Okay, so I may not remember if this was the very first piece of creative writing I wrote as an adult, but it was toward the beginning of my “writing career,” if I can call it that.
At the time, I was taking a correspondence writing course with The Institute of Children’s Literature Group. I’m sure I’m dating myself with the mention of “correspondence courses,” but I had five little kids and no time to go to the bathroom in those years. I wrote several pieces during that course. This particular story was my favorite. Luckily, I never abandoned it. I did constantly revise it, though. One of my many insecurities—constantly revising!
“The Unusual Tour Guides” became “Emerging from Darkness,” my first YA published short story in Cricket Magazine in 2012, the October issue. Since then, I have published four stories with Cricket Magazine. Yes, I’m still pinching myself to be sure I’m awake! And, no, it didn’t happen overnight. It took years. And years.
“Emerging from Darkness” went through various workshops and critique groups. I made the mistake of taking too many people’s advice, another insecurity I have. Everyone else can write better than I can.
Even short stories need to have both the internal and the external struggle. What I needed to filter out was any advice that was outside my story scope or not how Victoria Marie Lees wrote. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the difficult part when receiving critiques and advice.
The editors at Cricket liked the premise: a young teen still grieving from the recent death of her mother and resisting the need to become the caretaker for her younger brother. Of course, then I needed to add in a bit of adventure in a national park setting, it’s becoming my trademark. My family and I have been blessed to go camping every summer and we usually choose National Parks. I maintain a Camping with Five Kids blog of our many true adventures.
It’s so easy to say, never give up on a story. I have many stories living on my computer for which I am still trying to find homes. Perhaps I need to try harder. At least I should stop trying to incorporate everyone’s advice or revising the poor things to death, and just send the stories out to markets.
Please feel free to offer some advice of your own on how you filter out which comments to incorporate from critique and which to disregard for your manuscript and how you let go of revisions to send it out. It would be greatly appreciated. All the best to you.
This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month. To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE.
There's always self publishing too. It's an option more and more writers are turning to with the changes in the publishing markets. Maybe something to think about?
Good luck Victoria – writing and 5 littlies is some going … but at least you can probably concentrate a bit more now – and you know your settings really well. Perhaps a series of short stories … like the A-Zs … cheers Hilary
Best of luck! I've learned, when taking in multiple critique partner's feedback on my writing, to let it all sink in, to consider it all, look for common concerns and praise, and weigh it all based on my own gut instincts, the parts that deep down I had my own concerns about. Camping! I finally, finally after years of begging convinced my husband to purchase a permanent camp site with a travel trailer at a local campground for us and our three sons. So fun!!! We don't get to move around, but we get to camp and having a permanent spot makes packing up and heading back and forth so much simpler! Thanks for visiting me and my first IWSG post today! <3 Christy
Yay to getting those publications in Cricket! That's something to be proud of. As to sorting out feedback, it's sometimes hard to know what to use and what not. I've been working with my CPs for awhile now and have gotten a feel for each one. Which helps. But it still goes back to gut feeling. Always trust the gut because, in my experience, it's usually right. The problem then is simply learning to know when the gut has something to say 😉 Good luck!
Feedback is good, but only so far. I agree with the other comments about trusting your gut. You are the only one who knows the story. Congrats on your Cricket publications and just keep submitting!
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing! Thank you so much for stopping by. Yes, I believe self-publishing is a viable avenue to pursue. I'm just terrified–and highly insecure–of marketing. I’d need to learn so much to make it possible. Thanks again for visiting my Adventures in Writing blog.
Always a pleasure seeing you here at Adventures in Writing, Hilary. Believe it or not, some of my children still live here while the others keep calling and stopping by with extras.
Hmm…a series of short stories… I was thinking of publishing a short story or two as an e-book to start to have something to my name to sell online. What do you think? Would it work?
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing, Christy. My pleasure visiting your blog today. And you are correct. Taking the time to absorb critique comments and see any repetition is the way to go. And always if something was bothering me and the readers see it too, I know to address that issue.
