Archive for Creative writing

Writing Groups: Handling Negative Feedback

June 3, 2011 Creative writing, Uncategorized, Writing 4 comments
Just a few journals

Just a few journals - M E Powell

A writing group can help us grow as writers, and feedback sessions help us polish our writing to send out to markets. But not all feedback sessions are equal.

When a work needs serious revision, we want to be told by our writing group members – but in an honest and respectful manner. That doesn’t always happen in a feedback session. I’ve been attending writing classes and groups since the mid-1990s. Sometimes, even when you have strong ties to other group members, you may receive a critique that hurts. It happens. Most of us wear our hearts on our page, so to speak, and it can hurt when someone doesn’t understand – or like – our work.

We also tend to hear the negatives more than the positives. For me, learning to deal with critiques has a steep learning curve. Some 20 years ago, as a result of an offhand remark in a class – “It’s more of a character sketch than a story” – I put one of my stories in a box in the basement. Ten years later, I took it out, dusted it off, and sent it to an editor who offered feedback. The editor loved it and decided to publish it. Lesson learned: if I don’t believe in my writing, who will?

I’ve given and taken poorly handled critiques, and I’d like to talk about some ways I’ve learned to deal with it – although I’m still learning through trial and error, after almost 20 years.

1) Say thank-you. Being defensive only makes you look bad. Put the critique away for a while, and look at it next month. Search for one thing in it that might help the work. And conjure a mental garbage can for the rest.

2) Try not to take it personally. The critique is directed at the page, not at your heart – although it sometimes doesn’t feel like that. Consider the source: maybe the critique-giver had a bad week, or maybe they have another agenda. For example, do they consider themselves rivals in your genre or style? If this might be true, see Step 1 again.

3) Talk to someone about how you feel. Try another group member, the group leader, or a trusted friend. Recently, after a rough session, I considered leaving a group. Instead, after I calmed down, I contacted another group member, although I didn’t know her very well, and discovered she felt the same way. We were able to initiate a discussion in the group, and that helped clear the air.

Above all, don’t give up on yourself. Writing is a craft as well as an art, and it takes time to learn. If a group isn’t working for you and your writing, and you are being held back by the attitudes or critiques you’re getting, it may be time to leave that group and seek another.

Have you had a negative feedback experience? Please leave a comment (click “Read more” below for the comment box).

Writing Groups: Ideas for Feedback

May 27, 2011 Creative writing, Uncategorized, Writing 7 comments

Writing groups can provide valuable allies in our quest to be better writers. Members provide feedback, free manuscript editing, and general moral support in return for a few hours of our time. Writing groups also offer us an opportunity to grow as writers, by providing the same services for others.

Learning to give useful, constructive feedback is the first step in receiving that type of feedback from others. I think of that as the “golden rule” of writing groups. And if it isn’t happening, it’s the best place to start. (More about that next week.)

It’s rare for first drafts to require only a bit of editing to become timeless gems. Normally, every manuscript needs a combination of substantive editing (format, structure, etc.), copy editing (grammar, word usage, etc.), and proof-reading.

Here are some of the ideas that I’ve used successfully, during some 15 years of participation in writing groups, workshops, and courses for various genres:

1) Start with something you like about the work. Consider the themes or ideas the writer is trying to communicate, or the characters, or the story line. As you read, look for a sentence or two that “sing” so you can point those out to the writer. We all need to hear what works, as well as what needs “fixing.”

2) Don’t try to catch everything that’s wrong with the manuscript (unless you’re being paid for a manuscript critique). If you’re one member of a writing group, likely everyone will be asked for feedback during a meeting, so concentrate on two or three things you can mention when it’s your turn. It can also be overwhelming for writers to hear a long list of problems: better to focus on one or two at a time. That helps develop a more positive attitude in the group, and more chance for individual success.

3) Approach each manuscript individually. Some group members may develop specialties, or areas they always look for and bring up in critiques. I think it’s better to try and approach each manuscript with fresh eyes, because it improves your skill as a writer and reader. (It also prevents members of the group from writing for critique, to anticipate group comments, rather than writing for readers.)

4) Keep a positive, respectful tone. If you’re addressing a common problem, say so by using a phrase like, “All of us have this happen from time to time,” or “I’ve noticed this in my own work as well.” Some writers may ask you to watch for problems they’ve been having with their writing, but generally, try not to anticipate that a writer’s past problems will repeat themselves (and try not to feel annoyed if it happens. Remember, in critique, you usually get back what you give.)

5) Try to frame your critique as a question, rather than a solution. I learned this during my MFA at the University of British Columbia, and I find it keeps the writer in their rightful position as expert on their own work. Try a phrase like, “Have you thought about…” and then give one or two specific ideas that might work in that instance.

Often members of a writing group need to “get on the same page” with their critique methods. Why not put it in writing: write up a sheet of ideas together to help everyone approach each member’s work in a similar fashion.

These are just a few ideas about how to give feedback, based on my experiences in writing groups. For this week, I want to focus on the positive. Have you had positive experiences with writing groups? What are some of the strategies you use to give manuscript feedback? Please click “Read more” below to leave a comment.

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