Guest post by Francesca Nicasio When I first started out, there were some things that I tried to avoid as much as possible because they were uncomfortable scared the crap out of me. It didn’t take long though before I realized that my avoidance was getting me nowhere and if I really wanted to succeed … Read more
By Monique van den Berg “I am an artist. The critic is my nemesis.” Have you ever heard this internal dialogue? Well, you’re not alone. We writers exist within a paradox. Our egos tell us we’re brilliant, yet one word from a critic can convince us (at least temporarily) that we’re worthless. Criticism strikes at … Read more
Five Tips for Handling People Who Want You To Critique Their Manuscript (for free, of course) By Jonathan Moeller First, some context. I am a writer of no significance whatsoever. I wrote one novel, which disappeared without a trace, and I’ve written some short stories and nonfiction articles, but none have ever become well-known. In short, in … Read more
By Natalie Lorenzi You’ve heard the same advice over and over — nix the pink paper for submissions and don’t ever ask your loved ones to critique your writing (unless they are writers themselves — and even then, it’s questionable). Why are so many writers negative about feedback from friends and family? Feedback from Friends … Read more
By Julie Rogers and June Ford My editor and I frequently talk to writers—many who are or have been members of writer’s groups. More and more we find ourselves pulling out these tips because we believe healthy writing etiquette among peers in writer’s groups encourages good writing habits. When a writer begins working professionally with … Read more
