okay, so in doing some critiquing with my group the last few weeks, I’ve noticed I can read a chapter of theirs, synopsis, whatever…and immediately pick out what isn’t working. I can nail who doesn’t have a strong GMC. I can see a backstory dump written in the first chapter. (I do this one myself SO often :wallbash: )
So why, when I reread my own work can’t I see these things? Why can’t I immediately (or even after a few cups of coffee… :coffee:) realize I have to cut that 3 page backstory dump? Why can’t I see that I don’t really KNOW what is motivating my heroine? Why do I pretend I have GMC nailed, when the story is weak because some part of it is missing?
Can you pick out obvious things like this on your critique buds’ work, but read yours a million times and then have to say DAMMIT duh! when they point it out to you? What’s up with that? :crazy2:
I’m really good at picking up the bad stuff or the stuff I liked in books I read, but I can never find those same things in my work ever. I don’t get it either.
I can read my stories over and over and over and still can’t see what’s so obviously wrong with it. And I also read my work and think over and over and over this is garbage.:shakehead:
You are amazing at that. But really, I think that’s the purpose of critique partners and editors. When you write the stuff, you really can’t see it. It takes so much energy to write it, you can’t step back and see the flaws.
If I wait six weeks, I can see them, but not usually until then. 😳
Isn’t that maddening, being able to see it in other’s work and not your own?! I hate that. I guess its because we’re closer to our own. There’s so much about the story that we know and carry in our head that maybe we forget the others aren’t aware of it. I dunno…once I figure it out though it should make my writing a lot less painful!
That’s why critiquing is so important! We find stuff in other people’s work that makes us realize we’re doing it in our own. And yes, it’s horribly frustrating, but often we’re far too close to and involved in our own story to be able to analyse it propoerly.
Kelly’s right – we’re too close to the subject. We’ve lived and breathed these characters’ lives and we think every part of their story is important to know.
I’m much better at figuring out everyone else’s work than my own. I’m also pretty good at finding my own issues (I think):roll: My best cps have been non-writers. I had a book that was nearly done when my reader buddy read it and told me she wanted to slap the heroine. And I knew exactly what she meant. So I don’t send it out until she has read it.
That’s the writing life. Can’t see the forest through the “you know….”
I dont know if the bird are finally pecking me on the head, but I find myself catching issues as I’m writing. I’ll stop and frown then backspace and redo. It’s a little slower than I used to be but I’m catching a lot more the first time through.
Everything’s much easier to see in my CPs’ stories and it ticks me off too. :cursing: