Eagle Bay Critiquing.

We’ve had some enquiries about how we Egobooers went about critiquing for the retreat so to answer your questions…

It can be difficult for the inexperienced critiquer to realise what is involved. There’s no doubt in my mind that critiquing is an art. Anyone can read a piece of writing, look at a painting or listen to a musical performance and say ‘I didn’t like it’ or ‘I loved it’. They are both quite valid comments in the context of personal reactions – but they are emotional responses, not a critique. A critique is a critical assessment of what you have experienced as a reader and that includes the good and the bad. By all means, if you didn’t enjoy a story you can say so but you must be able to say why – and this is when it becomes hard.

As far as the Egobooers go in terms of critiquing experience we're a mixed group. Two of us have attended Clarions (a great source of honed critiquing skills), one is an editor while the other two are less experienced. It didn’t matter. The range of experience in fact brought fresh approaches and different perspectives which added to the experience.

Some focussed more on the technicalities of language like grammar, structure and language usage; others on plot structure and coherency of ideas or characterisation. While we each brought something unique to our critiques, though, we all also brought a commonality of ideas. While I was sitting there, condemned to silent listening as my fellow Egobooers went through their comments, I was struck by how often the same issues came up. I had fifteen repeated points by the end of my session.

Despite our differences our critiques all followed a similar pattern – a short comment of what we liked most about the story followed first by what worked for the reader and then any areas that didn’t work with suggestions to be considered as to how this could be improved.

We found that while we hadn’t set out any specific criteria (although some of us did ask for particular aspects to be looked at) we all tended to comment on the usual important areas, those that make up the framework of a story of any kind - things like the opening, plot, point of view, writing style, character and characterisation, dialogue, setting and repetition and so on. If you go to any of the many excellent articles online or in books on writing you will find lists of what to look for when you are tackling a critique. They are a great source of detailed reminders of what you need to think about.

But that is the technical side. Beyond that there were certain basic precepts we all followed.

1. We were honest. This is not always easy to do when you are eviscerating someone’s darling in front of them but it is essential.

2. We were gentle. It is possible not to be brutal even if what you are saying is harsh.

3. We aimed at helping but not rewriting. The suggestions we made were just that – suggestions.

4. We made it clear that we respected the work we were critiquing. In every novel there were original ideas and great writing. Our aim was to help the writer improve on that.

5. We never criticised the person only the writing in its many aspects.


While these were not spelled out but came from our respect for each other I think they were an essential part of the success of the Eagle Bay retreat.

There is more to critiquing, of course, and I will look at some of those skills in another post.

Look!

I'm on the Life In The First Draft blog! It's a place for writers to talk about what, where, and how they do their work, hopefully a source of inspiration for people starting up and wanting to see what we do. I talk about things I have learnt - Planning to Learn and Learning to Plan. Check it out!

Creative Flurries and Writing Addictions

 I felt like pointing us all to Subnormality:

http://www.viruscomix.com/page473.html

(For those with vision impairments, it's a comic about a man who pays a woman to write/make up a story for him, in the vein of hiring a prostitute. It's a horror story, and when he's had his terrors, they chat on the way back to her street corner about why she accepts cash to write trash. She says writing is an addiction, and tells of how she started writing casually in school, and now she's totally hooked and has to feed her addiction somehow.)

I find it interesting to liken writing to an addiction because when I'm in the zone, it is totally addictive. Everything that drags me away from the PC gets balanced against the loss of the creative spark in that window. If something falls below that mark, then I cancel it/ignore it and stay on the PC. I try to keep it under control, because I can ignore everything when I am in a creative flurry, and I get very excitable about interruptions. Having two small children isn't good for an interruption free writing career! I also don't want their memories of their mum to be of me yelling at them to leave me alone! So, I try to keep my 'creative flurries' in the safe zones - when they are not around.

At the same time, I am aware that writing is not a true addiction. The destructive nature of a true addiction is an awful, awful thing to be a part of, be close to, or be near. Hopefully writers are a bit easier on their friends, spouses and children! I like creative flurry as it indicates the chaotic nature of my word production; and a certain sense of speed or urgency.

How do you describe your creative flurries? Do you find it addictive? What other words would you use to describe the way you feel about your creative flow?

