Essay Online

Have you ever had anyone criticize your writing? Maybe they were just having a bad day. After all some people just can’t seem to say anything nice.

Not everyone is comfortable with criticism, but there may be times when it provides just what you need to move forward in your writing.

There is a man that’s been called the “Simon Cowell of Christian Publishing”. A few quotes from Chip MacGregor might allow you to see that he’s far from being the touchy-feely type. The following quotes were part of a July 2006 interview with Chip MacGregor who is the Associate Publisher with Hachette Book Group USA. The quotes are part of a lengthy interview conducted by the staff at Novel Journey.

“The reason most wannabe authors remain unpublished is because they just aren’t willing to put in the time, to do the hard work and become better at the craft of writing. In other words, laziness will keep you from being a great writer.” &ndash Chip MacGregor

“Some people (many people) seem to be fans, and send me nice notes on occasion, like when they’ve gone off their meds or had too much to drink. Others clearly do NOT like me. Especially nice church ladies who can’t understand why I’d say that a book is bad or a writer has done a terrible job.” &ndash Chip MacGregor

“The only way I could finish the stupid thing was to tear out the pages I’d read and light them on fire, in hopes that occasionally sticking my hand into the flames would keep me awake. Mourn the trees that died so this tome could see print.” &ndash Chip MacGregor

“I’d suggest that many of the Old Testament prophets helped the culture make strides not by being nice, but being honest &ndash even blunt. Ditto Paul. Ditto Jesus, for that matter (take a peek at his criticisms of the upstanding church leadership of His day).” &ndash Chip MacGregor

“So what’s the harm in being honest? Even brutally honest? Can’t we all admit we’ve got stuff to learn?” &ndash Chip MacGregor.

“90% of the stuff I reject is rejected for one reason: it isn’t good enough.” &ndash Chip MacGregor

MacGregor does have advice for writers that may make them cringe a bit less, “I think writer’s conferences are a great way for newbies to get educated in the process of writing. Hanging around a bunch of experienced people in your chosen field is ALWAYS an excellent idea… It’s nice to find somebody a bit further down the path.”

It is safe to say that the thrust of MacGregors ‘honesty’ it to try to challenge writers to be the absolute best they can be. This often means forcing ourselves to work harder at our craft and refusing to use a specific genre as a crutch for mediocre writing.

As an author, it’s never fun to get your manuscript back with red through all of your precious words. In fact, it’s probably one of the worst moments you can have as a writer. Self-doubt can fill you and make you wonder why you ever bothered to write such poor quality stuff. But don’t fret. Just because there is a mass of red markings doesn’t mean that your work is poor quality.

Other author’s are not only your best resource; they arealso your best source of support. The life of a writer can be difficult at times, full of ups and downs and the desire to throw in the towel. Chances are if you talk to another author they would not only give you great tips and advice, they will offer you the support and encouragement we all need when we put ourselves out there as we do when we present our writing.

One way that authors support each other is to review each other’s work. A second set of eyes and objective opinion are always worth having. Too many times when authors get their manuscripts back, they feel discouraged. The one sure way to avoid this is to realize three things:

First, it is one person’s opinion.

Second, if you stand back and consider suggestions made you might see something that you didn’t before.

Third, it’s a learning experience. Every author should learn something from each critique offered.

As the author, you have complete control over whether you want to make a change in your story or you don’t. When reading someone’s assessment of your work, if you don’t feel the same about a person’s comments, just skip it and move on to the next suggestion. If several people make the same suggestion, then you may want to rethink your lack of desire to make a change.

Don’t allow personal feelings to prevent you from getting the most out of critiques. It can be difficult when you have worked so hard to perfect a scene and others don’t see the perfection that you do. In this case, it is best to take a step back. Don’t make changes right away, or close your mind to suggestions made. Give yourself a day or two, keep working, see where your story is going and then go back and look at the critique once again.

There is a reason that authors write in drafts. First drafts are meant to be changed and torn apart. So are second, third and fourth drafts. A manuscript isn’t complete until you as the author feel it is what is should be. In each draft, that you write you should learn something about your characters, your setting, your plot and ultimately your writing style. When you allow others to review your draft, allow yourself to learn. Store away ideas, techniques and phrases to use in your revisions.

