Working on this personal essay about my brother pushed me to see flaws in my writing, how to get more clear about the story, and to get more comfortable with the editing process.
Thanks for sharing this. I am a new writer (or shall I say an older writer, newly putting my writing out in the world), and the thought of getting feedback is thrilling and terrifying both. It calmed me to hear how you experienced feedback and could frame it, all within the context of the actual story you were trying to write about (and re-live, not easy). So, just want you to know it was really helpful for me. I too am looking forward to the podcast!
Emotional resonance is difficult for EVERY WRITER—I have editorial letters that say over and over, "Show me the emotion!" Can't wait to hear the podcast episode.
This post is soooooo good. And I'm not just saying that because I'm one of the WCR editors who slashed up the first draft. (The guys I taught in prison called these slashes BLOOD, bc I did them in red. I called them LOVE!). Getting edits has always been hard for me too. IN the beginning, I'd send Andrea (the other slasher) my essays and they'd come back destroyed. I took it as a personal attack. Sometimes I still do, and it's been 13 years. But, when I step away (go for a walk), I see them as love. Someone has taken the time to think about my writing. They want to help me get better. And I have because of the process (like you said.). But, the process is really painful. So, I apologize for the blood. I don't apologize for the LOVE. You are an amazing writer. The story you tell here on this post is so good. I hear your voice so clearly!! That needs to be in all your submissions and your memoir!!!
It took a long time for me to find the right words to say, “I’m not tearing your work apart. I’m trying to help you let me in.” That’s all editing is, really. Letting someone prod and encourage you around the art of letting the rest of us in.
The specifics of emotions are interesting. I enjoy working with the specifics of motion, muscle movement, temperature, etc. It might be interesting to isolate one of those items and write them down as you notice them in yourself and others. I like details such as how someone bites their lip and looks sideways when the music is too loud in the car. It tells us something about the person, but not everything.
Thank you for sharing this deeply personal story and wonderful realizations. You were open to the criticism which many writers can’t handle. It so important.
Thanks for sharing this. I am a new writer (or shall I say an older writer, newly putting my writing out in the world), and the thought of getting feedback is thrilling and terrifying both. It calmed me to hear how you experienced feedback and could frame it, all within the context of the actual story you were trying to write about (and re-live, not easy). So, just want you to know it was really helpful for me. I too am looking forward to the podcast!
Emotional resonance is difficult for EVERY WRITER—I have editorial letters that say over and over, "Show me the emotion!" Can't wait to hear the podcast episode.
This post is soooooo good. And I'm not just saying that because I'm one of the WCR editors who slashed up the first draft. (The guys I taught in prison called these slashes BLOOD, bc I did them in red. I called them LOVE!). Getting edits has always been hard for me too. IN the beginning, I'd send Andrea (the other slasher) my essays and they'd come back destroyed. I took it as a personal attack. Sometimes I still do, and it's been 13 years. But, when I step away (go for a walk), I see them as love. Someone has taken the time to think about my writing. They want to help me get better. And I have because of the process (like you said.). But, the process is really painful. So, I apologize for the blood. I don't apologize for the LOVE. You are an amazing writer. The story you tell here on this post is so good. I hear your voice so clearly!! That needs to be in all your submissions and your memoir!!!
It took a long time for me to find the right words to say, “I’m not tearing your work apart. I’m trying to help you let me in.” That’s all editing is, really. Letting someone prod and encourage you around the art of letting the rest of us in.
The specifics of emotions are interesting. I enjoy working with the specifics of motion, muscle movement, temperature, etc. It might be interesting to isolate one of those items and write them down as you notice them in yourself and others. I like details such as how someone bites their lip and looks sideways when the music is too loud in the car. It tells us something about the person, but not everything.
Thank you for sharing this deeply personal story and wonderful realizations. You were open to the criticism which many writers can’t handle. It so important.