critique | Cathy C. Hall Writes

Here’s my Libra horoscope for the day (not that I’m a huge believer in such but there are the occasional moments when I wonder…)

“You don’t seek knowledge just so you’ll be smarter than the next guy. You learn because it’s fun and often quite profitable for you to do so. Your education will reflect your lightness of heart.”

Honestly, grasshopper, that made me feel a little tingly when I read it this morning. I mean, it could’ve been the first cup of caffeine jolting through my system, but I’m going to go with the cosmic coincidence. Because today, I was planning to discuss my Rule of Three of critique.

You see, I’m working on some revisions right now with a manuscript. Which sounds very civilized and simple. Perhaps I should have written it like this: I’m working on some %^&^%$%^^revisions RIGHT NOW with a %^&^%manuscript.

Ahem. I received some excellent critique from a writer friend and now, I have some serious fixin’ to do, starting with the opening and ending with, well, the ending. That’s A LOT of revision, grasshopper. And oh, how I have resisted it. But the Rule of Three came into play, and so now I must get ‘er done.

So I should probably explain the Rule of Three when it comes to critique. If I get the same critique, three times, from three different writers, I undig my heels and make the changes. Sometimes, I only need one critique to make a change, especially if it’s one of those problems that another writer points out and I slap my head and say, “(whack) How did I miss that?” But if it’s a part of the story that I really, really love, I mean the kind of words that make me pat myself on the back and say, “(Pat, pat) You really are brilliant, aren’t you?” I do NOT want to mess with ’em.

The Rule of Three kicks me in the metaphorical butt and says, “Why ask for help if you’re not going to learn from it?” So, dear grasshopper, don’t just nod your head and say, “(Smile) Thanks” when you keep getting the same critique. Take it from someone who’s resisted with every fiber of her being until finally, squashed and wore out, she fixes it.

Because ultimately, I want to be a profitable writer as well as a good one. That fun part of learning, and lightness of heart? Maybe that comes eventually. I’ll let you know.

Now, I know that as a children’s writer, you’re probably a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. (If you haven’t quite got round to joining, then off you go to pay your dues. We”ll wait.)

Okay, then. As you also know, with SCBWI, you’re getting a huge writing bang for your buck, what with all the online resources available to you. But there’s another resource for you, one that’s a ton of fun to attend, and where you’ll have the opportunity to meet and mingle with children’s writers just like you. Oh! And you’ll learn a ton about children’s writing, too! And did I mention it’s free?

I’m talking about a SCBWI schmooze, or maybe a workshop. They usually last a couple hours, and often, there will be a wonderful speaker (and refreshments!). There’s always time to ask questions, and if you’re lucky, there’s an opportunity for critique. And best of all, you’ll have a chance to meet with other writers that live close by.

You see, these events are brought to members by their Local Liaisons, people just like you who volunteered for the position. If you live in a large, metro area, there may be a dozen LL’s around you. A small, rural area may have only one LL. But whether there are 3 or 4 yearly events within an hour’s drive of you, or only one, I hope you’ll jump on the opportunity to go. Because that’s how you connect with SCBWI members, making friendships, making writing gains. When you finally get to a big conference, you’ll wave across a crowded room and say, “Hey! I know that person!” Or when you finish your manuscript, you may hear from a published friend, “Send this to my agent. Tell her I sent you!”

You may even meet someone at a schmooze who’ll become a mentor, a critique partner, or a lifelong friend. It could happen. So check out what’s happening in your SCBWI neighborhood and get your money’s worth!

(And if you live in the metro Atlanta area, join us Saturday, September 17th at the Collins Hill Library in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Vicky Shecter (CLEOPATRA’S MOON) will be our speaker, and we’ll have a First Pages mini-panel for critique. It’s 10:30 to 12:30 and rumor has it, the treats will be delicious! At least, that’s what my Co-Local Liaison Debra Mayhew reported. I’m just the LL in charge of ice!)