Discouraged and Frustrated

[Fullheart]

For the "Repeat" topic, I really studied the judges criteria (for the first time) and made sure that I covered all the bases. I thought I'd written my best piece of fiction yet, titled, "Who Cares?" But it didn't even make it in the rankings. I'm moving backwards instead of forwards. I still feel that it is a good entry. I live far, far below the poverty line (on disability) and cannot send for the judges report on it. Many gave uplifting comments, but they seem only to encourage, with no actual critiqing, except for one, who is helping wonderfully. Thank you. Isn't the challenge supposed to make us better writers and not worse? I am published several times for my Non-Fiction work, but I love fiction too. Any words of help or encouragement appreciated.
With honest love

[RedBaron]

One thing to keep in mind is that there are a lot of really good writers who enter the challenge. The difference in scores is seriously minimal sometimes, like .001 difference.

Be sure to post a link in the critique part of the forum or the Bricks thread and ask for constructive criticism. Many people have become gun shy about leaving more constructive criticism when some members got upset about what was suggested, even though it was often valid comments.

[lish1936]

For the "Repeat" topic, I really studied the judges criteria (for the first time) and made sure that I covered all the bases. I thought I'd written my best piece of fiction yet, titled, "Who Cares?" But it didn't even make it in the rankings. I'm moving backwards instead of forwards. I still feel that it is a good entry. I live far, far below the poverty line (on disability) and cannot send for the judges report on it. Many gave uplifting comments, but they seem only to encourage, with no actual critiqing, except for one, who is helping wonderfully. Thank you. Isn't the challenge supposed to make us better writers and not worse? I am published several times for my Non-Fiction work, but I love fiction too. Any words of help or encouragement appreciated.
With honest love

I remember how unsettling it was for me when I submitted my first batch of Challenge articles. And even though it's several years later with a few "winners" to keep me going, I'm realistic about my ability to write first-place, or even third-place fiction. I recognize a well-written story better than I can write one. Like you, I'm most comfortable writing non-fiction. And yet, after five submissions, my first, first place win was a POEM... Figure that!

I will read your story and try to give you feedback from my perspective through a PM.


I care,
Lillian

[tomoral]

I can relate to what you are feeling. It seems the ones I think are really good never even rank, and the ones I think are no so much place way up there. Please don't get discouraged, as Lish said, there are many, many, good writers on Faithwriters and sometimes they have better articles than we do. The last couple weeks have come up zero for me, but I just keep on writing. I have learned to stop writing articles I think will win and just write ones that are meaningful and touch others in some positive way, either in their faith or just to make them smile.

Trying too hard takes all the fun out of it for me. Keep writing, relax, and enjoy!

[Come forth]

I share your frustration and discouragement. I actually stopped doing the challenge, and flatly refused to give feedback after a very hurtful experience. I tried to give honest feedback in a caring way and even included the obligatory 'in my opinion' and 'for me' type of qualifiers, only to still be personally attacked and told that to survive one of my critiques was almost seen as miraculous. I'm still recovering and very 'gun shy'. Even this post is scary for me.

I actually challenged people to re-read my critiques and see that the criticism was not only constructive but also valid.

What amazed me the most was that the site is supposed to be designed for honest critique and yet that is almost never happening. Everyone says that they want it, but don't you dare give it. And I don't believe these type of issues are really being addressed. And, to be honest, it is beyond me how they can be.

However, I want to share this post to encourage you and not discourage. I believe I was weak and quit too early. Yes, I was offended and my attempts to overcome the rejection and hurt failed. But there is an old saying, "If someone rattles your cage, guess who is in a cage?"

I wish I hadn't quit and, looking back, I see it as my failure not the sites. I'm determined to ease my way back into being active (the main reason I am responding here) and want to encourage you to keep going.

I share my story not to complain about the site, but to show you that I have a pretty good idea about what you are going through; and to explain why I believe the 'critique' side of the site is not working.

