This weekend is the SCBWI's Winter Conference in snowy, cold New York City.

If you're like me and couldn't manage to get out there, but wish you were part of all the fun, here's a great way to stay connected, the SCBWI Team Blog:

http://scbwi.blogspot.com

You'll find lots of great information: interviews, notes on sessions, conference updates and photos.

You can also follow updates on twitter: #ny11scbwi

Have a great weekend to those who are out in the Big Apple! The rest of us are cheering you on from the sidelines!

Notice the indefinite article in that title.  I don’t pretend to be the last word on critique.  I just have one more thing to offer.

You’ve received a critique.  It might have been from a group you just met – full of a variety of Nicey-Pieceys and Snobs and maybe a Picker or two. Or a group you have been with forever.  It might have been a written critique or face-to-face at a conference, or something you won in a contest.  It might be a rejection letter.

You’ve taken notes.  You’ve given yourself time to think.  You come to the hard part. And you have to look it in the eye.

Do you follow the advice?  Or not?

All of us Muses, and our expanding circle of friends, have said at one point or another, “Oh, shoot.  I was hoping no one would notice that.”  Well, that’s the critique that’s true.  The one that needs changing.  And you knew it already.  So do it.

But what about the critique that’s wrong?  And how do you know?

As Talia said, we writers are fragile creatures.  For many of us, our first reaction is to believe the critquer.  Especially if that person is an industry professional.  But what about your opinion?  If the critique is only of a few pages, only you know the full body of your work.  And ultimately, you have to decide if the critique applies.  And how to apply it.  And sometimes that can be the hardest part of our job.

So as a fun little illustration, I’m going to share some of my own experiences with you.  Some of these are from conferences.  Some are from groups.  I will not name names.

1. These characters lack dimensionality.  Ouch.  I am still obsessing over this one.  I managed to let it sit for 14 hours before calling a friend who had read the whole book and getting her opinion.  She said she hadn’t seen that at all.  Which of course, didn’t stop me from obsessing but at least made me feel better.  The upside of this criticism is that I just keep digging at my characters.  And hopefully that shows.

2. This is where I would stop reading.  This was said by an agent in a critique group at a conference.  Not something you want an agent to say.  The scene being read was a difficult one.  One I considered cutting, especially after this comment.  But one I ultimately felt was necessary for the growth of my character and the development of the plot.  It stayed.  But I did rewrite it.   Many times.

3. You’ve actually made this worse. This came after a long and arduous rewrite, one full of pain and angst.  The person who said it is still my friend.  Because she was right.  The piece was broken beyond repair. 

4. I don’t think you need to change anything.  This was both the best and worst critique I’ve ever gotten.  The first fifteen pages of my first novel were chosen as the best manuscript at my local conference.  For that, I won a face-to-face with one of the keynote speakers – an agent.  These were the agent’s words when we talked.  To which were added, “I can’t offer representation, though, because I don’t do middle grade.”  Even in my relatively newbie status, my brain blinked as if.  I knew that no agent offers representation on fifteen pages.  And I also knew the rest of the book needed a lot of work before I even started querying.  Eventually, I learned it was broken beyond repair.  So the agent dodged a bullet on that one.

5. If you were my client, I’d suggest you write the Catherine Howard book.  Yes, I made the mistake of pitching all my ideas at an industry professional at a conference.  But the advice paid off.

So what do you think?  Don’t let ego get in the way.  Remember that sometimes your darlings have to die.  But also keep the integrity of your work.  Follow your vision as only you know how.  This is your creative project – be it short story, novel, creative non-fiction, memoir, whatever.  You do know when the advice is right.

If you're like me, you read Donna's post on Monday and panicked.  I hate to admit it, but there were more than a few descriptions of critique partners from hell that hit a little close to home.  I think at one point or another I've been all of those people.  I'd like to think I've gotten better, and certainly I've learned some things along the way, but I think I could be an even better critique partner.  So my post is going to focus on things you can do to make yourself a highly sought after and helpful member of any critique group.

