The Joy of Crit Partners In .gifs

Let today begin my mini series celebrating critique partners in .gifs. When I have a free Friday I will post these. Enjoy!

When you're "writing" and your crit partner signs onto GChat: 

When you say "Hi" to each other:

When you tell her how your "writing" is going:

When she gives you a great idea:

I Want To Hold Your Hand.....er, Maybe You Can Hold Mine??

I've been thinking about the writer I want to be someday--some distant and future version of "me." In doing that I have to think a lot about the writer I used to be. I used to be that writer who wrote just because I had stories to tell. It seems like forever ago, when I didn't have twitter or blogs or crit partners. It was me and a pen and a character. (Literally. I used to write by hand.) I wrote what needed to be written. I told the story. I didn't doubt, didn't worry, didn't question myself or my story. I was free. I looked forward to writing, to spending time doing what I loved so much. It was a lot like The Beatles song.

And when I touch you I feel happy inside. It's such a feeling that my love. I can't hide. I can't hide. I can't hide. 

Yeah, you've got that something, I think you'll understand; when I'll say that something. I wanna hold your hand. I wanna hold your hand. I wanna hold your hand.

That's what new ideas, new stories, new characters...that's what writing was like for me in the beginning. And then somewhere along the way, it changed. Every journey does that. It runs along smoothly and quiet and alone, then it shifts. Things get rocky or you get lost or you meet new people who are going the same way and you walk together. You learn from each other, challenge each other, keep each other moving forward. It's a good thing.

I am no longer the writer I used to be.  I've become better at a lot of things, but I've also become someone who wants. And it's not my story or my characters. I have become someone who, instead of hoping and living in the writing, wants other people in my writing bubble. I need to have my hand held.  I need people to tell me that I'm good, that this will happen, that I can figure out the story, that I can overcome this obstacle and the next. I'll be honest: I hate that about myself. 


And while I know there's nothing wrong with it, it bugs me so much. What happened to independent Danielle and when did she get replaced by this girl who needs people to tell her what she's doing matters? That it's good? That there is hope? When did I trade my pens for my Scrivenor and my time with my characters for twitter? 


I think there are few reasons. I think it's twitter (huge distraction). It's the YA community (hugely awesome). It's being so involved and embedded into this culture, seeing my friends and people I don't even know, succeed. It's the doubts that plague you along the way. It's the revising, revising, revising so many times your head will explode. It's the querying and the passes and the hoping and the failed hopes and the belief (which usually comes from everyone but me at this point.) It's watching others get their dream and wondering if I will ever get mine because I've worked harder and longer and am better--or whatever things we tell ourselves to justify these feelings. I'm not saying all these are bad things--they're not--but I do think that sometimes they can (subconsciously or not) alter the way we perceive ourselves.

I'm definitely in the middle of a perception problem. Maybe it's the re-writing. Maybe it's life. But I know that each step I take, I look over my shoulder (or click on my gchat screen) and hope there's someone around to talk me into writing or out of a corner or out of my own crazy head. I need someone to hold my hand, to lead me out safely, to keep me going. 


As I'm writing this post, I'm realizing I'm not really sure what I'm trying to say. All I know is somedays I strive hard for something. I want this more than I want air. I go foward, climb up, work harder. And I know no one will tell me I can't have it. And other days? Well, other days I'm climbing and then bam--the rock under my feet crumbles and I tumble toward the ground. I can't catch my breath. I get hurt. I need someone to help me up. To give me a hand. And, sometimes, I don't want to let go. Letting go is scary.


Is it wrong to hold someone's hand? No, I don't really think so. But sometimes I feel like I'm less of writer because I need to. Especially after days like yesterday, after I struggled through a MERG day of dreary grey and failed to really write anything fresh. I feel like I should be that girl I used to be--who wrote lines on the back of napkins and then frantically found ways to bring them into her stories. I am a different kind of writer now. I'm in a community, I have support, I have friends. They are not the weaknesses that my mind likes to tell me; they are attributes. They are the polish that makes me shine and the glue that keeps me together. 


So why am I ashamed of needing them so much? Sometimes I feel like a burden. That's the truth. I feel needy. The writer I used to be wasn't needy. But the writer I used to be (the one before I learned about agents and publishing and all that jazz) is still inside of me. And maybe, if I want her to become part of the writer I want to be someday, I need to let her reach out. 


When I fall,  I need to take the support. I need to not be afraid to let someone hold my hand.  I need to not be ashamed to want other people with me. I need to not worry so much about what other people think or do, or who I used to be. I need someone to hold my hand. 


And I want to hold your hand.

Conversation with a Crit Partner

As you all know, critique partners are sorta awesome. Me and mine (which are these lovely girls here!) all approach things differently. Since my post on Tuesday proclaiming my writing transition blues, Cindy so happily volunteered to have writing dates with me. So now, every Monday and Thursday night she's forcing me to write words with her for an hour. No matter what. No excuses. Isn't she great?

