Dear O'Abby,
I see you guys at Operation Awesome are running a Pass or Pages competition later this month. I've always been reticent about entering contests because I've never really understood their value. Can you tell me why I should enter? Or not enter?
Yours,
Contestable.
Dear Contestable,
Entering contests is a purely personal choice. You don't have to, by any means. Traditional querying of your manuscript or sending it directly to small presses or self-publishing is equally valid.
Contests are supposed to be fun. If you don't find them fun, then don't enter.
Pass or Pages is a little different from some other contests in that Operation Awesome asks a panel agents who represent the genre the contest is focusing on to judge the entries and provide feedback. If your query isn't working out there in the trenches, it might be a good opportunity to get professional feedback on why it isn't working. Ditto your opening page.
It is also a good chance to get a peek into the personal tastes of the judging agents. Maybe you think another entry in the pool is remarkable and you'd pick it up in a second if it was on the shelf in your local bookstore, yet one of the agents tears both the query and the opening pages to shreds. This might be something that indicates you and this agent might not be a great fit, so you might decide to cross her off your querying list.
Alternatively, this might be something that gives you a fresh perspective on your own work, a kind of lightning moment that makes you realize something you thought worked well, really doesn't.
At the end of the day, I'm not going to tell you whether you should or shouldn't enter Pass or Pages or any other contest. All I can say is that I've received a lot of really great feedback through competitions, met a lot of other writers, some of whom have become valued readers/critique partners, and felt much more connected to the writing community as a result. I've even received full requests, offers of representation and for publication through contests, so for me, they seem to work.
If you do decide to enter Pass and Pages, we'll look forward to reading your entry!
And good luck!
X O'Abby
Showing posts with label feedback. Show all posts
Showing posts with label feedback. Show all posts
Thursday, September 3, 2020
Thursday, July 16, 2020
Dear O'Abby: My feedback is mixed. How do I know what's right?
Dear O'Abby,
About six months ago I entered a writing contest. I didn't win, but the email I was sent from the organisers told me I'd made the shortlist of ten. They also included some feedback from the judges, which was overwhelmingly positive for the most part, while pointing out a few areas where my story could be stronger.
This contest is run twice a year, so I polished up my MS, using the feedback from the judges, and entered again the next time the contest opened to entries. I didn't expect to win, but I certainly didn't expect to get an email with judges' feedback that was completely different to the feedback I got last time.
These judges seemed to think my story was TERRIBLE. The characters were poorly drawn and weak. The plot was full of holes and the reader was asked to suspend disbelief to a degree that stretched plausibility.
What is going on here? How can the same contest give such different feedback on what is essentially the same story?
Yours,
Gobsmacked
Dear Gobsmacked,
I'm sorry you got this kind of feedback. It's disappointing, I know. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens all the time.
You've probably heard before that reading is subjective. What one reader loves, another might hate. It sounds like you've come across one of these situations.
Contests are often judged by volunteers or 'celebrity' judges and if the contest runs frequently, the pool of judges is likely to change regularly. Therefore, judges who may have loved your story last time, may not be there the next time you enter to see how you used their thoughtful feedback. And the new judges may not have the same taste or experience with your genre as the previous ones.
The trick is to not let this get you down. And certainly not give up on your story. If you're happy with it and you like it, then that's good. Don't let an email from a stranger make you give up on it.
Let that email sit for a few days, until the sting wears off. Then go back and read it again. Is there anything you can use in there? Is there anything that actually resonates with you? I often find that once I'm over being hurt by negative comments, I can often find something useful in them.
In fact, negative feedback is often more helpful than positive feedback, although I think people giving feedback should always try to balance the good and the bad. There's got to be something to like about almost every story, no matter how badly written it is. Even if they just like the fact the main character has a dog they are kind to, it's important to mention that before diving into everything they perceive is wrong with the story.
So see if there is anything you can use. Is there some truth in those comments? Something that's been nagging at the back of your mind, but you haven't quite acknowledged to yourself yet?
If there really is nothing useful, or the feedback is so generic you feel like the same thing was said to every contestant, then you might want to write to the contest and let them know how unsatisfactory the feedback was this time around. Not all judges are going to give the same kind or level of feedback, but if that's something the contest offers, it's a problem if some of the judges are offering something very unhelpful.
Hope that helps. Don't give up. There are other contests and other places you can send your story if this one doesn't work out.
X O'Abby.
About six months ago I entered a writing contest. I didn't win, but the email I was sent from the organisers told me I'd made the shortlist of ten. They also included some feedback from the judges, which was overwhelmingly positive for the most part, while pointing out a few areas where my story could be stronger.
This contest is run twice a year, so I polished up my MS, using the feedback from the judges, and entered again the next time the contest opened to entries. I didn't expect to win, but I certainly didn't expect to get an email with judges' feedback that was completely different to the feedback I got last time.
These judges seemed to think my story was TERRIBLE. The characters were poorly drawn and weak. The plot was full of holes and the reader was asked to suspend disbelief to a degree that stretched plausibility.
