Writing Advice: Take it or Leave it?
Not all advice is good advice.
As an aspiring fiction writer, I pay close attention to the advice I receive from more experienced writers. However, I’m starting to learn that not all advice is good advice.
I recently took an online fiction writing workshop where I spent ten weeks building my skills, honing the craft, and writing a short story. As part of the workshop, I had the opportunity to submit my story twice for critiquing by the instructor and other writers. As luck would have it, I had to submit my story the very first week of class. I was self-conscious because I didn’t have the benefit of a few weeks of lessons under my belt.
Overall, I received a positive reaction to my story, as well as lots of constructive feedback. There were twelve people in the workshop plus the instructor, so it was LOTS of feedback to take in at once.
I opened up a fresh Word document and compiled each bit of constructive advice, so I was sure to fix every part of the story that seemed off or confused people.
The advice I heeded most was from the instructor. In particular, he noted that the story seemed a bit gimmicky, and that the revelation at the end was too gotcha! He suggested that I embed details from the start of the story and have my protagonist begin to suspect the revelation.
I thought that was sound advice, and I didn’t want my story to come off as a gimmick. So, I spent hours rewriting and making major changes to the story, which I thought improved the overall flow and set up the ending better.
Fast forward a few weeks later, and it was time to submit my rewrite for another critique.
The response: many people were impressed with my ability to incorporate all the feedback, but most seemed to like the first version of the story better. One person even commented that the original seemed to be how I really meant to tell the story, and the rewrite was missing the intensity and energy of the first draft.
A perk of this workshop was that writers had the opportunity to submit a story to a top literary magazine. Of course, there was no guarantee the story would be published, but it was guaranteed to skip the slush pile and be read by the editor.
I was not betting on my story being published, but I was excited to receive feedback from an editor at a major literary magazine. Not surprising, my story wasn’t chosen for publication, but the editor did provide a detailed critique. Here’s where I learned a big lesson.
The editor’s advice (in part): “The revelation seemed rather telegraphed and lacked the necessary frisson.” In a nutshell, he suggested I cloak the turn a bit more so that it lands with sufficient shock.
Well, that kind of sounds like precisely what I did the first time around!
I immediately wanted to write him back and say that I did conceal the revelation in my first draft, and the ending really packed a punch — but the feedback I received in the workshop suggested I drop hints from the start and have the reader suspect what was about to happen.
While I am a newbie, I knew this wouldn’t make a difference, and I didn’t want to seem whiny or unprofessional. Instead, I replied with a polite thank you for his consideration and valuable feedback. Besides, it wasn’t his fault I didn’t go with my gut.
What I’ve learned from this experience is that, in the end, art is subjective.
Everyone is going to have different opinions about your work. I’m disappointed that I didn’t stick to my guns when it came to the original vision I had for my story. I was too quick to take everyone’s advice — every last bit of it.
I know this is part of being a new writer. I’m convinced everyone else knows better than I do. I’ve realized that I lack confidence in myself as a writer and as a person who knows what’s best for my story. Again, lesson learned.
The takeaway: It’s important to be open to feedback and advice from other writers and editors. However, it’s equally important to trust your own instincts and ability.
Finding the balance between taking advice or going with my gut is something I still need to learn.
Do you struggle with deciding whether to take advice or go with your gut? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