Camping is a wonderful way to spend time as a family. It is extremely fun to be out and about in nature. All the best, my dear. And thanks again for visiting my Adventures in Writing blog.
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing! Thank you so much for your good wishes. They are greatly appreciated. Bravo to you for having steady CPs. I'm still working on that. I agree that the gut usually knows what to do. It's just that sometimes my mind wins out and I become frustrated. Thanks for the luck. I'll need it. All the best, my dear. And thanks again for visiting my Adventures in Writing blog.
Hello, Lee, and welcome to Adventures in Writing! Thank you so much for your good wishes. They are greatly appreciated. While it is true that I am the only one who knows the story, I need to remember that sometimes I think everything is there on the page and perhaps it's not. However, the gut is the way to go. Thanks again for stopping by Adventures in Writing and leaving a note. It's greatly appreciated.
I think there is a danger in having too many critiques. I have a friend who wrote a very good book. She won an award for it at a writer's conference, which is something like The Book Most Likely to Get Published. She has worked, reworked, revised, and work-shopped that thing to death. I don't know if she ever sent it out for publication. So, at some point you have to stop trying to "fix" it and send it out!
Congrats on getting published in Cricket!
Mary at Play off the Page
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing, Mary! Thank you so much for stopping by. This is true. Manuscripts can be worked to death. The good thing for me was that I brought this first story back a bit to what I started with and then it got published. Your poor friend. My heart goes out to her. Once she won the award, perhaps she should have tested sending out the manuscript.
Thanks for your good wishes. They are greatly appreciated. And thanks for visiting my Adventures in Writing blog.
How awesome about your short stories! On critiques, I usually have 2 or three people read at a time. Where their comments overlap, I know I have an issue. The rest just becomes a matter of opinion.
That is so funny another blogger with IWSG was basically saying asking the same thing. Here was my comment about beta readers to her which basically the same I would say of someone critiquing too.
Positive or critical, if not offered in a constructive and helpful manner giving the why, what and how is not worth much to the writer, In Beta that is not a place of opinion without validating elements of why or suggested solutions–not a rewrite and not trying to make their voice instead of yours, but showing why it doesn’t work that is beta advice.
And in case you were wondering who was talking about it too and wanted to see what was being said there, it was Kelsie Engen here http://www.kelsieengen.com/2016/08/03/when-a-beta-reader-doesnt-get-your-novel/
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
That is so funny another blogger with IWSG was basically saying asking the same thing. Here was my comment about beta readers to her which basically the same I would say of someone critiquing too.
Positive or critical, if not offered in a constructive and helpful manner giving the why, what and how is not worth much to the writer, In Beta that is not a place of opinion without validating elements of why or suggested solutions–not a rewrite and not trying to make their voice instead of yours, but showing why it doesn’t work that is beta advice.
And in case you were wondering who was talking about it too and wanted to see what was being said there, it was Kelsie Engen here http://www.kelsieengen.com/2016/08/03/when-a-beta-reader-doesnt-get-your-novel/
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
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I should add I try distance myself and logic it out. If it does not meet the above criteria then they are trying to show off what they know or being critical for critical's sake, IMO, at my expense.
I should add I try distance myself and logic it out. If it does not meet the above criteria then they are trying to show off what they know or being critical for critical's sake IMO.
Congratulations on getting published in Cricket! I went to a critique group once and was so depressed when I left that I didn't write anything for a couple of years. After I recovered, I discarded everything the group had said about my story and found a couple of trusted writer friends to read it for me. They made a few suggestions, I made a few minor changes, and my story was published. The same story that was ripped to shreds by the critique group. I invite feedback in the form of constructive criticism and try to ignore the mean destructive ones. My only advice is know and trust the people who are giving you feedback–or find a good Beta reader who knows how to read for plot development, continuity, structure and accuracy in details. A writer’s voice is the heart of the story. Mess with that and you destroy the soul of the work. (I guess you hit a nerve here. Getting off my soap box and going home now.)
