Caught any good characters recently?
by isabelrogers
Sorry I haven’t posted for a while. Well, I did write something about one of my typical mad weeks, but it was for someone else (over on Emily Benet’s blog, if you’re keen).
The reason for lack of blogginess is that I’m in the middle of a self-editing course. It’s online for six weeks, meaning that we can all fit it around our lives and basically do as little or as much as we want.
I – being a bit of a swot – am loving it. I am so near the end of the first draft of my current novel, I can apply the weekly topics directly. A better book is already rising from the smoking remnants of some of my sentences.
Quite apart from learning the official stuff, I’m finding it fascinating to be in a group of people for so long, all working individually but with constant exchanges of ideas and suggestions. We are eleven students in all, with our two tutors (Debi Alper and Emma Darwin). It’s been over three years since I held down an office job. I had to interact with colleagues every day, for months. Years! Juggling writing and parenting and exploding laundry and animal husbandry is hectic, yes, but it uses very different skills from the regular ‘getting on with people’ ones.
A discovery: I find I have replaced ‘getting on with people’ with ‘character-fishing’.
I might be about to break a rule here. The rule that says ‘the first rule of online courses is that you don’t sneak about the people you meet on online courses’. (Is there a rule like that?) There are ten women and one man in our group. Ten of us are warmly supportive, intelligent, constructively critical. We welcome comments on our work and are taking this course solely to improve our work. We know this is hard. We have wobbles. But we are overcoming those wobbles and I know that ten of our books will be vastly better books because of these six weeks.
One is not. He (if I’m not giving too much away there) has already self-published the book we are all sitting around discussing. Under a female pseudonym. It’s the first in a series, and the second – also already self-published – has an attractive pink cover.
Ten of us write multiple-paragraph critiques on each other’s weekly homework. We delve in microscopic detail. We probe. We question. We laugh.
One of us writes six-word critiques of meaningless platitudes for the rest of us and refutes any suggestion that his own prose does not sparkle with wit, intelligence and pace. His male characters seem to disdain his female ones. He did not respond when I mentioned the Bechdel Test.
Now I’m aware he might just discover this blog. I have asked myself whether I would feel bad if he knew what I think? My answer is ‘no’, for several reasons. Firstly, the chance of him looking at anything other than his own writing is slim. Secondly, he wouldn’t recognise this description. Thirdly, I’ve told him already – perhaps not quite so bluntly – and he accepted it all as compliments.
There may be a late rewrite of my current WIP. There is one character I simply cannot leave out. My novel is sometimes farcical and tries to expose human foibles as we go blindly through each other’s lives.
He’ll fit right in.
Hilarious, Isabel. I’m surprised he has any time for writing because, from your description, I think he’s been on every writing course I’ve ever done! I suspect his behaviour explains why he’s having to self-publish…
You could be right …
Being able to interpret and utilise constructive criticism is a life skill, I think, and not easily acquired. Some people, clearly, never manage it. I’d be fascinated to understand the psychology of why they don’t. Insecurity? I have to admit to only recently being able to accept it.
I think a lot of it is wound up with one’s assessment of the skill of the criticiser, no? At least, that’s my prejudice. This is the product of three intense weeks: I did not feel this way in Week 1. You say you are now able to accept it? That is a journey I’m realising few people make. This post is opening my eyes. (After reading this post someone introduced me to the concept of the Dunning-Kruger effect. It makes interesting reading.)
I agree and it doesn’t make me wonder why people bother going on courses which provide developmental feedback if they are only able to see it as criticism which triggers their self-defence mechanisms. I love getting feedback because I know that there will always be a real gem that I can learn from.
Feel feedback to leave feedback on my proof-reading skills – meant to say “it does make me wonder…”
I know! And I agree …!
PMC, I think the trouble with these people is that they cannot see that they are closed to feedback. Until they get that there is no way forward by rationalising their thought process in response to the feedback rather than seeing how they can make their words bounce of the page more in the way they intended, they’re going to be stuck in plateau frustration.
Nice to meet you by the way, hope you don’t mind me butting in 🙂
Not at all! More the merrier. I think you’re right.
And this is why we love you so much 😀 Excellent post!
I did an MA in Creative Writing a couple of years ago and we had two of these characters – both male. One could rarely be bothered to attend sessions but when he did, acted exactly as you described. However, he went on to pass with distinction and is now doing his PhD. My friend and I used to ‘joke’ that we’d probably hear of him next when he wins The Booker Prize.
I think using your group member as a character study is a good idea!
Thanks! (He’ll never get the Booker. They’ve changed the rules: you have to be called Hilary to get it now.)
Ha! Thwarted!
Well, I couldn’t possibly comment…but I have an inkling I might know who you’re talking about…?!?!
Ha. And thank you for introducing me to the Bechdel Test.
Oh dear. I find these kinds of characters in workshops very energy-sapping and for me it can spoil the whole experience. A course I was on last year there was one woman who only turned up occasionally and when she did she insisted on having her poem critiqued first, then when it was the turn of others she would keep leaving the room to talk on her phone and usually left early. It’s one reason I’m reluctant to sink a lot of money into going on a residential course, because I’m worried there’ll be at least one of these people. Well done for not letting this person drag the rest of you down in what sounds like an otherwise very good group.
This kind of character seems to be ubiquitous. Did nobody in your group refuse her the first spot? I feel they ought not to get away with antisocial behaviour! In my experience of residential groups, the tutors are used to dealing with all kinds of student, and can manage them appropriately. I wouldn’t let it put you off.
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