Last night, I was brainstorming with her in a pre-writing session. My big issue with this story is that it's so simple I make it complicated. And it's so complicated that I get lost in it. Of course, all this is in my head! In reality it's not so bad. (At least, that's what we keep telling ourselves! I think Christina will disagree once we go at this MS with shearing scissors.)

Anyway, this is what happens when we brainstorm. At least sometimes.... *ahemALWAYSahem*

 Cindy:  hahaha

what was your idea?

you said you had an idea for what to write next?

are you going to go with it?

 me:  just an idea. idk

 Cindy:  stop thinking about the sub plots

and write the idea

 me:  hhahahaha

im not. now im talking to X. lol

Cindy:  I command you!

 me:  bahahahha

 Cindy:  Did that work?

oh

 me:  no

 Cindy:  lol

 me:  hahahahaha

 Cindy:  I just emailed her

 me:  hahha

 Cindy:  COMMAND DAMNIT

 me:  emailed about what?

 Cindy:  shakes wand

 me:  stuffs fingers in ears

dances

 Cindy:  to apologize for not getting her MS back to her yet

abracadabra

me:  i think she's got a whole revision now

you should check before you start that

expecto patronum

 Cindy:  damn you!

and your Harry Potter knowledge

I must re-read those books

lol

 me:  heheheheh

luminos

we must say that

anytime we get a bright idea

get it?

luminos

 Cindy:  I do!

LUMINOS

ahhaa

 me:  im punny.

Life changing stuff right? AH. As a side note, we did actually write words....it was just later.

Writing with a Crit Partner

Everyone has a different process with their CP--that's the glorious thing about being writer. Let me take you through what a novel looks like for me. Not every novel has the same process, but this is what happened with my last completed MS. Prepare yourself for it is insanity. Welcome to my life.

**Again, reminder: I have four CPs. I know, I know: it is a lot. But each one of them serves a different purpose and interjects into a different stage of my novel writing, and you can refer to yesterday's post if you want more details.**

Rewind to 14 months ago, when I wrote the last line of an MS--let's call it DAGGER (which is not it's real name at all.) I finished DAGGER and it was 120K (yes, for real!) of this story that I loved. I thought it was brilliant and I was pretty proud of the characters, story, plot. I did my own round of edits--typos, read through, etc--and then I sent it to my CP, who was most assuredly gonna love it because I love it. **Back then, I only had Christina, and she's read everything I've written and always does it before anyone else.**

But then, she came back with notes. Lots of notes. Lotsof questions, pacing issues, and you know, some general loveliness. **General loveliness is important!** She asked things like: Why is the character doing this? What did you mean when you wrote this? What's this piece of the plot supposed to do because I'm confused? Why don't you tell me this? And sometimes the notes are smaller, but usually, they're significant questions about my novel. Questions that she shouldn't be asking because I should've answered them. Or issues with pacing or character development or motivation--it varies--but each of the things my CP offers me are detrimental to the story success. 

Then, I had to look at all the things Christina suggested, asked, and wondered about and figure out how to fix them. Revision is a key element of writing a book. As I saw on twitter once: Revision is re-evaluating the VISION. This took me a month or so that first time. Then I queried, got some feedback on how to fix it MORE and revised more. **I rewrote seven times total before I finished**

Now let's flash forward to about eight-five months ago. 

This is where other CPs (and beta readers) come into play. Patricia and I spent A LOT of time trying to move the story in a different direction, to flesh out the questions, to build the motivation--and she never read the previous drafts, but she completely helped me shape where the story was going. Then, she would read chapters as I wrote them, which usually made no sense since she didn't have the context. When it was done, she read it completely again to make sure it flowed well and that everything still worked.

Once I was happy with that, I sent it back to Christina. She looked at it again and (having read 4 of the 7 rewrites) her feedback was again helpful and more directed. She and Patricia really helped me clean up the story, the characters, all the things left behind from seven rewrites. After Christina approved, I passed it on to my beta readers. I only had two and both were strictly reading. And that's not including the people who read early drafts. Then, at some point, Cindy and Jenn got it and did more of the line-edit/overall process of the story. (Because at that point I wasn't changing anything major!) 

Usually, my books don't have this big of a process. But the problem I encountered was that I exhausted my initial readers/CPs at drafts one and two. So, when draft seven came around, there wasn't anyone new. New, fresh eyes are important because the more you see something, the closer you are to it, then you have hangings of things that used to be instead of what are. **Example: in RENT (movie) there's a deleted scene for Goodbye Love and I love that song. I watched it once with my friend and that song didn't come on! I was so confused as to why it wasn't there because I totally watched it. But then, I remembered it was a deleted scene. That song being in (or not being in) the movie completely changes the story.**

Whew! That was a really short summary of fifteen long, long months. So thankful for my HUGE team.

This WIP is different. Really different.

Patricia has helped me develop and brainstorm, and Christina reads each chapter as I write it. Just for reading pleasure and not for critiquing. Eventually, when the whole thing is ready, she'll read it again for critting purposes...and then I'll pass it on to all my other CPs. Since they all read at different stages, it's really helpful for getting new and fresh perspectives on the novel. 