Aha I took those correspondence courses too!
I would suggest using a professional editor, trusting him/her and then shop the story. It's not easy letting go but you must!
I loved Cricket magazine as a kid. They had such great stories written by wonderful writers, like you 🙂 It's so neat to think I've "met" someone who's been published by Cricket.
Always a pleasure seeing you here at Adventures in Writing, Crystal. Thanks for your good wishes. They are greatly appreciated. I look for overlap of comments, too, especially if they address what's been bothering me about the manuscript. And you are right. Much of critiques become a "matter of opinion." Thanks again for leaving a note on Adventures in Writing. All the best to you.
Thanks for this link, Juneta. I'll be stopping there as soon as I finish the comments on Adventures in Writing. The key is as you say: Showing why parts of the story aren't working and offering how to solve the problems is the best advice writers/critique partners can offer to each other. Thank you so much for this advice and thanks for visiting my Adventures in Writing blog. All the best to you.
Thank you again for offering such sound advice here on Adventures in Writing. Now to get critique partners to listen to it.
Right you are, Juneta! It is a good idea to let some time elapse before diving into critique edits. Think about the suggestions first. Be sure they sound logical to YOUR story. Thanks again for your generous comments here at Adventures in Writing. All the best, my dear!
Again, this is true, Juneta. Thanks!
Hello, Valerie, and welcome to Adventures in Writing! Thank you so much for your good wishes. They are greatly appreciated.
The sad part is there are many stories like the one you are sharing. Bravo to you for believing in yourself enough to revisit the story and find trusted writer friends to offer advice. This is what critique is about: finding trustworthy people whom you believe in to offer advice. Unfortunately, I'm still on the hunt for the "good beta reader who knows how to read for plot, etc." The writer's voice is indeed the heart of any story.
I can't thank you enough for standing on that soap box and offering this excellent advice to readers here at Adventures in Writing. Please feel free to stand on that soap box anytime when you visit my blog. All the best, my dear.
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing, Doreen! Now see, I am not alone in my humble correspondence courses. Thanks for the admission.
Finding a professional editor is good advice–and scary. Because the editor is a professional, writers can be nervous to submit their newborn stories. But I agree they should. It's finding the confidence to do so that's the hard part. Thanks for leaving advice here on Adventures in Writing. Please visit my blog again. All the best, my dear.
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing! Thank you so much for your kind words. They are greatly appreciated. Wow! You make me feel so good. And thanks for leaving a note here on Adventures in Writing. Please visit my blog again. All the best, my dear.
Something you said really stands out: "I made the mistake of taking too many people’s advice, another insecurity I have. Everyone else can write better than I can." Wow. How true that is for every author at some point. I think we all either a) think we know it all at some point and/or b) think we don't know anything and think everyone else must be right. Sometimes I think we're so desperate for feedback at all that we take the advice of the only feedback we get and forget that it's an opinion–and we can disagree with a reader's take on our work! I'm glad you've realized that not all advice must be taken and acted upon. 🙂 that's a huge step for a writer. And I'm even happier you didn't let it discourage you from writing! 🙂
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing, Kelsie! I think that's a major achievement for any writer: to understand that critique or any feedback is opinion and that we can disagree with it if it does not pertain to the story WE are writing. Thank you so much for offering your advice here at Adventures in Writing. It is priceless. I'm so glad I joined IWSG! Please stop by again. All the best, my dear!
I like the premise and would say…go the self publishing way. My two cents worth 🙂
Always a pleasure receiving your "two cents" on my Adventures in Writing blog posts, Nas. Thanks so much! Yes, I'm not against self-publishing. I'm just a bit scared of it. So much to know about publishing and especially marketing my own work. Thanks so much for dropping by Adventures in Writing. All the best, my dear!
I think that if you feel strongly about one thing from your story, you shouldn't let editors or critics change it.