Some personal rules for criticism

Posted on December 30, 2002 in Writing Groups

As much as I hesitate to state anything in a postive, I enjoy the writing group. Tonight I was one of the two people with work on the table. I’ve been learning how to sort through criticism as a result of these meetings. First, there are the goons who have plenty to advise without having read the piece or taken the trouble of coming to terms with what you’re trying to accomplish. Those can usually be safely ashcanned. If there is any wisdom in what they say that is specific to what you write, you can rest assured that a more thoughtful critic will raise it.

Second, are those words of criticism which you do not accept dead on (because they are telling you how they’d do it and it is your piece), but which you can adapt to your purposes. Among the ways I have done this is to take a friendly if flippant comment and insert it into the scene! I made notes towards this end tonight when someone raised such a point about a point in a conversation. A new character in a revision says some things which the leader of the writing group said about an earlier draft.

Third are those offerings of your wiser critics that just don’t apply and they can’t see it. I nod and go ahead with what I think works. I remember that these people have taken the time to read what I have written and think about it. They deserve my thanks for that. And I must remember to give it.

Finally, from just about any mouth can come the comment which saves the piece. Give gratitude to the person who uttered it and to the Universe which contains that person.

Thanks to my fellow struggling writers, thanks to our leader, and thanks to the Universe for having such people in it.