You’ve decided to join a writing workshop to show your work and hone your skills. You’ve read in the ad’s that, ‘members read and give constructive reviews,’ and you definitely want to be read! But did you quit reading before the end of the sentence?
With excitement you think: “Will anybody read it? Will they like it?” Then, you take the plunge and, Merry Christmas! It was read! And it was critiqued. Oops.
Many people write for fun only and are content to be called amateurs. Even amateurs should aspire to write the right way, and that is where I stand at this moment.
Today’s internet opens the doors to e-magazines, blogs, and web sites to help writers get started. Online writing groups allow you to post your writing and receive feedback on it. Honest feedback will help you learn what you don’t know, so be sure the group is made up of writers of different skill levels. In other words, at least a few should have more skill than you have.
Do you dream of becoming a published author?
Do you want it more than anything and willing to set aside your ego and work for success? That’s the huge first step that I’m still wrestling with.
The next step is finding out what you don’t know, and practicing with all your heart to learn the craft of writing. There are rules that can be broken only after you learn to use them correctly; there are rules that can never be broken, and they are important. I’m finding out those things I don’t know, but it’s a slow go. One of those things is finding that my biggest fear in writing is posting my work publicly.
It’s the rockiest path I’ve ever tried to walk.
This post concerns a particular writing site I belong to, so it may not make much sense to the casual reader. The term, ‘reviewers’ are those who read another’s writing and make comments and suggestions. Reviews include rates of stars. It can apply to all writers who want their work read, no matter what the site is called.
Today, I took a break after turning in my newsletter edition and browsed the blog page to find something to read. I found complaining about non-quality critiques again. It stumped me, it really did. What is the problem with reviews this time? I browse the public pages often and most are pretty good reviews. Are these non-qualities only sent privately? What is a non-quality review anyway? (more…)
Bits and Pieces 