Comments on: Adjusting Expectations for Conferences and Critiques

By: melanie hope greenberg

melanie hope greenberg — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:01:08 +0000

Not a beach party?? Dang, back to the sea. Splash!

By: Kidlit · Getting the Most Out of a Conference

Kidlit · Getting the Most Out of a Conference — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:02:15 +0000

[...] best way to go to a writer’s conference is to temper your expectations, be casual and professional, make a good impression by being friendly and curious, and take as many [...]

By: 4th International SCBWI Australia & New Zealand Conference « Artist or Author?

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:49:56 +0000

[...] Adjusting Expectations for Conferences and Critiques [...]

By: Around the Web: April 24, 2012 | paper heroes

Around the Web: April 24, 2012 | paper heroes — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:02:11 +0000

[...] Agent Mary Kole tells you how to adjust expectations for conferences. [...]

By: Gwen

Gwen — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:52:14 +0000

Writing is a labor of love, not a get rich quick idea.

I had a lot of fun with the feedback I got from Big Sur. It was a fresh look that helped me realize why part of a manuscript wasn’t working. The feedback gave me some new ideas and re-writing was fun.

By: Genissa

Genissa — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:58:40 +0000

So this post came at a perfect time for me. I was at a SCBWI conference over the weekend, the first conference I have ever attended, and had signed up for a critique. I was excited to see what the editor had to say, hoping for some really helpful feedback. But I ended up with about 2 comments :-/ Now this is my first critique, so maybe I was expecting too much, but two small comments throughout 5 pages seemed like a lack of effort. It makes me hesitant to purchase a consultation next time.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:20:56 +0000

This touches on a big pet peeve of mine. Whenever I get a critique, my non-writing friends will say, “Did you get good notes?” And what they mean by that is, “Did the person doing the critique say it was perfect and amazing?” And I feel the need to parse my response by saying, “Yes, they were very good in that they were very useful.” It just goes to show how deep the “A Star is Born” mentality goes. My friends want that dream for me. Which is sweet. But also kind of irritating, because I am a big fan of reality land.

By: SR

SR — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:05:34 +0000

Valuable information…in fact, throughout this blog site! Thank You.

By: christine tripp

christine tripp — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:37:05 +0000

I suppose most of us attend our first conference and critique with, “being discovered”, in mind:)
I remember a conference where an Author came, with her Illustrator, carrying their fully illustrated book. When the critique did not go the way they hoped (a contract offer) they left the conference right afterwards, none too happy!
I once agreed to do portfolio critiques at one of our conferences. Never again! I was woefully unprepared for just how hard a job it is, to offer constructive criticism. Being an Illustrator has nothing to do with offering a critique, just as being an Illustrator doesn’t necessarily mean you can teach an Art class effectively. I already HAD great respect for the Agents (like Mary), Art Directors and Editors who did the one on one’s, but man, it went up 1000 fold that day:)

By: Julie Hedlund

Julie Hedlund — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:59:25 +0000

I really feel for you editors and agents who have to hold a writer’s heart in your hands when giving critiques. Yet, I agree that constructive criticism and honesty is going to serve that writer best. Writers who come to conferences expecting to be discovered vs. to learn are probably new ones who haven’t been fully initiated to the pain and suffering of being a writer.

I’ve gotten a couple of critiques from you and both have been immensely helpful not just with the one manuscript, but with my writing in general. It’s the only way we can improve, and living with your head stuck in the sand isn’t going to get you published any sooner.

Great post! I think this is worth re-posting whenever a big conference is coming up, so people can line their expectations up with reality.