Author: grasshopper

The Final Countdown

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So you’ve made this awesome thing–you’ve followed all the Ps, went through the grueling revision stage, and are pouring through the feedback you got.

This is the final post in my series on the creative process!


Now what?
You’re probably asking yourself, “How will I know when it’s ready?” We have a tendency to get so caught up in the revision process, that we start making too many little tweaks. How do you figure out when your project is polished and ready? I’m going to briefly touch on what to do after feedback before jumping into that.

After Feedback
The great thing about getting feedback from trusted sources (see Part Four), is that you’ll see a trend. When I sent The Year is Now to several beta readers, they all had similar things to say without even knowing each other existed!

Common themes I received:
1. I used the word armpit too much (lolz?). They all said that the word was awkward whenever I used it.

2. They did not like a short scene where Elly was stuffing her skirt into her environmental suit. They all felt it was out of place and pulled the reader out of the story.

3. I kept getting idioms wrong. I can’t remember which ones, but I remember that being a theme with the feedback I got. For instance, instead of saying “Well, the cat’s out of the bag,” I’d say “Well, the cat’s out of the hat.”

Focus on the trends
Fix those first. Once you’ve tidied those up, go back and peek at the other things people said about your work. Weed out personal opinion vs structural improvement. What do I mean by this? Years ago, I had someone beta read a story (one that was never published). They didn’t like how it was set in the 90s and wanted it set in the 80s because they were a huge fan of the 80s and 80s pop music.


How do I know it’s done?
There will be a point in time when you keep making minor tweaks to your project. You’ll start stressing yourself out because you are so focused on making it PERFECT. Making minor tweaks here and there is okay, just don’t let yourself get into a tweaking frenzy! Only you can determine if the project is done. I normally know it’s done when I’m out of logical tweaks to make and changing anything else would just be pointless. Other times, it’s just a gut feeling.

Conclusion
I want to thank you for taking the time to read my short series on the creative process! I had fun writing it and hope that you found it helpful.

If you have an idea or would like me to cover something, feel free to send it my way!

You Can Haz Nerf Bat

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If your an artist, writer, or [ insert your awesome hobby of choice here!], at one point or another, you will be asked to give someone feedback. They could post their project on a forum for all to review or contact you directly; whatever the case, you will end up critiquing someone’s project.

 Here are some tips on how to give someone constructive feedback without ripping them a new one. You may be asking yourself: why is it important to be tactful anyway? I mean they are asking for it, aren’t they?

Using tact is harder than being blunt, I admit that, but you have to remember that we are all human.

There is no faster way to kill someone’s motivation than telling them things like “there is nothing of value whatsoever here,” “Did you just slap that together in five minutes?,” or “It all just sucks.” You could HATE their work with a burning passion and swear up and down there’s nothing good in it–

Just remember, what looks like trash to you is someone’s hours upon hours of hard work.

So how do you fight your inner jerk?
How do you give someone helpful advice?

During my time in college, the creative writing professor had an awesome policy when it came time for group feedback. We’d read each others stories and fill out a form that had us list positive things about the story, weaknesses, and suggestions on how they could improve the weaknesses listed.

I’ve provided a generic form below:
Check out my filled out sample at the end of this post! 

Critique for [ Person’s Project ] 
What are three strengths?
1.
2.
3.

What are three weaknesses?
1.
2.
3.

Three ways the project can be improved
1.
2.
3.

This simple list of strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions is perfect. It allows the writer/artist to get honest feedback that they will want to incorporate because of the tactful way it forces the critic to list everything. The list can be tailored to any sort of creative project (you can list as little as 2 things or as many as 10! Whatever you decide, make sure it’s the same number across the board). It is the standard I go by when I am asked for feedback.

So how does it help you when you absolutely loathe the person’s work? How are you supposed to find X amount of strengths about something that grates your last nerve? How do you resist the urge to offer nothing but snarky remakes?

We’ve all come across stories and pictures that may not necessarily have been bad; we just didn’t like them. It’s natural. Romance isn’t my cup of tea, but I know the elements of a good story. There are certain styles of art I hate, but I also know what color schemes mix well and which ones don’t.  