 1.  FIND THE RIGHT PARTNERS.  This is one of the most important parts of any critique group.  Who are the other members?  Do they write in your genre?  Are they writing at your level or above?  Do you like their work?  Do you value their opinions?  Do you trust them with your fragile ego? Do they help you improve your work? Ask all of these questions and more.  Sometimes it takes a while to find the right chemistry, but the right mix of people is critical to getting the most out of a critique group. Some of these factors might be less important to you than others, but above all, you must trust the people in your group.    

2.  LOOK FOR TWO GREAT THINGS AND TWO THINGS THAT NEED WORK.  As your partners share their work, look for two positive things and two things that need work.  I say two, because chances are, other members of your critique group will pick up on some of the same things, and having two gives you the option of talking about something different.  Here's a list of things to keep in mind as you are reading:

Concept/plot.  Do you love the concept or is there something off about it?  Is there a plot hole?  Does the scene have a beginning middle and end?  Does the scene stay in the moment or veer off to other places and memories.
 
Setting.  Are there rich period details that make the book come alive?  Is there so much detail that the story drags.  Is there not enough details to picture the scene?  Are the setting details integral to the story?

Characters.  Are the characters multi-dimensional and easy to relate too?  Do they have flaws?  Is there a balance between flaws and redeeming qualities?  Is the character likable? Does the character act in believable ways? Is the character proactive or reactive? Are there sufficient emotional reactions? (This is especially critical for the character whose POV is featured).  

Voice.  Does the work have a voice?  Is it lyrical and smooth?  Quick and snappy?  Simple yet gorgeous?  Does the piece have a personality, a voice of its own?  (NOTE: unless the voice is very good, this is a difficult area to critique.)  Good voice is like pornography, hard to describe but you know it when you see it.  It's also the most personal part of any writer's work.  The writer's voice is essentially the way the writer writes.  If you find yourself critiquing voice as something that needs work, be prepared to back it up with something more concrete, such as "The lack of emotional reactions is keeping me at a distance,"  or "the detailed descriptive passages are too long for my attention span."  Notice that these criticisms have been couched in subjective terms for how the work is resonating with the person giving the critique.  It is important to remember that this is just one person's opinion.  You might not like it, but you might be in the minority.

Conflict.  Is there sufficient conflict in the scene?  Do the characters have goals?  Are their obstacles in their way?  Do they get out of the situation too easily? Does the resolution of the conflict make things better or worse?

Pacing.  Does the scene drag?  Does it move too quickly?  Does the pacing fit with the overall structure of the story? (i.e. important scenes and events that are critical to the plot shouldn't be summarized in a few sentences- the reader deserves to see them play out).  Pacing is often dragged down by too much description or lots of flashbacks.  Conversely, a story that moves too fast almost always suffers from not enough sensory detail or emotional reactions.

Themes.  What is the story about?  This goes beyond plot and character and reaches the heart of the story.  Are there places in the scene to emphasize certain themes?

Suggested Edits.  Sometimes the biggest problem with a piece of writing isn't plot or character or setting, rather the story just needs some judicious editing.  Are the sentences too laden with adjectives and adverbs?  Does the writer have any tics (i.e. using the same word over and over)?  Granted, in most critique groups, there won't be time to line edit the piece of work.  But sometimes its helpful to point out an issue that stood out to you, so the writer can go back over the piece (and later the book) with a watchful eye.

Areas of confusion.  Are there places where you lost sight of what was happening?  Did you understand waht was going on?  Were there places where you felt like things were explained that were already obvious?  Conversely, is a very complex scene easy to read and easy to follow?  This for me is one of the most valuable aspects of a critique.  As a writer, I know my characters intimately.  I know exactly what is motivating them, and what is happening in the scene.  The problem is I can't always tell if I've gotten what's in my head on to the page.  It's great to know where things get confusing or overexplain.
 
