Surviving the Critique

These photos were taken with my phone camera from the back veranda of where we stayed, so they don't do the scene justice. We had an almost 180 degree view of a deep valley with mist in the morning, and sun traveling over it during the day.

Well, I survived ROR 2009. When ever I go away on these critiquing weekends I read the manuscripts before hand and write up my notes. Beforehand, I slave over my book, trying to make as good as possible and I go away feeling quite prepared.

By the end of the weekend, I discover all these things about my book that I overlooked, and I'm inspired to improve it. And, after hearing everyone else's critiques of the other books and reading them, I feel quite humbled. That's the power of the group mind. Although I shouldn't really call it a group mind, that makes it sound consistent. We are all so different, with differing strengths that it makes for interesting insights into the books and the way we write.

The important thing to bear in mind when having your work critiqued is to keep your vision for the book, while being open to new ideas. Try out ways ways to incorporate suggestions. Plus critiquing other people's books helps hone your analytical skills.

I can only judge by the people I know through ROR but writers strike me as lucky. They're passionate about their craft, generous with their knowledge and eager to see a fellow writer improve.

Now back to the real world. Sigh.

Narrative Tension

This is the visual I use to inspire me when I write King Rolen's Kin. Since we're experiencing an autumn with over 30 degrees heat and high humidity, the thought of snow is very alluring.

I spent all day driving children to the train station, picking children up from the train station, while trying to read my current Work in Progress and pin down a niggly feeling that one of the three narrative was flagging.

I'm using three PVs, weaving events in so that all three characters will arrive at the denouement which has to happen on a certain festival day, ready to play their part. Now, this wouldn't be too hard, if I could actually sit down and read what I've written in one go, but what happens is this.

I read up to a point where I think, this scene should go back one chapter to heighten the tension of character three's story arc, or I need to write a new scene to screw the tension higher. So I move the scene or write a new one. Then have to go back and re-read the book to see what this has done to the other two time lines. And then I read on. In the middle of all this, I have to get up from the computer and rush off to drive kids around and deal with minor family emergencies.

I'd just like a few hours without interruptions. Now child 5 has just come in to tell me that the washing machine is broken. Argh!!

Running Away to Write

A shot of Mt Tibrogargen, Glass House Mountains, Queensland, Australia.

I've just paid the deposit on a house in Montville (situated in the Glass House Mountains inland from the Sunshine Coast), where I'll run away from my family and commitments for 4 days with my ROR writing group.

While we're there, we'll be critiquing each other's manuscripts. Usually, one or two have to pull out due to work/family commitments, but this time there's 8 of us coming. So it means reading and writing reports on 7 books. But it is worth it. I'm looking forward to being Rowena the writer, instead of Rowena the pot-scrubber-taxidriver.

We'll eat good food (Dirk is a brilliant cook), sit on the verandah and enjoy the view, and in between we'll have intense discussions on improving our manuscripts. These are the kind of discussions where I feel like my mind is truly awake and buzzing.

So, all I can say is bring it on!

Cheers, Rowena.