Eric, I’ve gotten a lot out of reviews too.

Each writer has to find what works for him. I certainly don’t think I’m the norm. In fact I know I’m a little eccentric. I just know what I’ve found works for me, for now, not so much a comfort zone as a working zone. Whatever keeps me writing and interested in what I’m doing. That has changed over time and will probably continue to change as I grow.

It’s important to find people we can work with, and it’s not a matter of good or bad, but of compatability. For me a group doesn’t work — right now. But maybe that will change.

I think there are those of us who submit work way too soon (I did when I was younger), and others who delay long after the work is ready to send out. The same rules and advice don’t work for all of us, and that’s fine too. Every experience teaches us something.

In recent years I’ve battled a lot of personal disappointment over my fiction writing adventure. Just recently someone wanted to meet and talk to me about my writing and I felt so defeated I couldn’t bring myself to meet with her. I knew I could not encourage a new writer. I was afraid I’d break down in tears. I never thought I would get to that point, of feeling so down about it, so beaten. This will be my last novel until I either sell it or start selling shorter work. Anyway, I hate the fact that I let myself get to that point. I detest self-pity. So, once I start shopping this manuscript (in the next few weeks) I’m going to focus on short stories and poetry for a while, as well as lots of non-writing activities, because life is too short to spend it all on one disappointment after another. Time for something new.

What I think is often more helpful than a critique is for someone to tell you what they got out of a book, their understanding of it. Then you can see whether readers saw what you intended them to see or whether there was a failure to communicate. I really value reviews for this, moreso than for the actual evaluations.

I really liked this quote. It is excellent.

I must also add, that I always, always enjoy Eric’s take on critiquing. He makes so much sense to me. He is fortunate, though, because he and Mary collaborate, and I would imagine they read for each other.