When Do You Seek Help?

I'm not referring to psychiatrists! I mean with professional editors. You may have noticed I just started offering professional first five page critiques (see critiquing services page above). This isn't an advertisement, don't worry. But it got me thinking... How do you know when you need something like that? 

I'm clearly not a very good business woman, but I'll start by saying, YOU USUALLY DON'T. If you are improving, learning craft and have good critique buddies you're probably in a good place. But sometimes we need an extra little push. Here are some situations where you may want to seek a professional editor or editorial service:

1. If you plan on self-publishing. 
2. If you've gone as far as you can go with your critique group, have queried agents, and haven't had any requests. 
3. If you have trouble finding a good critique group (they don't grow on trees unfortunately) and need another set of eyes. 

So how do you find the right person?

1. Recommendations from people you trust. 
2. Someone who has experience in the area you're seeking help with. For example, if you want a grammar check? Count me out. I'm serious. But if you need your opening looked at? I'm your girl (First Five Pages Workshop).
3. Make sure you're comfortable paying for it. There are some amazing people out there that I know I just can't afford. I'm lucky though, I have a publisher and wonderful beta/critique partners. If I didn't and I was serious, I'd really have to consider what I was willing to put out to get the right person. 
4. Make sure you know what you want help with. Do you want a look at overall structure? Line edits? Just the first few pages or the whole manuscript?

No one should have to pay money to be a writer. But there are situations where investing in your own work is a good idea. Never let anyone pressure you. Be sure you feel good about using the person and working with her. 

Have you used an editor for hire? How did it go?

Mothering Your Writing

First - the winner of the 5 page critique (via randomizer.org) is MARGO! Yeah! I'll email you with detes.

In honor of Mother's Day, and as a mother of three, I want to talk a bit about parenting. Parenting your manuscript that is. Take a look at this post via Agent Carly Watters. It got me thinking. We do treat our work like our babies, and I get it, but it isn't always healthy. 

So how do you KNOW you're in that unhealthy zone?

• Do you read for revision, but see nothing that can or should be changed?
• Do you have a suspicion that the minute you send it out in the query world it will be gobbled up immediately?
• Do you like your own writing better than anything else out there?

What should you do if you're there or close (even on occasion)? 

• Put the manuscript in a virtual drawer and start working on something new. Because you know what? Until I'd written several manuscripts I was so enamored with my characters it was hard to concentrate on other things. Now I enjoy diving back in with old friends, but I can separate myself just fine between.
• Make sure you use good critique partners. You have to have another set of eyes. Trustworthy ones. It takes time to find good ones, but they're worth their weight in gold. And be open to criticism, even if that means holding off for another day or two when you get notes. 
• Force yourself to rewrite a section. Even if you think it's perfect. Start over and do something different. Maybe try a new POV. You'll realize there might be more than one way to say things. 

Any other tips? Have you ever fallen into this trap? 

NEXT WEEK STARTS MY BLOG TOUR FOR THE BINDING STONE!! Stop by for a schedule and giveaway info on Monday. 

It's coming...

Pretty Isn't it?

Soon my friends. THIS MONTH my first novel, THE BINDING STONE, will be available to the masses. Eep. I'm thrilled and scared and happy and excited and anxious and well you get the idea. 

So here is my question to you:

What should I do for YOU to celebrate? Everyone runs contests, but is that enough? What will get you (yeah you, the people that read but don't say hello!)  to comment and enter? To celebrate with me????

Suggestions? 

Be creative because you know I love that. And to prove it I'll pick one legitimate suggestion/commenter and do a five page critique for you! Just leave your comment and email so I can reach you. I'll use randomizer.org to pick a winner!

Don't forget to add it on Goodreads. Mostly because I'm obsessively checking the page. 
*sits and stares at computer*
*refreshes screen*
WHAT? I have an A type personality! ;D 

And come like my author page on FB because it's pretty new and I'm pretty lonely over there. :( 

And because I always like giving you posts of value - I want to leave you with my new favorite quote.

