Constructive Criticism or honesty; which do you prefer?

Learning to take feedback and reading other plays – is a vital part of improving yourself as a writer. It is said, repeated and repeated some more but so it should be.

I have realised in the last few weeks how incredibly lucky I am to be part of a writing group (actually two writing groups now). One of the things that happens automatically when you’re in a writing group is that you give and receive feedback so inevitably you get more experienced at reading plays and taking feedback.

Over Xmas I had a manic few days reading 3 TV scripts, whilst also trying to get my project done which involved drafting 2 beginnings before making a final decision which to submit for the Red Planet Prize.

Then this week began with an intensive 3 hour session, reading 4 plays and then offering comments for the Spread The Word scheme.

I came back from it exhausted; physically and mentally. But also exhilarated to be part of such great groups. As a writing group we’re all very comfortable with one another, we trust one another, we respect one another. Often feedback can be frustratingly constructive, smothered in positivity for fear of causing offense and inevitably it is pointless feedback.

I want to know what it wrong with my writing, what needs changing, what was confusing? I want to hear strong opinions not wishy-washy ones so that I know what people don't like about my plays. With the Writing for Performance Group, and also the sub group in Screenwriting which has now spawned from it, the feedback is raw, it’s argumentative, it’s feisty. It’s easy to come away from one of the feedback sessions feeling like your work has been torn to pieces and lies in shreds at your feet. But that’s what it’s about. Make notes of all the comments, pick up the shreds of your work and dignity, skulk back to your study and make the script better.

Although I can take credit for setting up the Writing for Performance group, I can’t take credit for the dynamic of the group being so successful. It is more sheer luck that the group is full of excellent and highly opinionated writers who are happy to offer something that is closer to curt criticism, occasionally cutting criticism but above all honest criticism.

And that’s a good thing. Actually, no it’s a great thing. The industry isn’t going to give you constructive criticism and protect you in fluffy cotton wool – it’s going to reject you without a single word of explanation, over and over again and that’s if you’re lucky. More than likely it will tell you your shit, your writings a joke and you have absolutely zero talent. It may even laugh at you – to your face. Even if you reach the top of the industry it doesn’t get better, it gets worse – supposed fans, peers and morons alike will spend hours dedicated to telling you exactly how rubbish your script was and how they could have done a much better job than you. The comments boxes that litter the world means that caustic criticism is the default setting for feedback nowadays. So deal with it or get a different job.

Some other and much wiser words than mine on feedback from Kaite O’Reilly

Being your own Fairy Writing-mother

It’s been a while. For once my inactivity here is not due to inactivity in writing. It’s been a very active few months. Not as much writing as I’d like, and it’s pretty skew of the plan for 2011 that sits on the wall facing me BUT to focus on the positive - things are acceptable.

Focusing on the positive;
I’ve written the first draft of the 30 minute play for the mentoring project,
I’m up to 20 minutes on the first draft of the TV pilot,
I’m at 9 minutes on my redraft of a short film,
a HUGE project that is developing in my head and on the walls of the study.

However my biggest achievement in the past few months is setting up and running a monthly writing for performance group. I’ve been talking about it for, well..... years is not an exaggeration and finally I got off my backside and did it. Not only that but I’ve booked the Writing Group in for a showcase evening of small plays at Aberystwyth Arts Centre in October. So a rehearsed reading of a short play of mine, will be shown to the public, in October. Along with my play will also be plays by the other 9 members of the group and I’ll be producing the whole event, finding performers, directors, marketing the event – everything. It feels good to think that 10 new plays will come to life in October. And it’s because I got off my backside and made it happen.

There’s been a lot of inspiring stories about in the magical world of web and social media that helped me to think – stop waiting for this magical hand of the writing fairy to reach out and whisk you to a world of full-time writing and get off your backside and be your own fairy writing-mother.

Just a few of the stories of writers making their own dreams come true are listed here
Danny Stack – wrote, produced, directed, edited, promoted his own web series Liquid Lunch. http://www.liquidlunch.co.uk/
The story of the making of the comedy web series is here along with many, many mountains worth of writing advice http://www.dannystack.blogspot.com/.

Danny Lacey, the epitome of getting off your backside and doing it yourself really. Follow his blog or his web show. He isn’t waiting around for someone else to lead him along the pathway from obscurity to success he is literally hacking down those trees and making his own road.
http://www.stadamedia.co.uk/dannylaceyfilm/

Kristi Barnett http://www.kristibarnett.com/
And her trans-media project @KarenBarley
http://www.pyromag.com/entertainment/9394/a-twitter-tale-follow-to-take-part/
In Danny Stack and Tim Clagues's UK Scriptwriting podcast she talks about the motivation behind getting off her backside and doing it herself. I especially like this project because she is using multiple platforms and attempting to create a unique way to tell a story. http://ukscriptwriters.podomatic.com/

Not that my little showcase is anywhere near the scale of these projects but I’m heading in the right direction and I’m doing something about getting my writing out there.