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  • Commenting on HOOKS

    It looks like I may have opened a can of worms by suggesting the writers would like input. I’m going to clarify the purpose of the comments for these Edits:

    The comments are for patting each other on the back, giving each other that little hair-raising shot of praise that makes publication worthwhile. You can ask questions and discuss subject choice and genre, too. Anything that would feel good to the author.

    However, the comments are not for amateur critiques. I’m sorry, folks, this is not a critique group. This is a professional editing blog, differentiating between good writing advice and bad writing advice so aspiring writers know they can count on what they learn here. Unless you are a professional editor (sometimes even when you are), I’m afraid you are not qualified to give this advice. The last thing I want is to disseminate writing advice under the guise of amateur critiquing. And I don’t have time to correct all the mistaken advice any or all of you might have absorbed from sundry sources and be willing to pass on.

    THERE’S A LOT OF BAD ADVICE OUT THERE.

    This is your safe place.

    If you’re interested in joining a group under my supervision, I do run Workshops. There are several operating right now, one under-enrolled. Please feel free to contact me about getting in on a reduced fee for the remaining weeks.

    On the blog, let’s stick to praise and discussion about ideas and support.

    Please–leave the critiquing to me.

    7 Comments

7 Responses to “Commenting on HOOKS”

  1. kashicat said on August 11th, 2009 at 3:24 pm

    Perhaps you’d like to give examples of what you consider critiquing versus non-critiquing, so people can be absolutely clear about what they’re not to do.

  2. gotheca said on August 11th, 2009 at 3:33 pm

    Critiquing is giving advice. I’m not going to get too specific, because I’m not going to embarrass anybody whose comments are already out there. We can all assume I mean somebody else.

    Praise is easy!

    Victoria

  3. Lady Glamis said on August 11th, 2009 at 4:13 pm

    Great reminder! I’ve enjoyed looking over the critiques you have given. Still trying to decide if I’m brave enough to put mine in the hat! In the meantime, I’m very appreciative of the time you’re putting into this.

  4. gotheca said on August 11th, 2009 at 6:51 pm

    Thank you, Lady Glamis! I appreciate the appreciation!

    And, yes, do throw yours into the hat. We’re getting lots more entries this week than we did last week. It’s going to be a busy day next Monday.

    Victoria

  5. Alan said on August 11th, 2009 at 11:35 pm

    So if you don’t like it, don’t say anything? :)

    As my dear old mum used to say, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

    Then again, I never did listen to her advice!

  6. Laura Eno said on August 12th, 2009 at 5:14 am

    I cringe everytime I see someone ‘critique’ a story on a blog or an online ezine. The comment section should be for kudos. Unsolicited advice is worse than wrong. Thank you for pointing out the difference.

  7. gotheca said on August 12th, 2009 at 10:23 am

    Pretty much, Alan. I’d like to do a Miss Snark—people do seem to love a Roman Holiday—but I honestly don’t have the heart to open it up to crossfire.

    As MY mother used to say, “Stop that before someone gets hurt.”

    Not that we ever listened to her, either.

    Victoria

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Preditors & Editors

Clients’ Successes

Scott Warrender
Short story author Scott Warrender is a Mentoring Program client. I have done full Copy, Line, & Developmental Editing on a number of short stories for him, the first of which was his poignant fictional memoir of Africa, ''The Boy With the Newsprint Kite,'' now published in the Foundling Review.

Clients’ Books


Bhaichand Patel is the author of two nonfiction books: Chasing the Good Life (Penguin Books India, October, 2006), and Happy Hours (Penguin Books India, October, 2009). I edited Patel's debut novel, When the Streets Were Cold and Dark.

I've edited a number of nonfiction essays for my friend Lucia Orth. (Many years ago, my contribution to Baby Jesus Pawn Shop was simply a peer critique and participation in a standing ovation.)

The poet Chris Ryan is the author of The Bible of Animal Feet (Farfalla Press, 2007). He has recent stories in Pank, Anemone Sidecar, and A Cappella Zoo. I edited Ryan's novel The Ishmael Blade and worked with him on his debut novel Heliophobia and WIP Pogue.