We have done a number of first-page critiques in recent weeks and I thought it might be a good time to think about how writers should respond to feedback and/or criticism. I think I speak for many when I say that dealing with criticism is one of the hardest things you have to do as a writer, especially when you get a myriad of comments, some of which are contradictory!
Even some of our recent critiques show that feedback can be a very subjective thing – what might be a really compelling first page for one person may be a complete let down for another…so how should writers handle criticism?
I think first and foremost, you need to take note of consistent feedback about a particular aspect of your writing. With many of our first page critiques there was a commonality of responses – often that the page involved too much ‘telling’ and not enough ‘showing’, or that it failed to have sufficient dramatic weight to tug a reader into the story. This kind of consistent feedback is useful stuff and, though sometimes a writer has to suck it up, it’s worth listening to.
It becomes more problematic when there are contradictory comments, especially if the feedback is ‘this really worked for me’ versus ‘this didn’t work at all for me’. Such contrasting responses are harder to deal with – not merely because you can never satisfy everyone (if you did it would be way too dull a world!).
Here is my rule of thumb: If it speaks to me as a valid criticism (deep inside, once I get past pride and ego…), then I take it on board. If not, I seek additional validation from others that I trust, to see if they agree that the criticism has merit. Many times, especially in a writing class, some criticism is more about the reviewer’s own issues that the work itself.
As a writer you have to get used to all forms of criticism, because you’ll get it from fellow writers, readers, agents, editors and reviewers. How you respond can be indicative of how seriously you take your art. Here at TKZ, I have been very impressed by how the people who have fessed up to their submissions have taken the critiques and comments provided. Everyone has behaved professionally and has been gracious and respectful of the feedback offered. Thankfully, we have seen for the most part only insightful and helpful commentary…but for many of us, there will come a time when it won’t be, and we will have to work out how to respond (or if to respond at all, as sometimes it is better to remain silent!). It could be the crazed one-star Amazon reviewer, or the snarky anonymous commentator…or it could even be a scathing review in a prestigious book review (we can dream, can’t we!)
So, how have you all found the first page critiques so far? Are they helpful in a wider sense or limited to the author who submitted them?
Have you ever had a really wrenching ‘criticism’ moment – and, if so, how did you deal with it? Were you tempted to get into an all out flame war with someone who dissed your work or did you just take a deep breath and hoped to disappear into the floor?
Killzoneblog.com
Early on, I took a college extension writing class. It was one of my first classes, so I wasn’t a good writer yet, but I wasn’t horrible either. The instructor asked us to submit 4 pages of the start of a book, which he read aloud and critiqued at our next meeting.
He read my work aloud, threw the pages onto his desk and declared it the worst drivel he’d ever read. I had a bad few minutes but then got angry and decided he wouldn’t best me.
I’ve gone on to learn (from better instructors), publish, and edit on a freelance basis. My editing clients are getting published, I’m still writing, and that man is, thankfully, dead and silent. I’m so glad he can no longer savage young writers and discourage their talent. If I’d known then what I know now, I’d have stood up to him but it took me a long time to realize that the bigger the writer, the more talented the writer, the more gracious and helpful they are. I appreciate all you writers at TKZ!
Amen, JJ, and thanks for the post Clare.
I read Stephen King’s ON WRITING early on when I started writing and I’m thankful for his insights. First, he shared the story of that famous peg where he posted all his rejections – I don’t do that, and I like Jordan Dane’s “Shredding Ritual” to drive out negativity.
What King said that impressed me the most was when he received feedback, if more than 3 people tagged the same thing, he’d consider revising it. If it was a solitary issue, and he felt strongly about it, then the author usually won the argument.
Imagine being part of his critique group! :grins and shivers:
What JJ says last rings true – I’ve found the more talented the writer, the more gracious and helpful they are.
I love collaborating with you folks here at TKZ for that very reason.
You guy ROCK!
Paula
Thanks Paula and JJ – I have certainly found the mystery writing community to be a very generous and gracious lot. I agree once about three people point out the same issue in a piece I have written it is time to sit up and take notice. I have had some shudder- inducing critiques in writing groups and classes and when I look back now I realize how easily that could have put me off. Thankfully I ignored those one or two naysayers. I had to laugh at one woman who said there was simply no way I could write about a prison experience unless I had actually been in prison…which she had, of course!… had to remind her that in fiction I can write whatever I want, the question is does the story work not have I actually experienced what I am writing about!
the more crits i get, the more i can discern what the biggest problem might be. and after reading crits then reading my work, the stuff i remember & see to correct is prob something i wanted to work on anyway. cutting is tough, but nec for a great product!
i’m learning a ton from these crits! thx!
I’m grateful that someone took the time to read what I wrote. If I ask for feedback and they give me feedback, I accept the negative and the positive with the same level of appreciation for their time. It’s not personal and I never take it that way.
You guys have provided a valuable service to each person who submitted for a critique and from the responses I know we all appreciate the feedback from the authors at TKZ.
I want to thank all the Kill Zoners for the critiques you’ve provided. As the co-founder of a critique group, I’ve used many of them, especially the ones that discussed specific problems and how to address them, as examples for the group to study. Giving useful critique is a learned task, a hard one, and one that’s rarely taught, for most people. Seeing the pros do it has been terrific. Thank you!
My own uh-oh moment came a few months back when, after much toil and struggle, and many drafts, I thought I’d FINALLY found the right way to open my WIP. Then I gave it to my critique group–and they nuked it. “Worse,” their comments had consistent themes. OK, looks like I’m going to have to go back and try it again. SIGH. But! In the end, that means the work is going to be better and that’s the goal, isn’t it?
