August is Awesome Because of Richard Hughes

Richard's Battles and other stories may have been the very first eBook I purchased.  I was particularly drawn to the first story in the book, at how he was able to give Ray the depth of emotion and conviction required to give the story power and memorable meaning.

Richard is a steadfast supporter of so many bloggers, visiting and commenting with unrelenting regularity. 

Please give Richard a great big welcome!

“The Power of the Positive Reception of Criticism”

For beginning writers, or writers who are still struggling with producing publishable writing, criticism of their work can be a valuable tool for improvement. Indeed, many writers who are already published acknowledge the value of receiving criticism (feedback) on their writing. I know for myself, the criticism I’ve received from my critique partners over the years has been extremely valuable.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen too many writers who resist any criticism they don’t like to hear. The hardest criticism for them to take seems to be that which says this paragraph, or this scene, or this chapter isn’t necessary; it doesn’t move your story forward, or it doesn’t give new or important information; it is slowing up your story for no good reason. Sometimes, the writer is just too close to his story, too attached to what he’s written, to jettison it. And, what’s worse, he tends to get personal and defensive. I’ve had writers say, “I think I’ll keep it.”

The power of the positive reception of criticism includes many traits. The writer must be open to improvement; he must want to improve. The writer needs to assume that the critique partner is in a superior position to his, that he knows more and sees better than the writer what is going on in his writing. The writer must see her writing from the critic’s point-of-view. The writer must not criticize the critic. The writer needs to put up and shut up.

In short, the writer must step outside himself, forget about himself, as he listens to or reads the criticism.

Does this mean the writer has no say? Of course not. He just answers the criticism in private. She acknowledges that not all critics are created equal. She knows that she’s the final authority on what she writes before she publishes it. And, she knows that if she’s listened carefully to her critics and tried to see her writing from the critic’s point-of-view, her final decisions on her writing will be the best ones.

Richard Hughes is awesome!

About Richard:

Richard has been writing fiction and poetry since he was a teenager. Now retired, he is gradually finishing much of what he started but never had time to complete over the years. He has self-published two books under the penname R. Patrick Hughes: a novel (family saga/historical) Only The Lonely and a collection of short stories Battles and other stories.

Both are available at Amazon.com
Only the Lonely  and  
Battles and other stories

Richard’s website is Writing and Living by Richard P. Hughes

Richard is currently at work on a sequel to Only The Lonely he plans on publishing this fall.