I took it a step further and started sharing in forums like Studio30 Plus, Indie Ink, and The Dude Society. I have learned so much from reading the amazing pieces that people have created and shared in these venues. I also realize that most of the time I am really out of my league when it comes to my writing vs. others.
I am lucky to have a group of fellow writers that continue to read what I put out there. I dare say that a few of them have become "friends" and a few have come to be friends outside of the interwebz. It's an awesome thing!
On thing these regular readers/commenters bring is support and encouragement. But because they are nice, I don't get a lot of criticism or critiquing. So when I do have someone offer criticism or point out flaws/room for improvement, my first reaction is "Ouch!"
My second reaction is "Thank you!" I have so much to learn and I want to be continuously improving my skills and finding ways to make my words more impacting and clear when that is my objective in writing such as by participating in the thinks like the Indie Ink Challenge.
For this week's II challenge I posted words around the prompt "Quicksand". I got a lot of great comments that let me know the feelings and intention I was trying to convey came across to the readers. Whew!
I also got a comment form a new reader. It was a reality check and although polite and ultimately hopeful of my "talent" also told me I could do better and it needed work. She was absolutely right and I even reached out in email to thank her for challenging me to step up my game and work through it to provide a better finished product. Her were her thoughts:
The imagery is almost there. This is a good draft, but putting prose into short paragraphs does not turn it into a poem. I hate to be the only person saying this sort of thing to you, but you are talented and I don't want to just pat you on the head and move along.
You have the bones of a very sharp poem here! Now polish it until it can be used as a weapon.
You have the bones of a very sharp poem here! Now polish it until it can be used as a weapon.
As much as I enjoy all the positive comments I need comments like this to help me grow and hold me accountable to produce pieces worth reading.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big rule follower and most of my posts are just for fun and I feel comfortable throwing convention out the window and will continue to do so. But on formal writing and challenges where I a want to stretch and grow, I will keep the criticism in mind and try to step up my game.
So quit being so damn nice to me all the time and give me some constructive criticism to work from will ya?!? (Just don't be jerks about it...ok?)