My friends and other beta readers were pretty kind, so I didn’t have too much awful criticism to bear. One friend did think my detectives were “stupid,” however, for not immediately seeing what he immediately saw. Of course I felt a frisson of fear that I was a complete idiot no-talent writer. So I put the question to my other readers and demanded they be really, really, really honest. And none thought my detectives were dumb.
But on the larger question, I do agree touches on some nagging feeling I have that I’m more likely to take it on board. Particularly if it’s something that’s easily fixed or finessed. If it goes to the very heart of the story, I’m sure I’d get a lot more defensive.
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My favorite critique was when a fellow writer said, “This morning I had a root canal. After reading this, I feel like I just had another one. I hate it!” Then he looked me in the eyes and repeated. “I hate it!”
I cracked up laughing.
Bradford
Yeesh, attack of the typo bunnies! My only defense is that I was up until 3:30 last night meeting a deadline. The editor may hate it, but that @#$%ing proposal is finished.
These first pages have been awesome. I’ve already incorporated some of the suggestions. For example, cutting dialogue tags whenever possible. I’m firmly in “Camp Said,” but even a bunch of those can go in an edit after you’ve firmly established the scene.
I can take real criticism for the gift that it is. Even when it’s not delivered by a fluffy bunny.
However, I briefly belonged to a well-known online crit group that required every review to be savage. Pretty much it had to be, “your book stinks for the following 87 reasons . . .” I got tired of both reading and writing that much negativity and dropped out.
I try and lead with what I liked. If you were able to draw me in enough that flaws started interfering with my reading experience, then I’ll comment. If it didn’t resonate with me in the slightest, then I just move on. It might not be you. It might be me.
What I can’t stand are the crits that come because the reader obviously isn’t interested or in tune with the material. As in books clearly marked with language warnings and they leave one-star reviews for “all the cussing.”
I had one where I used a bit of military slang. It was completely scene appropriate. The reviewer said it was “just the silliest thing she had ever read.” That was in a crit group, so I went after it. However, I’ve slept and grown up since then, so now I just laugh and move on.
I really hope TKZ continues with this event. It is the best ever and we really appreciate your time.
Terri
My first real job after college was in the tax office of a major city. The first thing I learned was to take a cussin out with grace. The next thing was to realize, only too often there was a valid reason for the outburst. Eventually, I looked forward to dealing with a person’s real or imagined problems with the city.
Hemingway said something to the effect that a writer has to have a shockproof BS detector. Kill Zone’s first page critiques are excellent BS detectors. These critiques serve as a valuable diagnostic. Others too often see what you don’t see, as in the obvious fact that you have overlooked the obvious and now everyone knows it.
Please continue this service. It is a valuable learning tool and entertaining to boot.
“I always respond positively to criticism…just never on the day I receive it!”
I can’t claim the above as original and have forgotten where I first heard it. Critical feedback that is on-target doesn’t go away. I might tussle with it for a bit but , in the end, truth wins out.
I feel the “First Page” critiques are excellent. I’d love to have my entire draft receive the same expert assessment.
I appreciate the TKZ effort.
The crits have been great here at TKZ. I especially appreciate when one of the authors not only calls out issues, but takes a stab at a brief rewrite to demonstrate what they mean.
As for my own experience, I’ve paid two professional editors for whole book passes. One read my book three times through. I had to admit that when I read her crit, in the back of my mind, I already knew I add issues where she said I had issues. I just hadn’t wanted to admit it. She also pointed out several things that I wasn’t aware I was doing, and I won’t mess those up in the future. Well worth the money, and a great learning experience.
The other editor delivered a month late, and I wondered if she’d read the manuscript at all because she had so much stuff wrong. At first, I was devastated. Up to that point, I’d had raves from all my crit feedback (which was a surprise because it didn’t go like that on my first book), and now I had this professional telling me it all stunk. After about a week of thinking maybe I wasn’t ever going to be a writer, I realized that we all like different things, and this editor just wasn’t my audience (and maybe she’d rushed to finish since she was so far behind on her delivery). I’m glad now I’ve had the experience. I’ve learned how to filter and how to keep the faith.
Kathy
Sometimes it really is just because the editor just isn’t the right audience – writing is subjective and sometimes you just have to accept it isn’t their thing! Thx for everyone’s positive feedback on the first page critiques!
I take the criticisms and the boy-howdy’s and do with them what I will. It’s still my book.
Hopefully, I will discover how they might fit with my voice, my story, my message.
I look for the reasoning and sense behind the commentary. Ultimately, I’m looking for the impact on the reader.
Thank you all for your suggestions ane your good energy with this nifty project.
Jim in Montana
Someone talked mean to me once, then I came back in a tank and blew up his house and burned down his tree fort, and stomped on his fluffy bunny and ate his gerbils… … but then I felt bad and re-apprised his comments and realised I should actually make some changes and fixed the mss in some of the ways he said and when I did it made me sound smarter and I felt bad for eating his gerbils so I planted a flower where his house used to be and then it was okay ‘cept I couldn’t tell him cuz he was in the house when I came with the tank … and … well … yeah…
…
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but I’m a lot nicer now … for the most part.
by the way, and this has no bearing on the conversation but has caused a great deal of consideration and ponderance for the past ten minutes or so, the word verification on that last post was “DuctsBra Panteriez” and I can’t stop thinking about those words…is there some kind of evil overlord HVAC related lingerie line out there that makes stuff like that? Is that where Madonna gets her concert-wear?
Basil, that made me snort my coffee through my nose–thanks for the chuckle!