How This Critter Crits
Viewing comments for Chapter 3 "Macro/Micro Critting -- Continued"GROWTH? ADULATION? HURRY -- CHOOSE!
104 total reviews
Comment from pome lover
well, the fact that you will crit people's novels in the middle is admirable and, I imagine, the sign of a serious and conscientious critter.
I have had great fun with a weekly critique group of published writers - going on twenty years now. Along with Conferences and workshops, it's been great and I'm still learning.
You have really gotten very into this. One thing for sure, you are a thorough, detailed man. good job. Oh - and I loved "excess saggage." May I "borrow" it sometime?
Katharine - pome lover
reply by the author on 12-Aug-2017
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well, the fact that you will crit people's novels in the middle is admirable and, I imagine, the sign of a serious and conscientious critter.
I have had great fun with a weekly critique group of published writers - going on twenty years now. Along with Conferences and workshops, it's been great and I'm still learning.
You have really gotten very into this. One thing for sure, you are a thorough, detailed man. good job. Oh - and I loved "excess saggage." May I "borrow" it sometime?
Katharine - pome lover
Comment Written 11-Aug-2017
reply by the author on 12-Aug-2017
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I am hereby loaning you "saggage." If you're good, you can keep it. LOL, thanks for reading this and offering me your kind words and your experience.
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thanks. just realized I sounded rather pompous. ugh. sorry.
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It didn't sound that way to me, Katharine. Sounded loose and fun-loving. I like both those things.
Comment from bmethner
Well, hello, Mr. Jay Squires, it's nice to meet you. As a writer writing about what could have been a very mundane topic, I felt like I became acquainted with you with your easy flow style. I learned a lot from your piece and now think I have a friend. I am relieved to know that I now can really critique a story without having much experience at doing this in this setting. I am a retired teacher and am a novice at writing myself. I work hard at not being "that" teacher. As I write my critiques, know I can offer honesty and I do care. I'm glad to hear that's important to true, experienced writers. I agree with what you said and am relieved that my thinking is on the right track. I'm trying to improve as a writer and analyzing other writings helps me look at my own. I write mostly poetry but read and critique all genres because it helps me grow. I thought your piece was remarkable. I not only learned from what I read, I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2017
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Well, hello, Mr. Jay Squires, it's nice to meet you. As a writer writing about what could have been a very mundane topic, I felt like I became acquainted with you with your easy flow style. I learned a lot from your piece and now think I have a friend. I am relieved to know that I now can really critique a story without having much experience at doing this in this setting. I am a retired teacher and am a novice at writing myself. I work hard at not being "that" teacher. As I write my critiques, know I can offer honesty and I do care. I'm glad to hear that's important to true, experienced writers. I agree with what you said and am relieved that my thinking is on the right track. I'm trying to improve as a writer and analyzing other writings helps me look at my own. I write mostly poetry but read and critique all genres because it helps me grow. I thought your piece was remarkable. I not only learned from what I read, I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 11-Aug-2017
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2017
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Thank you! Both for your six stars and your kind words. I'm thrilled you picked up on this and seemed to reach out and strike a chord with my theme for this chapter. It's good to know we've each found a friend.
Comment from F. Wehr3
You, my friend, are a salesman! Your voice and humor shine throughout this piece. The clarity of your vision, as you take us all along your ride, is almost a student to teacher masterclass. Look here, students, where the harpoon went clean through him and is residing on the other end. (not sure where that phrase came from)
Great work on this, Jay! A wonderful lesson!
Russell
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2017
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You, my friend, are a salesman! Your voice and humor shine throughout this piece. The clarity of your vision, as you take us all along your ride, is almost a student to teacher masterclass. Look here, students, where the harpoon went clean through him and is residing on the other end. (not sure where that phrase came from)
Great work on this, Jay! A wonderful lesson!
Russell
Comment Written 11-Aug-2017
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2017
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I loved your harpoon image. Doesn't matter where it came from. It found a target, perhaps on the other side of its target. (Now you have me doing it!)
