Sword of Ruthlessness
I have been toying--ever so slightly--with getting a Kindle. I don't have the money for one right now. And I don't want to mention it to my Significant Other because he would make SURE I got one, and he can afford it even less than I can. So other than my blog, I am keeping my mouth shut (he never reads my blog except when I tell some story about how his mother refuses to see my children--her only grandkids--then he gets a phone call from someone in his family demanding I never write about them and proclaiming I am the b-word, so sometimes I include those tales just to see if those people are paying attention.)
So a couple of days ago, someone mentioned a self-pubbed book available in print and on Kindle. (Note: the writer of this book is not anyone I have ever heard of, who has ever visited this blog that I know of . . . it was a follow-the-link thing.) The cover looked cool--but it was slightly weird enough that I couldn't quite tell what it was supposed to be, so curiosity led me and I clicked over to Amazon. I read a small excerpt, and I was stunned at how poorly written it was.
Now, I am NOT one of those writers who labels books that "aren't my thing" as poorly written. That's patently unfair. I also know there is commercial fiction with stilted writing. This wasn't about that. I was stunned by the most basic of elements--cliches, and backstory dumping, and an abundance of passive language, and just . . . almost a parody of a family saga. Sentences that made no sense! Things that my critique group would never let me get away with.
While emailing a writer pal about the Kindle and this book I stumbled on, I mentioned to her that I was too ruthless about my own writing. And my group was too ruthless. Now, I'm an editor. So obviously, I am going to edit out most of that stuff from my own writing. I am on my zillionth pass of Freudian Slip and can now go 25 pages at a clip without changing a word. But it sure took me long enough to get here.
But if I wasn't an editor, I have somehow surrounded myself with three writers who will dance on the edge of that ruthless sword with me and make sure that the not-up-to-par writing is sliced out.
In writing this post, I looked up the word "ruthless." It means merciless and without compassion. Without pity. And actually I don't believe that is for a moment true about me or my group. So I am not sure how we manage to do it. Dance on the edge of that sword. Be firm and without pity, in a sense, for what must be said aloud to each other to improve our writing. And yet compassionate to the struggle all writers face.
I don't know how we do it. But thank God we do. This writer clearly spent money bringing his/her book to print (again, I don't want to single this person out). What blind spots exist there. I have great compassion. But then . . . there's a small part of me that says, you know, you need to learn to be ruthless--without pity for the words.
Thoughts? Do you dance on the sword of ruthlessness? And who dances on the edge with you? And Melody, JVZ, and Pammie . . . you guys rock.
38 comments:
I think that with good critique comes ruthlessness coupled with compassion. And it is derived from a place of honesty, and a place of wanting to help...when it's asked for. I think that's when the CP or reader needs the soft edge with his or her honesty. I believe it can still be ruthless when you leave nothing unturned, nothing swept under the rug. I also think that the ruthlessness you enjoy with your CP's is due to trust...and time.
The blurb you mention was in it's finalized format, which was the issue. Had that been a draft someone asked you to read and edit, you could have seen (perhaps) the thought process and even appreciated (a stretch?) the convoluted complexity.
I've been giving feedback to writers for a long time -- and recently did it for someone brand new -- someone I don't know well. I did not want to leave any stone unturned so with that I felt I was ruthless, but I also hope that without padding things I was able to explain my thoughts behind my critique and edits, so that the person realized there was a reason that had nothing to do with me.
The best of us ask for help -- and if we're lucky we find people who are able to give it.
You and your CP's are very lucky!!
Amy:
Great point. Trust is the cornerstone of being able to have that incredible honesty. I am much less comfortable critiquing someone I don't know.
E
I can usually find whole paragraphs or scenes to cut out, and almost invariably, that process makes the story better. But I find "fine" editing really hard. I've taken to going back through the finished manuscript and looking for specific things--unnecessary passive voice, overused words and phrases, grammar errors, etc. And I'm getting better at it, trying to be more professional.
Sometimes I've wondered if it is hard for excellent copy editors to read for pleasure. You might be able to answer that for yourself.
I'm able to look at my own work much more objectively after some time has lapsed. A month or so. Then I can go at it ruthlessly, killing my darlings. It's much harder when you're right in the middle of it, I think, even when you have a crit partner helping.
I look at it slightly differently, although in the end it's probably the same.
I can't speak for other writers, but I know that in my case there's invariably this soft little voice in my head that whispers, "You know, I don't think that's quite right," or "That doesn't work."
It's an extremely easy voice to tune out or ignore.
