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Craft of Writing

Jayda McTyson

How Do You Know You Have The Right Fit?

You can take me at my word. It happened to me. My fiction writing improved overnight, or next to it, simply because I joined a writing network that works for me. Currently, I’m a member at three networks. Overkill, you say? I tend to agree, but I believe in trying different approaches until I find one that fits me just right.

Since I’ve found a network where I’m comfortable, my other membership site is where I write fluff. And the third? Well, I haven’t logged in since late last year.

How did I know I hadn’t yet found the right network? I was still searching. That clued me in to the fact that I was not satisfied with my current situation. Having found what I thought might be my new writing hang-out, I got right down to the matter at hand: trying out my fiction on a like-minded crowd.

A word of caution here, before you whip out your credit card to join a network, there are a few things to consider. Most networks give a trial period before you commit. If this is not the case where you’re inclined to settle, I’d suggest moving right along, unless, of course, the network is highly touted. Even then I’d still have reservations about not being given an option to decide whether I like what I’m getting before making an investment.

Once past that hurdle and you’re inside the gates, it’s time to look around and decide whether the network will be worth the money you’ll be spending.

It’s a given that in any group of people gathered for a common purpose, there are those who are more focused than others. The same applies to writing. Among the crowd, you’ll find those who write as a hobby with no aim of being published and there will be writers who are serious about honing their craft. If there is a dearth of serious writers in your community, it’s not the place for you and you’ll know, not only by the quality of the writing posted to the site, but by the depth of the reviews conducted by the members.

I have been fortunate to receive many constructive and well-thought-out critiques that contain valuable suggestions and helpful advice. Whether the fellow-writer points to my constant shifting of point of views, an implausible detail, too much telling or choppy dialogue, constructive criticism is one of the hallmarks of a good writing network.

To give a specific example, while I believe that nothing improves writing like study and practise, I found immense value in the critiques I received on a novel-in-progress that I had posted to my latest home on the ‘net. I started out with a great plot, but my main weaknesses were slipping in and out of my characters’ points of view and overwriting. I was giving my readers too much information, as though they could not figure out for themselves the emotions I was trying to convey.

After being told a few times that I was writing in too many details and that I was ‘writing down’ to readers, I learned how to curb my urge to overdo my role as storyteller.

Having been pointed in the right direction by these reviews, I applied myself and overhauled the chapters I posted, stayed with my current point of view to the end of each scene or chapter and wrote only what was necessary to advance my story. The difference in my work was noticeable and the change in comments and ratings was immediate.

In every community, there are writers who tend to be harsh with their commentary on others’ work. This is helpful to a point; as long as the intention is not to maliciously tear down another writer. This sort of reviewing can be just as harmful as the superficial review, in which compliments are offered on writing that are inconsistent and can clearly stand improvement.

It’s difficult for a writer to benefit from either kind of review. The one who receives undeserved compliments will be disillusioned when he suffers multiple rejections, unable to understand why his work is rejected repeatedly after the favourable reviews received.

The brutal commentaries are just as bad. While I applaud honesty and I expect it when my work is critiqued, we writers know that our egos are like delicate flowers whose petals are easily bruised. I have seen brutal reviews posted that could have been handled differently, which have resulted in writers withdrawing their posts. Some disappear for a while and re-emerge with caution; others disappear, never to be heard from again.

If you are not ready for this kind of reviewing—and you have to be able to take harsh, but hopefully constructive criticism if you hope to make it as a writer—you can stop thinking about venturing into a serious writers’ forum. I thought I was ready for real criticism, so I girded my loins and waded in. Apart from learning to deal with stinging reviews from time to time, I’m still enjoying my membership. I simply allow time to pass before responding to what I think are undeservedly harsh reviews. That way, I can reply with a modicum of politeness rather than my first and natural inclination to wither my reviewer with hurtful words and a low review rating in return.

Unless every writer you know flat out says ‘avoid x network like the plague’, I believe you should try out the site in question before you decide it’s not for you. At one of my networks, I came across a forum posting that mentioned bad reviews of the network on another site. Naturally, I went and checked it out.

Most of what was being written was by people who had wandered in, looked around and decided that the network was a waste of time. Of course, the faithful members from the network went over there and sprang to our site’s defense. I didn’t have to add my endorsement because several writers stated their case more eloquently than I could. If something is of benefit to me as a writer, I’m going to say so, even if others don’t like it. My advice is, don’t trash a network until you’ve been inside, spent some time there and made a study of what is on offer and see how the writers respond to the site. That is the only way to know if it’s what you need to improve your skills.

An excellent indicator that you have found the right place is that you are learning. I don’t believe that any of the writers I know are so accomplished that they could not stand to learn something to improve the quality of their writing. For instance, not all of us recognize that in writing fiction, it is important to have a hook at the end of each chapter to keep the reader moving forward, or if we do, we don’t always remember to use this to our advantage.

Most of us join networks not only to improve our writing and find support among like minds, we become part of a community to encourage ourselves to produce more. This is particularly true if there is a rating system within the community, but being in a place with other like-minded people should not be the extent of what we seek as writers who want to improve our craft. In seeking a home for our works-in-progress, we should be free to spend time on the network without immediate payment being demanded. We should also observe the level of serious activity on the network, as well as the quality of both the works posted and the reviews.

If brutal critiques are the rule and not the exception, I’d think twice about becoming a member. There is a diplomatic way to do almost everything. I believe this also applies to how we conduct our reviews. All writers who have a need seek groups to build their strengths, not tear down their sometimes fragile ego.

As a writer, the thing I seek above all else is knowledge of my craft. It is unrealistic to expect immediate gratification, but if I spend time on a site for a few weeks and haven’t learnt anything that will improve my skills, it’s definitely not the right place for me. Neither is it for you, I don’t believe.


About the Author
Jayda McTyson writes both fiction and non-fiction and has special interest in the art of storytelling, parenting and relationships. She lives in sunny Jamaica and is always on the lookout for the makings of her next article or story. Feel free to contact her at jaydamctyson@cwjamaica.com.