Writing Groups and Revision
Jen and I have been sharing our work with each other for a few years now. We used to send it to each other through email, read it and suggest revisions (usually through Track Changes in Word), and then send the work back. And that was helpful for both of us. But now we are in a writing group together here in Baltimore, and that is even better. We all email our work to each other, and then we meet every two weeks to workshop each other's stories, poetry, and essays.
There are multiple benefits to writing groups. For one, it's great to be around people who write and who like to talk about writing. Writing can be a lonely business, so it's important--less isolating--to feel like you belong to a community of people who are on the same page. These people can provide support. But also, these people will give you feedback on your writing, and since everyone has different perspectives and styles, the feedback tends to be diverse and multifaceted. And in the process of giving others feedback on their work, you sharpen your own editing and writing skills.
Of course, sometimes I get feedback that I don't like or agree with. If I don't like it but do agree with it, I use it. If I don't agree with it, and I can objectively explain to myself why I don't agree with it, I disregard it.
At the last meeting, one of my stories got a lot of criticism. And that was frustrating, because I'd already revised the story three times in the past few months, and I felt like I knew my characters--not in details or even exactly in motivation, but in essence (which is conveniently vague)--so well. But the real truth was that I'd lost my objectivity--when I tried to edit my story, I allowed what I knew in my head to color what I read on the page, so I didn't see certain problems. My writing group had fresh eyes, so they could point out the holes.
Some writers love revising. I envy them, because I generally don't like it. However, I know that it is necessary, and I want my work to be as good as possible. I mean, some of the best writers revise their stories up to 30 times before they are published--which is depressing in a way, but also liberating. After all, writing is difficult. And it's rare to get it right the first--or second, or third, or tenth--time.
Revising is much easier, though, when you have the opportunity to get feedback from others.
posted by Anonymous @ 1:00 AM
2 Comments:
Some of the best revisions I've ever made were ones to which I had the most resistence. In general, I hate revising also, mostly because I've afraid if I start cutting and pasting and adding/subtracting sections that the piece begins to lose its flow, the voice that paced it.
I've never revised a piece thirty times! The most I've done is three; usually three is enough. Also, I usually do the bulk of revisions in my head before I even put fingers to keyboard. Sometimes it'll take me weeks to work out a story in my head, and only then will I write it down. Otherwise, if I jot something down that's not right, it's hard for me to throw anything away. There's so much energy and care in everything you write—it's like throwing a piece of yourself away.
I try not to take criticism too personally. I'd actually rather get it than not get anything at all, because I know I've got a lot to learn still.
I've always found writing groups helpful. Sometimes, though, you just have to follow your instincts despite what the group says.
For example, one woman submitted a few chapters for a first novel to a group I was once in. One of the characters was a husband who did the cooking in the household. A few people mentioned they didn't believe this character could cook, and they suggested taking it out. The author's response was to add in more scenes with the husband cooking, and it worked.
I wish I revised more. I've gotten better at it over time, but it's not my favorite part of the writing process.
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