I love this perspective. If the advice works for you then use it, if it doesn't work for you just assume they don't know what they're talking about. haha
i feel the same way you do. I desperately need constructive feedback but since I have never recieved critique for my writing I'm afraid it will bruise my self confidence, which is already quite low when it comes to writing. I'm not sure how I would react to heavy negative critique, but In the same time I need to get used to it I guess. I have showed my writing to very few people, two have read the entire first novel, and 2 have read the very first chapter of it (family members only) and only one of them have read the second one, but that one is still in need of a lot more revision and editing. I don't know where to find critique partners in my own language. I'm really afraid to let friends and collegues for example read it, It would make me feel so exposed!
Show them your stuff. When I was in fifth grade, I wrote my first story that I actually cared about. That I finished, beginning to end. It only ended up to be about fifty pages, but I wasn't worrying much about length. It was my first story and I was unbelievably proud of myself. That story though, it was terrible. I can see that now, after I have had it critiqued by others, and rather than being ashamed, or embarrassed, I'm proud. Even if someone hates your story, nothing they say is worthless. Maybe you'll be upset, but it's better to show someone right off and get poor results than never show anyone, thereby ensuring you will never get good results, isn't it? It's like that quote - it's better to try and fall than to never try at all. Something like that, anyway.
Yes. Every writer grows and improves. Your past is not something to be ashamed of; rather you should be proud of how far you've come, and you're always coming farther. I can laugh at my first stories and shake my head - "what a cute little kid I was! I thought I was so great" - and then I go and try to write something good, only to discover years later that it was nearly as bad. That's how it works. But while I'll show someone the story of George the duck and his girlfriend, and screech my head off, nothing hurts like being told you're a bad writer now. You'll agree later. But you have to brave it, if you want to improve.
Unfortunately, a writer is unlikely to have an opportunity to discuss their work with an agent or publisher until they've improved it to a very high degree of quality, and to do that, they'll need advice and critique. So you don't have to get that advice here, but you're going to need it from somewhere. ChickenFreak
Agree 100% I save all of my writings as a kid and while I now realize it was horrible, including my edits, it shows me two things. 1. How much I've improved and 2. I use to think I was the greatest gift to writing. For everyone else, if you haven't received critique before, either jump in and get the first one over with or do the fight to find someone who understands you're skin hasn't managed toughen just yet and will tell you the truth, but nicely.
"It is not the critic who counts...The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena..." ~TR
The worst they can do is just say its bad. And if they do that, they will have a reason why. Just fix the reasons and prove them wrong!
My boss once said to me, "The day you stop chasing is the day is start rotting". Even the greatest writers can get better. So, of course you can, too! If the critiques end up making you feel like a bad writer, at least remember this. Being bad just means you'll improve faster than anyone else. Either way, you're going to be awesome.
I have always thought that in characterization showing rather than telling is almost always the better option. But today I came across a situation where I would prefer telling. My mc is thinking about the differences between char a and b, for the reader to understand why she's choosing the way she does. And if I would show these differences it would probably take at least two scenes, and Im afraid they would be so far apart that the reader would probably miss the entire fact that a comparison is being made in the first Place. Would it be ok in this situation to simply State how they're different (maybe in a Little more poetic way, but still)???
Don't jump down my throat for using this example. It's just an example most people can understand lol. (I don't really even want to use it.) In Twilight..... If Bella was sitting on the couch and listing out the pros and cons of Jacob and Edward - would there even be a book?
CB: I see your point , but the story isn't about her problems to choose between them, she needs to make the choice early on for the story to go on. Look at it as she's trying to justify herself for not making the most obvious choice, WHY she's valuating those traits in this character and making that choice I will let the reader find out in a less obvious way (showing). Show: Nice to hear. It's that I don't want to spend that much time and words on this, because it's not a crucial plot-element. just hint to the reader that she has reasons, and then go on with the story and let the reader discover those reasons for themselves. I have been told I explain too much in my stories, and I'm worried this could be another one of those cases. But I'm not sure if the reader would pay attention to what I'm trying to show (the differences between these guys and why it's important to her) if I would do the characterization the normal way. Would they still draw the same conclusions?
It sounds like in this case you'll be telling first and showing later and there's no problem with that. As the story unfolds the reader will understand the reasons for the initial choice, which will either be vindicated or otherwise.
Why do you need to show or tell? If you are writing a story where the MC's initial choice causes some kind of consequence that acts as the impetus for the plot, why can't your character just simply chose one or the other, without telling it to the reader? Why not just explain to the reader her initial choice through internal monologue or flashback as the story goes on.
you're right. i should probably just let her choose and let the characterization take Care of the rest. I guess I'm just insecure that the reader will understand what Im trying to make them see, but i need to learn to trust it that they will.
Depending on how it's written, I wouldn't necessarily even call this telling. (Not that telling is inherently bad.) You're talking about your character's thoughts, rather than explaining things as the narrator. Those thoughts are happening, so expressing them isn't really "telling" any more than quoting a character's spoken words is. Now, that's assuming that you're following the thoughts along without simultaneously describing and explaining them. That is, I'd say that the following is a direct showing of her thoughts: She watched John as he moved, enjoying the swing of his trenchcoat. He'd always been so good at clothes, not like Fred with that vintage junk. And the following is more a heavy-handed spoonfeeding sort of telling: She preferred John's clothes--because of her mother's snobbishness, clothes were very important to her, and she couldn't understand that Fred's thrift-store choices... (blah blah blah) ChickenFreak
Interesting point, I didn't think of that - that they could even be considered showing through character thoughts. And good examples, as always I understand what you mean.
Just to add on to that link because I wholly agree with it, telling is okay, even more preferable in certain situations, if showing is not necessary. I forget what short story it was but there was a scene where it was describing a person getting up for breakfast, elaborately going through his morning, and then going to work. It took up like 2 pages and it didn't do anything of any significance to the story; felt like filler that could have been "told". Just as easily the author could have said "Jack woke up feeling sluggish and not wanting to be anywhere else but his bed. He trudged through his morning with half open eyes and routine motions. After dressing up in his usual attire he drove to work." Or something to that effect. Of course showing is always what you should be doing the majority of the time, but there are times where telling is better.
I think that as long as it's the character thinking and not you/the voice of narration comparing them, then it ought to be fine. Basically: Just make it in the voice of the character, not as if it's you writing an essay or pondering about them. In that case, it's a really good idea to.