That's the purpose of having a CP after all--building this trusting relationship where you can get honest feedback and perspective on your book that you can't have as a writer. And cookies....cookies are good too. 

What's your process like??

Two Peas in a Word Pod

Having a Crit Partner is like sharing your brain space. In my head, it's gotta be a little like what twins go through. Because you are your own person, with your style, dreams,  ideas--but then along comes someone else who's all up in your space too. You have to be okay with it, to embrace it, to function and still try go your own way--even if there's someone else out there with your face. But you're a twin, so you've also got to consider your other half in each step you take because you can't share space with someone and not be bonded. It's a little disarming

This is what having a crit partner is like. 

Through the process of writing (or editing or re-writing) a book, you have this other person all up in your space--creatively--and you have to be okay with it, to embrace it, to function and still keep your story YOURS. And, what's even more, you have to take what they say and suggest and LISTEN because you've invited them into your space and now you're stuck with the person. You can't share a space with another person and completely ignore them. It's impossible.

You are two peas in a word pod.

You exist, together, to make this one story be the best it can be--and to do that you have to be on the same page. You have to share a space.

I have four CPs and sometimes my brain space gets a little crowded. But it wasn't always that way. I used to have one: Christina. She's the only person who has read every single thing I've written (I mean, excluding my early days of fanfic and bad poetry from middle school.) From the beginning, Christina fit in my space. I remember those first pages we exchanged and the way she pulled out these errors and thoughts and questions from my MS and threw them up in the air. I did the same to her. I knew immediately I wanted to work with her. 

The more we worked together, the more we learned the flow and rhythm of the other person. Where I was weak in description and action, she was strong. Where I was strong in characters and overall plot, she was weak. We were a perfect pair--literally, two peas in a word pod. We fit in each other's space. And, even more, we liked each other's writing. 

Those two things are probably the most important thing when you're searching for or working with a CP. 

I think should also point out that the title of "CP" can be applied in a bunch of different ways and I don't think every writer has the same kinds. Christina is still my #1 go to with my stuff--before anyone else reads it she does--because I know that she'll be able to find exactly what it needs and help me fix it. But then I have the others--and the beta readers (which are different from a CP because they are reading the MS and not offering writing help). 

But with my other three, Patricia is more of my "brainstorming" CP. When I'm stuck or something's not working, I know I can talk to her and she can help me figure out the answer. She always seems to know what my story needs, what my characters would or wouldn't do and how to move things up a level. Cindy is great at fine tuning my thoughts and scenes. She can look at something and ask me questions. She's even line editing my current MS, which no one else really does at all. Jenn is my last CP because I save her for the end.  She will either confirm that it is "ready" or tell me that it's not. Plus, she's just all sorts of fun and happiness and encouraging excitement. ALL of them offer a lot of (much needed) encouragement through the process. Cheerleading CPs are awesome. 

However you want to title them, a CP is so important to a writer. It teaches you how to work in a group, how to write better, how to look more objectively at your own work and it challenges you. When you invite someone else into that inner-circle, you're opening yourself up to sharing your space. Sometimes, it will not be easy. But always, always, it's worth it. 

Critiquing Others Can Make You a Better Writer

Hey guys! Welcome to our new segment on Critique Partners!

Let me tell you, there are so many things I didn't know when I started out on this writing journey. So many things. One of those things was Critique Partners. When I started writing, all I had were a couple of my sisters that were willing to read the cruddy stuff I had written and cheer me on (later I learned these people are usually referred to as Alpha readers). Anyway, I didn't know who or what Crit Partners/Beta readers were when I started writing.

Eventually, I stumbled upon the term and Googled/talked to other people and found out who these lovely people are! And because of my critique partners I know my writing has gotten stronger, and continues to with there help.

The thing I didn't know when finding my CP's though, is that critiquing and editing their work would help me with mine too. Just like with writing, I believe that critiquing a work of writing is a skill that you can develop and grow.

As I learned how to critique my partners' works I also figured out how to better edit and revise my own. Isn't easier to see what's wrong with someone else's stuff than your own? If I'm being honest, that's how it is for me. I'm so close to my stories that I don't always see what's wrong with them. My CP's certainly help me with that. They point out things that I don't even notice and I do the same for them. (I hope!) I learn what they need help with--and, sometimes, those are areas where I need help too, I just can't see it.

With learning how to help my CPs, I've also learned how to look more closely at my own work. How to take the critiquing skills that I have developed with looking at their work and turn it onto my own. So, all in all, I believe that with having crit partners, not only are you helping them, but you're also helping yourself by honing your skills in editing/revising/critiquing.

(I also hope this post made some sort of sense you guys. I think this whole Spring Forward business is messing with me, so I apologize for any incoherent rambling!)

What do you guys think about critique partners? Does having them help you learn to do your own edits & revisions better? Let us know what you think!