When to Make Changes & When Not To

Changes can be good, but only if those changes are made for specific reasons.

When writers create a storyline, the writer plots out ideas and characters and develops scenes and begins writing. Then the writer hits a wall. The story is not working. Now what?

The writer can resort to any number of ways to solve the problem. One of those ways is to pass what has been written to a friend or critique partner to read and make suggestions. Very effective - sometimes. What you, as the writer, need to remember about critique suggestions is whether or not the changes suggested make sense. Did the person doing the critique have a personal dislike of the writing? Or is the critique back by solid reasoning?

I have a friend who hates tomatoes and onion. If I entered a recipe into a contest where she is the judge, and I had both tomatoes and onions in abundance in my dish, how do you think she would score my concoction? I'll tell you, she'd score it very low.

Look at suggestions under a microscope. Weigh them carefully before abandoning your own ideas. But if the critiquer's ideas have validity then employ them.

What I find invaluable is the brainstorming sessions I have with friends. In a brainstorming session, ideas are thrown out without regard to how well they would work. Whatever comes to mind is allowable. You make note of them all, then later consider each one. Eliminate the ones that are completely from left field. Focus on the ones with potential. Sometimes it takes a couple of sessions or so before you settle on a solution to your plot problem. To me brainstorming should be a part of each critique group. Brainstorming is as important as the editing, if not more so.

kmparis