And when I started listening to the voice--and specifically trying to HEAR that voice--that my writing improved. Sometimes I wish it were louder, but I suspect if it were really loud I'd never get anything written.
Joe:
I find it VERY hard to read for pleasure (fiction). So I either read very "literary" (Margaret Atwood, classics), or I read physics textbooks and astronomy books . . . because it's another side of my brain entirely.
E
Jude:
Distance definitely helps, which is why any time you rush the process, it's a danger.
E
mark:
I hear that too. My cursor will just STOP and glare at me, like, "Come on . . . that's the best you can do?"
E
It's a skill set I expect myself to develop, especially since I hardly get any editing.
I don't have much compassion for my obstacles. Like now, no one is checking for my commas (I'm not picky, I swear. The added ones were just mortifyingly wrong!), so I have to study more and work extra hard. Right now, I'm totally rushing. I have to. But I expect myself to maintain the same standard. At the last minute, one of my pubs asked me to contribute a serial novella, which means I have to turn in one set-in-stone chapter a week, even before I've had a chance to finish the whole thing. But I expect myself to make it as good as if I were completing the whole thing first.
On the other hand, I know there are things I do that I can't see. So I keep studying. You have the lot you're given, but that's no excuse to put out a lesser product. I mean, readers are going to read it. That's a huge responsibility. After it's out there, I feel even the smallest error deeply, and only read my old stuff if forced.
So yeah, ruthless. And zero compassion. Every obstacle and challenge just means to write better. I'm mostly obsessed with flow, pacing, story structure and its rhythm.
spy:
Inspiring. Thanks for sharing.
E
And I thought I was the only person who had a voice in her head that said, "Come on, Michelle. Drop the backstory, stop being so wordy, and get to the point." I try to sedate the voice with chocolate. I need to stop doing that and listen more. Also, I will have to find other people who will dance on the sharp blade edge with me.
mlh:
LOL! That voice cannot be sedated with chocolate. A chocolate martini, maybe. Or maybve a chocolate truffle.
:-)
E
I want ruthless critiques, but it's still early so I don't know if I'll get them. I've only critiqued chapters for other people and I do my best to be honest, if that's what they asked for. Telling them it's great doesn't do anyone any favors if they truly want it to be good.
As for editing my own things, one trick I do while writing if I know a phrase doesn't fit, but I like it, is paste it a little further down in my document. Then I can still see it, but it's not completely gone. After a couple paragraphs I get over it and delete it.
It's an evolution for me... I've worked with a few crit partners that I love, but they're each good at different things. So it's helpful to have more than one - they almost never give me the exact same feedback.
I like critting for others, too and I almost feel selfish because I learn as much from working with their stuff as I do working on my own. But trust is definitely a factor. I've found there's a good percentage of writers that really don't want honest feedback, just approval... and there are always going to be hurt feelings in that scenario, at least if you're honest. And why waste time critting if you're not allowed to be honest?
Yep, I went through KEPT about 700 times (it feels like.) There were days when I didn't work, and sometimes weeks or months at a clip and that bit me in the butt later, when I realized "Hey, I'm going to have to read this about 700 times." And I had several people read it. A couple of them editors.
Then I used this software "called" editor, to help me get rid of more of the bad stuff. It caught a LOT of places where I had words that were basically empty intensifiers. I ran it through editor several times.
I know it won't ever be "perfect" but I was ruthless, haha.
Great critique is like parenting: it's because they love you and they want you to succeed. We tell our kids every day how to behave, not to be mean, but to show them how to make life easier, better, more effective.
I find my editing/revising process has always been ruthless--that hasn't changed. Where my ruthlessness is still in process is at the drafting stage. I'm trying hard to write stuff correctly the first time. Not that I won't change things--I know I will. But with each short story and chapter I'm giving myself progressively cleaner copy to revise.
Way back, when the world was young, I was part of my first critique group. We did not do each other any favors with our 'great job' comments. One of the end results was self-published, self-indulgent drivel that really needed fact checking as well as some serious editing. And I plunked down quite a chuck of change to support this author.
I don't want to be her. I don't want my words to go out in the big world unprepared and unedited. So today, I have a few close friends who aren't afraid to say 'this doesn't work'. It's priceless.