What is going on here? How can the same contest give such different feedback on what is essentially the same story?
Yours,
Gobsmacked
Dear Gobsmacked,
I'm sorry you got this kind of feedback. It's disappointing, I know. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens all the time.
You've probably heard before that reading is subjective. What one reader loves, another might hate. It sounds like you've come across one of these situations.
Contests are often judged by volunteers or 'celebrity' judges and if the contest runs frequently, the pool of judges is likely to change regularly. Therefore, judges who may have loved your story last time, may not be there the next time you enter to see how you used their thoughtful feedback. And the new judges may not have the same taste or experience with your genre as the previous ones.
The trick is to not let this get you down. And certainly not give up on your story. If you're happy with it and you like it, then that's good. Don't let an email from a stranger make you give up on it.
Let that email sit for a few days, until the sting wears off. Then go back and read it again. Is there anything you can use in there? Is there anything that actually resonates with you? I often find that once I'm over being hurt by negative comments, I can often find something useful in them.
In fact, negative feedback is often more helpful than positive feedback, although I think people giving feedback should always try to balance the good and the bad. There's got to be something to like about almost every story, no matter how badly written it is. Even if they just like the fact the main character has a dog they are kind to, it's important to mention that before diving into everything they perceive is wrong with the story.
So see if there is anything you can use. Is there some truth in those comments? Something that's been nagging at the back of your mind, but you haven't quite acknowledged to yourself yet?
If there really is nothing useful, or the feedback is so generic you feel like the same thing was said to every contestant, then you might want to write to the contest and let them know how unsatisfactory the feedback was this time around. Not all judges are going to give the same kind or level of feedback, but if that's something the contest offers, it's a problem if some of the judges are offering something very unhelpful.
Hope that helps. Don't give up. There are other contests and other places you can send your story if this one doesn't work out.
X O'Abby.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Worried that someone will steal your work? Here's why you shouldn't be concerned.
Over the weekend, I was talking with one of my writing buddies. They were telling me about how they wanted to post their writing online for feedback, but were worried that someone would steal their work or their idea. I’ve had similar conversations with other writers in the past, and I wanted to address this because it’s probably not as likely as you’d think.
Posting your work online can be a really useful way to get feedback. You can be anonymous and get people’s honest opinions, as opposed to asking your mom who…might not be unbiased. But the possibility of someone lurking in forums waiting for the perfect scrap of writing to steal discourages a lot of people. The thing is, when you think about it, this kind of theft is extremely unlikely, and here are three reasons why.
Most people who see your idea are writers
Probably 99% of the people who would look at your work and offer feedback are writers just like you. They’re just as nervous and just as eager to give and receive feedback. You know how a writer’s brain is: we've got a million ideas bouncing around in our heads and not nearly enough time to explore them all. I don’t know about you, but I’m not exactly trawling the internet for more plot ideas. I already have far more ideas than I know what to do with, and the thing is, I want to tell that story the way I think about it. Which leads me to my second point:
People don’t think alike
Let’s take an example. I used to do writing competitions where I’d be in a room with five other people, and we’d have 40 minutes to write on a prompt like “___ Left ___: Fill in the blanks and use this as the title for your story.” I wrote about an immigrant family; someone else in the room wrote from the point of view of a piece of gum stuck to a shoe. So even with the same source material or the same base, no two people are going to write the same thing. If you post your short story that you’re planning to turn into a full-length novel and someone steals your idea, odds are they’re going to end up so different that you wouldn’t be able to relate them anyway. And on that note:
It’s just plain difficult to steal someone else’s idea
It seems like it should be easy, right? You go online and someone has already done all the hard work for you, and now you can just reap the rewards. Well, not so fast. Think about all the background info you have in your head that doesn’t end up on the page. Think about all the little details that make the story make sense, that knit all the words together. If you don’t write them into your work, how is a thief going to be able to do anything with that story? For that matter, do you really think someone who steals other people’s ideas on the internet can be creative enough to do something meaningful with that idea? If they were that creative, they’d have come up with their own idea in the first place. And even if they do manage to write something halfway decent, they’d still have to query or submit their work and somehow be faster than you.
So…what can you do?
It’s definitely worth it to be cautious about posting your work online. It’s true that you never know who’s looking at it or what their intentions are. If you still need feedback but aren’t willing to post your work on a blog or forum, try to form relationships with other writers and work with trusted CPs and beta readers. If you really must post your work and you’re nervous about theft, consider setting a date when you’ll delete it or take it down. And if any kind of online presence doesn’t feel right to you, check around to see if there are any in-person writing groups where you might get feedback on a hard copy of your work. Best of luck!
Posting your work online can be a really useful way to get feedback. You can be anonymous and get people’s honest opinions, as opposed to asking your mom who…might not be unbiased. But the possibility of someone lurking in forums waiting for the perfect scrap of writing to steal discourages a lot of people. The thing is, when you think about it, this kind of theft is extremely unlikely, and here are three reasons why.
