Who Reads Your Stuff??
It's FIESTA! No school today. Everyone was going around yesterday saying, "Enjoy your last holiday" and I'm thinking, we only have 24 days left! May can be long, though. Anyway, dh is already gone - he directs the parades for TV - I slept till 7:30 and now I'm thinking of going to Target to spend the rest of my gift cards (I did get the sandals the other day - VERY cute.) Then I'll hit the grocery store, then settle in for some writing. The new scenes are done, they just need to be fleshed out.
I mentioned in my list that my grandmother used to read for me. Now don't think she was every critical - every word I wrote was gold. I learned that that was not always good, but I knew who to turn to for strokes when I needed them!
I think I was reading Rachel's blog where she was talking about her husband reading her work and being her #1 fan. (I'm sure he gives her more feedback than Gigi gave me, though.) But my dh doesn't read my stuff. He'll listen when I talk about it, will help me brainstorm on occasion, but he won't read it. It used to hurt my feelings. Now, I don't know. I don't know if he'll ever read it, even if it gets published.
What about your significant other? Does he read your stuff? Do you like him to?
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- MJFredrick
- I'm a mom, a wife, a teacher and a writer. I have five cats and a dog to keep me company. I love bookstores and libraries and Netflix - movies are my greatest weakness.
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12 comments:
Hubby has only read one of my books, the intended Bombshell, and helped me brainstorm changes to it. But he's not read any of the others. It doesn't really bother me now because he doesn't read any fiction. He's a nonfiction guy.
As for who reads my work, it varies from book to book. Sometimes my critique partners, sometimes you :) and sometimes another trusted friend. And then of course my agent. I think it's good to vary who reads stuff so that it's not always the same person and that person's voice or opinions begin to color everything you write.
My hubby read my time travel, but told me he wouldn't until it was finished. We drove from Alabama to Texas and he read the whole thing. Said he couldn't put it down. Since then I've completed another one, but he hasn't read it yet. I don't think he wants to. It's about a cover model, and he's sick and tired of hearing about John DeSalvo in this house! hehe
I only allow a select few to read my work. Of course the mom praises anything. My best friend will tell me if it's crap or not. My CPs whip me into shape. Another friend of mine reads it because she's a heavy reader and I want 'the reader's' opinion.
My DH never read anything I wrote until TOS came out. Then he finally sat down and read the entire book. And he liked it! Probably because it is a mystery with romantic element, not a romance with mystery element. I don't think he could endure reading a real romance. Sigh. Just think what he's missing. :)
Who else reads my stuff? Outside of my editor, only Mary. Mar is great...she corrects me without extinguishing me. That is not always that common, and I am grateful! I read Mar's stuff...but I am not as good at it as she is. I read the work of others like a reader. I share what would hit me funny if I was reading their book at home in bed. I wish I was better at critiquing, but I give what I have.
J
My husband reads the book at the last chance to make changes stage. He finds any typos, weird words like grin when it should be grid - that kind of thing.
I really value his last set of eyes, because after a while, I can't see those - I know what it's supposed to say, and my brain sees it.
I don't have an SO unless you count the cats LOL
My mom reads my books each time, and my friend Jenn. I have an online crit group, but everyone's so busy that they can only read small bits at a time, and I write too fast for that to be much help to me, unless I'm in the planning stages or something.
Jenn is a very thorough editor, but she works the reading in around a full schedule, so that sometimes takes longer than I'd like.
My DH has promised to go through proofs and look for typos. I guess he'll read it then. I think he's discovered the sex in some of the pages I've written and might be hooked. Not sure if this is a good thing???
I forgot to mention that I am a member of our crit group in our RWA chapter...but I haven't had time to go in a long time. However, they did help me in the past, big time.
J
My husband will read if it's really important to me--like when I had the second round of editor revisions and I knew that this was IT. No third chances. He read to see if I'd made any serious goof-ups. Don't think he really likes romance, but he was okay with it.
Wow, that's really great so many of you have husbands who will read. My dh is a fiction guy, but more Stephen King and Dan Simmons than, say, Suzanne Brockmann. He supports me in other ways, though, like taking me to National 4 years and taking care of the boy, so I shouldn't complain.
My #1 fan reads all my stuff. Sometimes that's awesome, and sometimes...well, let's just say that I'M not my toughest critic.
But he's usually helpful. Most of the time. Sometimes. ;-)
LOL, Rachel. Maybe it's GOOD my dh doesn't read my stuff. I'd hate to get defensive with him!
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