Amy Sue Nathan

Explain the coins

Yesterday in the comments, Alicia mentioned her esteemed 2nd place writing prize in 8th grade.  The teacher told her she’d have won 1st prize, but she needed to “explain the coins” — magic coins the protag found that solved her problem.

I mentioned that in some works of fiction, things just are.  Like vampires for instance.  No offense to vampire fiction fans but it’s just that – fiction.  We pick up a book that’s sci fi or fantasy or a combo and know that some things will just be.  Why are there flying dragons?  Because in some worlds, there just are.  I understand that we need to know how there could be magic coins, but maybe in this world, magic coins grow on trees (I so want to go there).  I guess in that respect, we’d need to know that and a young Alicia did not explain the coins at all.

But I bet she has explained every single solitary coin since then.  And if she hadn’t made that mistake, and if the teacher hadn’t pointed it out, Alicia would have learned that lesson another way another time, I assume.

Which makes me wonder – how well do you process feedback and criticism?  I have no problem making mistakes in writing or in life, as long as I learn how to catch it myself and fix it.

I think that’s what Alicia did.  I know this because she still remembers what her teacher said.  It had impact because there was truth to it.  We need to be able to sift through the advice that doesn’t ring true or meet our needs.  It goes along with keep what you need and leave the rest.  I don’t benefit personally from massive critiques on critique sites, too many cooks in the kitchen for me, but a few well-versed writers with acumen in the feedback arena, who understand what I want – and even then it’s OK when I disagree.  As long as I know when I must explain the coins.

And I think sometimes we catch ourselves in first drafts, sometimes second, sometimes fifth.  Sometimes we miss one or two things along the way – but as long as we’re catching more and more of our own missed opportunities to explain the coins, for dialogue, to show not tell and to delete pesky adverbs we’re growing up as writers — just like Alicia did.

I don’t know that it ever gets easier, but I think that’s what makes it all get better.