Most people who see your idea are writers
Probably 99% of the people who would look at your work and offer feedback are writers just like you. They’re just as nervous and just as eager to give and receive feedback. You know how a writer’s brain is: we've got a million ideas bouncing around in our heads and not nearly enough time to explore them all. I don’t know about you, but I’m not exactly trawling the internet for more plot ideas. I already have far more ideas than I know what to do with, and the thing is, I want to tell that story the way I think about it. Which leads me to my second point:
People don’t think alike
Let’s take an example. I used to do writing competitions where I’d be in a room with five other people, and we’d have 40 minutes to write on a prompt like “___ Left ___: Fill in the blanks and use this as the title for your story.” I wrote about an immigrant family; someone else in the room wrote from the point of view of a piece of gum stuck to a shoe. So even with the same source material or the same base, no two people are going to write the same thing. If you post your short story that you’re planning to turn into a full-length novel and someone steals your idea, odds are they’re going to end up so different that you wouldn’t be able to relate them anyway. And on that note:
It’s just plain difficult to steal someone else’s idea
It seems like it should be easy, right? You go online and someone has already done all the hard work for you, and now you can just reap the rewards. Well, not so fast. Think about all the background info you have in your head that doesn’t end up on the page. Think about all the little details that make the story make sense, that knit all the words together. If you don’t write them into your work, how is a thief going to be able to do anything with that story? For that matter, do you really think someone who steals other people’s ideas on the internet can be creative enough to do something meaningful with that idea? If they were that creative, they’d have come up with their own idea in the first place. And even if they do manage to write something halfway decent, they’d still have to query or submit their work and somehow be faster than you.
So…what can you do?
It’s definitely worth it to be cautious about posting your work online. It’s true that you never know who’s looking at it or what their intentions are. If you still need feedback but aren’t willing to post your work on a blog or forum, try to form relationships with other writers and work with trusted CPs and beta readers. If you really must post your work and you’re nervous about theft, consider setting a date when you’ll delete it or take it down. And if any kind of online presence doesn’t feel right to you, check around to see if there are any in-person writing groups where you might get feedback on a hard copy of your work. Best of luck!
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Why Mentoring Feels Broken Sometimes
"I don't know where things are broken."
This was what I told a writer friend a little over a year ago, back when I was still querying my YA fantasy. I had been in the query trenches for two years at that point, sent over one hundred queries, and applied to dozens of mentoring opportunities, but somehow, I never got any positive responses. Agents weren't interested in my work. Mentors didn't even request more pages. And all I could think was, where is the disconnect here?
There are so many things that are hard about being a writer, and getting feedback can be one of the toughest – and not just because feedback is sometimes hard to take. I've advocated for the magic of beta readers and critique partners over and over, and I stand by that opinion. But the problem is, there are so many unpublished writers, and so few published ones, that it's really hard to get the information about whatever magic it is that your writing is missing. Most of us just don't know what agents are looking for, because we're not agented ourselves. Before I went through the process of signing with my agent and going through revisions and submission, it was understandably hard for other writers to place their trust in me. What right did I have to tell them that chapter three could use more “oomph”? And for that matter, why should I trust Betty from Oklahoma City that my villain wasn’t villain-y enough?
The role that's meant to bridge that gap is mentors, people who are agented or who have published books before, and who are willing to provide their experience and expertise to us hopefuls. Finding a mentor, though, is incredibly difficult. Hundreds of people apply to be mentored by a single person, hoping for that chance to find out what’s broken in their process of revisions and querying. But if you’re not picked, you get nothing – you learn nothing about your writing, nothing about your query letter, nothing to make you a better writer. You come out of the experience with no more information than when you went into it.
This is the thing I find objectionable about mentoring opportunities. More often than not, it seems as if the mentors pick the most interesting story, the one that seems most likely to succeed - and, as a result, the one that actually needs the least help. The people who truly need assistance, the writers are really struggling, seem to fall by the wayside every time. I remember literally crying on the floor in the closet in our tiny basement apartment because I’d been rejected from yet another mentoring program, and I received no feedback from the mentor once again. I didn’t know what was wrong with my manuscript. I didn’t know what needed to be fixed. I needed help with my writing so badly, and yet it seemed to always be out of my reach.
Gatekeeping in writing is HUGE, and sometimes understandably so - publishers have to make money, after all. But the process is often so obtuse, so opaque, that it’s impossible to even see the path to the other side. That’s where I take issue with mentoring. I understand that mentors’ time is valuable, that they can’t exactly pen a handwritten note to every entrant. It would take days, if not weeks, to reply to everyone with some sort of feedback. But at the same time, back when I was querying, all I wanted was a single sentence, and many times I didn’t even get that. So I urge you, if any of you out there are mentors, or want to be, or have been, please remember what it’s like to be querying. Remember how lost you felt, how little support there was for you on your journey. Give your applicants every opportunity that you can, and remember that they’re just as important as your mentee. They may never get the support that only you can give. Just give them a minute of your time. That may be all they need to succeed.
