#critique groups

[wendytokunaga]

Critique Groups: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

I’m certain that virtually every published novelist has benefited from getting feedback from a critique group. And I’m sure every published novelist has had the experience of pulling out her hair and running down the street screaming after at least one critique group meeting. That’s the nature of the beast when it comes to critique groups: you probably can’t live with them, but you also can’t live without them.

No matter how experienced of a writer you are, it’s rough to hear what’s wrong with your novel, no matter how constructive the feedback. But the best way I’ve found to take constructive criticism is to think of it as a gift, something that will help me look at the big picture of my novel and will inspire me. The ideal is when this results in an epiphany of how to fix things so that the novel will be the best it can be. And a good critique group can help you do this.

However, finding a good critique group can be tricky. Every writer probably has her wish list for a dream critique group. Here’s mine:

~ An in-person group that meets at a time and place convenient for all members.

~ Members who are equal to me in writing skill or even better so I can learn from them.

~ All members working on novels (though memoirs can work too).

~ Every member willing to read 20-25 pages at a time (and even more in some cases).

~ Verbal feedback given during the meeting, and also written feedback to take home.

~ Emphasis on the “big picture” as opposed to line editing.

~ The bulk of the meeting spent on critiquing as opposed to socializing or group therapy.

~ Members who are committed to the group and also willing to discuss general writing and craft issues.

[kdsmiththewriter]

What I really mean when I submit my work to my critique group!

[katherine-traylor]

For the second time in the last few years, I'm working with a critique partner who's very strict and picky about other people's work, but who gets defensive and sullen if anyone criticizes theirs. (We're nice, too: this person's critiques of others are way stronger than the ones they receive themself.) I feel like it must be a lack of self-awareness that causes this: they don't understand how they're coming across, and they're also not able to see the flaws in their own work. It's tiring to deal with.

[coffeeinkblog]

Word x Word Historical #CritiqueGroup Invite

We’re looking to add to our group of critique partners. This is for writers of historical fiction, and its subgenres–fantasy, romance, mystery, suspense, supernatural, gothic. All eras and cultures welcome. (The industry definition of historical is 50 years ago.) LGBTQ+ welcome. Short stories, novellas, novel beta swaps, chapter by chapter, and brainstorming. Hopefully we’ll find enough writers…

[uncanny-tranny]

One thing I have seen - even from other trans people! - is this specific implication that while it's inevitable that trans men pass, but trans women are essentially doomed if they want to pass.

I could talk for days about the intricacies of passing for trans people in general. I could talk for hours about why some trans people want to pass, and that it shouldn't be forced. I could talk about the intricacies for trans men and others when it comes to passing because the dynamics don't play out the way it does for cis men a lot of times. But what gets me is the idea that trans women could never pass, that those who do are essentially anomalies is... nasty. It's got nasty implications, and it's feels even nastier when trans people do it.

Trans women, trans men, trans people of all types shouldn't be required, pressured, or forced to pass. That is true. But to say that passing is nigh impossible for an entire subsect of trans people will never not read as evil.

[after-witch]

Sometimes I think about the rare times I would write OCs back in the 2001-2010 fandom days and the whole "Mary Sue callout" thing was so big so you had to make your OC just like... so boring and ordinary and the canon characters must find them unimportant and never ever let them be a love interest, and even then, people would probably still criticize you making an OC at all.

now I'm like YES my reader OC would catch the eye of this important character who would obsess over her and kill for her because he thinks she's the most sublime being in the world and he'll steal her away to keep her forever <3333

[chaos0pikachu]

me looking at the discourse~~ in the 4mins tag right now:

[juniepops]

can i be honest. it's fucked that terfs got to claim the term gender critical. like their asses are NOT critiquing the hegemonic ways that the male and female genders are forced into rigid societal roles and no other genders are permitted to exist, they agree with all that shit. they think it's biologically innate. they're just mad when someone tries to break out of it

[yasmeensh]

I have decided to stop meddling with this piece. It has to be done at some point, and here it is! I'm happy with how it turned out 😁 My last chimpanzee painting was two years ago, so it's time I make another one! Painted in acrylics and touched up with CSP. Shared some process shots too, just below :)

it was very messy.... and the lighting made a HUGE difference in the end!