"A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe."
- Madeleine L'Engle

Post Critique Polish

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We've gotten our manuscripts back from our readers now and dealt with the shock of finding out they weren't perfect (see pic). Time to dive back in. The way I do it? I open one document at a time and go through it side by side with mine, stopping to address each comment/change. 
That doesn't mean I do whatever they say. It means I think through WHY they said it and see if it makes sense. Most of the time I pop myself on the head and think, OF COURSE! Sometimes, I hesitate. If I hold off I still make a note of it and when I get to the next one I see if something is marked in the same area. If it is, or if it's something different but in the same section, I take a look at that part and see if I can find yet another reason a reader may be getting caught at that part because chances are if more than one person finds a problem, something is wrong. 
When I'm all done with that, I go through one last time for simple catches and to make sure it reads smoothly. I might do several things here. I might read it out loud. I might put it on my Kindle and read it like a book because that can reveal things that I didn't catch on the computer. Or I might print it all out on paper and go through. Seeing it in different ways like these can prompt something in our brains that helps us see it in a new light. 
If you aren't sure you're done, put it away again for a good long rest. Okay, even if you ARE sure you're done, put it away for a good long rest then read it again. If you are satisfied, go back to step one, take out your summary and start working on that query! If you have an agent, then send it to them. If you're self publishing, I don't know! What's the next step? The editor I suppose. If anyone wants to weigh in on this please let us know. 
And don't forget the chocolate. Especially when you look like the kitty above.

Getting Critiques

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So we've written and revised our novel until we can't see straight. Now it's time to let others take a look. It's not always easy to find the right critique partners. I've been very lucky in that department. I find what works best for me are Beta Readers. Those that will take a look at the thing as a whole and give me honest feedback. I know it's nerve-wracking, but in truth, how can you expect a million readers to like it if you're afraid to get feedback from a few writers who know what they're doing? 
So we hit send and wait. Eat some chocolate (I probably support the chocolate industry a little too much, huh?) and... IMHO start a new project which will take our minds off of it. 
At this point I have to pause and give a shout out to my two closest writer friends and beta's - Julie Musil and Leslie Rose! And I couldn't forget Martina Boone either. They all have fabulous blogs, so if you haven't visited you should. 
I'm skipping ahead now to the point where we get our notes. Take a deep breath then dive in. Try not to be defensive and remember they're trying to help! 
But you'd thought you'd fixed everything! And now there's red everywhere and it feels like you have to start from scratch... 
Not true. You're foundation is still there. Think of it as icing on the cake. Or better yet - what if you forgot to add the eggs??? Better go back and fix that! It's worth it in the end. So Take a look at each comment carefully. Don't dismiss the good ones. Those are patting you on the back for everything you do well! Sometimes as a critiquer I take it for granted that my partner will know she's good at something - but the truth is we ALL like to be reminded of what's working, so don't ever forget those comments!
If you need to, take a break again, and think it through. Let it sit. If you still have a gut problem with one of the comments (not ALL just one or some or something else may be going on) then see what the others say. If two comments are in conflict? Pick the one you prefer! That's always fun. 
And how much do you want to bet that something in those notes will be flashing back to the niggling doubt you had but skipped over in revisions? :D

Why Critique?

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We know critiquing is important. One of the first pieces of advice we get is to find a critique group. But WHY? Why do we need it?


Answer:
Because another set of eyes is invaluable. When you write, you know the story and your characters intimately. Your mind fills in the missing pieces without even realizing it. You are too close to things to see them clearly. 


We do our best to articulate what's inside our heads, but we don't always see the varied ways it can be perceived. 


If you have others critique your work, you can see what makes sense to the reader and what doesn't. Patterns might be obvious to someone else. You will learn your weaknesses and by doing the same for others, you learn as well. It's a win win situation.


But there's more! You also learn to take critique. It isn't always easy to hear anything other than, "This is fabulous." But you need to be able to consider the critique objectively if you want to get anywhere as a writer. What do you think your agent and editor will ultimately do? It's good practice. 


And by the way, even positive feedback is essential. You need to recognize your weaknesses and work them, but you also need to understand and explore your strengths. Take pride in them too, and don't gloss over the positive comments.

