Semi-Sages of the Pages

Top Ten Things to NOT DO When Giving Critique

7/22/2020

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Conflate the person with their writing. They are not their writing. They are a different person than their writing.
Tell the person that their passion is not worth their time and that they should give up.
Forget that you don’t know everything. Many writers disagree on what makes writing ‘good’. Don’t assume your opinion is god. Respect everyone opinion- remember writing is subjective
Take it personally if they do not take your comments
Pretend you have read what you have not; say you will read something and then blow the person off without communicating why you have been unable to keep your agreement
Bash the writing because your prefer a different genre or style. And never gossip behind writers' backs during the critique process.
Get fixated on a minor issue and pile with other critiquers.
Interrupt, talk over or be rude to other critiquers or the author.
Forget to say something nice about the writing.
Forget to be aware of the language you're using. Comments such as 'silly' or 'dumb' are unhelpful.

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Top 10 Things TO DO when Giving Critique

7/22/2020

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Be honest, but be kind. Pay attention to why the work is being written, who the audience is. Focus on comments specific to enhancing that. Read the room, the writer. If the writer is becoming upset by what you’re saying, stop. Acknowledge that writing is hard and frustrating at times. Think deeply when providing feedback.
Follow boundaries. If asked for specific critiques or things to comment on, follow them.
Ask what type of editing the author wants (developmental, copy, line by line) Find the good, comment on what you like about the writing, in addition to the areas of improvement.
Read the entire work and be honest if you haven’t had time or only skimmed it.
Give examples of sentences to substitute that would make the writing better (showing not telling; active sentences not passive sentence; or places where he pronouns are confusing). Make sure to give concrete examples. “I really like this dialogue because...Or do you think a scene should be added?
Be descriptive not prescriptive. Point out problems, don’t try to fix them - the author knows their work best.
If the writing needs a lot of help, focus on one or two themes and offer to send a resource. Ex. “Your punctuation around dialogue isn’t correct. It’s a tricky grammar topic, can I send you a link that’ll explain it better than I can?”
Learn from the work you are editing. Focus on a few things the author does that you can learn from and take the time to acknowledge that
Comment on your reactions. What are you feeling as the reader? Do you like a character, hate a character or are you bored?
Consider your relationship when you end the critique. Can you set up a phone call to discuss things further? Or is this a new author and you're unsure how they will react to your critique?

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Top Things to NOT do when Receiving Critiques

6/25/2020

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In continuing our series on receiving critiques, here are the top ten things to not do when receiving a critique.

Go to critique group or review critiques not in the right mindset. Check in with yourself and your emotions either before going to a critique group or reviewing a critique.
Break the rules of the group. If you're instructed to arrive with 10 copies of five pages of your WIP, don't show up with 1 copy of thirty pages.
Talk over your critiquer. Respect your critiquers time and effort and let them finish their thoughts.
Argue. If you disagree or don't understand, ask clarifying questions. Or just say, 'thank you.'
Take comments and critiques personally. While your writing is a piece of your heart and soul, comments are not personal and not about you as a person.
Ignore all advice. While you may choose not to follow the advice, comments about your work are valuable.
Assume your work is perfect and can’t improve . No matter how experienced you are, you can always improve.
Assume that because critiquers are not published or as experienced as others means their comments are less valuable. Critiquers are readers, which makes their comments valuable.
If you receive a critique, expect to give critique. Be present and mindful when receiving and giving critiques.
Treat others time/work as less valuable than yours. Critiquing takes time and energy.

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Top Ten Things to do when Receiving Critique

6/13/2020

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In this episode we discuss the top ten things to do when receiving critique.

Be kind/respectful to the the critiquer. Say 'thank you' if you have nothing else to say and avoid arguing.
Keep an open mind. You may find a comment is helpful as you revise.
Understand you’re the author and you can take or ignore any of the comments.
Nobody is perfect - EVERY writer and every style of writing can use improvement.
Take the critiquer's background/writing style/genre into account. If you're primarily writing romance to twenty-something women and a man in their fifties who writes thrillers doesn't think your story is realistic, understand his background may be preventing him from empathizing with the story.
Identify the problem your critiquer is noticing, don’t fixate on the solution they might be offering.
Pay attention to similar comments coming from multiple people, even if you disagree.
Ask about the aspects of your work you are having a difficult time with or are not sure that it is working.
Ask clarifying questions. If you don't understand a comment, ask 'can you explain more?'
Take a break, put it away and then read comments. Look at your mood elevator before reading comments.

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Winners of our Contest: Ruff Day on the Throne

5/31/2020

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Congratulations to the following winners!

The Map by Alanna Robertson-Webb
I Guess They Don't by Greg Beatty
Room for One More by Chris Bannor
Defying Distancing by Tamara Merrill

Click here to read the winning entries.

Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone who submitted an entry for our contest. We had so much fun reading them. Check back for other contests.

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Ten Things to do Before Getting Critiqued

5/26/2020

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You've been slaving away at your Work-in-Progress (WIP). Maybe it's an article, a short story or a full novel, You're ready to share with Beta-Readers and/or join a critique group. But before you do, there are some things you need to do do first.

