FISHHEADS

by Sharon Stevens

 At critique group the other night I presented a story. The first part was good and the second part was good. Somewhere between the beginning and the end the connection was lost. My group couldn’t make the leap across the great divide I had created. They said I needed to cut off the fish head and use it in another story.

I believed in my thoughts, but even I could see where I missed the mark. This story would be understood by my target audience, but I wanted to reach so many more than just those who had a bull’s eye on their heart.

So back to the drawing board I went. I copied and pasted, revised and restored over and over again. I took myself out of the equation and found a way to link the first paragraph to the last sentence. I totally focused my direction to the best of my abilities. And believe me this is a very hard task.

When I read my words out loud as I started to rework the piece I was well aware of the message I wanted to convey, and knew it was IN the body of my work. I believed in myself and what I wanted to share very deeply. But if I couldn’t change it enough to make it readable the whole experience would be lost. You can take as many creative writing classes as you want and read as many books on writing as well. But at some point in time you have to get down to business, and just as importantly you also have to pay attention to the advice of those around you.

A critique group is valuable on so many levels. One, is that they understand you. Each story is unique, but the writer’s signature is the same whether writing of the horror persuasion or historical romance. Critique won’t change how you write the story, but instead will help to strengthen and clarify whatever is being written. Again, they know you, and your difficulties, but guide you past these roadblocks.

I thank my Wordsmith Six group for all they have done for me and my writing career. They helped me to believe in myself and stand beside my writing. But to see it through the eyes of others is priceless. I know that if anything is ever published that my group will have seen the foibles and problems and help me fix it before it goes out into the deep blue sea, fish heads and all.

Sharon Stevens