Battling blog design gremlins here. Bear with me:)---------------   Here we are in the final critique week interview. Welcome to three lovely and talented authors.                 Shelley Ann Jackson is an author, illustrator, and arts educator who recently relocated to Austin, Texas with her equally talented author/illustrator husband, Jeff Crosby. Shelley's illustrations have appeared in numerous children's books, magazines, and posters. Her next author/illustrator collaboration with Jeff, HARNESS HORSES, BUCKING BRONCOS & PIT PONIES (Tundra Books,) will be released October 2011. Check out Shelley's blog.                         Cynthia Levinson has twenty-five years of education experience fueling her love of children's literature. She is a prolific nonfiction author with countless articles appearing in children's publications including the COBBLESTONE group of magazines. Her short fiction has been featured by such publications as HIGHLIGHTS, SKIPPING STONES, and THE MAILBOX and has garnered her contest awards. Cynthia's first book, WE HAVE A JOB: THE 1963 BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S MARCH will be published by Peachtree in 2012. Check out Cynthia's blog activity.    

           Samantha Clark has enjoyed a long career as a journalist and editor and now, as co-founder and editor of Disc Dish, an online movie review site that  offers insider interviews, and in depth reviews of the latest DVD and Blu Ray releases, plus information about the latest disc technology available. Her true passion is as a middle-grade novelist. She is involved in the Austin SCBWI community and is actively seeking representation for two completed middle grade novels. Check out Samantha's blog.            

C.L. (1) First, say something—anything—positive. Even if all you can muster is “nice font.” Then, be scathingly honest. If you wouldn’t want a publisher or, god forbid, a reader to know that you’re in the same critique group as the person who wrote this drivel, don’t let it get out of the critique group. (2) A mixture of writing levels can be useful. I can learn from everyone. (3) Have patience—but only a limited amount of patience—with learning about everyone else’s children, grandchildren, parents, spouses, pets, vacations, plumbing leaks, allergies... S.C. 1. Guidance for my writing. Getting feedback helps me know if I'm on the right track with my story, if what I intend is coming across. Writing is so solitary. Only the writer truly knows all the ins and outs of the story and the full back stories of the characters. You don't want to reveal too much or the reader will be bored, but you also can't reveal too little or the reader will be confused. Critique group partners can let you know if you're on the right track. 2. Ideas. Sometimes, being so close to a story blocks me from seeing some things that could provide more drama or laughs or whatever is needed. My critique group partners have given me ideas. Some I've used and some have helped me step up to an even better idea. 3. Support. I'll say it again, because this is important: Writing is solitary. Unless you're writing with a partner, you're the sole creator of an entire world. You're responsible for the ideas, research, writing, editing. And then when you're done, you're responsible for the kick-butt synopsis, query letter, submissions, rejections. And for most of us, this is all done in the spare seconds we stash away between our jobs, laundry, kids, spouses, grocery shopping, bills, etc. Critique group members all go through the same thing, and as such, we can all help each other, whether it's encouragement, commiserations, or whatever's needed.

S.A.J.  Being part of a crit group has helped me to get work done; nothing motivates like a deadline! And self-imposed deadlines are nothing compared to the thought of submitting a poor manuscript to a group of your peers! It’s not only embarrassing, but it’s a wasted opportunity. Being part of a group has also helped me to accept the things that need to be changed in my manuscripts. I often see things that, deep down, I know aren’t working, but for one reason or another, I like them and so I keep them. But when others point them out, I know that they are real problems and need to be revised or cut. And finally, being part of a crit group has helped me to see new things in my manuscripts. Sometimes, you just can’t see the forest for the trees and you need someone else (or several people at once) to yell, “Forest!!!”       

C.L.  The people who have helped my writing the most (like you, Donna) are those who (1) write well themselves, (2) explain how they do it, and (3) take a pencil to my ms and show me exactly how I can do it. Vague directions like “try heightening the language here” or “show don’t tell” aren’t nearly so helpful as “how about ‘gash’ instead of ‘cut.’” S.C.    BOOZE! No, just kidding. Although I would say that chocolate would be welcome at any meeting. No, the key to a successful critique group is honesty and respect. We all have to be honest with each other. No writer will get better if their critiquers tell them "This is brilliant!" when they don't really think so. We go to critique groups to get advice on how we can make our writing better. If you're going to a critique group to hear "This is brilliant!" stay home. Show your writing to your family instead. Critique groups are for growth, and we only grow if we know what's working and what's not. And respect. As I mentioned, writing is not easy. It's not about putting words on a page — it's about putting the right words in the right order to illicit the best emotional response and entertain and inform. It's about digging deep into our soul and translating what we see. And when we do that, to have a critique partner say "This sucks!" or "I hate this!" is crushing. The most important thing to remember as a critiquer is that writing is subjective. Sure, there are some aspects of a story — developed, believable characters; realistic dialog; character arc; plotting — that we can all critique on, but story-wise, we might not like something that someone else loves. Millions of people love the Harry Potter books and others find them boring. Subjective. So who are we to say something "sucks"? We have to respect our fellow writers.          

