As writers, we all experience occasional problems and stumbling blocks. We don’t always know the best way to tell a story or present nonfiction material. Sometimes we have to think about it and sort of massage and mold the material—mulling it around in our heads for a while before it begins to form into an intelligible piece or a meaningful story.
I’ve seen writers become confused when their writing is critiqued by a group. Each critic has a different idea about what would make the story better. Each has his or her own agenda, writing style, writing preference, imagination, knowledge base, etc. And, perhaps, none of them is wrong. But which one is right? Perhaps it’s the one that resonates with you.
I know authors who hire more than one editor. They have more than one agent or publisher express an interest in their manuscript. Keep in mind that if there are five such professionals involved with evaluating your work, you will get five different opinions. One might say that your characters are great, but the story is not believable. Another may tell you that they love your story, but your characters need fleshing out. Someone might offer that your writing style doesn’t fit the story type and another professional may insist that you’re right on track with that, but that the way the story is written is a bit confusing.
You may turn your masterpiece over to your favorite readers and still get conflicting feedback. One might suggest that you take out the American Indian flavor in the second half of the book. Another might insist that you carry the Indian theme throughout the story. One reader might be terribly bothered by your attempt at using an Indian dialect and others consider it cool.
What to do? How do you fix your story so it works—so every reader and expert is happy with it? I don’t see any way possible to do this. It all boils down to your non-emotional assessment and final decision. You must consider each suggestion, but don’t act on them. Do your homework. In other words, read other stories like yours. Really study these stories from many angles until you develop a sense of what works and what doesn’t. While doing this, you’ll also want to consider the comments of others. (Remember, some are quite valid, others are not. It is up to you to determine the difference.) Without copying other authors, incorporate those things that make for a stronger story or a more effective nonfiction book into your project.
If you don’t have the experience or the confidence to sort it all out—you’ve just written from your gut or your heart and you don’t truly have a grasp of technique—what’s right or wrong, what works or not—rely on someone you can trust. Hire an editor/publishing consultant with a track record, whom you can comfortably work with and follow his or her guidance.
Writing is definitely subjective. We all have personal preferences when it comes to the type of writing we like. But some of us also have a rather uncanny and impressive ability to coach other writers in presenting clear, concise, readable, enjoyable material. This is one of my strengths. Let me know if you’d like me to evaluate your writing project. I’ll evaluate 3 chapters or an article free. PLFry620@yahoo.com. Once we’ve determined if there are any problems and what they are, if you want to work with me to perfect your book or article, I charge $50/hour to edit and help you to rewrite a story or nonfiction book that needs it.
Learn more about me, Patricia Fry and my books at http://matilijapress.com. Visit my resources list and large array of articles on writing and publishing.