This was what I told a writer friend a little over a year ago, back when I was still querying my YA fantasy. I had been in the query trenches for two years at that point, sent over one hundred queries, and applied to dozens of mentoring opportunities, but somehow, I never got any positive responses. Agents weren't interested in my work. Mentors didn't even request more pages. And all I could think was, where is the disconnect here?
There are so many things that are hard about being a writer, and getting feedback can be one of the toughest – and not just because feedback is sometimes hard to take. I've advocated for the magic of beta readers and critique partners over and over, and I stand by that opinion. But the problem is, there are so many unpublished writers, and so few published ones, that it's really hard to get the information about whatever magic it is that your writing is missing. Most of us just don't know what agents are looking for, because we're not agented ourselves. Before I went through the process of signing with my agent and going through revisions and submission, it was understandably hard for other writers to place their trust in me. What right did I have to tell them that chapter three could use more “oomph”? And for that matter, why should I trust Betty from Oklahoma City that my villain wasn’t villain-y enough?
The role that's meant to bridge that gap is mentors, people who are agented or who have published books before, and who are willing to provide their experience and expertise to us hopefuls. Finding a mentor, though, is incredibly difficult. Hundreds of people apply to be mentored by a single person, hoping for that chance to find out what’s broken in their process of revisions and querying. But if you’re not picked, you get nothing – you learn nothing about your writing, nothing about your query letter, nothing to make you a better writer. You come out of the experience with no more information than when you went into it.
This is the thing I find objectionable about mentoring opportunities. More often than not, it seems as if the mentors pick the most interesting story, the one that seems most likely to succeed - and, as a result, the one that actually needs the least help. The people who truly need assistance, the writers are really struggling, seem to fall by the wayside every time. I remember literally crying on the floor in the closet in our tiny basement apartment because I’d been rejected from yet another mentoring program, and I received no feedback from the mentor once again. I didn’t know what was wrong with my manuscript. I didn’t know what needed to be fixed. I needed help with my writing so badly, and yet it seemed to always be out of my reach.
Gatekeeping in writing is HUGE, and sometimes understandably so - publishers have to make money, after all. But the process is often so obtuse, so opaque, that it’s impossible to even see the path to the other side. That’s where I take issue with mentoring. I understand that mentors’ time is valuable, that they can’t exactly pen a handwritten note to every entrant. It would take days, if not weeks, to reply to everyone with some sort of feedback. But at the same time, back when I was querying, all I wanted was a single sentence, and many times I didn’t even get that. So I urge you, if any of you out there are mentors, or want to be, or have been, please remember what it’s like to be querying. Remember how lost you felt, how little support there was for you on your journey. Give your applicants every opportunity that you can, and remember that they’re just as important as your mentee. They may never get the support that only you can give. Just give them a minute of your time. That may be all they need to succeed.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Dear O'Abby: Do I Need to Pay a Beta Reader?
Dear O'Abby,
I've recently finished revising a novel based on feedback from a critique group and feel like I'm ready now to get another layer of feedback. I've been looking for beta readers to get this, and was surprised when one of the people I reached out to asked to be paid for it. Is this normal? Should I expect to pay for a beta read?
Yours,
Strapped
Dear Strapped,
No. This is not normal. Beta readers are usually fellow writers or people who like reading in your category and can articulate what they think the problems are with your book. In my experience, beta reading is usually a reciprocal thing - I'll read your MS if you read mine - but it doesn't have to be.
Certainly, it's a nice gesture if you give a copy of the finished book to the person who beta read for you, and you can thank them in the acknowledgments section of the book. But I don't believe you should pay actual cash money.
That said, if you are wanting a significant amount of feedback, and perhaps some line editing as well, then there might be a case for paying someone to read your MS. But in that case, I think the line between beta reading and editorial work is somewhat blurred. You would definitely expect to pay an editor and often the differences between what a beta reader and an editor do are quite small. I certainly do little line edits in manuscripts I beta read just because I can't help myself if I see a spelling, grammar or other minor error.
But I don't ask to be paid for the beta reading I do just because I will mention if you have a comma in the wrong place as well as telling you the MC needs to be more active in solving their own problems, or a secondary character is just annoying, not endearing, or that I feel like the whole of chapter 23 is completely redundant and slows the pacing. I just hope that when my next MS is ready to be seen, you will do the same for me.
Hope that's helpful! And good luck with your manuscript.
X O'Abby
I've recently finished revising a novel based on feedback from a critique group and feel like I'm ready now to get another layer of feedback. I've been looking for beta readers to get this, and was surprised when one of the people I reached out to asked to be paid for it. Is this normal? Should I expect to pay for a beta read?