S.A.J.  I’ve had a few groups and all, except my online group, have met in coffee shops. They are nice, casual places. They aren’t so quiet that you feel you’re disturbing others by talking, and not so loud that you can’t hear your group members speak. Plus, you can write off coffee and a piece of cheesecake!      

C.L.  We’re peripatetic. For years, we met at Barnes and Noble because one of our group members drove in from Kingsland, and it was convenient for her. She needed to drop out, so we moved to Central Market, where we meet upstairs when we’re not meeting around the dining table at a member’s house.      

S.A.J.  I think the hardest thing for me is telling someone when part of their manuscript is wonderfully, beautifully written, but doesn’t further their story. I know that if I love that phrase or sentence or section, they probably do, too, and are going to have a hard time cutting it. In my own work, I often get attached to those bits and they are the hardest things for me to cut. I count on the group to tell me when they aren’t working, and I know they count on me to do the same.        

C.L.   Our group tries to meet weekly and read each others’ mss aloud. As a result, we limit what we bring to 5 pages. It’s hard to read a novel 5 pages at a time, to capture the arc, the character development, the sub-plots. I like the discipline of weekly deadlines but I’d also like to grasp larger chunks of the ms at a time.        

S.A.J.  Listening. Just really, really listening. Not getting defensive or trying to explain, but just absorbing and understanding what the problems are.      

C.L.  Keeping my mouth closed and not defending why I can’t change a word or “explaining” that “that will become clear later.” Cynthia, repeat to yourself: if it’s not clear now, it doesn’t matter if it’s going to become clear later; later is too late.   S.C.   Not getting offended. Critiquers usually don't mean to offend, but some are less objective than others (remember the grandma?), and like I mentioned before, writing is subjective. Critique partners will tell you that they don't get your work, that they don't like it, that it's not their thing. Critiquers have told me before that they would have put my book down if it wasn't for the fact that they had to get through it for our critique session. Sure, part of me wanted to say, "Hey, no one had a gun to your head. You could have stopped. I don't care." But I didn't. I just nodded and smiled and listened to what they had to say. The other challenge is sticking to your story. It's very important — and to me, this is one of the most important things a writer has to consider — that the writer knows his or her story and does only what's best for that story. At a critique group, listen to what others have to say, digest it and then only use what works for the betterment of the story. This is an extreme example, but if you're writing a family drama and a critique group member suggests you add a bit of excitement with an alien invasion ... DON'T DO IT! That will completely change your story, and you have to remember it's YOUR story.          

S.A.J.  Well, you’re of course not obligated to take every suggestion that you’re given. But if you want to improve your writing, you need to at least figure out why they’ve given this feedback. Do they hate you? Are they completely insane? Or was there something there that took them out of the story? If it was your agent or editor who made the same comment would you still disagree? Or would you offer a compromise? I think if you look at it from all angles, you’ll usually find a creative solution that satisfies both the feedback and you. And you’ll be stoked when you find it.      

C.L.  Sometimes I defend or explain! Other times, I nod and utter a lot of “mmmms.”           

S.A.J.  If you aren’t into the story being presented, you just have to look at the big picture. You can look for a strong story arc, consistency of character and clarity in the writing, no matter what the subject matter is. Or you can feign the stomach flu.       

C.L.   One member of our group has written for the Christian market. I don’t know what to do with religion-infused material or, especially, with plot resolutions that depend on God. All I can do is say so.        

S.A.J.  Be brave! You can’t improve your writing without letting people read it. And, on the flip side, don’t be afraid to tell your partners what you really feel (in a nice way)! You know more than you probably think you do. Point out what is strong in your partners’ manuscripts, as much or more than you point out what isn’t working. But also, keep reading about writing and most especially, reading published children’s books and analyzing them.     

C.L.  Listen. Nod. Ask.   S.C.  Have an open mind, listen without commenting, don't take offense if someone isn't as respectful as they should be (it happens), and most of all, be confident.       "...here's an anecdote from the creators of Toy Story. It goes with the "challenge of having your own manuscript critiqued" question. When John Lasseter and his team were making the first Toy Story, they did an early screening with executives at Walt Disney Studios, who were providing financing. At the screening, the execs laughed and had a good time, but when they came out, they each gave notes of things they thought would help make Toy Story even better. They went away and Lasseter and his team, thinking they had to please the studio big wigs, did every single change that was suggested. A few weeks later, they had another screening, but this time, the Disney execs barely cracked a smile. When they finished watching the movie, they said to Lasseter that he and his team obviously had no idea about moviemaking, and they wanted Pixar to move to Los Angeles where the Disney execs could keep a closer eye on their investment. Lasseter pleaded for a second chance. "Give me two weeks," he said. When the Disney execs left, he gathered his team and they went back to the cut of the film they had first shown the Disney folks and went through all the original notes one at time. This time, Lasseter and his team only did the ones that they felt helped the story.Two weeks later, the Disney bigwigs watched the newest cut of the film. They left the screening in tears from laughing so hard. Pixar didn't have to move to Los Angeles, and, well, you know what happened to Toy Story. So, the moral is: Know your story, love you story, protect your story, only follow up on notes that will help your story. Because it is YOUR story, and you're the only one who can make it great. --