Keep in mind your goal when reading through another’s analysis of your work. You are preparing your manuscript for the biggest reviewers of all–a publisher. It is an authors job to give a publisher the cleanest manuscript possible. Remember when a publisher considers your piece for publication; they will take into account the amount of editing time necessary. If an author has presented a piece that will require an excessive amount of editing, there is a great possibility that the manuscript will be rejected.

Finally, goal achieved you have received a contract on your manuscript. You may think that the majority of your work is done. The reality is, you have only just begun. Once a manuscript is accepted by a publishing company, the next step is for an editor to be assigned. An editor will be nit-picky. They will analyze every word, every comma, sentence structure, phrases and writing style. Your editor’s job to take what you have written and make it the best it can possibly be.

It’s not uncommon for the niggling feelings of self-doubt to return when you receive your ‘perfected’ manuscript back from the editor, once again torn apart. Bear in mind that if your work was not good, it would not have been accepted. An editor is that final set of eyes that will read your work before it goes to publication. They want to make sure that you have a book that will sell.

Once again when reading an editors comments, look at it from an objective point of view. Talk to other authors who have supported you along the way, and think of an editor’s suggestions as help rather than criticism. At this point, you still have the power to decide what changes you will and will not make, however, it is in your best interest to strongly consider advice an editor gives.

Writing is not a field for those without tough skin. Even those with tough skin can fall into the trap of self-criticism when they receive their work marked up beyond recognition. But if you take the time to learn from those red marks, the chances of your next edit being less “bloody” are good. Don’t give up! Keep writing, it will keep you motivated despite the less than wonderful feedback you might sometimes receive.

Imagine holding a bouquet of balloons. And someone comes up to you and pops one with a pin. Then another. Then another. Pop! Slam! Bam! You’re shaken, shocked and need to take a few deep breaths to recover from the impact.

This is what it can be like to receive feedback. Whether it’s a work project, a creative project, or input on how you show up as a person, feedback can be jarring, painful and downright destructive. As a coach of the creative process, I have seen how feedback can devastate people and shut down their creative dreams. One man, probably in his seventies, showed up in a writing group I was leading. He had received negative feedback on his writing twenty-five years earlier. It had taken all that time to work up the courage to come back to his writing. It was sad but I was glad to see that his writing urge refused to be dampened.

Feedback is a necessary part of growing as a writer or artist, so it’s best to become graceful at receiving feedback. Here are a few steps that will help to &ndash gulp &ndash take feedback and use it to encourage you instead of deflating you.

First, get really good at asking for feedback from the right sources. Give yourself a chance to get feedback that is constructive and kind. Seek trusted writing buddies, writing mentors, or teachers whom you know have your best interests in mind. Spouses, parents and children may not be objective enough to give useful comments. They may not want to hurt your feelings, or they may be insensitive to your feelings. A spouse or a friend may have no clue about what makes a good story and they just don’t have the skills to comment. No matter who you choose, make sure to include this vital second step.

You may not know that you can design the feedback process. You can! Know that when you ask for comments, the giver’s ego may get a little puffed up. Here’s their chance to be right, to know, and to point out all the things that are wrong with your short story or essay. It can be like someone getting the weed wacker out to tidy up the sidewalk and then the rush of power surges over into destroying the whole yard. Know what kind of comments will best serve your growth and ask for it. You may want the comments in written form. Having it written down will make it easier to assess the feedback later, which is the next step.

Give yourself time to integrate the emotions and thoughts that the feedback will provoke. I suggest setting the feedback aside until at least the next day. No matter how much you want to hear commentary, it can still affect you emotionally. You may be in denial, you may want to argue, you may be hurt or frustrated that you still have a lot of work to do. Give yourself time to let all the emotion settle in. Then, when you feel more objective, take a look at the feedback. You’ll want a clear mind to be able to discern what is useful, which is the next critical phase.

