Day 19 - Pitbull critiques

...or that is what I have heard them called. It is late and I have few incites but perhaps I could muse a bit on pitbull critiques. What are these? Well, the definition I've been given by others is that it is the sort of critique that while, constructive in nature, is delivered in a way that is biting and can seem rude or overly harsh. I have fallen victim to one or two myself in the past. Others I have discussed writing with think they are unnecessary.

I personally like to be diplomatic in how I offer my feedback. I usually start with what is working, and then move on to what needs work in regards to content, character development and plot and then, if the writer doesn't mind it, I will get into the nitpicky stuff like spelling, grammar and style choices. i find this works for me and i find that most people respond to it positively.

Pitbull critiques on the other hand are, in a way, a double edged sword. They have the ability to wake the lazy, laid-back or overconfident writer to the problems in their writing that they could fix to make it better. On the other hand though they also have the ability to intimidate writers and/or make them feel inadequate and some might even feel so bad about their writing that they might decide to give up. While i have seen that some pitbulls will argue that they are only giving these people a taste of what they will have to deal with in the publishing world and that they are helping these people develop a thick skin which I am sure is necessary, i would argue that there is something to be said for empathising with a person's emotions and looking for a a way to help them see their mistakes and fix them before unleashing the pitpull within. Or letting them know what they might have to deal with in the publishing world, prepare them by talking to them and then offering to give them a taste of what it will be like so that they can steel themselves for it. \

These are only my thoughts and musings of course and I don't expect an answer to these thoughts. Still, it's something that occurs to me. There are many ways to offer a critique...and breaking down a person's self esteem isn't always going to help them and may just crush a budding talent before it has a chance to flower.


Opening count: 7,622
Closing count: 8,062

Day 18

I wanted to have this posted on Aug.9. Just missed it by a couple of minutes.

I can't believe how much I have written in one sitting. Of course it helps to have a full scene to lay out. Still, it feels good to get that much written. Not many incites or anything to add today it seems. A shame. It always feels good to get to a scene that has been waiting to be written down on the page. Hopefully I can keep this up for a while. I want to get the "first part" written and on to the part that I am both more interested in writing and which I consider more important. I hope I will be able to keep the first part but I'm still unsure if it's worth keeping or if it can even stand on it's own. Well once I have it written and worked into the main body of the story we shall see how things work. (Wow, that seems to be my mantra in this blog, doesn't. Oh well)

Opening wordcount: 5,206
Closing wordcount: 7.622

Day 17

Hmm...I'm stuck as to what to say today. I have finally gotten to a part in my main project that I have been trying to reach for a while. now if I can only get to the end of "part 1". I'm not even sure if I'm going to keep "part 1"...or at least all of it though. I am unsure if it really adds to the story. There is much that I want to explain so that the rest of the story makes sense but I'm not sure if, considering it's length, it is worth keeping or is interesting enough for peopel want to read. Bleh...I should print off what I have and see if I get board reading it. XD Maybe i should finish it first and then see what I think. Well at least I'm writing. This is good. Now if I can only keep it up. 


Opening count: 4,200
Closing count: 5,206

Day 16

Hmm...I'm at a loss for what to actually say today beyond posting my word counts. I suppose I could talk about how even constructive criticism can hurt and drive one to want to give up writing. I've seen it happen and have nearly been driven to give up myself. I am easily convinced that my writing is no good especially since i am not sure myself if my writing is publishing material.

I am glad to be writing again even if I'm not sure my writing is actually good. i wonder at times though if I should focus on other simpler storeis which I'd feel more comfortable about debuting with. Hmm...today it seems is one of those days where I can't think of a lot to muse on. Oh well...here's my word count:


Opening count: 3,450
Closing count: 4,200

Day 15 - constuctive criticsm.

It's amazing what good constructive criticism can do and how much it can help. Sometimes it hurts, but sometimes it clarifies problems that a writer might not see or might not want to admit or just might not be sure of. I joined this group: http://lovefantasywrite.deviantart.com. I mentioned it in my last entry but I thought i'd say that so far I'm enjoying it. I've already critiqued a few pieces by other people too which was fun too. i think I'm more confident about it maybe or maybe it's just easier to do it when you aren't in the same room as a person. i don't know. I remember that I hated workshopping when I took my writing class in first year uni. And yet I find that I can say helpful things in giving feedback in DA. i wonder if it's because I have more experiance at it as well. Maybe.

the feedback I got in return was particularly helpful since the chapters are older and go back as far as when I was living in Japan and perhaps before though I dont' remember for sure...but compared to how I write now my older stuff could use some extra work to bring it up to par. :D I was thrilled to get helpful feedback, and it wasn't super harsh either which was nice. Sometimes feedback is too harsh or not helpful. I was glad to get some that was just the right amount of critique and feedback on what I was doing right. This is always helpful. It's what keeps me writing.




opening word count: 2,550
closing word count: 3,450

Day 14 - new source of inspiration?

A while back I was invited to join a writing group on DeviantArt. I'm looking at it as a kind of workshopping group only online rather than a physical one. I am sure there are some where I live but hey this works too. i'm hoping it might get me writing more, thinking about my charcters more, and maybe inspiring me to focus on other projects besides Legends of Caranor. If nothing else I hope to get some decent feedback from members. And i will try to be fair and post feedback of my own as well. It isn't fair, after all, if I am getting feedback but not giving any.

The first prompt I responded to allowed me to work on a future event that happens within the story that I've been thinking about for a while. It was fun to write and will be there waiting when I get to that part. Oh it might be changed later or reworked with only the odd part being canabalised into the story proper when I get to it. Regardless I rather like this writing prompt idea. This is more than simple memes which I rarely do. It feels good to be writing properly again.


word count: 1,379

Day 13 - inspiration/stimulation from strange quarters

It's funny the things that get one writing. I stumbled across a link to a blog called "Reasoning with Vampires" which is really just a blog to pick apart the worst of the Twilight Saga. Not very nice but fun to read regardless (though maybe not to Twilight Fans. Twifans should probably stay away). I have gotten a few chuckles from it, not so much from the nitpicking and picking apart in general of a piece of mediocre fiction that has, at least, gotten teens all over the world to read -- at least for that I have to give Ms Meyer kudos -- but from the way the blogger presents it and comments on it. She's quite clever and presents each piece in a way I often have to laugh at.

So what has this got to do with my writing...well...for whatever reason, reading this blog makes me want to write. I don't know if it's simply a desire to reassure myself that my own writing isn't so bad that she'd want to pick my writing apart or if it's some other stimulous that makes me want to get some writing done. If this is going to keep me on track though then why not read. It's a silly way to encourage me to write but whatever works right? Right.