What's kicking, punk dogs?
Story sharing. It's probably the scariest thing any developing writer could ever do. I'm not talking about the, 'wook what I wote, mommy' kind of sharing, either. I mean the story-shredding, red-pen-slashing, wolf-editor-ravaging kind of story sharing. I remember the first time I ever shared a story to my editor, I was extremely happy. He had told me it was a nice story and that I had potential to be a real writer. I was in happy land.
Then, he laid it on me. He told me the plot was weak, the characters sucked, the setting was underdeveloped, my voice didn't fit the story, the hook made him gag, the ending was pathetic and my sentence structure was third grade. My happy high dropped harder than the bass of any dubstep song.
But if there was one thing that kept me going, it was my willingness to be a better writer. Despite the harsh criticism, I wanted to prove that I can write a story so good, he'd criticize his own criticism. So, I took it with a grain of salt and asked him 'what made the story so awful?' and 'which points need work?'. From there, I just re-edited, rewrote and reread. And again. And again.
Honestly, nothing is more devestating than having someone one doesn't really know tell them how much their story sucks. The truth is, criticism will always be there. One may have written an awesome story, but there's always something that needs work. I think the instant a writer learns to accept that, criticism becomes less heart wrenching (I won't lie, it still hurts). Soon, the writer just starts craving for that kind of critique and wants to know how their story can grow.
Back when I was in creative writing, we'd have a writing workshop. This was fun and all, but difficult. I wanted people to rip my story apart, to honestly tell me why my story sucked. But as I read and edited other people's work, I felt too awful slashing their awful stories up until they bled. I ended up stamping little smilies on their papers and jotting mundane compliments like, "good job", "thumbs up" or "10/10".
The experience, however, made me realize that all these other classmates would do the same to me. And, sure enough, when I got my edited story back, it was as if I had edited the story myself without knowing. There was this one guy who decided to rip my story apart, and I really appreciated it. We went on to be good friends until he slipped on a banana peel and flew off the third floor of the school. I'm kidding. After my course on creative writing, we went our different paths. He liked journalism and pursued it. I found it dull and repetitive, no offense.
I went on to start writing on Wattpad (it's an on-again off-again relationship, but we're working it out) and I remember posting one of my stories, asking for harsh criticism. And I got it. This user popped up and just clawed at my story. After he was done, I almost wanted to give up and Kobe my story (this was after multiple critiques by my editor and two semesters of creative writing, mind you). No matter how much experience one has with harsh criticism, it will still hurt.
To be honest, despite the heartbreak it gives, criticism helps everyone in the long run, the writer and the story. I'm going to use an analogy that I feel everyone uses and is pretty cliché but just go with it. Our stories are our babies. We create these living, breathing worlds and put them down into a physical form. We treasure these stories and hold them close, protecting them from the outside world like upper class mothers. But, honestly, all that ever gets achieved from this is a spoiled story, a rotten story, a weak, selfish story with no backbone.
I believe that stories really are babies. They are young new ideas blossoming and hoping to become a great piece of literature. But you can grow in a sheltered environment. Soon, those ideas will have to face the outside world and experience it for themselves. They will have to make a name for themselves. They may come back to you for help and that's when you help them and show them what they can do. Then you send them out to the world again.
I mean, who doesn't want an independant offspring who can help himself in the world? Or a story that can please everyone with its good qualities? The truth is, no one likes a spoiled brat. So, let wolves eat your babies. As hard as it may be to watch, just know that your story is growing stronger and becoming an independant piece of literature that you can appreciate and converse with, rather than nurture, yourself.
Let me know some experiences you've had or whether you agree or disagree with what I had to say. Thank you and safe travels.
