This blog about writing has, it seems, veered more into writing about blogging.
This is the result of the juxtaposition of the blogging workshop I attended earlier this week, and the Best Australian Blogs Competition 2012, in which DD is a nominee in the words and writing category. So let's just call April blogging month, and trust that when the excitement dies down, Destination: denouement will resume a more writerly tone.
In the meantime, I’ve been glued to my site analytics, trying to divine whether our distinguished competition judge(s) have passed through, but I am no wiser. So, if you are reading this and you’re a judge, welcome! Take a seat, make yourself comfortable. Please take a moment to enjoy the Denouement ambiance. Would you like a cup of tea?
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| Old woman pouring tea, unknown artist... by Black Country Museums @ Flickr |
It is a strange feeling to know that your personal work is being assessed, critiqued, scored. But as writers, this is an essential part of our métier. Eventually someone will be reading what we have written, and deciding if it’s good or not. Feedback is an important tool to improve our writing, and there are a number of ways to get it.
Probably the least useful is to launch your untested work directly at its intended publisher in the hope of an encouraging reply. Asking your proud mum/spouse/infatuated friend may not be very helpful either, unless these people have a literary bent and an uncanny degree of objectivity. Instead it is better to find someone with experience or a shared interest in writing. A writers’ group or feedback circle can be one way to find such people, even if this is online.
Most importantly, criticism is only ever about the work that you've done, and not about you. Take a deep breath and separate the two. This can be hard when you're just getting started. That is when feedback can be most fraught but also most beneficial. So be bold, and invite the challenge. Treat it like the learning experience that it’s meant to be. I don’t know if I'll ever discover the truth of exactly how Destination: denoument has fared in the Best Australian Blogs Competition (oh yeah, unless it WINS), but the rigour of being judged has done me some good, regardless.
I've been searching my analytics for the same reason... no joy.
ReplyDeleteRegarding feedback. I've been struggling through my very first copyedit this week. I received my story back from the editor with a cover letter stating "not much to change, good work", only to discover red scribbles EVERYWHERE! So depressing.
I have gone over a number of points with her, but one of the most important things she has taught me is to remember that 1. I'm the writer, so I have the final say; 2. I'm the writer, but the reader matters too.
I think that feedback is often important when a writer becomes too close to their work. Feedback can show you what the reader wants too.
Red is a particularly demoralising ink colour - it can send you straight back to your school/uni days! Purple/green/pink is much kinder. Try to hang onto that "not much to change" comment. It sounds like the edits are more of a superficial nature, compared with the sort of deep structural flaws that editors would see in many pieces. That's good feedback. Now, breathe. :)
ReplyDelete*attempts to breathe, but falls into a sobbing heap*
ReplyDeleteNah. hehe. I'm fine - though it has shown me how precious I can be about probably stupid things.
Probably not stupid things at all. I don't know about you but I've got a lot invested emotionally in being a writer, and the details are what makes the difference between ordinary and good writing. It's easy to recognise the details that work in other peoples' work and very hard to see it in our own!
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