--
Sarah

Aus Spec Fic Carnival January 2010

Egoboo is opening this year with a bang! As this month's hostesses, we welcome you to check out some of the exciting thoughts, articles, blog posts and everything we could find that relates to the Australian Speculative Fiction scene. Please enjoy!

Alisa Krasnostein announces the webpages, tweetpage, and Facebook page for Natcon50! This is also a call for Natcon Memorabilia. She also provides us with a few tools to help with promotion. She also announces what TPP has done that is eligible for a Hugo, and Tansy follows this with her mentions of favourite Australian works that are eligible too. Roadkill/Siren beat has won a Bibliophile Stalker Award for Cover Design! Well done Twelfth Planet Press!

Continuum 6 will be on soon! If you're free on the 26-28th February, 2010, and happen to be in Melbourne, then come along and check it out! If you're in Perth over Easter, then note that Swancon is rapidly approaching! If you're not going near either, both are more than happy to take supporting memberships. Aussiecon4 has announced an LJ to help people with travel arrangements to and from the convention.

Moonvoice rants about something very important - paying the artist.

Ripley Patton discusses jumping the shark,and announces a new online magazine called Wily Website.

JasonFischer talks about author bios, and Gillian works a bit on hers. He also talks about his novel writing process, and drops a few hints.

Tansy Rayner Roberts thinks about race and reader expectations, the guilt-work balance, and writing while the house is messy. She also hopes to learn more about Joanna Russ, a major figure in the history of feminist SF.

Kate Paulk thinks about writers trying to be normal, to which Rowena Cory Daniels asks us a few more questions. Rowena also blows Trent's trumpet. While I want to add a phrase to explain that further, I think you all should just click on the link and enjoy.

Alan Baxter reviews A Slice of Life by Paul Haines, Avatar, and discusses why The Phantom Menace was a terrible film. He also urges people to submit! Properly, that is! And he takes a good look at Gillian Pollack's Life Through Cellophane.

Patty Jansen has some thoughts on Avatar as well. Plus she thinks about the future of SF, and puts up a few words about writing. She also discusses her submission statistics for 2009.

Alannah Horgan announces the winners of the Shades Sentience Short Story Competition! Congratulations to Kia Groom for Lucid Dreaming.

Fantasy Writers on Retreat announces they exist! Yay Trudi Canavan, Russell Kirkpatrick, Nicole R Muprhy, Matthew Farrer, Cat Sparks, Kylie Seluka and Donna Maree Hanson! Plus ROR are barracking for their favourite Tansy!

Realms of Fantasy decide to upset a lot of people um have an all-female issue. Tansy has a few cents to spare, Alisa chimes in, and Robert Hoges also thinks about some of the issues raised. Patty Jansen has a few thoughts too, and Tansy revisits the topic a few days later, and so does Alisa. She also examines the gender ratios of the stories she has accepted for 'Sprawl.' Tansy also points us to Charlie Brown who talks about Fantasy's outreach efforts to find more women authors rather than dedicating a single issue to them. , where the discussion continues.

Alisa ponders on some of the things she needs to do as an editor, and talks about five lies writers believe about editors. She also mentions some of the best parts of editing anthologies.

The Tangled Bank: Love, Wonder, & Evolution is about to launch! The anthology, which marks the 150th anniversary of Origin of Species, is bursting with over 100,000 words of fiction, poetry, artwork, and essays about evolution. An international lineup of nearly 50 contributors includes Sean Williams, Brian Stableford, Patricia Russo, Carlos Hernandez, Bruce Boston, and Emily Ballou. The Tangled Bank will be available for download and in print on Darwin Day: 12th February, 2010. A story from the anthology will be available free on the website.

Jason Fischer is releasing hordes of zombies! Check out Black House Comics for more details!

Juliet Marillier talks on Writer Unboxed about voice in writing.

Laura Goodin draws parallels between attitudes of martial arts practitioners and writers.

Helen Merrick is proud to announce the publication of her new book 'The Secret Feminist Cabal: Cultural History of Science Fiction Feminisms' and gets a rather unusual review.


Once again, Mondy reviews a lot of stuff. Electric Velocipede gets a mention, as does Doctor Who: The Ebd of Time Part One and Part Two, a movie called Lifeforce from 1985, Under the Dome by Stephen King, and talks about the 78 books he read last year.