Don't enter the challenge to win, enter to improve. Focus on being the best writer you can be and winning will come as a side effect.

I'm about to enter the challenge again, as soon as I get enough courage, and if you throw a brick for your entry I will try my best to give you an honest, constructive critique.

Be encouraged, hang in there and break through is just around the bend.

Blessings, Graham.

P.S. Good on ya' for being honest and brave enough to post this.

[RedBaron]

When we write, we can only pray God uses it the way He sees fit. The people who read it are coming from a different perspective than us.

We've actually has members in the past who were offended by any suggestions as they felt what they wrote was a direct inspiration from God and needed no changes.

We had one person leave a comment on one of the challenge entries, very rudely blasted it. Ironically, that was the same entry that placed first that week.

You really never know how it's going to go.

[tomoral]

Graham, I wondered what happened to you. I didn't mind your critiques at all. In fact you helped me to write better poetry. If I didn't want to make the changes you suggested, I just didn't change it. Please come back to the challenge, and write those critiques.

I think we all need to realize when others tell something they see wrong with our work, they are just trying to make us better writers. Now if they really get rude about it, I just laugh. But with the help of Shann, Lish, and others in one year I have come from not winning anything in level one for weeks and weeks and now getting as high as third place in Advanced. Not braggin', just sayin'.

Come on back Graham, maybe you can help me get to first place!

[lish1936]

.

We had one person leave a comment on one of the challenge entries, very rudely blasted it. Ironically, that was the same entry that placed first that week.

You really never know how it's going to go.

What amazed me the most was that the site is supposed to be designed for honest critique and yet that is almost never happening.

One reason, Graham, is due to the comment Shari made. My comments are never rude, but were, more than once, not in line with the Judge's opinions. So like you, twice burned I'm not prone to give honest critique that's permanently displayed within those yellow bars. I prefer to send a PM, if requested.

C'mon back - full steam. There are a lot more good apples than bad ones in the barrel.

Lillian

[pheeweed]

I've had the same experiences as you all have been discussing, so I won't repeat, except to say that I threw a lot of pity parties when I first entered the challenge. I quit for a while because my attitude was wrong and I needed to get that right before I could come back.

But I do want to add this. I was not nearly as good a writer as I thought I was. I learned that from entering the challenge and reading the other entries. Once I accepted that, I was able to learn. I was fortunate to win a critique from Deb and it was thorough and very helpful. I don't know if it's still offered as a prize, but it was one of the best learning experiences I've had. I know you said you can't afford to purchase it, but there is another option. I also read every post in Jan's column and did the assignments. I learned a lot from that too. The yellow boxes are nice feedback from my peers, but I've learned not to expect most of them to offer a real learning experience.

I think maybe the most important thing I've learned from FW is what "show don't tell" actually means. I majored in creative writing in college, so I thought I knew all about it. I didn't.

After three years, I finally got an EC. Now I'm getting them fairly regularly. I always get a thrill, but I've come to the point where it's not the point anymore. I enter for the pleasure of writing and because I still need the structured challenge. So please stay with it and with FW because it will help you grow as a writer.

[lish1936]

I quit for a while because my attitude was wrong and I needed to get that right before I could come back.

But I do want to add this. I was not nearly as good a writer as I thought I was. I learned that from entering the challenge and reading the other entries. Once I accepted that, I was able to learn.

I also read every post in Jan's column and did the assignments. I learned a lot from that too. The yellow boxes are nice feedback from my peers, but I've learned not to expect most of them to offer a real learning experience.

I think maybe the most important thing I've learned from FW is what "show don't tell" actually means. I majored in creative writing in college, so I thought I knew all about it. I didn't.

After three years, I finally got an EC. Now I'm getting them fairly regularly. I always get a thrill, but I've come to the point where it's not the point anymore. I enter for the pleasure of writing and because I still need the structured challenge. So please stay with it and with FW because it will help you grow as a writer.

