How This Critter Crits
Viewing comments for Chapter 3 "Macro/Micro Critting -- Continued"GROWTH? ADULATION? HURRY -- CHOOSE!
104 total reviews
Comment from Shirley McLain
I love how you get your point across about critting. It is hard to turn loose of of any pieces of a character that you created. As for me, most of the time I can't even see what the person is having a problem with. I can take any kind of comments but doing the follow through is entirely a different topic. Have a blessed day. Shirley
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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I love how you get your point across about critting. It is hard to turn loose of of any pieces of a character that you created. As for me, most of the time I can't even see what the person is having a problem with. I can take any kind of comments but doing the follow through is entirely a different topic. Have a blessed day. Shirley
Comment Written 02-May-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Bless you, too, Shirley. Oh, yes, it's one thing to kindly accept suggestions on character, setting, movement, etc., but quite another to implement it. It's not exacting. It's a direction only. Thank you for the six! How in the world do you hang onto them so long?
Comment from Bill Schott
Jay, I must say that I would never have all of this material had you not been its author. Your wit compels me to read on even though it seems like I' m trying not to fall off a rocket to the sun. It must be very, very fun to write like that.
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Jay, I must say that I would never have all of this material had you not been its author. Your wit compels me to read on even though it seems like I' m trying not to fall off a rocket to the sun. It must be very, very fun to write like that.
Comment Written 02-May-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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If I'm humorous when I write, it's to sublimate the lump I am socially. You have given me a massive compliment, though, and I appreciate your support.
Comment from Ulla
Well written and very informative. I suppose this is where most of us have all been and for me still is. It is so difficult , but perservering is the most important and learning from the advise you get.And most important keep the faith in what you are doing. I liked it. Ulla
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Well written and very informative. I suppose this is where most of us have all been and for me still is. It is so difficult , but perservering is the most important and learning from the advise you get.And most important keep the faith in what you are doing. I liked it. Ulla
Comment Written 02-May-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Thank you, Ulla. If it were easy, every one and his brother would be in print. You and I would have to pursue live cockroach painting to be unique. Keep at it. You can do it.
Comment from barbara.wilkey
You made me wonder if I go far enough my giving the ending of my previous post added to my present post. I don't know. HELP!!! I enjoyed reading this post.
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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You made me wonder if I go far enough my giving the ending of my previous post added to my present post. I don't know. HELP!!! I enjoyed reading this post.
Comment Written 02-May-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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I'll keep an eye open for it, Barbara. I have no problem staying up, but I've been there since the beginning. I'll look at it. Meanwhile thanks for reading this and for your comments.
Comment from Praise000
Jay SQUIRES,
You placed due diligence in choosing your words
to the story. A great example was when you talked about
the belly of your novel. " What he did, though, was make
me look back into the belly of my novel..."
Best wishes. from Praise000
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Jay SQUIRES,
You placed due diligence in choosing your words
to the story. A great example was when you talked about
the belly of your novel. " What he did, though, was make
me look back into the belly of my novel..."
Best wishes. from Praise000
Comment Written 02-May-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Thanks for reading and for your kind words and generous rating. I'm glad you enjoyed reading my post. I think what follows will be helpful as well. I'll try to keep the language sizzling.
Comment from Walu Feral
G'day Critter. I am 6000 years (in macro terms) behind on my criting mate. I am really enjoying this series. I would rather a critter said, "Hey Fez, that was rubbish!" than "Hey Fez, that was up there with the best!" and lie. I know if it is a good poem or not or if it is just a transition poem between scenes in my story, but I forgive them. I can't offer advice on edits or such things because I can't write prose, but I can say if a yarn is interesting and keeps my interest or just bloody boring LOL. I love your work and that Sir is an honest crit. Cheers Fez
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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G'day Critter. I am 6000 years (in macro terms) behind on my criting mate. I am really enjoying this series. I would rather a critter said, "Hey Fez, that was rubbish!" than "Hey Fez, that was up there with the best!" and lie. I know if it is a good poem or not or if it is just a transition poem between scenes in my story, but I forgive them. I can't offer advice on edits or such things because I can't write prose, but I can say if a yarn is interesting and keeps my interest or just bloody boring LOL. I love your work and that Sir is an honest crit. Cheers Fez
Comment Written 02-May-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Fez, thanks again! I remember my first reading of your novel. It was when you were in school and got expelled. You decided then to be a hippy!
Now, I was very critical of the first few chapters I read because I didn't understand the whole vision of it. Also, I didn't know how far-reaching your influence would be with your people.
My initial criticism was more in the poetry vein. Meter. Rhyme. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't purtty. Once I got into the flavor of it, and realized the epic nature of your journey in verse would actually be weakened by precision. It was where it was because of what it was.
I wouldn't have you smooth down the rough edges of your novel. That's its identity. It is imbued with your spirit and the innocent genius of your people. I hope I'm expressing that well.
I will still be there to ask you to correct what I feel is necessary for you to correct in order to communicate your story most effectively.
Meanwhile, as you crit, you can't do a better service for your fellow writer than to tell him when it's crap as long as it's not said hurtfully, and as long as you also show what works. There is almost always something that is good.
Comment from Writingfundimension
I think this is the heart of these excellent musing on critiquing:
'First of all, I inject myself right into the middle of the circle. I am developing macro-micro cutting to help me work through the maze of considerations and choices I have to make every time I face a new piece of writing.'
