Something Like This, But Not This
Writing can be one of the most confusing professions around. We’re told that agents and editors are looking for something fresh and unique–but not too fresh and unique. We go to our critique group or send out our manuscript to beta readers and what one person loves, another hates. And everyone wants to tell us how they think our book should end.
And we end up feeling exactly like this . . .
Have you ever been in a situation where none of the advice you’re being given makes sense and you start to suspect that the person giving it doesn’t have any more of a clue than you do? 
Emma Burcart says:
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 10:49am
Oh, wow that was hilarious! I think I feel like that guy in a lot of different situations. At work, asking for directions, pretty much any time I need advice. It’s like no one wants to give the wrong answer, so they give five different answers. It never helps! Thanks for sharing.
Marcy Kennedy says:
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 11:14am
You’re welcome. Definitely that’s the case when someone is giving directions. Worse is when two people are trying to give directions, and they don’t agree!
Steph says:
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 1:55pm
Too funny! This could be shown at a critique group on what not to do. Love it. Thanks for sharing, Marcy.
Marcy Kennedy says:
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 1:25pm
You’re welcome
You’ll have to keep it on file for if you ever find yourself as the founding member of a critique group. You can show it at the very first meeting 
Angela Wallace says:
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 10:57pm
Lol. Oh, I can so relate. My uncle, bless his heart, read my paranormal romantic suspense novel, even though he is a hardcore Sci-Fi guy. Well, after he read it, he sat down and for an hour started telling me how I needed to rewrite the beginning to add a prologue that would span centuries of history, and then beyond. He even brought in a whole other planet where my MC should be from, its history, how it exploded and she was the only one to survive. Lol, all I could do was sit there and try to smile and nod.
Marcy Kennedy says:
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 1:26pm
Haha. So basically he wanted to change your entire genre. Sounds like he meant well at least
Tameri Etherton says:
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 12:06pm
Yikes, that was funny! I need to keep this on my phone to show people like Angela’s uncle… ; )
Marcy Kennedy says:
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 1:24pm
It’d be good to pull out if you ever find yourself in a bad critique group too, the way Steph suggested
Stacy says:
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 3:10pm
OMG it’s every collaborative project I’ve ever done in my life… All you need is a 3rd person running in and out of the room every 5 minutes to ask the professor something…
Marcy Kennedy says:
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 4:18pm
Haha. I hated group projects in school for that very reason
Sheila Seabrook says:
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 5:22pm
That’s great, Marcy.
We have to learn to listen to our instincts instead of other people!
Marcy Kennedy says:
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 4:17pm
So true. My co-writer and I ended up doing almost a complete rewrite on our WIP this year because we wrote the first draft with other people in mind and then chose to trust our instincts with the second draft.
August McLaughlin says:
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 11:06am
I was just about to say what Sheila did.
I’ve been learning so much about this since I started working with my agent. Many of the changes I made based on others’ insight are going back to my initial choice. Planning a post related to the topic on this… Such a learning curve and parts can certainly be frustrating and/or grueling—but also, hopefully, worth it.
Marcy Kennedy says:
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 4:17pm
I’m looking forward to reading that post