Learning How And When To Take Advice

I wrote my debut novel in six weeks. Okay, that’s not quite true. I wrote what I thought was my debut novel in six weeks, and then I revised, edited, and workshopped it for over three years before it was finally published this past November. As easily as the initial writing flowed, the refining and crafting of that raw material was, at times, nearly crushing. One of the hardest parts? Learning how to evaluate and when to implement changes from editors, agents, and beta readers.

Having practiced law for two decades before I ever tried my hand at creative writing, I was no stranger to the editing process. Each time I handed in a legal brief to be reviewed by a supervisor, no matter how good I thought it was or, sometimes, how good it actually was, it would come back so marked up with changes that I could barely read the original text.

One supervisor was in the habit of using a red felt tip pen and the brief would return looking tortured and bloodied. Although I eventually prevailed upon him to switch to a green pen, the outcome was the same. And these revisions in my work product were ones I had no choice but to implement — it was my job.

So why was dealing with criticism so much more difficult when it came to my novel? Because the story, language and characters were mine in a personal and emotional way that a brief written for a client never could be, and the choice of how to tell the story also belonged only to me. Knowing how to filter the suggestions and comments you receive while writing is crucial if you want to arrive at a final version that is so much better than where you started. Here is some hard-won advice for approaching the critique of your work.

Resist the urge to immediately reject criticism with which you don’t agree.

Fairly early on in the process of writing my novel, I was fortunate to have some agents and editors read the manuscript. Although they saw great potential, the consensus was that my protagonist, Liana, was not “likeable” enough. As one reader put it, “you have to want to spend 300 pages with this woman, and I’m not sure I do.” I was devastated. How could she not be likeable? As in many first novels, the protagonist was a bit of a “mini me,” and I’m likeable enough! My initial reaction was to simply discount (to nothing) these comments.

But after I got over the shock, I took a hard look at various qualities that I had given Liana that she and I didn’t share. Liana had a short temper, and often lost her cool (loudly) with colleagues and loved ones. Liana sometimes teased people in an attempt at humor. I went back and toned down Liana’s outbursts and added a measure of self-knowledge on her part that this was a flaw she needed to work on. And I took out some moments that I thought were funny, but had perceived as unkind. The end result is a character that still has her human failings, but that you’d like to take on vacation with you.

Remember even consummate professionals are human.

Every person who reads your manuscript brings not only his or her own taste and style to the table, but also his or her own personal life experiences. One very highly respected professional who read an early draft of my novel suggested that I eliminate an entire subplot that involved a character with cancer.

The relationship with this character was key to how Liana, the protagonist, matured over the course of the novel, learning to empathize and be a better friend. While I was struggling to figure out how to deal with this recommendation, I learned that this reader had recently lost a family member to cancer.

I’m not suggesting she didn’t genuinely feel that I should eliminate that character to make the novel better. But I do think it’s likely that her personal situation subconsciously filtered in. Most of the time you’ll never know what in a reader’s background may influence a critique. But if something seems way out of line, try to keep that in mind when you evaluate whether to take the advice.

Don’t get hung up on the “status” of the person offering advice.

One of the most impactful suggestions I received while revising my manuscript came not from a professional and not from the MFA-credentialed published authors teaching the workshops I attended. Rather, the suggestion, which went directly to the motivation of the two main characters and fundamentally transformed the story, came from a fellow workshop participant. She was, at the time, “aspiring” and not yet published, writing in a totally different genre than I.

But her insight was laser sharp and delivered in the spirit of generosity and good-will that workshopping engenders. Although her suggestion entailed a top to bottom revision, it made all the difference.

Always remember, it’s your story.

Maybe the most important advice I can give is to have faith in yourself. Don’t be arrogant or think you always know better, but believe in your own talent and judgment. It’s not easy to do, especially in the beginning. But if you maintain a baseline confidence in the power of your words and your message, you’ll be best able to integrate the suggestions of others who are trying to help. Invest your heart and soul in your story; you’re worth it.

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REYNA MARDER GENTIN grew up in Great Neck, New York. She attended college and law school at Yale. For many years, she practiced as an appellate attorney representing criminal defendants who could not afford private counsel. Reyna studies at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College, and her fiction and personal essays have been published in The Westchester Review and online. She lives with her family in Scarsdale, New York.

To learn more, please visit reynamardergentin.com

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UNREASONABLE DOUBTS, Reyna Marder Gentin

Jaded New York City Public Defender Liana Cohen would give anything to have one client in whom she can believe. Dozens of hardened criminals and repeat offenders have chipped away at her faith in both herself and the system. Her boyfriend Jakob’s high-powered law firm colleagues see her do-gooder job as a joke, which only adds to the increasing strain in their relationship.

Enter imprisoned felon Danny Shea, whose unforgivable crime would raise a moral conflict in an attorney at the height of her idealism―and that hasn’t been Liana in quite a while. But Danny’s astonishing blend of good looks, intelligence, and vulnerability intrigues Liana. Could he be the client she’s been longing for―the wrongly accused in need of a second chance? Is he innocent? As their attorney-client relationship transforms into something less than arm’s length, Liana is forced to confront fundamental questions of truth, faith, and love―and to decide who she wants to be.

“Fans of Allison Leotta and Lisa Scottoline will appreciate the domestic and romantic elements as well as the legal intrigue.”
―Booklist

“…intelligently written…. There is something in this story for everyone, and if you are like I was, the ending is going to be worth the wait.”
―Reader Views

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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips