Sharing your writing with the world is no easy task. It takes bravery and a willingness to open up in a way that, as a new writer, I could not have imagined.
Writing comes from somewhere deep inside of us, and whether you are writing fact or fiction, your soul is in every piece.
So, accepting critiques can be hard. You may feel hurt, angry or even in denial that what you wrote is not magical and perfect. Even if you are perfect, it doesn’t matter because everyone has their own opinions. Just read some political or regions posts on Facebook and see the varying views. Do you think people reading your stories would be any different? Ask 4 or 6 people to read the same tale and give an opinion and they will all be variations from their unique viewpoint.
I am here to talk about helping each other in a way that encourages growth and understanding of writing. That is after all, why we share free stories and join the groups, and yes, blog.
The best writer’s site I have found Is The Write Practice http://thewritepractice.com/
They use the Oreo technique. This is perfect because you are not just pointing out the mistakes, but also the good writing. If you are helping others and asking for their help in return, you can use this practice to boost each other.
Here is an example of a critique on my story from a contest that I entered.
The theme of Two Worlds is fully fleshed out here. A pretty good story of karma and switching places between a rich old lady and homeless vet she looked down on.
I thought this was a well-written sentence:
Mrs. Winterbottom hoisted her Louis Vuitton bag higher on her arm, her chin lifted, her diamond tipped nails flashed in the florescent light.
While the body swap between Charley and Mrs. Winterbottom (nice name, by the way – fit the character perfectly) was a pleasant karmic surprise, this seemed to be the arc of the story – which happened in the middle of your piece. (From A Judge)
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