[wendytokunaga]

Critique Groups: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

I’m certain that virtually every published novelist has benefited from getting feedback from a critique group. And I’m sure every published novelist has had the experience of pulling out her hair and running down the street screaming after at least one critique group meeting. That’s the nature of the beast when it comes to critique groups: you probably can’t live with them, but you also can’t live without them.

No matter how experienced of a writer you are, it’s rough to hear what’s wrong with your novel, no matter how constructive the feedback. But the best way I’ve found to take constructive criticism is to think of it as a gift, something that will help me look at the big picture of my novel and will inspire me. The ideal is when this results in an epiphany of how to fix things so that the novel will be the best it can be. And a good critique group can help you do this.

However, finding a good critique group can be tricky. Every writer probably has her wish list for a dream critique group. Here’s mine:

~ An in-person group that meets at a time and place convenient for all members.

~ Members who are equal to me in writing skill or even better so I can learn from them.

~ All members working on novels (though memoirs can work too).

~ Every member willing to read 20-25 pages at a time (and even more in some cases).

~ Verbal feedback given during the meeting, and also written feedback to take home.

~ Emphasis on the “big picture” as opposed to line editing.

~ The bulk of the meeting spent on critiquing as opposed to socializing or group therapy.

~ Members who are committed to the group and also willing to discuss general writing and craft issues.

[kdsmiththewriter]

It can be humbling, but that's when the good writing begins.

[femmeleatherface]

the thing about the daroga in the book that i don't think any adaptation (that i've seen, anyway) has really gotten right is that leroux sets us up from the introduction that he is really amazing and totally trustwothy

so while for most of the book the characters are all suspicious of him and say he has the evil eye and whatnot, the reader benefits from dramatic irony and knows any gut xenophobic instincts they may be experiencing are wrong, because the author himself already clued us in before the story started that this mysterious man is actually good and important

(which in term sets up the overarching message of the novel later hammered in with erik about not judging by appearances, accepting outsiders, valuing the contributions of people who would otherwise be ostracized by society lest they become the very monsters we make them out to be, etc. etc. etc...)

the adaptations... don't have that initial clue-in, so for the most part they end up feeding gut xenophobic instincts. the daroga wanders around and the characters and audience both wonder who he is and what he's up to. we are given no alternative viewpoint on him except the white characters' suspicious and often racist reactions

it's at its worst when the adaptations intentionally make him more stereotypical or "exotify" him by giving him eyeliner, a menacing character design, a forced silly/sinister accent, etc. the 1991 musical is probably the least egregious in this regard, but that's really only because he's set up in his first scene as comic relief and presented as a little too incompetent to be a threat

and sure, in the end of all these adaptations we learn the truth and get the same point across--he is a perfectly trustworthy guy and, like erik, we should not be afraid of him just because he is different--but i REALLY think we miss something and detriment his character by not getting clued in on at least some of his deal from the start

honestly, if we were ever to get that perfect adaptation where he is included and portrayed as actually important, i think the only way you could really avoid this would be to:

present the story as a frame narrative, the way the book did

deviate from the book a bit and give him slightly more to do at the start, have us actually see him doing helpful things outside of all the white characters' sphere of knowledge so we have another perspective to draw upon. it doesn't need to reveal everything about him yet (we still want suspense, after all), but should still make it clear that he is not a bad guy, just misunderstood by the people around him

[bayetea]

seeing non-black people critique rick's portrayal of black characters is interesting sometimes. only like 30% of the critiques I see make any sense to me to be honest

[chaos0pikachu]

man some of y'all have never learned the home training of "keep your hate/critique out the main tags and on your own blog or in critical tags" and then wonder why ppl be vagueblogging or reblogging with disagreements like you didn't show up to the crochet lovers group telling everybody how crocheting was actually Not Fun At All and really hard and doesn't make sense to enjoy, or Problematic, actually instead of keeping it in the group chat with the haterella besties