Writer's Report Card

The end of the year is the perfect time to do a recap of how we've grown as a writer. 

Since we are always striving to upgrade our writing skills, we tend to obsess about concentrate on the "Needs Improvement" aspects.  But sometimes it can feel like all there is is stuff to improve.

So let's take a day off from developing ourselves.  It's time to acknowledge our dedication to the craft.  And it's way past time for accolades, especially the ones we should be giving ourselves on a daily basis.

Let's do a Writer's Report Card--an assessment of what we're doing well.

I'd really like us to list three things, but I don't want anyone having heart palpitations, or breaking out in a sweat.  I'm not the one you want to call during a medical emergency, and just the thought of mass amounts of perspiration dripping all over the place is making ME lightheaded and woozy.

But back to our report card. . .

If we claim, "I'm good at such-and-such", we'll feel like we're being audacious or bodacious or braggarts.  That's why I'm not going to suggest using letter grades, because we'll grade ourselves low--much lower than we deserve.  We'd rather be thought incompetent than uppity.

Yet pass/fail doesn't give us enough credit for how far we've come.  It allows those who party all semester long to end up in the same place as those who persevered through every assignment, including extra credit ones, instead of having a grand old time with the popular kids. 

I'll let you off the hook.  All you need to do is tell us ONE thing you like about your writing. 

That's it.  Just one.

It can be something you've always thought you do well, or it can be something you've learned recently.  Maybe it's the way you worked out a tricky plot situation, or it's a snippet of dialogue, or that scene that makes you smile because your characters feel so deliciously real.

There's no grading on the curve here either.  None of this, "I'm pretty good at dialogue but I suck at description."  I know it's easier to qualify praise with a hearty dose of negativity.  We do it all the time to keep our self-esteem from getting any big ideas.  But try to resist the impulse just for today.  If not, I'll give you an Incomplete on this assignment and you won't be able to graduate with the rest of the class.

Okay, who wants to be first?  Don't try to avoid looking at me, because that's who I'll call on!  Step up to the front and name one thing you like about your writing.

Comments

[Melissa]

This sounds oddly familiar. LOL! And I always hate it when the party kids slide by without even cracking open a text book!

One thing I like about my writing is how I always create ecentric secondary characters. I think I have the most fun with those scenes and it probably shows. I'm laughing out loud when I have butler with OCD, a grim reaper taxi driver, or a bumbling guardian angel (think Clarence, It's a Wonderful Life) who always repeats "What to do? What to do? What to do?" when stressed. The best part is how the hero and heroine tolerates this ecentric character.

So that's my submission. At the risk of being audacious, what might yours be Professor? :)

[Donna Cummings]

Melissa, I know -- I always had to study, so I'm envious of the ones who didn't. LOL

I love the sound of your secondary characters! And I'm sure it shows -- whenever we have fun, it absolutely does. I can't wait to read them. :)

Not audacious at all! LOL One thing I like about my writing is the dialogue. It always sounds very lively when I read it, and the characters have such fun exchanges with their banter and wit. When I'm trying to do revisions/edits, I get caught up in their conversations -- I'm an eavesdropper!

[Melissa]

Donna, your dialogue is an excellent pick. From what I've read (not enough!) it is very real and makes you feel like you're right with the characters. I guess that is kind of like being an eavesdropper for the reader too! :)

[Donna Cummings]

Thanks, Melissa. :) I think that's a good thing for the reader to feel like they're eavesdropping. LOL So I'll keep that in mind when I'm writing new characters. The current ones don't seem to mind when I'm taking notes while they're talking. LOL

[Maureen]

I like how wack-o I am when building a world. I like how brave I am to look at a distance star and start stacking up chairs to get there. I don't care how no one believes I can do it.

[Melissa]

Maureen, I have another quote of yours I want to keep: "I like how brave I am to look at a distant star and start stacking chairs up to get there." Worth repeating! And I believe you can do it, too. :)

[Donna Cummings]

Maureen, you are SO not wacko. LOL You are a dreamer, and I love how you see the world, full of possibility. It really keeps me headed the right direction. :)

[Donna Cummings]

Melissa, it is a great quote, isn't it? And that's really what writing is all about, believing in something that doesn't really exist, coaxing it from an ethereal format in our brains into something concrete that we can share with others. It takes a lot of faith, and faith can be as ephemeral as ideas on some days. :)

[Melissa]

Well said, Donna! :)

[Maureen]

Ah! Shucks! Thank you... I imagine myself on one of those Dr. Seuss style stack of chairs, reaching for that star!

[Donna Cummings]

Maureen, looks like you're getting good grades with the rest of us here. :)

And now I'm gonna worry about those chairs tipping over. . .LOL