  Fantasy
This week: To Edit, To Review, To Critique, Too! Edited by: Storm Machine  
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Science Fiction. Fantasy. Horror. Sometimes we get lumped together in speculative fiction, into some nebulous category where nothing exists as we live it, where none of us follow the rules of the ‘real world’. What fun has the real world been, anyway?
Beyond that, we’re writers. We dig into the mundane and create something extraordinary. At some point, though, we want to share with this great work we’ve poured ourselves into. The decision becomes trying to find someone like-minded within the speculative fiction framework, or to find a generic writer’s group (often easier to find) who can critique the manuscript.
The writer’s group can be fun. There will be a mix of writers in regard to age, experience, preferred genre, and almost anything else you can think of. Someone there will be a stickler for rules. Someone else will get their feelings hurt easily. Yet another will read words that ought to make sense but refuse to find any cohesive shape in your mind no matter how much you listen. This will probably not be different whichever way you decide to go.
There are a few things to keep in mind for that decision.
When you’re in a generic writer’s group, your fellow writers may or may not know the rules of your genre. That means you definitely need to keep up with what is current in your field (not that you wouldn’t do that anyway). They will question whether you need magic or if you’ve created a believable world or if something or other would really work the way you imagined. Listen to the comments. Write them down. Consider them seriously. They might not know the difference between hyperspace and a warp drive, but if it doesn’t make sense, they’re going to tell you.
In a genre-specific group, they will definitely know the difference between hyperspace and warp drive and they might give you unending grief for using one of them. They may or may not debate you about the particulars of a specific device because they expect you to use it properly, then clobber you over the head the moment you go astray from their expectations that they brought with them from their experience within the genre. Listen to the comments. Write them down. Consider them seriously.
A generic group will bring you a lot of different material to listen to. There may be poets, short story writers, and novelists mixed up together. You could listen to a military thriller, a chick-lit piece, a romance, and a memoir before getting to your turn. You are expected to give each of them the same amount of attention you expect them to give you. They will also draw from different inspirations you may not have read. They learn rules that you may or may not break, but they will expect you to follow them just the same as they do.
A genre-specific group will definitely expect you to know and follow the same rules they do. While you will only get pieces in the genre to listen to, not all of them will be what you would write. A steampunk novel, an apocalypse short story, and an undefined mix of dwarves, unicorns, and nymphs will get your attention. Their inspirations might be authors you read and thought you despised. They might also turn your space travel book into a knock-off from someone you should have read already, and they might tear down one of your favorite authors.
The important thing is to listen, read (if given paper or digital files), give constructive criticism, and consider all comments. All writers are readers, and all of them have something good to offer for your project. If you personally are not comfortable reading all sorts of material, let the moderator know so you can figure out whether you will be a good fit with the group or if you’d be able to participate. Never leave just after you have read, especially if you are new to the group. Remember the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have those do unto you. It applies very nicely to writer groups of all kinds.
The last thing to remember is that you never have to take a piece of advice. You know the project and it is your creation (I’m purposefully staying away from the word ‘baby’ because that is another argument for another time). This creation needs to live up to the vision in your head. If one reader says the protagonist’s name is horrible, that might be just an opinion. If everyone says that, maybe you need to consider changing it. If you have a good reason and they haven’t gotten to the point where it makes sense, you could talk to one or more trusted advisors to see if it works. If you know it will work, great. The point of getting outside opinions is to improve the manuscript. The writer is the only one who will be able to wade through the comments and decide whether they fit or not. This isn’t an editor (independent or connected to a publishing house), but there is still value in comments from amateurs.
Write. Join. Participate. It’s WDC in person. And for those who can’t find a group in person – there are a few resources listed to join a writer’s group in this domain. |
Need a critique and want to share the efforts?
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| | WYRM (13+)
A group for those dedicated to writing and reviewing speculative fiction.
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Things to read and share an opinion on:
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| |  | The Rain (E)
Short Story: In which Petty Officer 1/Coxswain Samantha Cunningham thinks about rain.
#1953736 by ZeeWulf  |
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☮ The Grum Of Grums 
OMG apparently I write like H P Lovecraft. Back to Cthulu Mythlos for me, then
Always fun to learn.
Quick-Quill 
You are me new best friend! I copied a few paragraphs from my new novel and pasted it in "I Write Like" then pushed the button! It said I write like DAN BROWN!! You can not believe the thrill that just went though my body!!! I can't wait to get back to writing!! Thank you a million times over!
I copied and pasted selections from different stories in my port. into "I Write Like" I was repeatedly linked to Douglas Adams and Cory Doctorow. Neither of whom I have ever read or even know. I had to look them up. Guess I will have to break down and read the Hitchhiker.
Interesting to know you can read new authors and learn more.
BIG BAD WOLF is Merry 
I get deathly ill without a book nearby- thankfully, I have plenty of books to cure myself with.
Books are wonderful friends.
lydiairis
Great Newsletter!! When I was young an author came to talk to our school and said: "never trust a writer that writes more than they read." I have always remembered that! It's so important. I recently got a Kindle and there are so many free books the problem isn't just my procrastination but the fact I now have more books than I could ever read!
Thanks again!
It's not a bad problem.
Dragon is hiding
I really agree with you regarding the library idea. My school and local library both have introduced me to so many new authors I never thought I would have enjoyed! (mainly agatha christie...)
some apps actually give you free e-books, too if you're looking for more material to read!
Yay library! I am a huge fan.
Lady_crow
I also do not read enough. the website to analyze our writing style is fascinating, but is there one that tells me WHY a particular sample is similar to any particular author? The analysis was so fast, I wonder if it was just randomly generated.
Thank you,
C. Whelan
I do not know.
stan 
MMM.
Great piece!
thanks a lot.
You're welcome. |
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Fantasy: October 02, 2013 Issue [#5922]
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