Intergalactic Writer's Exchange

I would, but I'm not currently in a position to exchange anything. I hope you find someone so this idea doesn't die.

I hope this thread doesn't die either!

Tina

Well, I messaged Brad about a forum for the writer's exchange.

He said he is going to create it with the rules we established.

Well awesome! And good job WriteToLive. I think this will benefit a lot of writers who are looking for readers and critiques. Granted, everyone is at different levels, but I think a critique is a critique. Sometimes you can be just learning as a writer and be the best reader, because that response is going to be the most pure of how an everyday reader would react. Those with more experience will be able to comment on writing form and structure, the things judges would probably be looking for. Overall, I think it would be a plus for the community here.

Tina

Agreed. We are a community of writers, after all. If we can improve each other's stories, then we may be able to get more HM's out of the members. And, by getting more HM's, we make the forums more desirable, which makes more critiques, which makes more winners

If you guys are looking to become better writers, and have never participated in a fiction writers' workshop, this essay is required reading: http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=4411

Enjoy, and believe me when I tell you that this guy knows what he's talking about. He's a Writers of the Future judge!

Hey Alex-

I love Dean Westley Smith's blog and I totally get what he says about critiques. I still feel I lean a lot by doing them for others and I know what info to take away when I get one. I've been burned with listing too much to random comments in critiques or edits! But if you have a part of a story that doesn't quite fit and your not sure it is always reassuring to get another opinion. I think it is all about a beginning writers journey to confidence and learning when to say "no" and when to listen.

Plus I follow his advice sort of. I never let someone critique a story I'm working on, just stories I've finished and have no intension of editing again because they are already being submitted. This way I get the critique on an old story and can use that info to learn and make my next story better. Other people like to get critiques on works in progress and I just think it is all about how someone learns and if they feel they are becoming a better writer and producing higher quality stuff that is selling because of it - then that was the right path to take for them.

A lot of writers who have won on this board have been known to swap stories in the past. I would love to give a critique to someone that eventually won.

Tina

Alex,

This is why I tell everyone one specific thing...

If you ever revise/redraft your work, SAVE THE OLD COPY! If you keep on having people read Revision 1 and they have nit picky things to say about it, but you're on Revision 300, then it's time to go back to basics.

Besides, as Izanobu states a lot, never rewrite save for editorial order (and then only if you agree with what they have to say). I have done this once, wherein the person said something about the two characters and I had to agree with him, so I added a few parts to complete another revision.

BUT I DID NOT DELETE OR OVERWRITE THE FIRST COPY. There were some people who liked it as is.

With respect to Mr. Smith, and everyone here, I don't expect a critique to make my crap story awesome. I only expect a critique to point out something I didn't see to make my already amazing story slightly more readable. Hopefully I will walk away with something useful that I can apply to the next story.

Amen. Besides, if there is something in you like in your one draft and other like it as well, you can enhance that portion of the story when you redraft.

I love this idea of exchanging stories. I'm ready to go anytime. Any of you out there brave enough to read one of my stories? Are you brave enough to send me one of yours too? "Write-to-live" just sent me one of his, and I liked it, and I just sent back a critique and sent him a story of mine. I hope he likes it! Anyway, if anyone else out there is open to this idea, then let's do it. Let's exchange stories.
Preston Dennett
HM x 1

Hey Preston, I just sent you a PM. Let me know if you are still interested.

Since I have seen discussion on this from Q2 Results, I'll start us off.

I have a draft of a story which could have a look-see. Anyone interested in trading drafts?

(PS: If you can send it in MSWord so I can use comment bubbles, it would be IMMENSELY helpful).

Hi writetolive Yes. I could send and critique. How do I do it? Is there a private room?

I don't happen to have one ready to critique, but what most people have been doing is creating a new topic and those who are interested will send you a Private Message on the forum. Make sure, though, you don't list any part of your story, including the title, on your post.