Yours,
Strapped
Dear Strapped,
No. This is not normal. Beta readers are usually fellow writers or people who like reading in your category and can articulate what they think the problems are with your book. In my experience, beta reading is usually a reciprocal thing - I'll read your MS if you read mine - but it doesn't have to be.
Certainly, it's a nice gesture if you give a copy of the finished book to the person who beta read for you, and you can thank them in the acknowledgments section of the book. But I don't believe you should pay actual cash money.
That said, if you are wanting a significant amount of feedback, and perhaps some line editing as well, then there might be a case for paying someone to read your MS. But in that case, I think the line between beta reading and editorial work is somewhat blurred. You would definitely expect to pay an editor and often the differences between what a beta reader and an editor do are quite small. I certainly do little line edits in manuscripts I beta read just because I can't help myself if I see a spelling, grammar or other minor error.
But I don't ask to be paid for the beta reading I do just because I will mention if you have a comma in the wrong place as well as telling you the MC needs to be more active in solving their own problems, or a secondary character is just annoying, not endearing, or that I feel like the whole of chapter 23 is completely redundant and slows the pacing. I just hope that when my next MS is ready to be seen, you will do the same for me.
Hope that's helpful! And good luck with your manuscript.
X O'Abby
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Dear OAbby: How Do I Reconcile Conflicting Feedback?
Dear OAbby is a new feature on Operation Awesome where we answer your questions! It's an advice column by writers, for writers, chock-full of information about writing, querying, the publication process, etc. If you have a question you'd like answered, just send it to operationawesome6@gmail.com. All questions may be edited for clarity and/or space, and will be posted anonymously, with no identifying information.
Dear OAbby:
I've been languishing in the query trenches for a few months, and have been lucky enough to score a few partial and full requests amid all the rejections. But when I've gotten feedback from these requests (once they've turned into rejections), they're all over the place. Some agents love the concept and the writing and think the plot doesn't work; some like the plot but think the story isn't high-concept enough. Some love the voice, some don't connect with the voice. Some just didn't fall in love with it enough to pursue representation. How do I reconcile all these different reactions?
Yours truly,
In a Feedback Loop
Dear Feedback Loop:
Ah yes, conflicting feedback is one of the more maddening aspects of the publication process! One of the things that makes it particularly frustrating at the querying stage is you can't always be sure if the feedback is specific to your work, or if it's politely-worded form rejection language (the 'I didn't fall in love with it' language is a sure sign of the latter). Setting that aside, I've found using the following procedure can help:
First, make sure you're collecting all your feedback in one place. An email subfolder works, or you can cut-and-paste feedback from emails into a Word doc. Also, make sure you know which agent sent which feedback.
Second, create a chart (or spreadsheet) where you can compare all the feedback in one place. For example, if you make a chart, you can have the agent name in the first column, the outcome of your query in the second (rejected, requested pages/then rejected, etc.), and the specific feedback in the third column. Being able to look at a single document that has all the feedback organized like this will enable you to recognize trends and commonalities. If more than one agent is giving the same feedback (for example, not connecting to the main character), then you'll know that's something to focus on when you revise.
Third, if you really find that no two agents have the same feedback, and they're completely in conflict on some points, then it's time to send the manuscript to another beta reader or two and get their thoughts. Once you get their feedback, put it into the chart along with the agent feedback. Then take another look. At this point, you should be able to see some themes emerging.
Fourth, if you have the means to do so, you might consider hiring a developmental editor. They can work with you to pinpoint the weaknesses in your manuscript and help you create a revision plan.
Rejections are never easy, but remember, every rejection gets you one step closer to that eventual 'yes'! Happy Querying!
Dear OAbby:
I've been languishing in the query trenches for a few months, and have been lucky enough to score a few partial and full requests amid all the rejections. But when I've gotten feedback from these requests (once they've turned into rejections), they're all over the place. Some agents love the concept and the writing and think the plot doesn't work; some like the plot but think the story isn't high-concept enough. Some love the voice, some don't connect with the voice. Some just didn't fall in love with it enough to pursue representation. How do I reconcile all these different reactions?
Yours truly,
In a Feedback Loop
Dear Feedback Loop:
Ah yes, conflicting feedback is one of the more maddening aspects of the publication process! One of the things that makes it particularly frustrating at the querying stage is you can't always be sure if the feedback is specific to your work, or if it's politely-worded form rejection language (the 'I didn't fall in love with it' language is a sure sign of the latter). Setting that aside, I've found using the following procedure can help:
First, make sure you're collecting all your feedback in one place. An email subfolder works, or you can cut-and-paste feedback from emails into a Word doc. Also, make sure you know which agent sent which feedback.
Second, create a chart (or spreadsheet) where you can compare all the feedback in one place. For example, if you make a chart, you can have the agent name in the first column, the outcome of your query in the second (rejected, requested pages/then rejected, etc.), and the specific feedback in the third column. Being able to look at a single document that has all the feedback organized like this will enable you to recognize trends and commonalities. If more than one agent is giving the same feedback (for example, not connecting to the main character), then you'll know that's something to focus on when you revise.
