Our Family Lines May newsletter 2023

Critique Write

Strengthen Your Memoir

All writers, and I mean all writers, need to have their work critiqued. Most of us have a healthy aversion to criticism but wouldn't you rather hear about a problem before your story is published than after? It’s better to know now that a couple of sentences on page 4 of your manuscript are awkward or that you rambled on too much in the story in chapter 9. Critiquing strengthens your stories.

When to Get Feedback?

Critiquing is critical feedback – not negative feedback. Critiquing gives you another pair of eyes to spot problems. Critiquing finds trouble and brings clarity to your work. Does something (a phrase or an event) not make sense to another person? How is the structure of your narrative? Do you have a beginning, middle and end?

You can ask for a critique whenever you’d like: after you’ve just written a story, in the middle or at the end. Tell your critiquers how you want them to help you – a grammar check, a pacing check, etc. It's no fun to be told that some of your paragraphs aren’t perfect but don’t get upset. If you make your stories public, people are always going to have observations about it. It’s part of the writing life.

Getting the Write Advice

If you want only praise for your work, let a loved one or your best friend read your story. If you want honesty, get a good critique partner. Ask a friend who you know will give you honest feedback. Find a writing group where you can exchange pages. There are also critiquing and discussion groups that meet in person or online. Ask a professional like me. I do non-fiction and fiction manuscript consultations in person or online. Drop me a line and make an appointment to chat!

Creative Challenge – tell me what you're looking for in regard to a story critique.

Memoir prompt

Write a memoir about a time you faced criticism.

How did it make you feel back then?

How does it make you feel today?

Storrytelling

Wattpad Writing

I’ve been writing on Wattpad for just over two years now. Wattpad is a social storytelling platform where writers from all over the globe place their stories and connect with readers. I started with a book I wrote called Nature Rules. It made the 2022 shortlist for the Watty’s - Wattpad’s annual awards program committed to celebrating the best stories around the world.

I’ve started the sequel When it Rains. Go to Wattpad and have a read of both books. I’d love some comments too. Critique me!

Need a little push in the write direction?

I’ll coach you to finish your stories.

Contact your storyteller, Lea Storry, today.