To All-
How do you know if the people reading your novel have told you everything you need to know? If not, how do you take corrective action? How do you know that the new person/people will be any better than the others you've relied on? How do you know they know what they are talking about, are reviewing carefully enough, and are not afraid to hurt your feelings?
With my murder-mystery, I had an instructor and classmates at the Gotham Writers Workshop review and critique a couple of chapters early on in the writing process. The instructor has kept her distance from me after the class ended, not a good sign of what she thinks of my abilities. I've had a couple of friends from synagogue review the entire book, one of whom has a MFA in writing although nothing published herself. The woman with the MFA reviewed the book twice. My wife, who is well-read and studied literature in college, but whose native language is not English, also has gone over the book with me more than once. A friend who is an Edgar award winning mystery writer critiqued my first ten pages in a late stage of the process.
Most importantly, I hired and paid two women, both published mystery novelists and writing instructors, to work with me. The first was harsh in her criticism, which I was glad for, but I found she was careless, missing things I later caught myself. Also, when it was time to return my novel after a review, she said it would be waiting in her building's lobby with her doorman, but then she forgot. So, I went looking for a new mentor. The second was generous with her time and gave me advice that took the book further. However, I subsequently discovered the hard way that I still wasn't at the finish line.
So, how have others here managed to get past the finish line? Insufficient or wrong advice is the scourge of human existence, not just impeding success in the literary world, but with the rest of life as well.
How do you know if the people reading your novel have told you everything you need to know? If not, how do you take corrective action? How do you know that the new person/people will be any better than the others you've relied on? How do you know they know what they are talking about, are reviewing carefully enough, and are not afraid to hurt your feelings?
With my murder-mystery, I had an instructor and classmates at the Gotham Writers Workshop review and critique a couple of chapters early on in the writing process. The instructor has kept her distance from me after the class ended, not a good sign of what she thinks of my abilities. I've had a couple of friends from synagogue review the entire book, one of whom has a MFA in writing although nothing published herself. The woman with the MFA reviewed the book twice. My wife, who is well-read and studied literature in college, but whose native language is not English, also has gone over the book with me more than once. A friend who is an Edgar award winning mystery writer critiqued my first ten pages in a late stage of the process.
Most importantly, I hired and paid two women, both published mystery novelists and writing instructors, to work with me. The first was harsh in her criticism, which I was glad for, but I found she was careless, missing things I later caught myself. Also, when it was time to return my novel after a review, she said it would be waiting in her building's lobby with her doorman, but then she forgot. So, I went looking for a new mentor. The second was generous with her time and gave me advice that took the book further. However, I subsequently discovered the hard way that I still wasn't at the finish line.
So, how have others here managed to get past the finish line? Insufficient or wrong advice is the scourge of human existence, not just impeding success in the literary world, but with the rest of life as well.
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