Comment from Drew Delaney
Well, I guess I don't really know what you are driving at, Jay. I am with you and then get lost somewhere in between. You know too much. I know too little. So we meet in the middle, I guess. Drew
reply by the author on 06-May-2015
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Well, I guess I don't really know what you are driving at, Jay. I am with you and then get lost somewhere in between. You know too much. I know too little. So we meet in the middle, I guess. Drew
Comment Written 06-May-2015
reply by the author on 06-May-2015
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You are too funny, drew, in a self-deprecating kind of way I find endearing. Thanks for reading. You understand a whole lot more than you're letting on.
Comment from Delahay
I started to read your next chapter of this and realized I had missed this one. I am glad I went back to read it because I am the uneducated type of reader (and critter). I just know if I like or don't like something but I don't know the technical terms for what I may be trying to say.
reply by the author on 05-May-2015
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I started to read your next chapter of this and realized I had missed this one. I am glad I went back to read it because I am the uneducated type of reader (and critter). I just know if I like or don't like something but I don't know the technical terms for what I may be trying to say.
Comment Written 05-May-2015
reply by the author on 05-May-2015
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Thank you, Ward. Yes, to get the full advantage of my intention you'd do well to read the previous. I'm glad you did. Today's post extends it out further. Thanks again for reading this and for your kind rating.
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Well I also had to find out if you wife was still standing outside the open house or if she gave up and went home.
Comment from Donovan
First of all, I made sure the buck nine and 10 points cleared the bank before I started writing this. Nothing worse than doing the job only to have the check bounce. You are a funny writer. Funny in a classical sense. I think Jack Benny comes to mind. That works. Witty, acrid, self-righteous, perceptive and brash. It all works. What is always good, is your point comes across. Now I am no logician, Aristotelian or Toulminian. But is I were, I think I may challenge the listing of four solutions, three which are obviously ridiculous and only assuming the fourth is the only correct possibility. But, I won't because I am not either. I liked the Noah story, that is an easy pitfall. I also have to admire anyone that still remembers JB White's Element of Style, now if we don't use University of Chicago Style Manual we are rejected like I was when I asked Betty Larson to my high school prom. I could even hear the editors snicker like she did. My concluding thought is, your writing makes me want to keep reading.
reply by the author on 04-May-2015
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First of all, I made sure the buck nine and 10 points cleared the bank before I started writing this. Nothing worse than doing the job only to have the check bounce. You are a funny writer. Funny in a classical sense. I think Jack Benny comes to mind. That works. Witty, acrid, self-righteous, perceptive and brash. It all works. What is always good, is your point comes across. Now I am no logician, Aristotelian or Toulminian. But is I were, I think I may challenge the listing of four solutions, three which are obviously ridiculous and only assuming the fourth is the only correct possibility. But, I won't because I am not either. I liked the Noah story, that is an easy pitfall. I also have to admire anyone that still remembers JB White's Element of Style, now if we don't use University of Chicago Style Manual we are rejected like I was when I asked Betty Larson to my high school prom. I could even hear the editors snicker like she did. My concluding thought is, your writing makes me want to keep reading.
Comment Written 04-May-2015
reply by the author on 04-May-2015
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Geez! I already answered this. I hope you didn't get the first one, though, because I'm going to test this 75 year-old memory and see if I can reproduce it:
Betty Larson's loss. And just for the fact you put me in the same room as Jack Benny, hell, I'll take you to the prom. I get to lead though. And then something, something, something, thanks for your lavish rating and kind words, something, something and DO please keep reading. Jay
Comment from Cat of Letters
Thank you once again, Jay - this is really usefully info.
I shall look up Mr Cahill's use of chapter summaries with much interest.
Best wishes, Alison
Purrs from Zahir
reply by the author on 04-May-2015
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Thank you once again, Jay - this is really usefully info.
I shall look up Mr Cahill's use of chapter summaries with much interest.
Best wishes, Alison
Purrs from Zahir
Comment Written 03-May-2015
reply by the author on 04-May-2015
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Thank you for your kind words and rating, Alison.
