Back on the Blog Chain: Thinking Positive

For this round, Michelle asks us to

Be positive! Name some of the positive aspects of your writing --- be it a compliment from a mentor, friend or crit partner to anything special you learned concerning your writing skills.


As usual, Kat posted before me, and Kate comes next.


Sometimes it's hard to recognize the strengths in one's writing. Even if I feel an aspect of my writing works well in one story, I might immediately think of other parts of the story that don't work as well. We're so focused on improvement that sometimes we downplay the things that don't need improving. That's why I feel it's important to offer praise as well as suggestions whenever I critique a story.

Last month, one of my crit partners reviewed all of Twinned Universes for me. She said she really enjoyed it and found it hard to put down. She also felt my characters were complex and well drawn. I worked very hard on those parts of the story, and I'm pleased to see that my effort paid off, at least for one reader.

As for other writing strengths, my style isn't poetic, but it does the job. I know the mechanics of writing and try to make sure my work flows as well as possible before showing it to someone else.

Sometimes I feel that as I get closer to putting my work out in the world, the more critical of it I become. It's important to remind yourself that your words are worth sharing with others. While I can't expect all readers to enjoy every aspect of my stories, I hope that the overall experience will be positive. And to help us look on the bright side, here's a little song you may know: