Friday, July 21, 2006
Learning to Critique, Part One
The debate over whether there are hard-and-fast "rules" for good writing, and who can break them, is ongoing; it seems to crop up afresh every three months or so on writers' lists and in writing classes.
You, gentle reader, probably know already how I feel about the issue.
The reality is that "breaking the rules" should never be an excuse for poor grammar, faulty or sloppy usage, or uneven writing. Saying that one is above the rules in such instances does little other than to make one look silly at best, and ignorant at worst.
You must know the rules before you break them. Being a rebel is no substitute for learning to write.
This is not just true in the instances cited above, but also when one is constructing or critiquing a story. I often advise beginning writers to join a critique group (and even list three of them in the right margin here at Beyond the Elements of Style) before submitting a piece to be edited; there is a lot to be learned by having several people go through one's work with a fine-toothed comb. But there may be even more to be learned by critiquing others' pieces.
One major problem is that people in a critique group often approach someone else's work with preconceived notions, particularly in terms of the "rules" of a story. But the reality is that it is the author who sets the rules -- and the story fails or succeeds based both on the wisdom of those rules and on the author's ability to follow them.
Every story doesn't need a brilliant plot -- just a story arc. Every story doesn't need sympathetic characters -- just characters with whom the reader can identify (which means, of course, that the characters must be developed; if they are stereotypical or one-dimensional, the story won't work). Every story doesn't need a poetic voice -- just its own voice.
(On the other hand, some genres have particular structural and technical requirements. Science fiction requires plot. Chick lit requires humor and emotions. The saavy author will read a great deal in his or her chosen genre before attempting to circulate anything through a critique group.)
All these and more considerations are important when you begin critiquing others' work. Take time to learn the rules, both of good literature and of the author whose work you're critiquing, and you'll find yourself... beyond the elements of style!
Jeannette Cézanne
Customline.com
You, gentle reader, probably know already how I feel about the issue.
The reality is that "breaking the rules" should never be an excuse for poor grammar, faulty or sloppy usage, or uneven writing. Saying that one is above the rules in such instances does little other than to make one look silly at best, and ignorant at worst.
You must know the rules before you break them. Being a rebel is no substitute for learning to write.
This is not just true in the instances cited above, but also when one is constructing or critiquing a story. I often advise beginning writers to join a critique group (and even list three of them in the right margin here at Beyond the Elements of Style) before submitting a piece to be edited; there is a lot to be learned by having several people go through one's work with a fine-toothed comb. But there may be even more to be learned by critiquing others' pieces.
One major problem is that people in a critique group often approach someone else's work with preconceived notions, particularly in terms of the "rules" of a story. But the reality is that it is the author who sets the rules -- and the story fails or succeeds based both on the wisdom of those rules and on the author's ability to follow them.
Every story doesn't need a brilliant plot -- just a story arc. Every story doesn't need sympathetic characters -- just characters with whom the reader can identify (which means, of course, that the characters must be developed; if they are stereotypical or one-dimensional, the story won't work). Every story doesn't need a poetic voice -- just its own voice.
(On the other hand, some genres have particular structural and technical requirements. Science fiction requires plot. Chick lit requires humor and emotions. The saavy author will read a great deal in his or her chosen genre before attempting to circulate anything through a critique group.)
All these and more considerations are important when you begin critiquing others' work. Take time to learn the rules, both of good literature and of the author whose work you're critiquing, and you'll find yourself... beyond the elements of style!
Jeannette Cézanne
Customline.com
