Group Critiques
It was an interesting and challenging day today.
I'm working with The Red Wheelbarrow, De Anza's student literary magazine, as the managing editor. Editors are allowed to submit to the magazine, and all submissions are anonymous, so that people won't be persuading by knowing the writer.
So I submitted some of my work: 1 script, 1 short short story, and 5 poems. Today I had to listen to the discussion of my poetry. And it was fucking hard.
I think the fact that they didn't know it was me almost made it harder for me, because I couldn't talk back, I couldn't really speak at all, because I would give away the fact that I was the writer.
My heart beat faster. I had to keep from giggling and blushing. I felt very foolish and embarrassed sometimes. Some people liked the work, some people made it very clear they didn't.
Over all I found it helpful, though. There were a lot of votes for rewrites, and I also voted for rewrites a couple of times, because I wasn't really all that attached to that piece of writing. I'm willing to rewrite something if I think it's going to make it better. Most of the places they pointed out for rewrites I was willing to consider. They were places that I had my doubts about to begin with, so why not rework them?
And while I couldn't say anything during the voting discussions, I will be able to have my say during the rewriting sessions. And there are very specific things that I will not change, for all the reasons why I will not change them, even to the point of pulling it from the journal.
I'm pretty damn clear on what I'm willing to rewrite and what I'm not. It's a hard process of going through critiques to get to the point where you can be confident enough to know that about your writing. I'm not saying I have a perfect feel for it yet, but I'm definitely on my way.
I'm working with The Red Wheelbarrow, De Anza's student literary magazine, as the managing editor. Editors are allowed to submit to the magazine, and all submissions are anonymous, so that people won't be persuading by knowing the writer.
So I submitted some of my work: 1 script, 1 short short story, and 5 poems. Today I had to listen to the discussion of my poetry. And it was fucking hard.
I think the fact that they didn't know it was me almost made it harder for me, because I couldn't talk back, I couldn't really speak at all, because I would give away the fact that I was the writer.
My heart beat faster. I had to keep from giggling and blushing. I felt very foolish and embarrassed sometimes. Some people liked the work, some people made it very clear they didn't.
Over all I found it helpful, though. There were a lot of votes for rewrites, and I also voted for rewrites a couple of times, because I wasn't really all that attached to that piece of writing. I'm willing to rewrite something if I think it's going to make it better. Most of the places they pointed out for rewrites I was willing to consider. They were places that I had my doubts about to begin with, so why not rework them?
And while I couldn't say anything during the voting discussions, I will be able to have my say during the rewriting sessions. And there are very specific things that I will not change, for all the reasons why I will not change them, even to the point of pulling it from the journal.
I'm pretty damn clear on what I'm willing to rewrite and what I'm not. It's a hard process of going through critiques to get to the point where you can be confident enough to know that about your writing. I'm not saying I have a perfect feel for it yet, but I'm definitely on my way.