Carol Ryles talks about switching gender in her story, and what she learned in the process.

Glenda Larke posts about proofs, and things to do while waiting 2 hours for a cable car. (Read your proofs works for me!)

Joanna Fay translates a poem for us all to ponder upon - To Paint a Bird's Portrait by 20th Century French surrealist poet, Jacques Prevert.

Tehani Wessley announces the Table of Contents for 'Worlds Next Door', an anthology aimed at 9 - 13 year olds.

Satima Flavell talks about why editors are important in the scheme of things.

Talie Helene talks about Writing Obsessed Wednesdays.

Sarah Parker talks about Wordle, how she ripped the idea of Tansy, and what she likes about it. She also points us all to Ben's post about the final wrapup for 2009 Last Short Story Project.

JM is starting up a new blog called Life in the First Draft. Yours truly will be there in a few days!

Ursula le Guin resigns from the Author’s Guild over the ‘Google Settlement’ (incl info about what is the settlement, and links and quotes about for and against it)

Random House closes House of Legends children’s fantasy website.

Fleur McDonald has giveaways on her blog including any available book by Allen and Unwin or a small gift pack and membership from the QLD writers centre, which also have online stuff, so it’s useful for poeple in other states too! 

Terra Incognita Science Fiction has a new podcast with Marianne de Pierres reading her short story 'In the Book Shadow'. 

Nominations for the Chronos Awards are now CLOSED. Thanks every one who nominated!

John Samuel also announces the Shortlist for the Chronos Awards! You need to be a full or supporting member to be able to vote, so get yours today!

Next month's carnival is being hosted by Writers on the Rise. Check them out and remember to send them links of things you want to promote.

Nyssa also announces a new link system for the Aus Spec Fic Carnival! Feel free to book mark this link. Use it every time you see something interesting or exciting about an Australian or New Zealand author, publisher, or reader related to Australian Speculative Fiction. We want to know more!

Final Call for Links

Please don't forget the Egoboo group is doing the Aus Spec Fic Carnival this month ! If you know of any articles, posts, discussions, launch announcements, anything that is Aus Spec Fic related, then please post a comment here, there, or email me. (CALLISTO AT G MAIL DOT COM)

--

Sarah

Thoughts on Writing Cross Gender.

When I first started novel writing in my early teens, my protagonists were always women. I didn’t feel confident leaping into the mind of a man because, although I had a fair idea of how men acted and spoke, I had no idea how they thought. My father would talk to me about science and science fiction, but not much else. My brother was into things mechanical, but I was too girlie and too bookish to be interested in fixing up old cars.

So how does a woman writer figure out how men think? Do men necessarily think like men? And do women necessarily think like women? Better still, is it possible that both genders secretly think like each other?

The obvious answer would be to go out and interview a few men. Not just fathers, husbands and brothers, but men from all walks of life. The problem with doing this, however, is that you don’t know if they are telling you the truth or if they are telling you what they think is supposed to be the truth.

Fortunately for women, there are a lot of books written by men about men. Over the years, these books have given me a good idea of how some men might think. One thing I learned very early was that not all men think alike – a lesson that was later backed up in real life.

I once knew a guy who loved extreme sports. He also liked to impress his girlfriends with his knowledge of women’s designer-label fashions. I knew another guy who liked to knit. His wife didn’t teach him. He taught her. Of course, I’ve met a lot of stereotypes as well: the men who won’t eat quiche, the ones who won’t cook, won’t cry in front of anyone (ever), or even talk about women’s business, let alone take part in it.

I once knew a guy, who at fifty, had no idea how to change a light bulb. I knew another who stayed home and looked after four young children while his wife worked full time. He loved being a house dad. He was an ex-soldier.

Some of the stereotypes were proud of their behaviour. Some weren’t. The same went for the rebels. Some kept it to themselves, others didn’t.

Recently, I set myself a challenge. I had this story I liked, but it was clichéd. I puzzled over alternative plotlines for months. Then it hit me. It wasn’t so much the plot that needed changing, but the two main characters. So the man became a woman and the woman became a man. Suddenly, the story took on a whole new meaning.

