Bad critiques and Writing the Next Line.

Well, today is quick and easy.  I want to thank Crystal for the Sweet Blogger award.  She is the sweetest--go check out her blog. 

Mark your calenders--I will host another Writing the Next Line on May 12th. I have work related duties and will be M.I.A. for a few days. When I return, I will post the story in full.

Flirt Blogfest hosted by Critique This on May 16th.

I also wanted to answer a question that was asked by Alexandra Shostak in yesterday's comments.
Go and check out her blog after you read this one. ;)

She asked, "Have you ever had a really BAD critique?" If you mean BAD as in curl  myself into a ball in a dark room and cry my eyes out, YES.

I don't want to sound like I'm some super woman who doesn't react. I do. Everytime I post something that I have written or send my WiP to anyone to critique (including CPs) my stomach gets all knotty and sick. My mind usually gives me the lecture on doubt. You know the one where it tells you that you are not a good writer, you're never going to get anywhere, what are you thinking, etc.  I have to get over it though. My design experience has helped me with this--criticism. It has toughen me a little.

That's not to say that I don't get a stinging feeling in my gut when there is a bunch of red on the page. Tears do well up and sometimes fall and I go curl up on the couch eating a bunch of chocolate along with ice cream. I feel that I have to chalk it up to learning and making my WiP the best it can be. I also turn it into motivation to prove that I can. My life has some regret and I don't want anymore of it especially if I love to do it. It makes me happy when I can create something from my heart.

The other thing is I don't have a lot of time to focus on the negative. If I do, my family will suffer. I have two young ones at home and it's hard enough to keep up with them.  If I'm depressed they are super bad. Again, this does happen now and again but not as much as it used to. I'm a natural pessimist so I can fall into the depression trap real easy. I need to try and focus on all the happy I can.

I have my moments of utter doubt and I vent on the negativity that comes my way.  I'll post about it and you wonderful folks will make me feel better. So thanks for that!

You may want to ask me this question again when I start to query because patience is not my strengh.  He He. ;)

So, have you had a BAD critique?

How do you handle criticism?

Have a great day!

Patience

I am not a very patient person. I try my hardest but most of the time deep down I am screaming to keep going --move on. A lot of people who do know me say I am a patient person but when I want to do something and something is blocking my way my eyes shoot fire and my throat lets out a growl.

So here I am learning to fight the impatience that tortures me. I am impatient right now because it feels like my first draft is taking an eternity to get out of my head. The three chapters I wrote last week have just sat there waiting --waiting for me to continue. I want to write the rest but then real life tends to block my hand as it approaches the keys. I am sitting here typing this with one hand so my son can sleep on the other. I have to soak in this moment though because I know one day when he is in his teens he will not want to have anything to do with me. I guess I fear that if there is a window of oppourtunity for me I may miss it.  I can't worry about this I know but it is always stuck back there in my mind.

That means time management and yes-- to be patient.

One day this novel may become something-- who knows --but I have to realize that this it is not a race. It is not how fast I can crank it out to ease my impatience but how well I can do it. I want to write something that is from me --the me who is patient.

Does anyone else get impatient or anxious? How do you deal with it?