tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post6600882127917600845..comments2024-03-28T16:52:31.923-04:00Comments on The Write Conversation: How a Writer Overcomes DiscouragementEdie Melsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03902312441667526147noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-39839252573088526072020-11-10T15:49:11.104-05:002020-11-10T15:49:11.104-05:00Absolutely.Absolutely.Cindy Sproleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09130661868473868599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-83709102036312076252020-11-10T15:48:52.640-05:002020-11-10T15:48:52.640-05:00Exactly. Why the negatives override the positives ...Exactly. Why the negatives override the positives is beyond me. We tend to remember the bad.Cindy Sproleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09130661868473868599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-67417586844854087672020-11-10T15:47:51.658-05:002020-11-10T15:47:51.658-05:00Yep...no need for meanness.Yep...no need for meanness.Cindy Sproleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09130661868473868599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-89329561035950898482020-11-10T15:15:53.157-05:002020-11-10T15:15:53.157-05:00Critiques are hard. We only see perfection in our ...Critiques are hard. We only see perfection in our work when others see with clarity. What is important is receiving things in a gentle and kind way.Cindy Sproleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09130661868473868599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-81349124588023544612020-11-10T14:39:04.325-05:002020-11-10T14:39:04.325-05:00There is so much to learn about writing and publis...There is so much to learn about writing and publishing. I learn something new almost every day. Discouragement will come and then, it will leave. I am thankful to know God's timing is best.Melissa Hendersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05180284059716992887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-10117228809121718252020-11-10T11:46:35.313-05:002020-11-10T11:46:35.313-05:00Wonderful article and great advice, Cindy. Thanks ...Wonderful article and great advice, Cindy. Thanks for writing it. I don't understand why some people feel it's necessary to be unkind in their critiques. And it's human nature to let those critiques be the ones we remember. Jacquelyn Lynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02029991418307863340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-76990526731205177802020-11-10T10:47:38.204-05:002020-11-10T10:47:38.204-05:00This is such a great post, Cindy. There are many w...This is such a great post, Cindy. There are many ways we can critique poor writing without being mean. When I meet with a writer whose story is not very good, I say, "This isn't ready to submit to a publisher, but we can work on it." I've been at conferences where "First Page" session were brutal. Attendees laughed, and my heart hurt for the brave writers who volunteered their pages. There needs to be a better way. Thanks for sharing. Crystal Bowmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03982133859389383031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-46373414353560641822020-11-10T10:17:30.161-05:002020-11-10T10:17:30.161-05:00Thanks for your encouraging post, Cindy, so well w...Thanks for your encouraging post, Cindy, so well written. Yes, I too have gone through not such pleasant critiques, but after the dust settled, I realized they were helpful. And they made my story read so much better. Thanks again for you article. Diane T. Holmesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-90121004037209220432020-11-10T10:06:40.630-05:002020-11-10T10:06:40.630-05:00It only takes a second to see the good.It only takes a second to see the good.Cindy Sproleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09130661868473868599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-67418278528566223402020-11-10T10:06:06.614-05:002020-11-10T10:06:06.614-05:00It does take time to get past. This is why I wrote...It does take time to get past. This is why I wrote the article. I'm recovering myself from a nasty review.Cindy Sproleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09130661868473868599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-12580841046047860622020-11-10T09:44:51.954-05:002020-11-10T09:44:51.954-05:00Once when I was harshly critiqued for a poetry sub...Once when I was harshly critiqued for a poetry submission, another judge counter-balanced it with kind remarks and even said it made her cry. She gave me a high score. The second judge saved the day--and my writing career. Roberta Sarverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08626329039562640732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-50965686310293254532020-11-10T09:01:57.888-05:002020-11-10T09:01:57.888-05:00Thanks for your article, Cindy. Once you’ve been b...Thanks for your article, Cindy. Once you’ve been blindsided, it’s hard to get back in to the writing lane! Hope you guys are well!Marjorie Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06921305674139662221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-55614105361798401762020-11-10T08:06:47.098-05:002020-11-10T08:06:47.098-05:00Thanks for the inspiring post, Cindy Thanks for the inspiring post, Cindy Ingmar Albizuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01329625581962664673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-60447471949233261412020-11-10T08:03:54.253-05:002020-11-10T08:03:54.253-05:00Glad it was helpful.Glad it was helpful.Cindy Sproleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09130661868473868599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-2711736414930229652020-11-10T08:03:02.049-05:002020-11-10T08:03:02.049-05:00Absolutely. You were an amazing encourager. Though...Absolutely. You were an amazing encourager. Though there was work needed you gave her the instruction wrapped up in what her strength was. That is great mentoring.Cindy Sproleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09130661868473868599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-36086196118371562142020-11-10T07:58:57.655-05:002020-11-10T07:58:57.655-05:00Thank you for this timely article; encouragement i...Thank you for this timely article; encouragement is the food of joy.Tom Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02499926736182932478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2907737240492304428.post-59688078614432990102020-11-10T07:41:56.014-05:002020-11-10T07:41:56.014-05:00I've told this story before, and you mentionin...I've told this story before, and you mentioning Christians makes it worth mentioning again. I well remember the first time I did paid critiques at the BRMCWC. The writer was new. Within the first 2 pages, I realized she didn't know the guidelines to good writing. I emailed Deb Raney, asking her how do I critique this without discouraging her? She said pick one or two things to focus on. <br /><br />So, I went back and read, focusing on show don't tell. Then I was gobsmacked. The end of her story came from so far out in left field, I never saw it coming. What a storyteller! I was so excited, I emailed her. I told her while she still had a ton of work to do to learn the basics, she IS a storyteller. I was so excited to meet her at the conference. And she told me after getting my email, she floated for days! And after we met, she told me she'd bought books on writing I'd recommended on my website and was studying and rewriting with a vengeance. <br /><br />There are two ways to put a critique: one kills and the other breathes life into the author.Southern-fried Fictionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17274634359952391833noreply@blogger.com