Art:
Mention the color scheme. Tell them how you like the way the red and golds go together or how you like the font/mood/person’s expression. FIND strengths, even if there are just two or three. Point them out.

Writing
Point out how 3-dimensional their character is, how vivid their descriptions are, or how you enjoyed bits of the dialogue. Even if it’s romance, FIND something worth praising because it’s there–you just have to look for it!

Stay tuned for the conclusion of my short series on the creative process! 
I’ve decided to combine the last two posts into one since they are essentially the same thing. Stay tuned for what to do after you’re finished!  

Here is a sample form for a book I hated:
See, it can be done!

Critique for Twilight
Strengths 
1. The setting. I am a sucker for stories in small, yet colorful towns like that!
2. Bella’s research/and the suspense it created until she found out the Cullens were vampires.

Weaknesses 
1. Bella felt like a flat character at times
2. Edward comes off as creepy. Did you mean for him to come off that way?

Suggestions for improvement 
1. Give her a specific talent, or give her a feisty quirk that stands out from the rest of the characters. It’s great that she’s clumsy because it shows she is human; now she needs something a little extra.

2. I feel that Edward is overly possessive and stalker-ish to the point of needing a restraining order. Perhaps cut out the scene where he watches her sleep and goes through her things. I see how you wanted to show that he cares about her. Try having him do something less scary. What did your significant other do to show you they loved you? Try to find some examples in real life to draw from.

Caricature Portraits Are Fun!

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Animate yourself or immortalize your favorite character!


Get a full color caricature portrait for just $15! 

See the samples below:

Details: A full color bust or profile with a fun background and caption
Dimensions: 1000 x 1000 pixels
Accepted Payment Method: Paypal – Payments are accepted upfront.

I can take up to five commissions at a time. Email me at [email protected] with the following information:

Subject: Summer Commission

Who: Who do you want me to draw?
Description: Tell me a little bit about the character and where they’re from.
Details: What do you want him/her to wear? What color scheme and caption do you want?  List any additional specifics here!

Please attach one or two reference photos of the character or the person you want me to draw.

*Please note that the only building available at this time is the White House (I drew it to use in other images, sort of like my own stock picture). 

Want something else? Send your request via email, and I’ll give you a quote.

Please give me at least one week to complete your commission.

Are You Ready for Feedback?

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Watch out! You are about to discover the reason why I decided to post this short series on the creative process.
Part four of my series on the creative process! 
Missed the previous posts? Here they are: Intro | Part One | Part Two | Part Three

I experienced a cold, harsh awakening last month. I might as well have shoved a knife into an electric socket. Ouch.

What happened? What moved me enough to devote several blog posts to it?

¯_(ツ)_/¯

I posted a first draft of a graphic design piece and asked for feedback. I was damned proud of what I made. I thought it was frakkin’ awesome. Shoot, it was the next best thing since the bacon cheeseburger! I spent hours on it. I loved the picture so much that I skipped the three Ps and dropped that thing into a forum. I asked for feedback in hopes of making it even more awesome.

Let’s just say that I left that place with my tail tucked between my legs and my ego stripped bare.

Lesson very much learned.

So what happened? Where did I go wrong?

1. As I said, I posted a FIRST DRAFT of something and asked for feedback. I should have bitten back my excitement and let it sit for 24 hours. I have a standard 24 hour rule when it comes to my art and graphic designs: put it away for at least 24 hours and come back to it.

2. I skipped the three Ps and So Very Edits. I should have planned it out after creating that first image. I should have played around with it and made a few variations.

3. I’m not a frequent poster in that community. If I was, I’d have gotten a warmer response—there were a few individuals who did offer some great advice, and they have my thanks. It’s easier to tear a stranger apart than it is a friend, especially from your keyboard.

Are you ready for feedback?

Screencap from Hetalia

Asking for a critique is opening yourself up to things you might not want to hear. Let’s face it, no one likes to be told that their hard work is terrible. It’s a fact of life. Requesting feedback is a brave step. It takes a lot of courage to throw yourself out there on a line like that. You have no idea if you’ll get something constructive or if you’ll be ripped apart. It takes guts. Are you ready for it?