Announcement

I'm auctioning a critique for CHARITY. So please go bid. Also my self-worth is attached. So you know... no pressure or anything. (A little guilt never hurt)

When To Take Advice

We all know how vitally important it is for us to open our work up to critique. You HAVE to do this if you truly want to be a writer. Period. But wait! Before you go rushing out to change your manuscript because you're a good listener, you should think it through.

I've said this before - and I'll say it again - I LOVE my critique group. And those who have been generous enough to beta read for me. Does that mean I have made every single change and/or correction they've ever given me? Nope. *Gasp* I know. Have I seriously considered every one of them? YES.

So how do I know when to make the change? Well here's a little checklist that helps me out.

1. Is it something that resonates with what I've been feeling? Many times (you'd think I'd learn by now) when I get a piece of advice I think, yes, that's what I thought but I didn't want to acknowledge it on a conscious level. Somehow hearing it from someone else forces me to make that leap.
2. Does more than one person have a problem with the same part of the manuscript? Even if the comments are different, you can see that SOMETHING is wrong with this section. Look at it again closely, there's something there that may not be obvious, but I guarantee it exists.
3. Is it logical? Writing may be creative but there is a good deal of logic involved. Especially in plotting. And you may be filling in details in your head because, well let's be honest, you KNOW everything about your characters and world. But perhaps you haven't done as well as you thought imparting this knowledge to the reader.
4. Does it feel wrong? I know, this is the exact opposite of number 3. But seriously, trust your gut. There's a big difference between not opening yourself up to constructive criticism, and forcing yourself to make the change even though it makes you feel sick inside. And you're the only one that truly knows whether you're just being defensive of your baby or you know it isn't right.*
5. Conflicting advice. Person A loves the gnome (you knew I had to throw something in somewhere right?) and person B is emphatic that it doesn't work. Well guess what? You decide.

*If you notice yourself hardly ever taking advice or making changes based on critique, you probably ARE having difficulty with opening yourself up to critique.

Ultimately this is your work, so it is your decision. Just be sure to give everything serious consideration. If you've done that you'll know what's right and what isn't, and you won't second guess it.

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Critiquing Creatures

Do you have a Critique Group? Mine is a constant source of support and inspiration to me. They give me much needed feedback, but they are also so much more. I'm lucky, and I know that. It isn't always easy to find the right group of people. And how should you critique? Not to be cliche, but do onto others...

Here are some examples of the mistakes certain "types" of critiquing creatures will make. Learn from them!

1. The Vampire

He's a parasite, feeding off the hard work, sweat, and yes, blood of others. He wants to take, take, take, but forgets to give. He scribbles a quick, nice job on the top of your pages, but expects a line by line critique from you. He needs to learn to give because not only is it the RIGHT THING TO DO, to hold up his side of the bargain, but it's also helpful to him. Because when he's looking at what works and doesn't in your writing, he'll learn what to look for in his own.

2. The Ghost

She's not really there. Whether physically or emotionally. She refuses to open up and really share. Nor is she open to criticism. She's defensive and doesn't want to hear it. Well, guess what? She's not going to get anything out of the group! If you can't open yourself to finding the flaws in your own work, you'll never grow. And that's just sad.

3. The Werewolf

She attacks, going right for the jugular. She won't pull any punches. And at first glance this may seem the right way to go. But that's the last thing to do if you want anyone to hear what you're really saying. There are delicate ways to approach these things. Ever hear of the sandwich method? I know, I know, werewolves aren't known for liking sandwiches, but that's the problem! Study it if you don't know it.

4. The Fairy

He (let's not be sexist here people) is too sensitive and doesn't want to hurt your feelings. So he won't be honest. That's not doing anyone any good. Yes it's nice to hear "It was incredible!" But how does that help your revision? He could also benefit from learning the sandwich method. He needs to understand that by giving specific feedback, he's actually being the best friend of all.

Have you met any of these creatures? I hope they aren't in your critique group! If you haven't found one, keep searching. Because feedback is so very important. It's impossible for you to see everything. And sometimes it's right below the surface until someone else says it and you have one of those AHA moments, which are wonderful.