Comment from Green Lake Girl
Hey, jaysquires, interesting chapter here. A wealth of information regarding sagging midsections, previous action and inner circles. Oh, how I've learned about writing through fellow FanStorians. I've made all the mistakes--abrupt POV changes, telling instead of showing, and, my favorite, having a character do something your readers don't approve of. Wait--the last one isn't really a mistake is it? Or is is just the insatiable thirst of FanStorians for happy endings?
This is kind of a weird review. I hope you don't use it as an example of "what not to do". It's just your post made me think, and I took a fast walk down Memory Lane.
Thanks for sharing, Jay. Seriously. Good post!
reply by the author on 04-May-2015
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Hey, jaysquires, interesting chapter here. A wealth of information regarding sagging midsections, previous action and inner circles. Oh, how I've learned about writing through fellow FanStorians. I've made all the mistakes--abrupt POV changes, telling instead of showing, and, my favorite, having a character do something your readers don't approve of. Wait--the last one isn't really a mistake is it? Or is is just the insatiable thirst of FanStorians for happy endings?
This is kind of a weird review. I hope you don't use it as an example of "what not to do". It's just your post made me think, and I took a fast walk down Memory Lane.
Thanks for sharing, Jay. Seriously. Good post!
Comment Written 03-May-2015
reply by the author on 04-May-2015
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I love your stream-of-consciousness crit, Marietta! Wouldn't change a word of it. Thank you for your kindness!
Comment from chasennov
Critting the Novel-In-Progress How This Critter Crits Macro/Micro Critting -- Continued I never thought there was so much to critting when you started. Now I can see there is a lot more than meets the eye. Well done.
reply by the author on 04-May-2015
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Critting the Novel-In-Progress How This Critter Crits Macro/Micro Critting -- Continued I never thought there was so much to critting when you started. Now I can see there is a lot more than meets the eye. Well done.
Comment Written 03-May-2015
reply by the author on 04-May-2015
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Thank you, Chas. I'm glad you are using this series to stretch yourself. I'm humbled by your kind words.
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You are always more than welcome, Jay.
Comment from mfowler
While I enjoy your brand of self-deprecating humour and laid-back approach to the beginning of this chapter, I really started to enjoy this when you got down to the 'critting' of novels. As a person who wishes the novelist of FS would move over for short story writers, I appreciate the valuable source of feedback they draw from posting. The ideas you discuss about giving the reviewer something to work with at the beginning makes eminent sense. I've tried entering at Ch 27 and doing what I can with technique etc, but plot and characters remain a challenge due to the lack of back-story. It sets up the writer for disappointment with the feedback. Your idea to check out Mikey's work is very helpful. I really enjoyed your discussion about the reviewer who instinctively new about 'sagging' because he is essentially a reader who knows what works for him. That gives people like myself who don't have much reviewing/technical know how a pathway to be helpful when we respond to a piece. This was a fun and helpful chapter. I'm enjoying following your work.
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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While I enjoy your brand of self-deprecating humour and laid-back approach to the beginning of this chapter, I really started to enjoy this when you got down to the 'critting' of novels. As a person who wishes the novelist of FS would move over for short story writers, I appreciate the valuable source of feedback they draw from posting. The ideas you discuss about giving the reviewer something to work with at the beginning makes eminent sense. I've tried entering at Ch 27 and doing what I can with technique etc, but plot and characters remain a challenge due to the lack of back-story. It sets up the writer for disappointment with the feedback. Your idea to check out Mikey's work is very helpful. I really enjoyed your discussion about the reviewer who instinctively new about 'sagging' because he is essentially a reader who knows what works for him. That gives people like myself who don't have much reviewing/technical know how a pathway to be helpful when we respond to a piece. This was a fun and helpful chapter. I'm enjoying following your work.
Comment Written 02-May-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Thank you so much. I not only appreciate your kind words and the reflected rating, but also the evidence that you didn't just skim the surface of my post. You were able to take away from it something that was helpful. Thanks again M.
