Oh dear. Last night's writing group was a disaster. For me, anyway. Everyone else who read out received 'pretty to very' favourable feedback. Not so much for me.
After a very long period of not reading anything out to the group because I haven't written for so long, I dashed off a brand new first chapter for my book. So, okay, it is a first draft but still. They did not like it. Did not like it at all. Nobody actually said as much but the lack of dialogue (incidentally, something there is too much of in the first four pages of the chapter) following the reading was pretty damning. Add that in to this short conversation:
Member: 'How much of this have you written?'
Me: 'All of it.'
Member: 'Oh.'
Hmmm. So, in order to make myself feel better, I dug out my RNA New Writer's Scheme detailed critique and soothed my battered feelings with a hot chocolate and comments such as this:
'I really enjoyed this story and you write very well.'
or:
'Your dialogue is great and sounded realistic.'
and
'It kept my interest throughout and I wanted to keep turning the pages to find out what happened next. The hero is delicious and the heroine is likeable and has had a hard time of it which means you root for her. The cast of supporting characters are good too and give the story added depth.'
Of course, it wasn't all glowing but this is coming from a published writer in the genre of romantic fiction so she should, hopefully, know what she's talking about!Not that I am maligning the members present at my reading. Different genres and writing styles and not many people there probably didn't much help.
Admittedly, what was read out wasn't my best work and it is, as I said, a first draft. I've always said that I think our group is helpful in their honesty and we are there to make people's work better not to dish out love and adoration. I appreciate the comments people make and realise that it can be difficult when you don't know the genre. I'm sure my writing may seem pretty asinine to some – it certainly isn't literary fiction.
And that's okay. I've never wanted to write something 'worthy' of the Man Booker prize – I readily admit that I find that kind of writing somewhat pretentious and, dare I say it, yes I do – boring. Endless lyrical descriptions and clever artsy referencing. Tedious.
Still, it's pretty tough when nobody likes what you've written and with a first chapter being so incredibly important, it's a real blow to the confidence. Hence the need to remind myself that a published contemporary romantic novelist liked it. And I do feel better now so it's back to the writing sofa for a brutal edit of the dreaded first chapter.
I do like a challenge so I'll be back reading to the group again next month, fully prepared for another verbal beat down. RNA critique will be at the ready for when I get home!!