Great points! You beat me to it when you mentioned Jan's Writing Basics. I've referenced it many times. It's the best "free" course for any Faithwriter looking to improve his craft. I also suggest the library...another "free" source. Of course, there's nothing like professional feedback as a progress report to measure your improvements.

I, too, have no desire to beat the drums incessantly, but there needs to be another way to critique a Challenge article without having the comments attached to the article. Deb has articulated the why, but I can't get past the fact that my opinion is up against professional judges who may disagree.

As I stated before, I do not want to write permanently affixed, negative comments/suggestions on a "First Place" article. Call it pride, embarrassment, or a reluctance to accept, "See, you were wrong."

This also impacts the likeability factor for other non-Faithwriter readers.

To Graham's point, more constructive feedback might be forthcoming if comments were reviewed solely by the author rather than the internet population.

Lillian

[tomoral]

Let me just add I had a wonderful, talented critique buddy for awhile, who shall remain nameless but she knows who she is, that taught me so much about story writing and where the commas went, and another helped me with more poetry.

Having another writer with experience helped me more than anything. But I knew I had a lot to learn and soaked up advice like a sponge.

The yellow boxes are great also for encouragement. Shann's positive yet on the mark suggestions helped immensely and I still have tons to learns from her. I just let the really negative remarks go. Life is just too short, you know?

[lish1936]

A passage from a book I'm reading seems appropriate for what most of us have said on this thread:



Bok (former Harvard president) did not see me as a marauder amid his words. He saw me as a resource. Why? Because he was only looking at his message. He was asking, Does this metaphor (whether yours or mine) convey the right tone? Does this paragraph (whether yours or mine) stray too far from the topic? Ego, in other words, was exiled to parentheses." ( Love this!)

Francis Flaherty - The Elements of Story

Great writer - well said.

Blessings,

Lillian

[Fullheart]

Thank You to everyone who has stepped up to help me in various ways. It is such a blessing to be a part of such a great group of Christians here at FaithWriters. I had joined FW at least a full year before I actually became active and now I see all that I'd been missing out on. God's Blessings to all.

[jwhuckstep]

I've recently returned to this site and will more than likely be upgrading my membership soon. I love participating in the challenge articles and reading as many other stories as I can each week.

I for one do not feel qualified to critique others. I still look at comas, quotation marks, and colons as demons that I need to conquer and put in their rightful place. However, I do enjoy leaving encouraging comments on stories that I've read. I suppose I would use PM for red ink comments or other suggestions since the yellow box is inscribed for life.

I really don't get discouraged if I don't win a challenge. I do the best I can and write what I enjoy and if it places I'm thrilled and if it doesn't-------I write another story. I read all the winning entries and I try to learn from the winners. If I put my convictions and feelings into what I write I've won before I ever enter the contest.

Writing should be fun, let the fantasy of your story wander where it will and before you know it you'll have clawed your way in with the masters.

[Fullheart]

Yes I have already taken advantage of "Jan's writing basics" and was able to pick up a little bit of new stuff there. For those concerened about my discouragement causing me to quit--No way--aint gonna happen! Yes I know, that's poor grammar. In fact I went straight to pounding out the next challenge entry, though I'm certain that one is not a winner, I submitted early last Friday as I have other writing assignments coming due and wanted to get that behind me. But I feel that any piece that edifies others, brings glory to God, or has the possibility of leading someone else to the Lord, is always a winner. Though we do want to be pleasing to each other as Christians, we want to please God first and mankind second. Amen? I see that this conversation needed to be spoken and hopefully, prayerfully, good will come of it. (Romans 8: 28) It's not so much about the winning to me as it is the improving in my writing, and that is why I came into the challenge with tough skin, knowing that I would get some good critique, some rediculous, along with some not so beneficial as well. Don't get me wrong, I need those words of encouragement as much as anyone, so don't be too rough with me. I think every good critique includes encouragement along with the helps.
Wow I'm getting finger cramps, better quit. Love to all.