Comments on: When Bad Things Happen to Good Stories https://booksquare.com/when-bad-things-happen-to-good-stories/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&%23038;utm_campaign=when-bad-things-happen-to-good-stories Dissecting the publishing industry with love and skepticism Sat, 21 Aug 2004 16:56:32 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Larissa Ione https://booksquare.com/when-bad-things-happen-to-good-stories/#comment-96 Sat, 21 Aug 2004 16:56:32 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2004/08/19/525/#comment-96 Honestly? I think the only real answer is experience. I was happy with my historical voice, but when I tried my first contemporary, I was insecure. And my crit group was full of writers who had a zillion published contemporaries under their belts, writers who were too…literary-minded to “get” what I was doing, and writers who simply didn’t like my voice or story no matter what.

And since I was so insecure and so new at writing contemporary romance, I listened to everything, turning that poor manuscript into a mish-mash of voices that weren’t all mine. It wasn’t a mistake; every critique taught me something that has been useful for future novels.

That manuscript is currently undergoing major revisions to turn it back into “mine.” It IS better (much!) because of the critiques, but now it needs to be reworked with the critters’ advice in mind, but using my voice now that I have the confidence and experience to do so.

So I think it’s just a matter of learning to trust your instincts and learning to use advice that makes sense…but using your voice instead of a bunch of others.

Basically, if the advice “feels” wrong, think twice. Go with your gut. It’s YOUR story! *g*

]]> By: Lorra https://booksquare.com/when-bad-things-happen-to-good-stories/#comment-94 Fri, 20 Aug 2004 14:09:33 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2004/08/19/525/#comment-94 Question is: How do you distinguish between great editorial feedback, over which you should feverishly slave to incorporate into your masterpiece, and voice-annihilating, ego-crushing criticism, whose only purpose is to impose the critics voice into your work?

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