Who Reads Your Work?
Someone, other than you, should be reading your manuscript. This is a scary truth, but it’s still the truth. Having someone to trade pages with is absolutely invaluable in this industry, and I want to convince you I’m right. This is my reasoning:
Trading pages with someone means you’re stepping up to the plate. You’re acknowledging yourself as a writer and that alone is priceless. Beyond this, the act of trading pages means you aren’t giving them to your spouse or your mother (unless they happen to be a writer also). It also means you’re getting feedback from someone who knows. They know you, what you’re in search of, in need of, and going through. Again-priceless.
When we hand our pages over to another writer, we are getting the facts, and hopefully a little encouragement as well. Because another writer will understand how difficult this act truly is, they will likely be as kind as possible, while guiding you as best they can. Even when we know the rules, we tend to break them. A fellow writer can pick up on our faux pas and trouble shoot with us, without being rude or overly positive. They can pointed and still our cheerleader.
As we read over our work, we tend to see what we thought, not always what we’ve written. This can be a problem for us, an easy fix to someone else. Fresh eyes will take us far. Aside from basic line editing, another writer can give us feedback on plot holes, pacing issues and identify scenes where our POV (point of view) leans more towards the Great and Mighty Oz than our MC (main character’s) ability to know.
Above all else, trading pages binds writers. It builds bridges, networks, and friendships. We truly are our best allies. We are in the “know.” We understand the excitement and the pressure that comes with our hobby, the terror and the hope of reaching our dreams. So, as a member of a five writer critique group, and a writer who also exchanges pages with a critique partner and a fellow blogger and voracious reader, I am speaking from experience. Is it scary? A little at first. Is it worth holding your breath as you hit send and hide behind the computer? Always. I have a minimum of seven people reading my work on a regular basis and they routinely see things I don’t. They are helping me to fine tune my craft, to improve my prose, and are keeping my head up through the less than pretty days of my writer-life. As a fellow member of our incredibly talented Guild, I implore you; find someone to trade pages with. You will be forever thankful you took the chance!
Next month I’ll discuss a problem area for many writers. Point of View.
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