Friday 25 November 2011

Being Realistic About Your Writing...

As I write it is 12 days to Awards Night at Nottingham Writers' Club, combined with the annual  restrained Christmas party... I've had a slight relapse on the health front and now need an inhaler for a short while, so hopefully I'll be feeling 100% by the party.

After the awards we have finger food and a few quizzes with chocolate type prizes for the winner/s or the winning table. And this is truly when the hidden competitive streak comes out in all of us- in a good natured way of course. :-)

Chocolate and writers just seem to go together...

It's also the evening I should be getting the comments on my romance trophy entry returned to me. This year it was judged by writer Sue Moorcroft (who is also one of the judges in the Fiction Workshop section in Writers Forum magazine).

So I'm looking forward to seeing what Sue thought about my entry. I am prepared for good news and bad. Though I won't read the comments properly until the cold light of day when I can calmly absorb them.

Once my novella in progress is completed I'll go back to the novel- as I've been contemplating it for the past year and learning more about my characters- and think I'm ready to proceed with it...

I'm realistic enough to know I need to be honest about my writing, and need to make clinical judgements about it, as a well-known novelist suggests.

A L Kennedy in the Guardian has written an article on looking closely at your work and seeing not only it's good points, but the weak areas as well. There are some interesting suggestions included.

We all have areas of writing that we are better at, but it doesn't mean we will always see all those weak spots, so honest but supportive writer friends can be invaluable.

So on Awards Night I'll be clapping the winners, and looking forward to the prospect of another writing year, learning more and steadily improving...

9 comments:

Keith Havers said...

Really sorry to learn that you're still having problems.
I'm also looking forward to Sue's comments. It's a bit like waiting for O level results.

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Agree with being honest about our work - good and bad! Do take care, so you can enjoy the party. Good luck on the comments!

Carolb said...

You're right Keith, it is a bit like waiting for exam results...

Thanks Rosemary.

I'm breathing much easier today just from using the inhaler yesterday, so I will hopefully be rid of the wretched bug and coughing by party time. :-)

Patsy said...

Hope you enjoy the party.

I'm not very good at looking at my writing dispassionately, but I find it's a bit easier if I'm not trying to assess something I've just written. Leaving a piece and working on something else for a while does add a bit of distance.

Carolb said...

Thanks, Patsy.
You're right about leaving the work while you do something else. I find I see so many things I want to change when I go back to the first piece.

Anonymous said...

It's so useful to have another writer read your work, and help you to be realistic about it.

I'm finding my Talkback group is doing just that for me, Carol.

Hope you get some useful and helpful remarks about your story.
She may even tell you to send it off, pronto.

Also hope your breathing problems sort themselves out soon.

All the best
dora

Carolb said...

Thanks for commenting, Dora.
My novel still has a long way to go before it is completed, but useful comments are always appreciated.

Your Talkback group has been a great idea, so I'm hoping it will lead to success soon.

Lexia257 said...

Have a great party Carol and good luck with your writing.
Keep well !
x

Carolb said...

Thanks, Lexia.