Third, if you really find that no two agents have the same feedback, and they're completely in conflict on some points, then it's time to send the manuscript to another beta reader or two and get their thoughts. Once you get their feedback, put it into the chart along with the agent feedback. Then take another look. At this point, you should be able to see some themes emerging.
Fourth, if you have the means to do so, you might consider hiring a developmental editor. They can work with you to pinpoint the weaknesses in your manuscript and help you create a revision plan.
Rejections are never easy, but remember, every rejection gets you one step closer to that eventual 'yes'! Happy Querying!
Thursday, April 27, 2017
W is for Want to Be a Great Critique Partner? #AtoZChallenge
The #AtoZChallenge 2017 Theme at Operation Awesome is the Publishing Journey.
At Operation Awesome, we strive to provide writers and readers with the resources they need to succeed, at every stage of the journey. With that in mind, let's discuss how to be a great critique partner or beta reader!
Writers know how invaluable critique partners (who review your manuscript, sometimes a few chapters at a time, and provide detailed feedback and/or edits) and beta readers (who read the entire manuscript and provide high-level feedback on plot, characters, etc.) are to the writing process. Here are some tips for becoming the kind of critique partner/beta reader who gets thanked in a published novel's Acknowledgments page:
1) Know your limitations. Everyone is busy. All the time. But if you offer to beta read a manuscript, and commit to finishing and providing feedback in two weeks, you really only have two options: finish and provide feedback in two weeks; or, if you know you won't be able to finish on time, contact the writer to let him/her know so the manuscript can be sent to another beta reader if necessary. There's no harm in saying 'no' or 'maybe next time' if the deadline doesn't work for your schedule, but there is harm in overcommitting and failing to deliver. And if you're not sure when the writer needs feedback by, ask!
Furthermore, most writers know their own strengths and weaknesses and should apply those to critiquing. For example, I'm good at writing scenes where characters sit around talking about things, and not so good at whiz-bang action sequences. So when I'm critiquing, I make it clear that while I may have high-level impressions about action scenes, those critiques should be taken with a grain of salt.
2) Listen to the writer's needs. When I send a manuscript to a critique partner or beta reader, I'm explicit about the kind of feedback I want. Sometimes it's high-level thoughts about the book as a whole (Does the mystery's reveal work? Does this character arc make sense?), other times it's scene-by-scene impressions. Other writers may want line-edits, grammar checks, or formatting help. But if you're critiquing a manuscript for a writer who wants high-level thoughts, and you send back a version in tracked-changes with extensive line edits, the writer won't find that particularly useful. If you're not sure what kind of feedback the writer wants, ask!
3) Balance criticism with compliments. Secretly, every writer wants to receive glowing feedback proclaiming your work genius, perfect, Pulitzer-bound. But is that kind of feedback really helpful for getting a draft whipped into shape? If a scene works, and you don't see any room for improvement, say that, but be specific about what works and how the author succeeded. On the flip side, receiving nothing but negative criticism is demoralizing to a writer. Have some positive words for every manuscript you critique, whether it's something as simple as the concept, the main character's personality, or the font choice (kidding about that one. But seriously, use Times New Roman 12-point). My go-to ratio is 75% criticism, 25% compliments, but that changes depending on who I'm reading for. Some writers are more open to blunt critiques than others... again, it comes down to knowing what the writer is looking for.
4) Make suggestions, but don't be offended if the writer doesn't follow them. Neil Gaiman said, "When people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong." At the end of the day, your job is to tell the author when something isn't working, and maybe brainstorm some possible ways to fix it. The author's job is to find and implement a fix. If the author doesn't take your advice, that's okay, and doesn't say anything about the value of your feedback. Ultimately, it's the author's book, not yours.
5) Make yourself available for follow-up questions. As I'm working through revisions based on critique partner feedback, I'll often send quick emails to my critique partners if I need clarification on their notes or if I've edited a scene and want to see if it works. I've sometimes looked at revised manuscripts for critique partners after I've critiqued an initial draft. A lot of this will depend on your availability, but at least make clear when you send your notes that you're happy to answer any questions the author might have about those notes.
1) Know your limitations. Everyone is busy. All the time. But if you offer to beta read a manuscript, and commit to finishing and providing feedback in two weeks, you really only have two options: finish and provide feedback in two weeks; or, if you know you won't be able to finish on time, contact the writer to let him/her know so the manuscript can be sent to another beta reader if necessary. There's no harm in saying 'no' or 'maybe next time' if the deadline doesn't work for your schedule, but there is harm in overcommitting and failing to deliver. And if you're not sure when the writer needs feedback by, ask!
Furthermore, most writers know their own strengths and weaknesses and should apply those to critiquing. For example, I'm good at writing scenes where characters sit around talking about things, and not so good at whiz-bang action sequences. So when I'm critiquing, I make it clear that while I may have high-level impressions about action scenes, those critiques should be taken with a grain of salt.
