JUDGE AND JURY

It's that time of year again. No, I'm not referring to the last minute holiday crush at the mall. I'm speaking of what many of us would like to get from Santa this year -a golden-hearted Golden Heart judge to bring us Christmas come July. But here's the thing. WE are judging the Golden Heart. And this is a responsibility that has already cost me sleep.

Yesterday, my entries arrived for judging. With light head and pounding heart I ripped into my Fed-Ex box. What treasures awaited me? Five Historicals. None recognizable. Whew! At least I didn't receive a friend's entry and have to decide whether to throw a friend back into the sea of unpredictable judges or try to set my own biases aside and judge her manuscript myself. I faced the simple task of judging the manuscripts of unknown writers. Piece of cake, right? After reading and rereading the judging guidelines, I sat down with a glass of chardonnay and my first manuscript.

And let me tell you, it was fabulous! But...after reading the entire entry, I was bewildered as to how to score it. I'm going to go ahead and discuss these issues without giving any information that could possibly identify the story. Also, I've already entered my score so our discussion won't change that. But I think it's a good topic and I'm interested in other's input.

First entry: The writing is wonderful and fresh and more than that, it sucks me right into the story. The characters have wonderful depth. The dialogue sparkles. A smooth, beautiful, exciting read. But there are a few problems.

The first problem is that the font appears to be less than 12 point and it is TNR. The chapters begin one on top of the other - not even with extra spaces much less on a new page. Now the judging guidelines tell me what to do about this. Ignore it. Okay, I can do that.

Next problem. Point of view slips more than a few times. Hmm. This is pretty minor. I don't necessarily feel I HAVE to subtract for this.

Next problem. The opening is very exciting and sets the tone for a great read. Unfortunately, there is simply no reason that I can discern why the hero takes the action he does in the opening. Hmm.

I toss and turn most of the night deciding on my score.

This morning, I see patients in the office and make hospital rounds. Shop. Come home. Sit down with a cup of Java and my next entry. I immediately worry that it's not fair to drink coffee while reading one entry and wine while reading another. Won't this affect my mindset? Beads of sweat are now popping out on my brow like Christmas cookies from neighborhood ovens. I can't switch to Chardonnay, however, I am on call.

Now this next manuscript is perfectly formatted. Okay, I'm not supposed to care. But I'd be lying if I didn't admit I appreciate the author using Courier and starting chapters on a new page. I mean, these are long entries, and we are to read ALL the pages before scoring. The writing is wonderful, smooth and fresh. Now I am beginning to think my own entry won't have a shot because my pile of reads is so good. Yes, I know I'm in another category, but apparently, everyone else is a better writer than I am! I chew my nails and get back to work, shunting aside my own feelings of inadequacy.

From start to finish this story seems perfect...from format to flow, all motivations in place, ends on a hook, all show and no tell. Lush. But....I am bored the entire read because the character's just don't draw me in and the story line itself is totally predictable. Oh, damn.

So which of these two entries got a higher score? Or did they both get the same score? I'll never tell. And I remind myself and you all that we are not to score entries against one another, but rather against some other subjective standard.

But I will say that this judging thing is HARD. It's hard because I want to get it right. I know what it takes to write and rewrite the entry, to print it and proof it and package it and mail it and to hope hope hope your judge will be fair (and okay, maybe a smidge generous). And it's hard because this is not just another contest. This is the Golden Heart.

Wishing you all Happy Holidays and fabulous reading as we struggle to do the right thing.

THE CRITIQUE RELATIONSHIP

BREAKING NEWS: Speaking of the critique relationship, my fabulous CP, COURTNEY MILAN JUST WON THE HISTORICAL CATEGORY IN THE GOLDEN PEN! Congrats, Courtney! You rock!

Somehow, I wound up as the chairperson of critique groups for my local RWA chapter. And that has inspired me to blog about critique partners and groups. I believe that finding a good critique partner or group is essential to your writing health.

Although I've been blessed with the best critique partners in the universe, I've traveled a crooked path to find them. And even my two best friends and CPs and I have had our ups and downs. But that's inevitable when you communicate daily and are charged with the task of telling each other what you don't like about each other's stories.

The important thing to remember (in my humble opinion) is that there is no such thing as the perfect critique partner or group. If you're waiting for that, you'll be on your own a long time.

Here's my take on what is and is not important in a critique relationship:

Not Important:

1. Proximity- Dude, ever hear of the internet? Face time is great and provides a neat social outlet with your CPs, but in terms of efficiency and turn around time nothing--and I mean nothing--beats the internet. It's not uncommon for me to email my scene out at 2am and get it back critted at 2:20 am. Okay, maybe we are all insomniacs, but it works for us.

2. Writing in the same sub-genre. While both of my two primary critique partners write romance, they both currently write historical romance whereas I am writing contemporary. I haven't found this to be a problem at all. And I don't think it is an issue on their side either. On the other hand, I do think it is important that we all READ a variety of subgenres and also read outside the genre of romance.

3. Publication Status. It is inevitable that in a group of writers, people will reach different milestones at different times. In our group we are delighted to report that one of us (yes, you already know it's Tessa Dare) has just moved ahead with a 3 book deal with a New York house. This is GOOD THING. And we all get the benefit of learning and observing from this process. Maybe in your group there will be some of you who have agents and some who don't, some who've published and some who haven't. Neither of those issues really determines whether or not you are good critique matches.

Important:

1. Compatibility in the areas of productivity, turnaround time, and personality. If one person writes five times the amount of pages as the others, and requires rapid fire turn around, while another likes to critique five pages a week, you're headed for trouble. In our group, we prioritize each other's work. We let each other know when they can expect feedback, and then we deliver. If we don't need something right away, we let each other know that too. In general, we turn pages around quickly, despite the fact that we all have busy schedules. This is because we are all serious about our writing and about our relationship as critique partners and friends.

2. Style. Your critique styles have to mesh. In our group, we tend to have a Paula, Randy, and Simon assemblage, although there have been notable exceptions to this pattern. But the bottom line is that everyone is honest, and everyone respects each other's work and opinion.

3. Level of detail desired in critiques. Some people are looking for more of a proofreader than a critique partner. If one of you only wants feedback on typos and grammar and the other loves to tear apart story structure and big motivational issues, you're not a good fit. Ideally, from my point of view, a good critique partner serves both of these functions.

4. Degree of input sought. I've heard it said when you get feedback, just say "thanks" and be done with it. Never argue the point or defend your work. If this is a style everyone is comfortable with, it will work smoothly. In our group, however, we tend to discuss feedback in depth and yes (on occasion) argue and defend our positions. But this (usually) works well for us, because it allows us to come up with new and deeper understandings of our characters and plots.

5. Seek additional feedback. When the same people read the same pages, revision after revision, they may develop blind spots. It's extremely helpful to have "virgin" readers look at your work on occasion.

6. Be true to your own vision. Don't be afraid to disregard the group consensus if it doesn't fit your voice or your vision for the story. This is your book. And it's your voice that needs to come through. Do be understanding and don't take offense if you offer your best advice and it is not followed. You're writing your book, not theirs.

7. Don’t forget to say thank you to your critique partners. What they're doing for you is generous and caring. Appreciate them.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE HELPED ME ALONG THE WAY, AND MOST ESPECIALLY TO COURTNEY AND TESSA!

Your turn! Any pearls of wisdom on the critique relationship?