For those who don't know, I'm a member of a writing forum. One of the things I've seen asked a lot is for people to give advice on or critique an idea for a story or a novel. It's something that's difficult for me to get a full grasp on, because until recently, I've always been rather private with my ideas (see: how this blog has very little of my actual ideas written out!) and have never really sought advice in that stage of the process. These people obviously have a different mindset, and it makes me wonder how they're approaching the process.
Mainly, I'm curious how others' advice affects their ideas. If I were to say, here's my story: A, B, and C, and you were to say, "Change C to D", I'm not sure I'd make the change. Mostly because my thoughts would be on 'well, that's not how the story is supposed to go'. But it's not the fault of the suggester: They only have the barest of bones on the tale.
A wise man once said, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" (I said 'wise', not 'grammatically astute'). How can anyone know what's wrong with a story when there's no story? How can an "idea" be broken? No one knows what the story really is yet because the story doesn't exist. I worry for these writers because I think they're getting too plagued by the starting line.
If you ponder over ideas, making changes and asking questions about just the spark of inspiration you received, how will the story ever get made? Some writers go in with a chapter by chapter plan of their story, and some of them might start exactly as I've described here; checking up on the idea first. But I know for a fact that there are writers who get bogged down in this opening stage so much that they soon find themselves months, maybe years later with this great idea, but not a single word written toward it.
I suppose if I were inclined or qualified, my advice would be to get an idea and then write the story. Close the world out until "The End" is written, and then critique it yourself. Edit it, clean it up, leave it alone, and clean it up some more. Then, show it to the world and see what they think. You'll probably need to make more changes once other people see it, but I doubt they'll be as sweeping or story-altering as they would have been if you sought advice with just that idea. Instead, the critique will focus on style and structure, making your writing better rather than trying to make your story better.
Hey PB, I have been getting feedback prior to finishing and it is sometimes hard figuring out what is relevant based on the extent of what I've shared for critique. What I'm doing is saving it all, and then figuring out which parts are relevant regardless of the finished product. So things like cheesy/cliched writing, tips on technique, general feelings about characters, etc. can be addressed now. Other things like whether or not I need a prologue, specific plot questions, etc. I am holding until I have the finished product. I also think though that it depends on your general comfort with writing. I am so unsure of everything, that although I'm plugging away to finish a first draft, there are things that I am learning up front that I can apply to the rest (in terms of general writing technique, etc.) that will save me lots of time later. The main thing is that I'm not letting the feedback slow me down from plugging away. Until I get the entire first draft completed, this early stuff is useful but will have to be done all over again.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I'd love to read some of your WIP, so not sharing it also creates a bit of anticipation that wouldn't be there otherwise :) Keep me in mind when you get to the point you are ready for beta readers, etc.
Hey T Kent! Thanks for visiting! You're welcome to read any of my novels, I have three finished at this moment (though one needs some editing...) and am always willing to give it those willing to read it!
DeleteI know I'm replying to a month old post, but you present an interesting point.
ReplyDeleteCritique is kind of weird when you think about it, even for a complete story. You're presenting your idea/work for all to judge, and then when its released, it is observed again by the populace that may or may not share the opinion of the focus group.
I don't really like to critique for that very reason, because it's not my place to represent all the people who will see your idea or story.
I think that the desire to be critiqued comes from our fear of failure. We all want to release a book that will net us millions. The truth is that there are very few books, even series of books, that will do this. I think people who allow others to critique the very idea of their story are the most afraid of failure. They want the very first thing they create to be a masterpiece, but how often does that happen?
People who critique have their heart in the right place. But let's be honest, not every great piece of literature has been looked over by a focus group. Why, J R Token actually reverted some of his editor's corrections to his book. He changed the word "Elfin" to "Elvin" because the elves were not elf kind, but a race all their own. But I'm not sure if such a detail really matters. People purchased the book because it was well written. would "Elfin" people really make you put down the book or not recommend it to a friend?
I think you're close when you say that people shouldn't judge ideas. That's just silly. But must we make ALL the changes recommended by a focus group?
Good blog post.