Raw Earth Ink
spit, mixed with dirt – muddy words flow
Critiquing a friend’s book… how do you tell them it doesn’t work? REBLOG
Posted on October 11, 2020 by tara caribou
Excellent writing advice for writers! I highly recommend you click through and read her article.
I’ve had this interesting question from Jan. A friend has finished drafting her first novel. She asked me to proofread before she sends it to agents.…
Critiquing a friend’s book… how do you tell them it doesn’t work?
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Category: Promoting - Updates & ReblogsTags: Advice, Help, Indie Author, Manuscript, Reblog, Share, Writer, Writing
Raw Earth Ink 
Thanks for the reblog, Tara!
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It’s a great article!
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There are so many practice run throughs I have gone over in my mind on this subject. The link is not loading on my end right now, but I will def check it out!
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It’s a great article! If it doesn’t work by tomorrow, let me know and I will email you the link. It’s worth a read.
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I just read the whole post. Great writing advice! We have to be prepared to go back to the beginning and find ways through more layers or less layers… and make it better. ✔✌
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Yes, and as readers, to be willing to (kindly) give that advice to help out other authors become better writers.
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Good post to share! Rewriting is something I have a love-hate relationship with. But It is necessary at times to make the best of a piece. Though art is hard to ever definitely say is good or bad. There’s so much subjectivity to the objectivity of it. Still, the reader is always right about how they feel. I like a quote by Neil Gaiman: “You always have to remember, when people tell you that something doesn’t work for them, that they’re right. It doesn’t work for them. And that is incredibly important information. You also have to remember that when people tell you what they think is wrong and how you should fix it, that they’re almost always wrong.”
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Excellent quote!! I wish more people would get this. For instance, I have a person who for some reason reads my work but then tells people what a terrible person I am as well as saying my writing is just okay… and I think to myself, then why read my work? I understand that my writing isn’t for everyone. Some people like it, some don’t. And that’s okay. There’s some writing that I love and some that is just okay for me. So I read what I like.
That said, I believe, as artists, we can always improve our craft. We should exercise and stretch out of our comfort zones… and also be willing to take criticism (for what it is worth).
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Wow, sorry to hear this. I can understand the situation. Some people always equate the writing fully with author and can’t separate the two, but we must realize that everything isn’t entirely true and some pieces could be fiction. Plus, yeah, not sure why you would continue to read something you don’t like much. At some point if you have nothing good to say you should just say nothing. And yes, some will always like and hate any form of art. Nothing you can control. Just do your best with and enjoy it for what it is to you. And I agree with you on the craft part. We could do what others want us to do but we also are out there trying to push ourselves to be better, not just fit into everyone else’s box and comfort zones. It’s a hard thing for artists to go between and deal with but all we can do is try to take the criticism for what it is and go forward. Just keep writing if it’s what you love to do. Must of the value comes from our connection to the words.
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Very, very well said! I sure appreciate your thoughts and confirmation in my mind. Thank you for that.
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You’re welcome! Hope you’ll have a fantastic weekend!
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