Who's With Me? Part Deux by Jane Clamp


Get yourself a buddy, I said. Don’t do the writing journey alone. Do you remember those fine sentiments from a month ago? Many of you responded with enthusiasm: Yes! Let’s buddy-up! Go, us!


Well, this is part two: the more “rubber hits the road” section. You see, I had an interesting experience this week which I feel compelled to share. I entrusted the first chapter of my novel to a good friend – not officially my “buddy” (alas, she belongs to another) – but a real through-thick-and-thin friend, who happens to be a superb writer.

 

Now, it is Adrian Plass, ACW’s esteemed president, who publicly and often says how much he hates criticism, especially the constructive kind; so I know I’m in good company. I wanted the feedback to read, “This is the most amazing piece of prose I have ever read. Why you are not rich/famous/world-renowned by now defeats me. All previous generations of writers are hereby consigned to the dust. You have established fiction as the true art-form it previously only aspired to being.” Or something along those lines…



Instead, she was honest (and kind and gentle) to point out there was something glaringly wrong with the structure which my previous two thousand and thirty six edits had missed. She hoped I wouldn’t be upset by her comments. I assured her I wasn’t. And for about forty five seconds that was true. And then I was very upset. Indeed. 

It is simply horrible to be corrected, however carefully done. But, dear fellow writers, we need it! What is the point of us labouring over our writing, submitted to God, sacrificial in the commitment, if we judge it only by our own opinion? Quite honestly, there is a real danger that we will become delusional (as evidenced in my second paragraph) when, if we are to be of any use at all to this broken world, we need to hone our communication skills and sharpen our writing so our treasured message is not spoiled by the packaging.



To be clear, I wasn’t upset that I’d received the critique. It was far more about the fact I thought I was nearly done after 18 months of hard work, and now I sense the finishing tape pushed back further than I feel I have energy for. But, actually, I know that this same friend will be cheering me on as I re-group, pick myself up, press the delete button repeatedly and bash on. And, guess what? It’s made me realise that, however temporarily painful, we really do need writerly friends who help the Proverbs verse come alive: As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.





Jane Clamp is ACW Groups' Coordinator and writes regularly for radio. Her first book, Too Soon, a devotional on the theme of miscarriage, will be published by SPCK on 16th August.




Comments

  1. I'm putting my head above the parapet and saying I am exactly the same. Thanks for this, Jane. Thought provoking indeed.

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    1. Thanks for being honest, Wendy. It's so difficult, isn't it?!

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  2. I do identify with this! I am right now waiting for a friend who is also a professional editor to get back to me with comments on my new novel. She will be the first person ever to have read it apart from me. I share your thoughts and feelings.Criticism is so challenging on a personal level. I think it is a measure of how sensitive and insecure our egos are. And as writers we have to be sensitive or we wouldn't be creative in the first place.

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    1. Exactly! We don't want to be hard-hearted or thick-skinned, but it hurts so badly to stay vulnerable! I hope you get some lovely positive feedback, Sheila!

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  3. In a number of ways and for obvious reasons we are our own worst judges: not only blind to faults but to good points as well! An honest and discerning critic can make the difference between clear and muddy communication. Thanks, Jane.

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    1. You're right there. Sometimes we don't see the good in our writing, either. A good critic is all about giving us balance, perhaps?

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  4. Just wanted to share that I posted on the FB thread about writing buddies and then realized I had requested 'a writing biddy'. One of those would do too...

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    1. Ha Ha! They're probably the very best kind!

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  5. I think it's especially hard when it's a structure critique like that, because that's so much more work than 'You overuse the word "sobbed"' which is just a Find and Replace jobbie. Time and time again, I've been criticised for plots that don't have enough oomph or compelling hooks and it's enough to make me want to climb under the bed and stay there for weeks. But I'm sure my writing has improved for that honest feedback, even if I'm still not quite there. Arrggh!

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    1. My response has been to shelve the whole thing until I can face it. I'm not sure how long that will be...

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  6. I feel like this too Jane! Had a similar moment this week when a kind friend offered constructive criticism on one of my blogs. She had the thoughtfulness to ask first if I wanted her critique, and she was gentle when she gave it. But it still stung initially! Now, after a couple of days to mull it over, I'm so glad she spoke up rather than just gave the overly positive/shallow encouragements that we are prone to as Christians! The two of us were able to enter a dialogue which has really helped me on my journey of discovering my 'voice' as a writer.

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    1. We have to "man up" don't we, if we're going to improve by taking on well-aimed and well-deserved criticism. I will continue to squirm, I think, and fear the worst every time!

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  7. So so true Jane. Glad I'm not the only deluded, over-sensitive, fragile person in the world of writing. Great, honest post x

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    1. Thanks, Deborah! What a terrible breed we are!

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