Once I got started again, it wasn’t just a case of dressing the two main characters differently or swapping their names or changing the shes to hes and hims to hers. Body language needed fixing. As did the way each character reacted to each other when they first met. Then there were the obvious things like, when the girl had to move something heavy, she had to get someone to help her. When the guy moved something heavy, he just did it. On a more subtle note, where the girl had woven a vine to make a sling, the guy ended up knotting it.

The girl scrambled down the hill. The guy loped. Not that girls can’t lope and guys can’t scramble, but the guy’s legs were longer. Nevertheless, the change still bothered me because, although it suited his physique better to lope, it also suited his personality. Probably, it would have suited the girl's personality too.

When things were going smoothly, the dialogue mostly worked well for both genders. But when conflict arose, things got tricky. When I put the guy’s words into the girl’s mouth, it made her confidently assertive. I liked the character much better this way. When I put the girl’s words into the guy’s mouth, he sounded not so much whiney, but afraid to say important things out straight. It’s not that guys aren’t allowed to be whiney or indirect, but I hadn’t noticed it when he was female. Male or female, this character deserved better.

On a different note, when the girl was asked to do something unpleasant, she flinched. In contrast, the guy didn’t flinch at all and said, “Gladly.” Though in reality, he didn’t mean it.

Is it really like that in real life? Was I trying to be character specific and failing? Or just cynical? Worse still, is this a sign that, as a writer, I’m sexist? Or is it a sign that I tend to be too black and white with my characterization? Should I instead be treating my characters merely as people, rather than as men or women, or either/or.

I’m still thinking about the answers to those questions. I suspect there may not be a correct one to any of them. However, the exercise wasn’t only useful in making my newer draft better than the original. It also taught me to think harder about how I represented gender – not just the opposite gender, but both.
--
Carol.

Last Short Story Best Of List

Numbers have been crunched! Ben Payne has put up a list of the most popular stories from the Last Short Story Project, and loaded the new list up to show what we liked as a group. 

http://community.livejournal.com/lastshortstory/76238.html

Some very cool stuff out there last year.
--
Sarah

Call for Links!

Please don't forget the Egoboo group is doing the Aus Spec Fic Carnival this month ! If you know of any articles, posts, discussions, launch announcements, anything that is Aus Spec Fic related, then please post a comment here, there, or email me. (CALLISTO AT G MAIL DOT COM)

:D

--
Sarah

The Creative Process in a (Poetic) Nutshell!

Dear Writerly Friends,
I'd like to share this little gem with you, from the 20th Century French surrealist poet, Jacques Prevert - a beautiful encapsulation of creativity to inspire us all for the new year. Happy Word-Painting!

To Paint a Bird's Portrait

First of all, paint a cage
with an opened door
then paint something pretty
something simple
something beautiful
something useful for the bird
Place the picture against a tree
in a garden
in a wood
or in a forest
hide yourself behind the tree
without speaking
without moving...
Sometimes the bird arrives quickly
but it can also take many years
to make up its mind
Don't be discouraged
wait
wait for years if necessary
the speed or slowness of
the bird's arrival
doesn't have any relationship
to the result of the picture
When the bird comes
if it comes
keep the deepest silence
wait until the bird enters the cage
and when it has entered
close the door softly with the brush
then
remove one by one all the bars
taking care not to touch any
feather of the bird
Then draw the portrait of the tree
choosing the most beautiful branch
for the bird
paint also the green foliage
and the coolness of the wind
the sunlit dust
the sounds of animals and the grass
in the summer heat
and then, wait for the bird to decide to sing

If the bird doesn't sing
it's a bad sign
it means that the picture is wrong
but if it sings it's a good sign
it means that you can sign

so you tear with sweetness
a feather from the bird
and write your name in the corner
of the painting

*(I've translated this poem from the French version 'Pour faire le portrait d'un Oiseau' appearing on the website xtream.online.fr, which presents a collection of Jacques Prevert's poetry in French, with English interpretations).

Indiebooks Donating to Toodyay Bushfire Appeal

For the next two weeks, Indiebooksonline are donating to the Toodyay fire appeal: $5 from every paperback and $10 from every hardback sold through their webpage. Toodyay is a small town about 80 km from Perth, in Western Australia. More about the fire, including the destruction of 38 homes here.

Books available through Indie include Dirt Magic by Sean Williams and The Infernal by Kim Wilkins.