The book is published, now comes the anxiety; how will your readers respond? It feels like one of those dreams when you discover you're somehow naked in the middle of a crowded room where everyone else is fully dressed.
I think you have to find a balance between accepting and learning from well-intended criticism and deflecting snipes from those readers who -- ZING!-- can take you out with one devastating remark. Praise too, can be hard to accept, though I'm not sure why.
Having written and published two novels and two nonfiction books, I now read with a more critical eye, yet a more empathetic understanding for fellow authors. Writing, like life, is a learn-as-you-go endeavour.
That said, I'm happy to share the first review of Surgeon's Mate, from David Hayes of Historic Naval Fiction, who recently interviewed me.
4 comments:
Congratulations on the publishing and the review!
Strangely, I find criticism easier to take than priase, probably because it is all too easy for people to praise.
I'm currently writing a story set in the Ypres trenches in 1917...how hung up did you get with the research and factual accuracy? I sometimes get the idea I'm approaching it as a factual story with elements of fiction when it should be the other way around!
Congratualtions again, and any adive you may have would be wonderful!!
Thanks,
Neil
http://pinpoint77.blogspot.com
Congratulations on the publishing and the review!!
Strangely, I can take the criticism better than the praise. I think it is because so many people are eager to say what they think you want to hear. It takes more thought to say what actually needs saying.
One question - how hung up did you get with research and historical accuracy? I'm writing a story set in the Ypres trenches of 1917 and I sometimes feel I'm writing a factual account with hints of fiction rather than the other way around.
Congratulations again! Any advice you may have would be great!
Thanks,
Neil
http://pinpoint77.blogspot.co.uk
Congratulations on the publishing and the review!!
Strangely, I can take the criticism better than the praise. I think it is because so many people are eager to say what they think you want to hear. It takes more thought to say what actually needs saying.
One question - how hung up did you get with research and historical accuracy? I'm writing a story set in the Ypres trenches of 1917 and I sometimes feel I'm writing a factual account with hints of fiction rather than the other way around.
Congratulations again! Any advice you may have would be great!
Thanks,
Neil
http://pinpoint77.blogspot.co.uk
Congratulations on the publishing and the review!!
Strangely, I can take the criticism better than the praise. I think it is because so many people are eager to say what they think you want to hear. It takes more thought to say what actually needs saying.
One question - how hung up did you get with research and historical accuracy? I'm writing a story set in the Ypres trenches of 1917 and I sometimes feel I'm writing a factual account with hints of fiction rather than the other way around.
Congratulations again! Any advice you may have would be great!
Thanks,
Neil
http://pinpoint77.blogspot.co.uk
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