Unique qualities in the work.  Is there something special about this piece of writing?  SHARE IT!  We all love to hear that you loved something about our writing.  Plus, it helps us as writers if we understand our strengths just as much as if we understand our weaknesses.  On the other hand, if there is something uniquely troubling about the work (main character that you loathe, graphic sex, mistreatment of animals), do let the writer know that you had a negative reaction.  The writer may not change the work, but its important for the writer to know that some people may be offended.

3.  ONLY TALK ABOUT ONE OF EACH.  You've read the piece.  You've found two things you loved and two things that need work.  Now only talk about one of each.  In most cases you will have five minutes or less to express your points.  More than two is too much for a writer to take in.  One is better, but it is important for you to have something positive to say as well.  You have two points in case someone else has covered the other point and you have nothing to add to it. 

4.  KEEP IT SHORT AND FOCUSED.  Stay within the time parameters imposed by the group.  Stay on topic.  Make your two points and only your two points.  Yes you will notice other things and want to tell the writer everything.  RESIST.  Under no circumstances should you ever bring the focus back to your own work.  Give your critique partner the same respect you would expect them to give you.

5.  START POSITIVE AND END POSITIVE.  The infamous "sandwich" technique is a cliche for a reason.  Writers are for the most part fragile creatures.  We pour our subconscious, perhaps our soul onto the page.  Every work has merit, even if its just the courage that went into sitting down at and putting some words on paper, then sharing them with others.  Start your critique with a positive and end with that same (remember only talking about one) positive message.  Encourage the writer to attack the work with renewed energy.  Because that is why we attend critique groups.

Ahhh, Critique. Just the word makes your blood frost a little, doesn't it?

It's one of the hardest things writers endure, but it can also be the most rewarding. Yesterday Donna gave us a humorous and insightful look at the kinds of critique partners you might come across. Today, I'm going to spin this around and point the focus on how to make the most of your critique.

Here's what's worked for me:

PLAN AHEAD - Have your pages/materials ready. Put some thought into the problems you think you see in the work. Line up questions you might want to ask ahead of time. Your critique partners are (hopefully) giving you their undivided focus during that time. Be respectful of that. Be ready. Number your pages. Put your name on the top. Be ready. Make it as easy as possible for your critique partners to jump right in.

PRACTICE THE ART OF LISTENING - Many critique groups have a "no questions-no talking" policy, where you have to withhold your comments on the feedback until the end. I'm mixed on this one. I like to address questions as they come up. But the spirit of the rule is a good one. Don't be argumentative. Don't interrupt. Listen. Your critique partners have every right to have an opinion--that's why you are there, to hear it--so put your listening ears on. It's the best thing you can do for your work.

TAKE DETAILED NOTES - This is my favorite tip. I practically transcribe what people say about my work. This has two main pluses:

1) I'm usually a little distracted/nervous/excited about reading my work and that tends to mess with my focus a bit. By writing things down, I'm forced to get right back in and LISTEN.

2) And I need a drum roll here, because if you take away anything from this post, it should be this--making notes gives you a chance to revisit the critique later. Guys, I can't tell you how many times my reaction to a comment has been, "What? That's a preposterous statement!" (I say this to myself, of course.) But then... BUT THEN... a day or two later, as I'm looking through my notebook, I sort of go, "Hmmm," and then a week or a month or even months afterward I might find myself saying, "Yeah. She had it right." (Yo, Lorin! Yes, I'm talking about you!) So write it down. Please, write it down.

HAVE AN ENTRANCE/EXIT STRATEGY - This applies to your mood, specifically. Or your writing mo-jo. When I have time, I like to jot down some thoughts on how I'm feeling about the work BEFORE I go into critique sessions, and then I do this again afterward. Again, writing it down makes it clearer to me. I can reflect on how the critique struck me. How it settles over time. What points I felt strongly about going in vs. going out. All useful stuff to know. What you're striving for, I think, is as clear a picture as you can have of your writing strengths and weaknesses, not just the problem with that one scene's opening. Be in it for the long run. Learn your writing patterns.

BE GRATEFUL - Like I said above, your critique partners are giving you their time. You might not love what they tell you, but if they did their job and gave you their honest feedback in a respectful manner, suck it up and be thankful.