2) Listen to the writer's needs. When I send a manuscript to a critique partner or beta reader, I'm explicit about the kind of feedback I want. Sometimes it's high-level thoughts about the book as a whole (Does the mystery's reveal work? Does this character arc make sense?), other times it's scene-by-scene impressions. Other writers may want line-edits, grammar checks, or formatting help. But if you're critiquing a manuscript for a writer who wants high-level thoughts, and you send back a version in tracked-changes with extensive line edits, the writer won't find that particularly useful. If you're not sure what kind of feedback the writer wants, ask!
3) Balance criticism with compliments. Secretly, every writer wants to receive glowing feedback proclaiming your work genius, perfect, Pulitzer-bound. But is that kind of feedback really helpful for getting a draft whipped into shape? If a scene works, and you don't see any room for improvement, say that, but be specific about what works and how the author succeeded. On the flip side, receiving nothing but negative criticism is demoralizing to a writer. Have some positive words for every manuscript you critique, whether it's something as simple as the concept, the main character's personality, or the font choice (kidding about that one. But seriously, use Times New Roman 12-point). My go-to ratio is 75% criticism, 25% compliments, but that changes depending on who I'm reading for. Some writers are more open to blunt critiques than others... again, it comes down to knowing what the writer is looking for.
4) Make suggestions, but don't be offended if the writer doesn't follow them. Neil Gaiman said, "When people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong." At the end of the day, your job is to tell the author when something isn't working, and maybe brainstorm some possible ways to fix it. The author's job is to find and implement a fix. If the author doesn't take your advice, that's okay, and doesn't say anything about the value of your feedback. Ultimately, it's the author's book, not yours.
5) Make yourself available for follow-up questions. As I'm working through revisions based on critique partner feedback, I'll often send quick emails to my critique partners if I need clarification on their notes or if I've edited a scene and want to see if it works. I've sometimes looked at revised manuscripts for critique partners after I've critiqued an initial draft. A lot of this will depend on your availability, but at least make clear when you send your notes that you're happy to answer any questions the author might have about those notes.
How do you provide helpful and timely feedback as a critique partner or beta reader?
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Waiting to Process Feedback
I don't know about you, but often when I receive feedback on my writing I immediately want to jump in and start making revisions. I've heard that "you should always wait before making changes" or "give it time to really sink in," but I didn't realize the wisdom behind that advice until recently. I had a valuable learning experience with feedback that I thought I'd share with you all.
First of all, I believe that you should wait before processing or trying to implement feedback, but you should not wait a single second to thank the person who gave you the feedback. I often send emails to my CPs the minute I receive their feedback that look like this: "Thank you so much for getting back to me with your notes! I can't wait to dive in!"
If someone takes the time to read your work and try to help you improve it, you should thank them regardless of whether you agree with all, any, or none of their feedback. Full stop.
On to my experience. I had an agent reject me back in January with some feedback that I thought was valuable. I was working on a revision plan to address that feedback when I got a full request from another agent. Not wanting to make the 2nd agent wait an unreasonable amount of time, I let her know I'd need a week to make a revision. I quickly finished my plan, took scenes out, added new scenes in, and sent it to the agent. I also sent it to one of my CPs who hadn't read the book yet to see what she thought.
A few weeks later my CP got back to me, and the short version is: she did not think that the changes I made addressed the issues brought up by the 1st agent. I was devastated. I felt like I had ruined my book, and worse yet, that maybe it wasn't worth saving. I knew that I had rushed my revision plan, and not sent Agent 2 the best version of my book. Lesson 1: Don't rush the implementation of feedback.
Going back over my CP's notes a week later, however, I started to get excited about her ideas. Instead of feeling depressed at the amount of work I needed to do, I felt confident that I could make changes and improve the book. Lesson 2: If the feedback upsets you, give it some time, then come back to it. It's amazing how much difference even a week can make in your attitudes.
What lessons have you learned about receiving and using feedback?
First of all, I believe that you should wait before processing or trying to implement feedback, but you should not wait a single second to thank the person who gave you the feedback. I often send emails to my CPs the minute I receive their feedback that look like this: "Thank you so much for getting back to me with your notes! I can't wait to dive in!"
If someone takes the time to read your work and try to help you improve it, you should thank them regardless of whether you agree with all, any, or none of their feedback. Full stop.
On to my experience. I had an agent reject me back in January with some feedback that I thought was valuable. I was working on a revision plan to address that feedback when I got a full request from another agent. Not wanting to make the 2nd agent wait an unreasonable amount of time, I let her know I'd need a week to make a revision. I quickly finished my plan, took scenes out, added new scenes in, and sent it to the agent. I also sent it to one of my CPs who hadn't read the book yet to see what she thought.
A few weeks later my CP got back to me, and the short version is: she did not think that the changes I made addressed the issues brought up by the 1st agent. I was devastated. I felt like I had ruined my book, and worse yet, that maybe it wasn't worth saving. I knew that I had rushed my revision plan, and not sent Agent 2 the best version of my book. Lesson 1: Don't rush the implementation of feedback.
