Online Critique

Follow my journey into the world of online critiquing!

Mia Marlow saves her Thursdays for critiquing the first 500 words of a novels for those who are willing to volunteer. Since I'm currently working on that novel (and a few other things), and I'm not totally ready to share, I asked Mia if she would consider looking at the first 500 words of a short story of mine. She agreed!

If you'd like to take a look, here is the link: http://miamarlowe.com/blog/2011/02/red-pencil-thursday-3/#comments

Monster House is my FIRST jump into a written piece from the first person POV in PRESENT tense.
Oh boy.... was that ever hard!
I chose to submit Monster House because I honestly wasn't feeling the love.

I needed some help.
I needed some objectivity.
I needed to know what I was doing wrong.

I'll be back with what I've learned from this experience.

Writing hurts

A year ago, I thought about writing again. Something stirred deep inside me and wanted out.

I walked. I thought. I struggled.

I mentioned this to a woman who walked with me one day. We crossed the 4-lane highway to the bookstore and I browsed around while chewing on the idea of picking up the pen (ok really - 14 years later- its pounding on the keyboard) again. On the way out the words tumbled from my mouth.

"I want to write."

"What on earth do you have to write about?" she replied to me, not a drop of humor in her voice. Nothing in my life could be bad enough or exciting enough in her opinion for me to have anything to write about.

Oh where do I start?

So I wrote to prove her wrong. Only in the end, her words ended up cutting deeper than deep. They still haunt me.

I've realized that there was more to this comment than just her belief I had nothing to write about. It was deep down jealousy. Without going into details, I'm married, a mother, she isn't.

After months of shutting that voice inside me down, I wrote. I wrote a story that brought tears to many eyes. It wasn't my best, but it was a first after many silent years. It was good enough to place in a contest.

I am good enough. I have a story to tell.

On Reading & Reviews

I'm sitting here looking at book reviews on Amazon. For those of you who do not know, I started book reviews not long ago.

I read, lots. I read all different kinds of genres, although I don't review everything I read.

I read some Christian fiction because I like the story ideas. I don't read Christian fiction because I'm Christian. If these same story ideas were not written in the Christian genre I would still seek them out.

The one thing I find interesting in reading reviews is that some readers think you have to republish the Bible in the novel. Maybe this is something that is expected? I haven't been reading Christian novels long, I started maybe 6-8 months ago? I guess I'm a "newbie" to it.

I don't mind some scripture while reading fiction, but really it can be overwhelming to the story itself. Especially if it's verse after verse with the version of the Bible listed. I also mind being preached to. Why? Because the author just may have it wrong. They are feeding me their views on the Bible when I can just go pick it up and see what God himself said. I don't need my fiction to feed my reality that way. I don' t need an interrupter.

What I do like about Christian fiction is if there is a story there. A lesson maybe. A bit of hope in an otherwise heartbreaking situation. Yeah, I like that. I love it in any genre.

Make me feel. Make me want more. That's what makes a good book in my view.

A good story without 30 pages of scripture is fine I think. Maybe those reviewers should see if there is a story behind those words. Dig deeper, think longer.

Maybe I have it wrong? Either way, I'll run to my Bible for God's words.

(moved here from my other blog)