I’ve been to two of the classes at a local literary center so far, with the intent on improving my skills as a fiction writer.
Workshops are part of the class, and I was hopeful of constructive interaction with other writers. Out of nine other students in the class, I have read five submissions of varying degrees of skill. I am impressed by much of what I’ve read, even if I think that something is lacking in some pieces overall. I’m not elevating myself over the other writers, but I will say that their flaws make me conscious of my own. Painfully so, at times.
All the same, I have a bone to pick with some of the writers in my class. Perhaps it is just me who is beyond the pale, but it seems that the most outspoken, opinionated writers thus far in the class are perhaps misguided as to their own skill levels. I know that I’m spoiled — when I haven’t been the “resident expert” when it comes to writing, I’ve been surrounded by people who have positive criticism to share with another writer. Usually, the advice includes comments like “I’d like to know more about [fill in the blank]” or “Do you think another [wording/phrasing] might help with expressing this paragraph better?” or “I think you’d have a stronger piece if you explored using [such and such idea]“.
Instead, during the first class that included workshopping, I heard phrases like “I didn’t like [such and such title]” and “This didn’t work for me” and “I think that the character [while the writer is in the room] is motivated by [such and such]“. I also heard the annoying phrase several times: “When I spoke with [writer/editor/publisher], they told me to be more [fill in the blank with a technique, style or awareness criticism]“. I really dislike it when people lean on another person’s authority to establish their own. Let the editor/writer/publisher tell me that when I submit my own work…. Do not apply criticisms of your work to my own…. Just because you have heard something somewhere else, it doesn’t make you an authority on the matter.
I’m glad that I feel like I am around peers this week. While I have both positive and negative comments regarding the other two pieces I read for next class (I am amongst the three people being workshopped next Monday), I generally feel that the writers I stand beside are of equal skill and (one other writer, at least) of the same temperment as I when it comes to evaluating writing by other people. Even when I feel that my own writing is superior to another writer’s as they share it with me, I tend to try and find constructive ways of suggesting improvements, rather than using arrogance as a means for bullying the other person into submission.
It’s a chronic problem with people who are critics who consider themselves artists.
Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain… and most fools do.
- Dale Carnegie
I generally dislike folks who are quick to find flaw in someone else’s efforts at creating art. Likewise, I also am appalled by self-proclaimed experts.
I’ll get off my soap-box soon, but I want to mention this on the off chance that you, reader, are one of those people who foolishly thinking that you are one of the best when your own skills are lacking, at best. I’ve been around too many people in my life who are quick to criticize others, think their own efforts are the paramount of importance, and fail to see that they need to concentrate on improving themselves over improving others.
To those people I say, “OH! Shut up!” To anyone who can say something with a humble voice, recognizing your own flaws, I say to you — “Thank you for being true.”