Good, Bad or Otherwise?

SWickham · Feb 1, 2009

I seem to know when I finish a story if it's good or bad, but this latest short story I've done I honestly have no idea. (I know that's what critiques are for and I'll take it to my writing group!) It's almost a worse feeling that I don't know if it's good or bad...maybe that means it's horrible??!!!

When you are finished a short story, do you generally know right away if it's "publishable" good or "put it in a drawer" bad? Or neither?

MumblingSage · Feb 1, 2009

I tend to have a feeling if it's 'workable' or 'needs help'. 'Needs help' ones often wind up trunked, but every one in a while I sell something I didn't think I would. Every time I finish a short story, I have a feeling of OMG-THIS-IS-THE-BEST-THING-I-HAVE-EVER-WRITTEN, and while usually that wears off after the first few rejections, I always manage to sell the ones I really believe in.

Generally, I'd wait on the story a bit, then read it over and see if I, personally, would publish it. If I wouldn't, I rewrite it or sometimes just trunk the idea.

RobJ · Feb 1, 2009

If it's bad, it's not finished.

Cheers,
Rob

Kate Thornton · Feb 1, 2009

I can usually tell if it's good. But I always put it away to let it cool for a bit anyway because that's when I really see the stuff I missed on the last rewrite.

SWickham · Feb 1, 2009

Thanks...I wish I thought "OMG-THIS-IS-THE-BEST-THING-I-HAVE-EVER-WRITTEN" about everything I write!

It's funny because I can recognize a "good" short story when I read it...it's just harder to tell with my own work!

So the theme seems to be let it sit and then rewrite it until it is "good"...

jvc · Feb 1, 2009

SWickham said:
I seem to know when I finish a story if it's good or bad, but this latest short story I've done I honestly have no idea. (I know that's what critiques are for and I'll take it to my writing group!) It's almost a worse feeling that I don't know if it's good or bad...maybe that means it's horrible??!!!

Are you not putting it in the SYW forum?

When you are finished a short story, do you generally know right away if it's "publishable" good or "put it in a drawer" bad? Or neither?

I always think my stuff is great and publishable. But I'm really THAT good

.

No, only kidding (mostly

). I always put a story away for a time, then go back to it and edit. Perhaps this process a few times. Sometimes, though, the truth is, it may not matter how well edited the story is, or how well you've written and plotted the story, if the editor doesn't like it, or doesn't think it a good fit for the mag, or they happened to have had something similar recently, they won't publish it.

Polenth · Feb 1, 2009

SWickham said:
When you are finished a short story, do you generally know right away if it's "publishable" good or "put it in a drawer" bad? Or neither?

I know if I like it or not. If I like it, I send it out. If I don't, I hold it back for rework. I've no idea if someone will want to publish it or not. That's a different thing entirely.

MumblingSage · Feb 1, 2009

SWickham said:
Thanks...I wish I thought "OMG-THIS-IS-THE-BEST-THING-I-HAVE-EVER-WRITTEN" about everything I write!

It's funny because I can recognize a "good" short story when I read it...it's just harder to tell with my own work!

So the theme seems to be let it sit and then rewrite it until it is "good"...

While you're wishing, wish you cold think that AND BE RIGHT. *sigh* On the bright side, the sort of dizzy-headed confidence I then receive is enough to see me through a few rewrites, mountains of rejections...all that. I just got an extremely helpful reject on one of my OMG-stories, in fact, and am about to sit down to a rewrite...

SWickham · Feb 2, 2009

Ha ha yes it'd be great to have everything I write be AWESOME but where's the challenge in that?

.

I had two of my readers give me their opinion and it has gotten good reviews so far.

Are we good judges of our own work then? Or does that just come with experience?

Barpaio · Feb 2, 2009

It seems to me that if I like a story, its terrible. If I hate it, others usually love it. My wife is brutally honest so I usually defer to her.

SWickham · Feb 2, 2009

Ha ha!

Yes, my husband is very good at telling if something stinks or not...actually so is my mother...she's my biggest fan but also my worst critic at the same time!!

SWickham · Feb 13, 2009

So I took this story I was posting about to my writing group last night...biggest group we've had, there were 17 people (yikes!) and they're tough! I read it and they loved it!! Very good responses...I was shocked, because like I said, I had no idea if this was a good one or not. The leader of our group said "now that's what a short story should be.." then quieter he said "I'm jealous"! HA HA

It was a much better response than for my last story that's been accepted for publication (anthology by Edge) so I'm very happy!!

So, I guess I'm not the best judge of my own work!!!

Kate Thornton · Feb 14, 2009

SWickham said:
So I took this story I was posting about to my writing group last night...biggest group we've had, there were 17 people (yikes!) and they're tough! I read it and they loved it!! Very good responses...I was shocked, because like I said, I had no idea if this was a good one or not. The leader of our group said "now that's what a short story should be.." then quieter he said "I'm jealous"! HA HA

It was a much better response than for my last story that's been accepted for publication (anthology by Edge) so I'm very happy!!

So, I guess I'm not the best judge of my own work!!!

Wow - this is high we all look for - congrats!

SWickham · Feb 16, 2009

Thanks!

Barpaio · Feb 16, 2009

I just had a similar experience with my writing group. A short story I was on the fence about they ended up loving it. Always a plus.

SWickham · Feb 20, 2009

Barpaio said:
I just had a similar experience with my writing group. A short story I was on the fence about they ended up loving it. Always a plus.

Excellent! I hope we can both write some more "on the fence" stories then!!

Domenic · Feb 27, 2009

I have not read the story, so I don't know if it's good or bad...But, assume your group says it's bad. Don't throw it away. I'm sure there are great parts that can be used in other books you write...it's good to have SPARE PARTS. Be like a ship at sea...nothing is wasted.

KikiteNeko · Feb 27, 2009

SWickham said:
I seem to know when I finish a story if it's good or bad

You're a step ahead of me, because I can never tell if my writing is good or bad. I think I'm incapable of looking favorably upon my own work. Critiques help.

Good, Bad or Otherwise?

SWickham

Wonders what all the fuss is about

MumblingSage

Inarticulate Herb

RobJ

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

SWickham

Wonders what all the fuss is about

jvc

Fearsome Dragon Mod

Polenth

Mushroom

MumblingSage

Inarticulate Herb

SWickham

Wonders what all the fuss is about

Barpaio

Jam Diggity

SWickham

Wonders what all the fuss is about

SWickham

Wonders what all the fuss is about

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

SWickham

Wonders what all the fuss is about

Barpaio

Jam Diggity

SWickham

Wonders what all the fuss is about

Domenic

KikiteNeko

.