 |
| Testing
the waters of critique. It’s deep and luminous in there. |
Why is it easier
for writers to see what’s not working in other writer’s work but not their own?
*Sigh*
This is why all writing needs to go
through critique, because more often than not, writers may not be able to
unlock the problems in their own writing.
It’s probably because as writers, we are so married to what we wrote, we
can’t see past it. Having someone who
does not know our story look at it with fresh eyes is extremely necessary for
all writing.
Take my “collection of
anecdotes,” ahem…I mean my memoir. I
know the memoir is mostly a collection of anecdotes, but they’re funny
anecdotes. However, I also know that anecdotes
alone do not make a memoir. At this
point, I’m just not exactly sure how to fix it.
Organization and pacing is what’s
needed according to Kate, my super Author Accelerator editor.
People come to memoir looking for
personal connection with the author, she reminded me. Readers are looking for my progress as a human being and not just a progression of college
courses. Just as in story, the
protagonist needs to grow and change. I
knew this, too, and in my memoir I certainly grew and changed. But it seems that I didn’t put in enough whys
and whats and hows and a consistent overarching theme that affects the plot arc.
I have so much work to do.
But I need to help Kate understand that
no one was abused or tragically died in the making of this memoir journey. Well, except for that shy and unsure mother
who was afraid of her own intellect in the beginning of the memoir. The mother who emerged at the outset of this
college journey is a more confident woman.
Or at least she was…until the
critique of the memoir came back.
Does there need to be more substance
in the memoir? For sure. How do I do it? Um…that’s what this next leg of the journey
will be about.
This is when, my dear followers,
I dry my tears, blow my nose, and consider and decide and revise. I haven’t even gone through the entire
manuscript critique yet. I’ve only read
the summary of the critique. I need to
remember this will take time and lots of intestinal fortitude.
You have all been very helpful
with your insight. Do you have any
advice to share regarding these points?