Going back over my CP's notes a week later, however, I started to get excited about her ideas. Instead of feeling depressed at the amount of work I needed to do, I felt confident that I could make changes and improve the book. Lesson 2: If the feedback upsets you, give it some time, then come back to it. It's amazing how much difference even a week can make in your attitudes.
What lessons have you learned about receiving and using feedback?
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Always Know Yourself Before...
During my trip to New York, I saw a lot of interesting sites, and had a great conference experience at Book Expo America.
Before visiting the city, I had a chance to go to Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, where the likes of Bob Dylan and other folk musicians have performed. That night, it was a unique blend of blues--sliding guitar, tuba, and trombone. But most fascinating was what I encountered in the bathroom:
While the walls were covered in inspirational quotes, I picked this one above the others because it's so deceptively simple: "Always know yourself before making a decision that may change your life." Because better decisions are made when you have your own best interests in mind. And knowing what those interests are is key in determining whether a decision is a good fit.
As with anything, this can be applied to writing at all levels:
Crafting stage: When you are still in the process of editing your work, and getting it critiqued by others, make sure feedback resonates with the story you want to write. Don't assume that someone knows more than you, or that negative feedback means you have to change the story entirely.
How to Know Yourself: Think, reflect, and figure out which feedback resonates with you most. Be with it for awhile to see what sticks and what doesn't. That way, you can save having to revert to a previous draft when someone else's recommendations aren't working (though this isn't unheard of--I've had to do it myself).
Agented/publishing/selling stage: From what I understand, this can be a perilous stage because it involves a lot of waiting. And waiting can inevitably morph into unnecessarily questioning yourself. Or settling for a deal that might not be right for you in the long run in order to relieve immediate stress.
How to Know Yourself: Be sure of the direction you want your career to go. Make the decisions that honor that, even if it means waiting to see yourself in print. Because settling for something lesser means possibly having to undo it later on--and that isn't always an option.
What about you? In what ways do you know yourself? And how do these inform your decisions going forward?
Before visiting the city, I had a chance to go to Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, where the likes of Bob Dylan and other folk musicians have performed. That night, it was a unique blend of blues--sliding guitar, tuba, and trombone. But most fascinating was what I encountered in the bathroom:
 |
| "Always know yourself before making a decision that may change your life" |
As with anything, this can be applied to writing at all levels:
Crafting stage: When you are still in the process of editing your work, and getting it critiqued by others, make sure feedback resonates with the story you want to write. Don't assume that someone knows more than you, or that negative feedback means you have to change the story entirely.
How to Know Yourself: Think, reflect, and figure out which feedback resonates with you most. Be with it for awhile to see what sticks and what doesn't. That way, you can save having to revert to a previous draft when someone else's recommendations aren't working (though this isn't unheard of--I've had to do it myself).
Agented/publishing/selling stage: From what I understand, this can be a perilous stage because it involves a lot of waiting. And waiting can inevitably morph into unnecessarily questioning yourself. Or settling for a deal that might not be right for you in the long run in order to relieve immediate stress.
How to Know Yourself: Be sure of the direction you want your career to go. Make the decisions that honor that, even if it means waiting to see yourself in print. Because settling for something lesser means possibly having to undo it later on--and that isn't always an option.
What about you? In what ways do you know yourself? And how do these inform your decisions going forward?
Monday, March 4, 2013
Where Do You Go for Query Feedback?
In my last post, I listed quite a few resources for getting your query into shape. But once you've polished your query or pitch to shiny perfection, you'll need someone to give you helpful feedback.
It's preferable to find at least one reader who has not read the actual book. This way they can tell you where they got lost, where they may have misinterpreted plot elements, whether they could keep the characters straight. Here are some places you might find just the feedback you're looking for:
Absolute Write's Query Letter Hell (you'll need to register to be able to see the Share Your Work forum, where Query Letter Hell lives)
Nathan Bransford's forums
Verla Kay's Boards
Ladies Who Critique
Query Tracker's Forum
Any of these can help you get some fresh eyes on the page, but only post if you're ready to hear honest feedback--because you're likely to get it!
Conferences big and small almost always have query critique opportunities, public or private. Plus, some paid editorial services offer free query critiques as a way to see if their style is a good match for yours. And many writing-related auctions (like my upcoming Pens for Paws Auction) are offering chances at critiques and feedback from agents.
If you still want more, there are places to get your query publicly shredded (or better yet, learn from other people's mistakes before yours gets a chance to see the light of day):
Evil Editor
Query Shark
Miss Snark's blog
The Rejecter
You cannot submit to those last two for critique since they're no longer active, but I highly recommend working through the archives.
Any query blunders you'd like to share to save the rest of us from making the same mistakes? Confession: my first query was two printed pages long, because I got clever and combined a one-page synopsis with my bio. Don't try this at home!
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