You’ve gotten a response and now you need to discern what will improve your project or performance. Being as objective as you can, look at the feedback and ask this simple question: “What’s true?” Keep your primary objective in mind and use that as a guidepost for whether the feedback you have gotten will be used or discarded. Another question to ask is “What can I learn here?” Notice if you become defensive, since that’s not the wisest approach to doing your best. Make notes as you go back through the feedback and decide how you want to move forward with it.

Commentary is an essential part of the writing process, and if you’re interested in improving your writing, you should be seeking feedback. Getting kind and constructive comments is key to becoming a good writer. Use my steps to receive comments gracefully. Soon you’ll love the feedback process and will be asking for it even more often! Feedback is a part of creativity, so don’t let it burst your bubble.

You may have heard about the five phases of grief. Psychological professionals have outlined the pattern of emotions that humans cycle through during the grieving process. As a writing professional, I’ve discovered the five phases of receiving feedback. Any writer who is advancing in their career has been through the sometimes shocking experience of having her work critiqued. Cycling through these five feedback phases is normal. Getting stuck in any of them, however, could bring your writing career to a painful halt. See if you recognize yourself at any of these phases:

Denial. Defensiveness sets in. How could they say that about your character? Can’t they see how perfect she is? You go home and rant to your spouse about how clueless your critique group is. You shore up a line of defense and tick the points off on your fingers while your beloved nods and smiles.

Depression. What? Your draft isn’t perfect? After all that work… you realize that your blossoming talent doesn’t hold up without some pruning. You may hole up for weeks, or months, in this phase, daunted by the real work of writing: revision. Your balm: forays to the library and to read all those other successes.

Integration. You’re still alive, and is that a glimmer of desire to have another look at your manuscript? Take a deep breath and look clearly at the comments you received. Which feedback can be integrated and what needs to be chucked?

Enthusiasm. Okay, you know what to do now. You’ve found some grace and you’ve taken the criticism. Outlining a plan for revision, you’re ready to go. You’re over the worst of it. You’re even kind of excited about it. You can write a bestseller!

Acceptance. You move into work mode and start working through the details.

You realize that writing is suitable work for those who can handle the long haul. You recommit to the work of being a writer. There’s a lot to do, but with support you can write this thing!

To move through the five phases more effectively, here are some tried and true methods that I have used with my coaching clients.

To handle the denial, ask yourself this simple question: “What’s true about this feedback?” Take a step back from the work and be as objective as you can. Is it true that there is a lot of exposition in your novel? Is it true that your characters don’t seem developed enough? Making this kind of assessment strengthens your skills as a writer. Taking your work apart, piece by piece, will allow you to delve into the craft of writing.

For the overwhelming emotions that drive you to hide under the covers, try giving yourself an acknowledgment. This simple coaching tool can help you to recognize your progress, and what you have done right. An acknowledgment could look like this: “You gave the draft as much as you could when you wrote it. Look at how far you have come since you said you wanted to write.” Working through the emotions goes more quickly if you are able to talk them out with a compassionate listener.

Call up your writing buddy or coach and give space to the feelings that without expression might keep you trapped for months.

When you get to the integration phase, give yourself a pat on the back. You’re maturing as a writer. Realizing that writing is more than the first flush of inspiration is a powerful step toward success. Give yourself a better chance at success by outlining a plan, creating a schedule, and sticking to the work of revision.

Enthusiasm is the fun part of the process. Here you reconnect with some of the original passion for the piece, but with the added commitment and knowledge that you are willing to show up to make your writing shine.

In the final phase, the flare and spark of enthusiasm settles into a warm, steady fire.

You are fueled by the respect you have for yourself for sticking with it, for your love of writing, for your admiration for others who have done this work and triumphed.

If you do find yourself stuck, if getting feedback has stopped you cold, get help. Meet with a writing buddy to talk out the feedback. Talk long walks and ponder your commitment to the work. What drives you to keep going despite the challenges?

Understanding your motivation to write, and to write that particular piece, will help you to move through the five phases of feedback more quickly. Receiving feedback gracefully is part of any writer’s process, so make it work for you!