sinful words (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
and_chocolate) wrote2004-04-29 11:14 pm
and_chocolate) wrote2004-04-29 11:14 pm
Entry tags:
Constructive criticism?
(Crossposting this to my non-RPS journal as well, because I think it applies to all genres/subgenres of slash that I write.)
I love writing. A lot of what I love about writing is taking a story that starts out inside my brain and putting it into words to share with other people, so that it ends up in their brains and, I hope, hearts. Which means that it's important to me to understand what is and is not effective about my writing.
That's where y'all come in. *g*
I know that I've got a reasonably good grasp of the mechanics of writing; I can put together a sentence with correct spelling and punctuation, a paragraph that makes sense, and a story that gets from Point A to Point B with some semblance of a plot. That said, what I don't know is what my writing is missing. There are a lot of folks out there who write with no more technical skill than me, but whose stories are highly praised.
Why? What does [insert author of your choice here]'s fiction have that mine doesn't?
What I don't want: reassurances or praise.
What I do want: people to rip my fiction apart and give me strong constructive criticism on anything -- prose style, technical skill, subject matter, etc. -- that they find lacking. Please?
I love writing. A lot of what I love about writing is taking a story that starts out inside my brain and putting it into words to share with other people, so that it ends up in their brains and, I hope, hearts. Which means that it's important to me to understand what is and is not effective about my writing.
That's where y'all come in. *g*
I know that I've got a reasonably good grasp of the mechanics of writing; I can put together a sentence with correct spelling and punctuation, a paragraph that makes sense, and a story that gets from Point A to Point B with some semblance of a plot. That said, what I don't know is what my writing is missing. There are a lot of folks out there who write with no more technical skill than me, but whose stories are highly praised.
Why? What does [insert author of your choice here]'s fiction have that mine doesn't?
What I don't want: reassurances or praise.
What I do want: people to rip my fiction apart and give me strong constructive criticism on anything -- prose style, technical skill, subject matter, etc. -- that they find lacking. Please?
Re: you asked for honest!
You? Never. *ducks and runs*
Seriously, though, you're someone whose opinions I trust; you craft the kind of story that I want to be able to write, and while I know that being able to do something doesn't always equate to being able to teach others to do that same thing, I'm willing to let you have a swing at it.
I think it's about taking risks. ... Worry more about writing a story with emotional turbulence or strength than about maintaining your style or structure or tone. ... Fans remember the stuff that makes them feel the most; we're emotional junkies, every single one of us.
This makes so much sense. I'm looking back at some of my favorite stories with this in mind, and it just...yeah. I guess my problem, when writing, is that I'm really harsh on myself when it comes to character motivations. A scene that I wouldn't think twice about (or would absolutely love) in someone else's story, makes me cringe and rewrite it because I feel like the characters are acting too much like 13-year-old girls.
And, um, that's pretty much all I got. So, like I said, maybe I'm on crack, but that's what it looks like from the cheap seats.
Obviously, the cheap seats are the place with the best view in this arena, because I think that was a pretty damn good recap of the action. Thank you!
The hard part is going to be implmenting the necessary changes. *g*