critique AND the act of receiving a critique are delicate arts. The doer must be as positive as possible while being honest and choose tone and words carefully (making fun of a passage and laughing is definitely out). The receiver must lay down defensiveness, don't ever argue, and realize that a reader has an experience the writer will never have--a fresh, open read without any prior knowledge.
I quite agree, Jason. I also think it's important to have a variety of readers--both writers and non-writers. It's important to listen, but to take all of the varying advice with a grain of salt, as much of it will differ between critiquers.
And when in doubt, put the book away and come back to it later. You can never truly have fresh perspective of your own work, but it helps.
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