If you don’t think you are ready, that’s okay. Like I said, it takes a lot of courage. Even taking in constructive criticism can be rough the first time around. It’s hard hearing that your favorite character is one dimensional. We’re all human. We all have feelings. This is natural.

If you are ready, fantastic! This next section is for you!

Where to go to get honest, yet tactful feedback

A trusted friend – This doesn’t mean show it off to Mom and Dad. They’ll always say it’s amazing. Pick a good friend who will be straight forward without cutting your heart out. You know your friends better than anyone else. You know who will be honest and who will give you that motherly coddle.

The Internet – Post it on a site that you are active on. Do you know the community? Do you post several times a week? If so, go for it. Don’t do what I did. Lurking doesn’t build relationships. If the members know you, they will be less inclined to troll or tell you things like “Just start over” or “That looks like it was just slapped together” without offering any suggestions to improve it.*

Work/Clubs/Extracurricular Activities – If you’re like me and prefer to take the backseat, utilize the real world. Don’t pester your coworkers or club friends when they’re busy. Take advantage of a slow period. A simple, “Hey, what do you think of this?” as you show them a photo on your phone works wonders.

My first three suggestions are great for art, graphics, covers, crafts, and short excerpts (500 words or less). Writing is a tough animal because people are busy and don’t have the time to read a 10+ page work of fiction. So where do you go for works of fiction?

Hire a Beta Reader – There are a lot of professional beta readers who will read your story for a fee and provide unbiased advice. They are paid to help you make the best story possible. You can find them on sites Blogger and WordPress. First things first: do your homework. Research the person. What is their fee? What kind of blog do they have? If they post things like “I’m Queen Snark, shredder of the slush pile,” don’t go for it. Find someone who is friendly and warm. Check out their reviews. Do they offer unbiased feedback in a relatively short amount of time? Do they sit on a project for months? Are they a smartass? Are they tactful? If the person is a good beta reader, he/she will respond quickly to your emails.

* Not direct quotes. I paraphrased things I’ve seen said to others and to myself during my 10+ years of writing. 

So Edits, Many Drafts, Such Work

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Get your red pens out. It’s time to edit!
Part Three of my series on the creative process
Missed the previous posts? Here they are: Intro | Part One | Part Two

This is the most time consuming stage of the creative process. This is when you’ll grab your grammar police badge and mark up your first draft with a red pen. Be ruthless to yourself. This is when you’ll step back from your drawing and fix any stray shadows or messy lines you missed. For graphic design, this is when you’ll make sure your image’s attributes are correct (aspect ratio, for instance). Is something stretched too far? Is it squished too thin? Is everything spelled correctly?

Once you get that next draft going, it is time to consider getting a second pair of eyes. Word to the wise, keep your battered rag-doll of a first draft buried within the confines of your hard drive. I learned this the hard way. A first draft is something that only a mother can love.

Why hide it from the world? There are more flaws in a first draft than there are in a second or third. The human eye has a knack for narrowing in on mistakes and things that are out of order, especially if they are obvious. The more noticeable the flaws, the less likely you’re going to get helpful feedback.

Everyone will point out that you misspelled that one word in the title. They will flock to the banner in your graphic that is stretched just a tad too much. That eye you forgot to color in? That’s what they’ll see.

How fast did you spot the error I put in there? 

…Or something worse will happen. You’ll get ripped apart. You were so proud of your initial creation, that you skipped the three Ps of making something awesome. I completely relate to this temptation and have made this mistake myself. You’ll learn all about that in my next post.

The most difficult part of editing, revising, and perfecting something is the attention span needed for such an undertaking. Trust me when I say that staying focused is the hardest part of this stage. Here are a few personal things I do to help keep myself on track:

1. Fix myself a non alcoholic drink that isn’t water (water’s great and all, but it’s boring. I find drinking a glass of juice helps).

2. Listen to classical music. Oddly enough, this one works. If you can’t stand the idea of classical music, there are a number of heavy metal bands who’ve done concerts and special albums with symphonies
       Metallica – S & M
       Apocalyptica
       Trans-Siberian Orchestra

3. Reward yourself with something after you’ve reached a certain point. Working for a reward is always a motivator for me!