After the Great Critique...

So as you may know, Toni and I recently put our our big girl pants and went to the Great Critique sponsored by SCWBI.  It was a wonderful opportunity for local writers, great and small, to mix and exchange ideas. We met in an exquisite, old 1910 craftsman style church and coffee house with dark boiserie and beautiful stained glass in the great room.  It would be a great scene for a story! Hmmm...

Unfortunately, we were not in the great room but the basement...maybe a little foreshadowing for a critique.  Like with all learning experiences, this was really tough!

You work so hard on a project, pour your heart and soul into your manuscript, present your best work yet...only to have it all torn apart. It was a very heart wrenching and humbling experience.  My ears are still ringing with comments such as:

"This is not a picture book"
"The problem I have with your story is ..."
"You totally suck as a writer and should quit right now!"

Ok I made up that last part. Criticism is very hard to take graciously.  Susan Uhlig offers some great advice on how to deal with "your baby is ugly" comments. Here is a link to her website. 

After the critique we need to move on even if we are limping just a little bit. The bad stuff may linger a little longer but then comes the brilliant gems of great advice.  Comments sincerely intended for the improvement of your manuscript. And then there is the giant learning steps and ah-ha moments which make the critique agony so worth it!

I'm so glad Toni and I went. We came out a little beaten down but a little wiser. Toni has something amazing in the works and I can't wait to see how her story develops and improves. I think this is going to be the manuscript that makes Toni a published author! Good luck Toni!