So, in summary, be ready, listen, writing things down, and say thank you!

Finding a good critique group is like internet dating. You have to be very patient and willing to endure a few (sometimes more than a few) bad encounters. Any good critique always starts with the positive, and there are so many good things to say about a critique group that works. It's like having a deep conversation about one of your most favorite things in the whole world with your best friend/mentor/editor/cheerleader/mother all rolled into one. It's also about learning from other people's writing. You look forward to the session and, when you leave, you're eager to get back to your WIP as quickly as possible. If that's not your overall feeling about participating in a critique group, then something may be wrong. So now to the critique part...

The Top Ten Worst Critique Group Members

1. The Snob(s). There are likely to be different levels of experience and success in any writing group, but no one wants to participate in a group to feel inferior and intimidated. When I first moved to Colorado, and was trying to find a new critique group, I visited a group in Boulder. When I arrived I was told they had to vote on whether or not I would be "worthy" to join the group. I spent the whole time feeling like every comment, every word, was being judged. After the session was over, I went to the bathroom and was surprised to find, when I returned, the vote had occurred and I was invited to continue. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the same way about staying in the group. Awkward!

2. The Time Hog. If you have a group session that lasts two hours, she will always want to go first and will take 1:59 to talk about her WIP. Sometimes the Time Hog will even take other peoples' critique time and still make it about her story.

3. The Retro. He hasn't read a children's book since he was a child. His stories are full of names like Suzie Squirrel and Tommy Tree. There are sometimes rainbows and unicorns involved and usually a strong moral message. The worst example of this was a story I once read called (and I'm not kidding) "The Tree who Wanted to Grow Up to be a Telephone Pole."

4. The Distractor. She wants to talk about anything and everything but writing. Her children started swim lessons last week, her mother-in-law is visiting Paris next month, it's windy (cold, hot, rainy, etc.) outside, her favorite hairstylist is moving salons... you get the idea. She often has to leave the group session to take phone calls or return text messages. While I love the fact I'm more than just writing to my wonderful writing group, when we get down to business it's ALL about the writing and that time is precious.

5. The Harsh Critic/The NiceyPiecey. These two go together. She's just mean and never says anything positive. Just watching the face of the person being critiqued tells the story. It hurts. Nicey Piecey is just the opposite. EVERYTHING is wonderful and he never makes a suggestion for improvement--he can't think of a thing to make it better. Ever. Hearing what's not working is an important part of the critique process, but we also need to hear what IS working.

6. The Debater. She has a come back to every comment and suggestion. The result is that every critique session becomes an argument about why she did suchandsuch or why she didn't write it that way. Of course, you are the ultimate boss of your own story and the editorial decisions are your own. That said, you can't look over the shoulder of an editor or agent when they read your story and tell them why. The manuscript has to stand on it's own without explanation.

7. The Picker. He always focuses on the little details to the exclusion of the things that really matter. Should you call it a "monster" or a "gargoyle"? Discuss. All of this, when what you really need to know is, if the thing is dead or still hiding in the closet!

8. The Sulker. After her turn to read, she spends the entire rest of the critique session with arms crossed, eating potato chips, and refusing to comment on anyone else's manuscript. Something someone said didn't sit right and now she's closed down. We've all had those moments--at least emotionally--when it just hits us wrong. This person, however, ALWAYS reacts with sullen silence to any kind of criticism.

9. The Boss. He always knows what's best for your story including what the climatic scene should be, how the story should end and even where you should submit your manuscript. While helpful suggestions should always be appreciated, he takes it from advice to orders.

10. The Sporadic. She shows up infrequently and randomly. Because she misses so many sessions, she often doesn't know what people are working on and readers have to "catch her up" every time before they read.

This week, Katy and I head to the SCBWI Winter conference in New York where I'll be participating in critique groups. Hopefully, I won't run into any of these critique group characters and, most importantly, I really hope I won't turn into one of them myself! If you're in NY, please say hello. If not, don't despair, we'll have a special feature all next week sharing our adventures.