Make sure you work is at a minimum standard. Run it through a spell and grammar check and make sure the formatting is correct. Otherwise you run the risk of your readers focusing on those small errors instead of more thorough comments.
Check in with yourself. Are you in the mood to receive critiques without taking it personally? Can you view the critiques objectively?
Be clear about why you wrote and who your audience is. Are you writing to YA readers, female readers, readers who love space opera, or all three? Additionally, your work is not who you are. Your characters are not you, though you may empathize with them.
What is it you want from your critiquers? Do you have specific questions or issues you'd like help with? Should the reader be aware of how you want your critique? For example: verbal or in a track changes document? Or both? Do they want to discuss your notes with you?
Prepare a blurb that highlights previous plot points (if sharing in a critique group). Additionally, include any potential triggers that may upset a reader. These might include scenes with violence, rape, kidnapping, language and even sex.
Know what you want when receiving a critique (developmental, copy, line-by-line, etc.)
Choose your critique partners carefully. You should trust your critiquers and know what your critiquer's strengths are.
Do your critiquers read your genre? Do they understand that what's expected in a sci-fi story is very different than what's expected in a cozy mystery (unless you're combining the two and if you'll excuse me, I think I have an idea...)
If joining a critique group, do they give you want you need? Does the meeting time, place, vibe, trust, work etc. for you?
Know what it is you want out of your critique. Make a list or what you like and what you don’t like. This will help you decide whether or not you'll agree with all the suggestions.

Sharing your work with others can be intimidating, even scary at times. But taking a few minutes to prepare, can help you get the most out of the experience and elevate your writing to the next level.

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Moments with Morrigan

5/20/2020

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In this week's semi-sode, 5 Things to Consider before Outlining, Semi-Sage Morrigan explores her Butterfly Writing Technique. The technique takes writers stage-by-stage through their metamorphosis as they transform their idea (egg) into a completed manuscript (adult butterfly). This semi-sode highlights five things to consider before outlining that will enhance your skill level, decrease your time editing, and most importantly clarify the intention of your current work in progress (WIP).

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Flights of Foundry

5/13/2020

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Join us at the Flights of Foundry virtual convention happening May 16-17. Flights of Foundry highlights speculative creators: writers, artists, game makers, and podcasters. Participate in a panel, reading, workshop, or join a space to connect with another creative! If you are a dreamer, thinker, and/or a doer sign up for the FREE conference: https://flights-of-foundry.org/ .

Character Sheets to Build your Author Skill Set
At 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, the Semi-Sages host an interactive workshop where we take a deep dive into helping you identify your strengths and weaknesses as an author. Using a writer-based character sheet, (like one would find in a role playing game such as Dungeons and Dragons), we take participants through the self-reflexive activity of understanding who they are as authors. Participants will leave with an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses as well as growth strategies.

Spec Community Panel
At 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, the Semi-Sages invite you to join our adventure as we explore how community unleashes creativity. Join the discussion about how our passion for speculative fiction allows us to escape the challenges of everyday life. Podcasting, personality, and perspective, let's unleash the keys to productivity!

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ENTER OUR CONTEST

4/9/2020

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RUFF DAY ON THE THRONE

Imagine you received the above canvas in the mail, but there's no note or idea who sent it to you. What do you do and why would someone send this to you? This actually happened to one of our Semi-Sages and you can listen to Molly's story on her Semi-Sode. As amazing as her story was was, it sparked an idea among the Semi-Sages. What if we ran a contest, asking you to write a story on the above scenario? And what if there were prizes?

PROMPT: You receive an odd package and have no idea who sent it to you.
WORD COUNT: 250-500 words
WINNERS: Each Semi-Sage will select a winner for a total of four winners!!! You heard that right! Hint: Follow us on our social media platforms to see where our interests lie. Winners will receive a $25 Amazon dollar gift card, shout out on our podcast, publication on our website, bragging rights and a COVID-19 approved wave.
HOW TO SUBMIT: Submit via our email address Semisages@gmail.com in the body of the email. ATTACHMENTS WILL NOT BE OPENED
FORMAT: Times New Roman 12 point, double-spaced. No extra spaces between paragraphs. Please put in the header Mysterious Package/Last Name. At the top of your email, please include your name and wordcount. If you have a specific Semi-Sage you'd like to submit to, please put her name at the top. If not, all Semi-Sages will consider all submissions.
SUBMISSION DATES: April 10-May 8th (Extended!)
REPRINTS: No. We only consider original works.
STIPULATIONS: We will not accept any gratuitous sex (story appropriate sexuality is okay), harsh language or any stories with abuse or mistreatment of animals (including human animals). This includes no torture porn, torture in general, rape, killing of children or animals, and bestiality.
MEDIA RIGHTS: By submitting to the contest, you agree to share your work on social media and post the winning entries on our website.

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Episode 5: Writing is Sick!

4/4/2020

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As we recorded this episode, California was in a shelter in place order due to Coronavirus or COVID-19 and we recorded from our homes. The Semi-Sages discussed how things were going for us on a personal level and then we went into the meat of the episode--plagues! We discussed Shakespeare who went under several quarantines and had his theatre shut down in his lifetime due to...the plague. We also discussed the importance of sanitation, and where the term sh*t-faced came from. It's a fun, topical episode!

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