Now that's the best explanation for critiquing I've read and I agree that one should apply it to one's own work, Jay.
Well done, as always,
Bev
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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I think this is the heart of these excellent musing on critiquing:
'First of all, I inject myself right into the middle of the circle. I am developing macro-micro cutting to help me work through the maze of considerations and choices I have to make every time I face a new piece of writing.'
Now that's the best explanation for critiquing I've read and I agree that one should apply it to one's own work, Jay.
Well done, as always,
Bev
Comment Written 01-May-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Thank you so much, Bev, for once again digging deeply enough to get your fingernails dirty. You are appreciated.
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You're very welcome, Jay. :) Bev
Comment from krprice
Check the punctuation with a series of phrases, words, and clauses.
Secondly, it will encompass short fiction, novels, and non-fiction, including biography. It will be easier to list what will be left outside. They include poetry and scripts.
Delete unnecessary 'that's.
The other night. . . We had seen. . . characters, the developing plot, and. . .
Thanks for the information about Cahill.
Good essay.
Karlene
PS: Are my summaries too short?
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Check the punctuation with a series of phrases, words, and clauses.
Secondly, it will encompass short fiction, novels, and non-fiction, including biography. It will be easier to list what will be left outside. They include poetry and scripts.
Delete unnecessary 'that's.
The other night. . . We had seen. . . characters, the developing plot, and. . .
Thanks for the information about Cahill.
Good essay.
Karlene
PS: Are my summaries too short?
Comment Written 01-May-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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You actually found some "thats" that weren't necessary. Check that carefully. Lol, because I certainly do. Sometimes I try to remove one and discover it has to be there as a bridge. They're not all unnecessary. But I bet I remove a good 5 per chapter.
The other night. . . We had seen. . . characters, the developing plot, and. . . [Again, I don't know what you're telling me here.]
"Are my summaries too short?" You always use the same general statement: "Pris discovers the body of her half-sister and is determined to find her killer." That's good and then a one or two liner from the previous chapter. As a matter of fact, you are a poster child for how it should be done.
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The other night. . .We had seen. . . characters, (remove the and), developing plot, and. . .
Hope this makes it clearer.
Thanks for the compliment on the summary.
Karlene
Comment from marion
Hi Jay
As with the other two chapters, I have also found both amusement and great insight in this chapter. Although, sometimes, I have to regroup to keep up with you! LOL. There's a lot in here.
I like your opening paragraph, that runs onto this line: I need to spend some serious hours in front of my computer. Poor Roseana, left behind at an Open Home!
I'm not going to even begin to air my thoughts re being a Crit on FS. I don't think I'd be able to stop. I think I'll just go with - we all review in different ways, for different reasons. But it's great when you receive a worthy review and all you want to do is 'hit' the nominate button straight after.
I liked the example you gave us: 'Some of the best advice I ever got on my first novel, a mystery thriller, a year before it was ready for publication, came from a young man after I assured him I wanted his unvarnished opinion of it' ... and the fact that you mentioned: 'but didn't know enough about the writer's techniques to explain precisely how.'
And I often get like that. Where I know something is wrong, yet I can't pinpoint it.
Anyway, the biggest attribute to these posts on how this Critter Crits is that they make you think. And hopefully, after reading the series, one will give more thoughtful, helpful reviews.
Marion
P/S I did not note any spag, but nor did I look for it. (unhelpful!)
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Hi Jay
As with the other two chapters, I have also found both amusement and great insight in this chapter. Although, sometimes, I have to regroup to keep up with you! LOL. There's a lot in here.
I like your opening paragraph, that runs onto this line: I need to spend some serious hours in front of my computer. Poor Roseana, left behind at an Open Home!
I'm not going to even begin to air my thoughts re being a Crit on FS. I don't think I'd be able to stop. I think I'll just go with - we all review in different ways, for different reasons. But it's great when you receive a worthy review and all you want to do is 'hit' the nominate button straight after.
I liked the example you gave us: 'Some of the best advice I ever got on my first novel, a mystery thriller, a year before it was ready for publication, came from a young man after I assured him I wanted his unvarnished opinion of it' ... and the fact that you mentioned: 'but didn't know enough about the writer's techniques to explain precisely how.'
And I often get like that. Where I know something is wrong, yet I can't pinpoint it.
Anyway, the biggest attribute to these posts on how this Critter Crits is that they make you think. And hopefully, after reading the series, one will give more thoughtful, helpful reviews.
Marion
P/S I did not note any spag, but nor did I look for it. (unhelpful!)
Comment Written 01-May-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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I'm sure if any jumped out at you, you'd have noted it. I'm happy about that.
Comment from c_lucas
I am sure over the years, you have had some reviews that stands out in your mind.
The trouble is, you, too, have been victimized by the ten second read. I once had a veteran review having my hero marrying my heroine's horse. Never argue with ignorance, Jay.
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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I am sure over the years, you have had some reviews that stands out in your mind.
The trouble is, you, too, have been victimized by the ten second read. I once had a veteran review having my hero marrying my heroine's horse. Never argue with ignorance, Jay.
Comment Written 30-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 02-May-2015
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Whether it was consummated ... that's the question. It can be maddening, if it isn't so often hilarious. Thanks, Charlie.
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You're welcome, Jay. Charlie
