Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Tuesday's Inspiration - Listening #MFRWauthor #Inspirations

I belong to a critique group and we read our selections aloud rather than pass pages around. Yes, reading can find some mistakes and see some flaws in the story but listening opens a new view. Now some people are great readers and they can't help putting expression into what they are reading. At times just the flow of the words blinds us to the problems that are there.

Listen when in a critique group takes two forms. One is listening to what the reader has written in an oral fashion. For me somethings jump out. Others find different flaws. Listening can be hard and time is needed to rain the ear to hear. For me at times it's in the dialogue for things like the characters sound the same. Either of them could say what is spoken.

The other part of listening comes after you've read your pages. This can be hard and the first thing coming into most minds is they're attacking my wonderful story. Maybe they are but usually they aren't. You may. One rule I have for this. When three people give the same critique about a section, you need to look more closely and see what you can do. Now some of these people will make suggestions that don't fit your story or your vision of the characters. They are in essence re-writing the story. But you listen and there might be a grain there that sends you on a different track.

So listen whether you critique or are the critiquer.

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