Accepting Criticism

It has taken me many years to learn the art of accepting criticism. My agent taught me the first step. Whenever she suggested a change she urged me to 'sleep on it' before responding. Words of wisdom indeed. My first reaction is nearly always: no way! I am not changing a thing about MY book and how dare you even suggest it? I hate you! Anger is closely followed by despair - I should never have believed in my book and myself anyway. What was I thinking of? - I then used to dash off to change my novel completely. Not anymore.
These days when I receive criticism, I allow the initial feelings of hatred to wash through me, knowing they are just a stage. I put the suggestions aside, for about twenty minutes, and read it again. I still hate the critic, but perhaps less so. The next day, I might aknowlege the trouble the reviewer has gone to. I mean he/she has spilled thoughts, about my work, from one human brain, onto a page, for me to consider. I hate him/her slightly less. Then, as before, depression sets in. This can last for several days or even a week. Then the day comes when I read the suggestions again, shrug my shoulders and think maybe this person has a point, maybe they don't. Feeling slightly less hurt, I may thank the critic (if they haven't said anyting too awful.) A week or two later, after I've thought about their comments, while walking the beach, daydreaming in bed and staring at many white walls, I pull out the manuscript and re-read it. I wonder if the suggested changes may add to the book. If the answer is, yes, I try them out. Sometimes I'm not sure whether or not they have worked. If one of them niggles at me, like wearing the wrong belt with an outfit, I take it out again.

My motto used to be: I'd rather do something on my own, and get it wrong, than collaborate with anyone else.
Slowly that is changing. I have learnt the value of a good critic. When, and only when, I have gone as far as I can with a piece of writing myself, a good critic can point out the gaps. If he/she wants to know more about a character or a setting, I'm okay with that. In fact that is very useful information. I have a tendency to write quickly and not hang about too long with description (even though I'm always pointing out this flaw to children and teenagers).

This morning I received criticism from a good critic. She, like others, wanted more back story on my main characters. I am not a fan of backstory. The less the better in my book - literally. However I shall see what I can do, and in the meantime I have thanked her. See? - I am maturing!

Summer Camp Success!

I had my first children/teen summer camp in Skerries a week ago and it went really well, even if I say so myself. Above you can see the very intelligent and likable bunch who attended. They wrote stories together about characters living in the Big Brother house, and afterwards, followed them home to show how their lives were changed after the experience. Later I asked them to describe the sensation of eating a piece of chocolate Santa Claus, (whilst chewing) and the prize for the best one was the rest of the large Santa all to themselves. Characters fainted from chocolate fireworks in their mouths or were lifted up to heaven by multitudes of angels. The results were brilliant and I discovered a key motivational tool in writing - chocolate.
And I thought it was all about the love of the craft!
My next summer camp is in Rathdown school, Glenageary next week and I'm looking forward to it. First I must go and source another chocolate santa...

Making the Grade

My first children's and teenage summer camp is underway, which is the reason for my lack of blogging. Yes, yes, I know - I always have an excuse. They're an excellent bunch. It's amazing how much I get done with children and teenagers. They fly through the work and at breaktime run outside for games and fresh air to rejuvenate their minds. Adults, on the other hand, chat away during class time. They give feedback on each other's work and encourage one other to keep writing when they feel useless and want to give up.
It makes we wonder at what age we stop believing that we're any good. I've yet to teach an adult who really believes in their own writing. I think it must happen in secondary school when the grading system comes in. How does a teacher grade an English essay? Yes, I know there is structure, punctuation and grammar, but to me grading a story is like giving a painting by Cezanne marks out of one hundred. His perspective may be wrong (on purpose) and the colours unrealistic, but that's how he saw it, and the overall impression is beauty.
My job as a teacher is to draw out whatever is in my students' imagination, not to give it a mark out of ten. Anything unique and beautiful can't score one hundred percent, anyway. Think of a rose - the blemished spots on its petals are what make it real and unique.
That's what I tell myself anyway.
There is another reason for my writing this topic. Last week I received a professional critique for the opening chapters of my novel Soul to Soul. You can read the critique, and the chapters, on the following link on the youwriteon site.

The reviewer didn't like my main character much. That upset me, but I'm getting over it.

Dealing with criticism. Hmmm... That's a topic for the next day.

Good News

The good news today is that the opening chapters of my novel 'Soul to Soul' have joined the best seller list on the Youwriteon site in the UK. Reviewers scored it for plot, character, narrative voice etc. I'm very pleased as publishers look at the best seller list and the best of these books will be published next year.
Also my children's book is going well, just as I said it would (once I got started), and I can almost see how Enid Blyton churned out so many books each year. When the words are flowing it all seems so easy! I know what is happening next, but I stopped in the middle of a scene today so that it is easy to take up again tomorrow (a good tip, that).
In preparation for next week's teenage summer camp I recently watched the film Twilight. It's very good, in fact for the first time I found a film to be better than the book. It is brilliantly made and we're spared the endless paragraphs about how gorgeous Edward is. Instead we look at him, and yes, he is gorgeous. It's the best teenage movie I've seen. My next task is to read book number two, 'New Moon'. I'm looking forward to it.