Been toying with the idea of a Kindle myself, especially now that the page turner is not the entire side of it. I'd be so frustrated with pages flying by when I wasn't ready. But this year is about giving and not spending more than I have. Kindle can wait. Though it would be nice to make my books large print at the touch of a button. Kindle. Glasses. Kindle. Glasses. Tough choice. ;-)
Amazon is sold out of Kindles and there's an 11-13 week waiting list. I had no idea they were that popular.
melanie:
Funny . . . my agent just asked me to do a favor and critique something . . . to see if it was worth him working with someone. I had a very pointed by VERY fair critique, especially in line with today's market. The writer was incensed and thought I didn't know what I was talking about. Never ceases to amaze me. As if crafting all sentences s-v-o and never varying has to do with GENRE as opposed to writing.
This is why I hesitate to critique.
E
Merry:
Amen.
You can't be afraid of honesty. You have to welcome it. Which is why this profession isn't for everyone.
E
zoe:
I hear you . . . I feel like I can't even count how many times I have been through Freudian Slip.
E
sex scenes:
In order to earn a LIVING at writing, my first drafts have, by necessity, gotten leaner and tighter.
E
Sarah:
Since I like to read a lot of nonfiction and BIG texts, I would like a Kindle to make them available to me without weighing down my shoulder by having them in my purse all the time.
E
Jude:
WELL . . . so much for getting one for Christmas.
LOL!
E
P.S. That's the universe's way of telling me I don't need one.
I compete with my inner critic, that ruthless bastard. But, once I shut him the hell up, I'm able to rip apart my stuff without saying to myself, "Self, you suck."
I've yet to look for a CP in real-time as opposed to cyber-time. There really is something to be said for seeing the person as they rip apart my work, as opposed to all those fancy margin comments made by MSW. Someday I'll find someone...*sigh*
P.S. Nothing against self-pubbed, but at least now I know why they aren't reviewed by the biggies (just guessing).
What keeps me from moving forward is that I have a hard time distinguishing what works and what does not in my writing and I am afraid to share with people/writers. Something I just have to get over. The more I do it the easier (hopefully) it will become.
As for ruthless... I am (so far anyway) too compassionate. I need lessons in cutting and slashing :)
One of the qualities I value in a critique partner is the determination not to let me get away with anything. After all, what's the point if the writing isn't up to par even after other eyes have looked at it? In return, I am very thorough in critiques of others' writing; I don't know how to do it any other way and still be honest. But there's a difference between that and being mean, because I think a good critique will also point out what the author has done well, so that they know what their strengths are and will play them up. So, really, I think it's a balance.
My CPs and I used to send our subs to each other with the line "Rip it up!" And we do.
I'm ruthless with myself too. I keep a file for bits and pieces of writing I like too much to delete forever. Sometimes whole scenes. This makes it safe for me to delete, knowing I'm saving it. But in the last four books I've written, I haven't gone into the the file to retrieve anything I've cut.
My ruthlessness starts with the first revision. Never during the first draft or I'll spend all day there. But when I'm ready to revise, the gloves are off, the ax is in hand, and I'm whacking away. If the ax doesn't work, then I have a chainsaw as backup. No mercy, baby.
My last crit partners were very good for this. Unfortunately, life got in the way and we had to disband. :-(
I have two critique groups. One never tells me anything is wrong even though I shred theirs. The other group is wonderful. They carry sharp swords and have no mercy. I love them!
I'll never learn from compassion, I'd rather have brutal honesty.
I just gave one of the writers in group one back his manuscript. I only did 150 pages, but the same issues were repeated over and over again. I took your advice from a few weeks ago and I think he took it well. I haven't seen him since but I think he'll be there next week. I hope he accepted my comments for what they are--MHO (My humble opinion).
I just saw your last post. Thanks so much for your kind words. I actually needed to read that after an R from H/S. They only had the ms 2 weeks, then mucked up the letters. Now I don't know what to think. But to balance that I have been told I am a finalist in the EPPIE Awards so that helps.
It sounds like you have an amazing group of cp's. I have 2 but they are not ruthless enough. Ruthless is good.
kath:
I want ruthlessness tempered with graciousness. I think I give that . . . and I think I get that.
E
ewoh:
It's all a journey. But letting go of that fear is a great step along the way because it opens you up to so much more.
E
caryn:
Perfectly said.
E
edie:
I have a few files like that of cast-offs to someday use.
E
marcia:
My first draft usually flows pretty quickly . . . and then my second is about all that fine-tuning.
E
Aimless:
I do the same thing, as I think I shared--demonstrate in the first portion, and then allow the writer to discern it for the second.
E
Suzanne:
Meant it, of course. What really amazes me about your books is they are abvout real people with real problems . . . it seems like everyone you post abvout has a depth to the story.
E
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