Critical Critiques
By Natalie Lorenzi
You've heard the same advice over and over-- nix the pink paper for submissions,
delete passive verbs from your prose without mercy, and don't ever ask your
loved ones to critique your writing (unless they are writers themselves-- and
even then, it's questionable).
I'll concede that writers should avoid pink (and otherwise colored) paper and
passive verbs, but as for shunning feedback from friends and family-- I'm not so
sure. Certainly there are writers who caution against familial feedback. Why?
Because the people who love you will undoubtedly claim that they adore your
work, since a) they don't know any better, or b) they don't want to hurt your
feelings. But I have to ask-- is that really so bad? The answer: it depends on
why you're asking for their opinion.
You've already heard the major reasons to avoid soliciting feedback from familiar
folks. Don't do it…
… to improve your writing skills.
Great Uncle Percy probably won't offer any tips on subplot, nor will your best
friend from high school shed insight on how to revamp your dialogue. And even if
your neighbor really is a writer/publisher/editor/agent and hates your work, she
can't just send you a form rejection letter and pray that she never hears from
you again. At the very least, she'll still have to greet you when you take out
the trash and pick up your mail.
… to impress an editor.
"My kids just adore this particular story… " I can already see the harried
editor cringing as he tosses your query over his shoulder. And it won't matter
if your kid's entire fourth grade class voted your story as the best one in the
annals of children's literature-- you might as well open your query with, "Hi,
I'm new at this… "
… for advice on submitting your work.
When you send in that article on the FDA's new food pyramid, don't follow your
niece's suggestion to put scratch-and-sniff food stickers on the envelope. And
when your colleague suggests: "Random House publishes a lot of books-- why don't
you send your story to them?" remember that you'll still need to comb the market
to find the perfect fit for your piece.
Ok, so we know what our loved ones can't deliver. Now let's take a look at why
we should seek out their opinions anyway:
To give your ego a boost.
When I e-mailed my first children's story manuscript to my best friend, she
responded the same day: "I'll be the first in line at your book signing when you
hit the New York Times best-seller list!" How can you read something
like that and not smile? And from my mom, the avid reader-- "Oh, honey, it's the
best story I've ever read." The gushing was palpable. Do I really think it's
the best story she's ever read? Probably (ok, definitely) not. But even if it's
a story that only a mother can love, her comment still gave my writing ego a
boost.
To ease the sting of rejection.
When an editor of a major women's magazine passed on one of my queries, my
sister's response was: "That woman'll be sorry one day when your story shows up
in one of their competitor's magazines!" I can just see her raising her eyebrows
and nodding sagely. My dad confirmed: "What does that editor know? I don't think
that particular magazine is all that popular anymore, anyway. Why don't you try
one of the bigger magazines?" He had no way of knowing that "that magazine"
boasts more than 13 million readers-- he just knew that none of those 13 million
would be reading his daughter's article-- their loss, apparently. Sure, I was
disappointed about the rejection, but picturing my dad admonishing this big-time
editor did elicit a smug smile from my lips.
For improvements
What? Didn't I just explain that someone who loves you can't help you improve
your writing? Well, this may be true most of the time. But you just might
discover a few nuggets of literary lucidity buried amongst all the "Oh, it's
wonderful!" comments. After my husband read my middle grade children's
manuscript, I sat back, ready to bask in the glow of his compliments. And he did
say some nice things. But what sticks with me are the words: "Honey, all of your
characters are boys. Girls tend to be more avid readers, anyway. Won't you be
alienating a good portion of your market by not having any female characters?"
Huh? I don't know why I hadn't thought of that. He was right, of course, so
George became Susan, and thank goodness for the "Find/Change" feature that took
care of all the instances of "she" and "her."
Do you want the truth about your writing? Constructive feedback, maybe? Join a
critique group, or take a class. Do you want a boost after finding your
twenty-seventh consecutive rejection lurking in the mailbox? Then ask your loved
ones to read your writing. Don't use their feedback to hone your craft; use it
to fill your heart. If you want to remind yourself that you're worth more than
the sum of your rejections minus those scant acceptances-- go ahead and send a
copy of your latest piece to your grandmother. I'll bet she says it's the best
thing she's ever read.
Natalie Lorenzi
is a freelance writer living in Trieste, Italy. Her writing has appeared on the
Family Corner and Parenting Universe websites, and she has articles coming out
in Transitions Abroad, International Living, Abroad, and Learning Through
History magazines in 2006. She's a great writer-- just ask her friends and
family. You may contact her at
nlorenzidn@earthlink.net.
