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Tips For Writing A Novel - Tip 9 - 3 Ways To Test Your Writing by Robert Flores
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Tips For Writing A Novel - Tip 9 - 3 Ways To Test Your Writing |
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Education
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You've written a story or a book. It's the best book that was ever written, or is it? Unfortunately, if you're like me, you may be blind to the fact that your first draft is, well a first draft--unpolished, boring, basically an outline. Finishing feels great, so my writing feels great, to me anyway. Here are some of the ways that I test my writing: I show it to other writers in critique groups. This is a proven way to get constructive feedback from people who have suffered through the same issues that plague me. Of course, it's important to pick the right writers' group. Some groups are filled with what Toastmaster Club members call, "White Washers"--those who say only nice things. There are groups that are made up of smug people who compare everything you write to the great masters. I was in a poetry critique group like this once. It was a disaster. Finally, there are groups that are made up of writers who are at different levels, and who offer constructive criticism. Frankly, the criticism that they offer may hurt, but take it seriously. Keep in mind that a critique is not necessarily right, but don't reject it out of hand. Let the critiques digest. Find on-line writer's forums to provide feedback. I regularly use two different forums, and the comments that I get are extremely helpful. Here are a few examples of comments that I received on several manuscripts: Watch using the same words in paragraphs. It tends to be redundant and lacking by way of variation. You will understand what I mean when you view the comparisons. This seems to work. The final decision of course is yours. Very descriptive text. I like it. I smile because I cannot believe this story is grabbing me the way it is. Looking forward to reading more. Alan, why is mom referred to as "mom," and dad referred to as "Mr. Alexander" as opposed to dad or his father? I have to tell you I'm a slow reader. That said, I love this first chapter... really a good start. I love the nearly magic feel yet the difference with the rude of the old man and the sweetness of the wife. It seems like going into a magic shop, but when you can say yes obvious, the shop is been described as a normal one. More like a mmmm gadget tourist shop. but then when you think is not magic, something nearly magic happens. Lovely. I think you have a good combination of the artwork and the poems you have created to go with the art. It's very edgy, which I think will be well received for the age groups you have indicated you're interested in. Love the idea of combining the artwork with the poems. When I first started reading them, my only concern was whether or not they were too depressing, with all of the talk about death and a sense of hopelessness which came across in the earlier poems. That was not the case as I read the remainder of the poems. Perhaps a rearranging of the chapters, so there would be a better balance throughout would be worth considering. I only bring this up because you had mentioned in one of your comments that you intend the poems to be for teens and there is already such a high suicide rate for this age, that to have a high concentration of hopeless sounding poems was a concern to me.My father committed suicide when I was a teenager and it's such a waste to see anyone's life snuffed out in that manner. In fact I wrote a poem at that time, that I still send out to others who are going through a time of grieving. I've thought about trying to round up others who have written poems during a time of grief, but not sure where to begin to find contributors. Your collaborative work with the artist in this case has been a source of encouragement to continue to pursue this idea in the near future. Read your work out loud, tape it and listen to it. Or, use a speech-to-text generator, and have your computer read your work to you. I find that I hear mistakes that I skip over when I'm reading. I read what I expect to see, not what's on the paper. When it's read out loud, particularly by a computer voice, I find errors that are invisible to me when I'm reading the words on paper. thesis
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