Critique

Writing: A Crash Course

December 24, 2011

Ask fifteen writers for the secret to learning the Craft of Writing and you’ll get forty-five answers.  At least.  The answers will likely all be good, too.
So, perhaps you’ll for give me… If the ring is so wide, why not toss in another idea?
I say the secret to learning the craft of writing isn’t writing, [...]

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Don’t Crush That Contributor, Hand Me a Pencil

October 6, 2011

Every so often somebody comes along with an update, an idea, a suggestion, a criticism or a correction.  Their delivery system may be smooth and thoughtful, or rough, crass, even.  When this comes our way, how should we react?
OK, I know I’m standing very close to the line, here.  If I’m starting to sound like [...]

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Waxing Nostalgic – A Little Help From My Friends

July 30, 2011

For some reason “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” wormed its way into my mind in the early dark this morning, so I went in search of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
As I am the type of person who seems to remember every word to every song (or pretty nearly) I found myself [...]

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How to Be Critiqued

July 23, 2011

We’ve seen a great many tutorials on how to critique someone’s writing, but there isn’t so much available on how to be critiqued.
At first glance you might thin that all you have to do is listen to the person doing the critique, but once you’re “on the ground”, so to speak, all bets are off.
Why?
Well, [...]

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Critique Groups: Why Bother?

July 16, 2011

You have finally emerged from the swamp, you and your manuscript dripping with sweat, slime, and feelings of doubt.
Now what?
Do you (A) go in search of an agent?  Do you (B) scour about looking for a publisher?  …or do you (C) take a deep breath, and and decide to get your book vetted before you [...]

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Pep Talk

June 18, 2011

 
So, how are you doing?
How’s the writing coming along?
Are the words flowing, the ideas fighting each other for supremacy in your head, are you happy with what you do?
Do you have doubts?  Are you concerned that your work may not be good enough?  Are you afraid you’ll never make the big time?
And the big one, [...]

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Typo Isn’t a Blood Type

March 29, 2011

Me?  I never make typus.  But I’m pisitive that some of you do.
 
OK, yeah, I know, hilarious.
 
But, here’s the deal.
First: I want to make a strong distinction between typos an spelling errors.  If you have been at your craft for any length of time—especially if you’ve been blogging, or commenting on blogs, or even “better” [...]

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Will You Be the Gift?

February 8, 2011

If you are a person who reads and reviews the work of another writer, you are indeed the gift.
Despite becoming a bit jaded by careless or thoughtless readers, reviewers and critics, I know there are still, out and about, readers and reviewers who ply their skills with the real intent of aiding other writers.  To those [...]

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Writing Without a Net: Help For the New Writer

January 31, 2011

Perhaps, as a writer, you’ve worked it out.  Yes, writing is solitary, lonely.  You know that even when you’ve cultivated a circle of local friends who share your dreams and passions—or rather, their own versions of them—even when you’ve joined a club or professional organization, even when you’ve got 3000 writer friends on Facebook, you work [...]

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How to Tighten Up Your Writing Craft

January 12, 2011

Ask fifteen writers for the secret to learning the Craft of Writing and you’ll get forty-five answers.  At least.  The answers will likely all be good, too.
If the ring is so wide, why not toss in another idea?
I say the secret to learning the craft of writing isn’t writing, or reading (well, yes it is, [...]

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