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Okay, call me a Hypocrite 7/15/2007 6:40:29 AM
In May, I wrote a blog about wanting people to review my work. I still feel the same way about critiques. They are important and I need them to learn and grow.
Unfortunately, I discovered something about myself that limits what I can ask of others. I can’t seem to review other people’s work. I don’t feel I have the technical skills to offer help in the actual writing. I did more sketching than listening in my English classes and struggle to learn about correct use of the language.
I can tell someone if I like or don’t like a piece, but I generally won’t read a piece I don’t like. That leaves me with telling the writer I like their work. That’s good. Telling someone you enjoyed what they wrote is a positive thing. Here’s where I ran into some difficulty.
I joined a writing site where you earn points to post your own work by reviewing other members. I find that an extremely fair way to handle it, though you can see where I would have some struggles. There is a minimum of fifty words for a review to earn points. Saying ‘I like your work’ would not do much for the writer.
By the third day, I suspected some rough roads ahead. I knew they probably wouldn’t let me get away with ‘I really, really, really (to the fiftieth power) like your work.’ I began feeling some anxiety. I wanted to read, and post for feedback, but it wouldn’t be fair to the other writers there not to review. Finally, one morning, after reading a piece I enjoyed greatly, the fact that I now had to review it negated much of the pleasure. I could no longer, in good conscious, just say, ‘I really liked…’
I knew by the relief I felt when I decided to stop that ending my short-lived experience as a reviewer made sense. The little they would do for the authors seemed outweighed by the acid forming in my stomach.
Bottom line? I will no longer ask people to review my work. If someone wants to, that's great. You can tell by the number of words I put just in my blogs that I won’t stop writing. That won’t change whether people read it or not. I have completed fifteen and a half manuscripts in three years. I wasn’t kidding about being totally in love with the process. Some are in various levels of final polishing and I have had only a few professionally edited. As I learn more, I go back and correct the older ones.
Therefore, for all the whining I did about getting reviews and criticism, I apologize, but please don’t think I won’t find some other great reason to whine.
