Okay, folks. Many of you offered great ideas yesterday--it's fun digging into someone else's story for a bit, isn't it?
So please give me your feedback, and I'll determine whether or not we should do this again some time. If you were a participant: Did you find this exercise helpful? Do you have some positive takeaway? If you were an idea-giver: Was this enjoyable? Would you be willing to participate again in the future?
I'm all ears! As ever, I want this to be a place you want to come to. Critique away!
I found it to be fun, except that most of the WIPs were far out of my genre, so it can be a little hard to offer valuable advice in those cases.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity to try something new.
I thought that it was a lot of fun! It felt very low stakes, because even if my suggestion didn't "work" I could see how so many different or connected ideas could jar something loose as an author and help you see a connection or idea you hadn't thought of. It also didn't take much time since we weren't critiquing the story or paragraph or whatever - instead we were just tossing out ideas, so I actually had time to comment when I often don't have time to do the critique sessions here :)
ReplyDeleteI think it is a great exercise. Why? because when we suggest things to a writer they will normally say whoa, my character would not do that!..etc....so in that way, it helps the writer realize the world they create is their own and become more invested in it
ReplyDeleteOff Topic but I was wondering if you plan on doing another Critique partner match up any time soon?
ReplyDeleteGood question! The last one had a pretty poor response, so I decided to hold off for a while. I would definitely like to do another one some time this year, though!
DeleteI wasn't able to participate in this, but I loved reading the stories and the brainstorming! For those writers who aren't in a critique group, this is ideal! Whether the ideas are good or not, a creative spark will take place.And it's always great to feel the support from other writers when your stuck! I hope you decide to do this again, Authoress.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get to enter anything because my draft isn't even at a point where I know what stuck is. Reading the entries was fun, the other comments produced some wow moments, and I even shared a small brainstorm or two that I hope were helpful. I'm not currently in a writing group, so this kind of exercise would be helpful to me. But even for those in a writing group--I once brought in a revision that had my group saying, "But that's not how it happened!" So, yeah, sometimes a writing group can get too close to your story, and in that case, comments from a stranger help. My vote is: yes, again.
ReplyDeleteI love brainstorming! I could do it all day, but I tried to only brainstorm in those that were close to my genre (Upper MG is as high as I get). So I only actually commented on a few.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I liked that there wasn't too many entries to brainstorm on. And I didn't enter because by MGs are in the drawer while I focus on my PBs this year. But I whole-heartedly hope you do this again. :)
Although many of the suggestions were good, it's harder to give positive suggestions to writers than it is to say what problems a passage has. Some of the writers may say how excited they are by the suggestions, then change their minds later or get frustrated over how to work out someone else's idea.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I wasn't sure this would work. Then I saw the posts and I started coming up with ideas... It was insanely fun to pick apart plot issues of stories that aren't my own and in which I have no personal stake.
ReplyDeleteI will say that a few authors didn't give quite enough detail to give good suggestions. But that's their own fault.
To be honest, I wasn't sure this would work. Then I saw the posts and I started coming up with ideas... It was insanely fun to pick apart plot issues of stories that aren't my own and in which I have no personal stake.
ReplyDeleteI will say that a few authors didn't give quite enough detail to give good suggestions. But that's their own fault.
I enjoyed reading the author's situations and seeing similarities/differences to mine. As it was, I only commented on one, but it was the one that my brain "connected" with, the one that I saw a totally different idea from what had been offered. The time I spent sharing my idea also got my brain revved up for other ideas in my own WIP.
ReplyDeleteAs one of the authors (#2), I thought it was a great idea. I got several suggestions that I'd never even thought of, and they even helped me out on another spot I've been having problems with.
ReplyDeleteSo thank you for doing it, and thanks again to everyone who commented.
Chelle
I did not participate because I did not need help yet and the ideas I had were already suggested, but it was fun to read. The suggestions really opened up the stories and I am sure were very useful.
ReplyDeleteI didn't participate solely out of time constraints, but I loved this idea :-) Thanks for always bringing us new ways to tackle our stories! And I second the motion about the Critique Partner match-up.
ReplyDeleteI found the lack of context made it hard to offer suggestions. I didn't have enough of a framework to give good ideas. In fact I was more likely to jump too far away from the original intent the one story--as I did in my suggestion for the MG adventure--to the point it probably wasn't appreciated much :) lol
ReplyDeleteAs a participant, I found it good grist for the mill, but would have found it more useful if the information provided was taken into account rather than extrapolating out ideas that follow the usual tropes, that my story doesn't conform to. I got a couple key ideas I think might work to help move my story forward.
ReplyDeleteI participated and am also a member of a writing group who brainstormed with me over this same spot. I've been held up because of other issues, not just my being stuck, so I have the time to explore all options. I wanted to see what people unfamiliar with me and my story would suggest and I thought some of those who gave their thoughts were really, really helpful. They pushed my thinking, which was exactly what I needed.
ReplyDeleteSo thank you for doing this. I thought it was great. I enjoyed brainstorming for some of the others, too, and would have liked giving input to all the other participants if time had permitted.