Title? Eh. No title today.
The chunk o’ novel was workshopped last night. My head is still spinning. A lot of conflicting comments. Some helpful, some less so. The biggest problem I have coming away from it is that I felt a lot of people responded as they would to a short story, not keeping in mind that this was the first 27 pages of a novel. Those 27 pages would be about 15 when typeset, I think. I’ve only ever workshopped short stories and poems before. So now I’m left wondering how useful the workshop format is for the novelist. I left my one-on-one meeting with the teacher before class feeling excited about our conversation and the things he challenged me to work on within the novel. (Ernesto Mestre. He’s awesome. Author of The Lazarus Rumba. He’s wonderful. We love him.) I left class feeling like I never wanted to write again. After a restless night’s sleep, I’m over that. But still. A new feeling for me. I’ve never felt so discouraged after a workshop before. I don’t think it’s that my classmates were harsh or unfair. I think I was unprepared for how very different it feels to offer up a work that is so very much unfinished and in progress. When you turn in a short story, it already has its beginning, middle and end. You turn in a finished first draft (or second, or third). With a novel, most of us turn it in as we’re still working on it…and I wonder if that’s a dangerous thing.
Oh. And I won’t be reading on Sunday. I was mysteriously dropped from the reading and someone else put in my place. The organizer apparently forgot I volunteered. It was one of those really ego-affirming nights. Yup. Maybe I’ll skip the reading entirely and stay home and knit.
Oh, honey! That blows. What a night! And being dropped from the reading is just gross insult to injury.
Yeah, I think that workshopping a novel in early stages IS a dangerous thing – but you’re already aware of that, so that’s half the battle. Half your energy should go into listening to the comments with an open mind. And the other half of your energy should be committed to wrapping your arms and heart tightly around your work, “Mine! Mine!” Don’t forget that they can only make THEIR suggestions, what THEY would do. No one knows what YOU can do ‘cept you. And guess who’s right in the end. You, darlin’. Chin up. I’ll write today if you will?
Posted by: Rachael
Steven King was told he was so bad he should stop writing. He threw one book in the trash… his dear wife took it out and saved it.
DON’T LET OTHERS STEAL YOUR DREAM !!
When you get a chance read or watch a biography on Steven King. He really went through tuff times before he was accepted.
Posted by: Ruth in Houston
Rachael said everything I was thinking. Besides, did they not KNOW it’s a novel? I’m always amazed at how little people pay attention. And you can’t feel bad about what people say if they don’t pay attention. Are there other novelists in the workshop?
Posted by: Em
Hey Cari, sorry to hear the first workshopping was such an upsetting thing. Hope you’ll get back to that good energy you had after your session with the teacher. Because, you know, he’s the teacher and all, and he probably knows more than the students, right? And obviously his comments made sense to you. So hang on to that.
Posted by: marrije
Hang in there, Cari. Workshops always make me think about the adage of water seeking its own level. Sounds like you blew some people *out* of the water; that they didn’t know how to be helpful at the level you are writing. Your knitting, your writing, and your dogs are all fabulous…(((hugs))) from your fan club in Austin.
Posted by: Lisa
Just thought I’d add my two cents:
I have taken many writing classes and have participated in critique groups both inside and outside a classroom setting.
I found critique groups helpful only with my short stories and poems, where the entire piece is submitted and each and every person involved has the whole story in front of them, so to speak.
Writing a novel is a HUGE undertaking–I know I am currently writing one–and there is too much time, energy, ego and emotion involved to try and share it in bits and pieces. I tried to do that once, a long time ago, and found myself having to pull over to the side of the road on the way home from a writing group meeting, so I could throw-up in the bushes. The whole ordeal left me unable to write for a long long time.
I never share anything now unless it’s completely
done and I am looking for constructive input before I start rewriting and fine-tuning.
Heck, I do enough battle day to day with the sharp-tongued critic in my own head. And I LOVE myself! LOL
Good luck & keep writing!
Sue
Posted by: Sue
That sucks the big one, Cari. I hope you don’t lose faith. Being a writer is hard, but letting your writing out into the open is brutal, and as you know, you can’t please everybody. Focus on those comments that were helpful. You da lady. (Send me your mailing address, OK? brainylady[at]hotmail.com)
Posted by: alison
Sounds like one of those nights that “builds character”, as my dad puts it.
Stick with it! Not every masterpiece starts out as a well-receieved work. If you keep at it, you can make it something you’re really proud of.
Not unlike knitting.
Posted by: David
Oh, honey! That blows. What a night! And being dropped from the reading is just gross insult to injury.
Yeah, I think that workshopping a novel in early stages IS a dangerous thing – but you’re already aware of that, so that’s half the battle. Half your energy should go into listening to the comments with an open mind. And the other half of your energy should be committed to wrapping your arms and heart tightly around your work, “Mine! Mine!” Don’t forget that they can only make THEIR suggestions, what THEY would do. No one knows what YOU can do ‘cept you. And guess who’s right in the end. You, darlin’. Chin up. I’ll write today if you will?
Posted by: Rachael
Steven King was told he was so bad he should stop writing. He threw one book in the trash… his dear wife took it out and saved it.
DON’T LET OTHERS STEAL YOUR DREAM !!
When you get a chance read or watch a biography on Steven King. He really went through tuff times before he was accepted.
Posted by: Ruth in Houston
Rachael said everything I was thinking. Besides, did they not KNOW it’s a novel? I’m always amazed at how little people pay attention. And you can’t feel bad about what people say if they don’t pay attention. Are there other novelists in the workshop?
Posted by: Em
Hey Cari, sorry to hear the first workshopping was such an upsetting thing. Hope you’ll get back to that good energy you had after your session with the teacher. Because, you know, he’s the teacher and all, and he probably knows more than the students, right? And obviously his comments made sense to you. So hang on to that.
Posted by: marrije
Hang in there, Cari. Workshops always make me think about the adage of water seeking its own level. Sounds like you blew some people *out* of the water; that they didn’t know how to be helpful at the level you are writing. Your knitting, your writing, and your dogs are all fabulous…(((hugs))) from your fan club in Austin.
Posted by: Lisa
Just thought I’d add my two cents:
I have taken many writing classes and have participated in critique groups both inside and outside a classroom setting.
I found critique groups helpful only with my short stories and poems, where the entire piece is submitted and each and every person involved has the whole story in front of them, so to speak.
Writing a novel is a HUGE undertaking–I know I am currently writing one–and there is too much time, energy, ego and emotion involved to try and share it in bits and pieces. I tried to do that once, a long time ago, and found myself having to pull over to the side of the road on the way home from a writing group meeting, so I could throw-up in the bushes. The whole ordeal left me unable to write for a long long time.
I never share anything now unless it’s completely
done and I am looking for constructive input before I start rewriting and fine-tuning.
Heck, I do enough battle day to day with the sharp-tongued critic in my own head. And I LOVE myself! LOL
Good luck & keep writing!
Sue
Posted by: Sue
That sucks the big one, Cari. I hope you don’t lose faith. Being a writer is hard, but letting your writing out into the open is brutal, and as you know, you can’t please everybody. Focus on those comments that were helpful. You da lady. (Send me your mailing address, OK? brainylady[at]hotmail.com)
Posted by: alison
Sounds like one of those nights that “builds character”, as my dad puts it.
Stick with it! Not every masterpiece starts out as a well-receieved work. If you keep at it, you can make it something you’re really proud of.
Not unlike knitting.
Posted by: David