This week I thought I’d talk about pets. We own a cat, a calico named Harley, and a German Shepherd named Annie. If any of you have ever owned a Shepherd you’ll know they are fiercely loyal, loving, and mild tempered animals. They also SHED. I’m talking, we could make a quilt, kind of shedding.
Much as this drives me crazy, I hate to think how much we ingest, yuck, I still love her very much. She’s family.
Harley joined our family a year ago, and it wasn’t long before the two became inseparable. We took them on walks to the amusement of our neighbors. A seventy-five pound dog and a little kitten, most often the kitten leading us all, 🙂
In my WIP I’ve added a German Shepherd, and like our lives, he’ll be an integral part of my characters lives as well. Jake, the Shepherd in my book, has recently returned from Afghanistan where he worked as a service dog searching villages for IED’s. When one explodes too close for comfort, Jake and his handler, Nick, are injured and return home to a hero’s welcome. Needing space from all the hoopla, they use the excuse of therapy to escape to the small mountain town of, Tidal Falls, Washington, where they hope to be left in peace.
Sara Sheridan is also looking for peace. She’s on the run from an abusive marriage and just wants anonymity. Her and her daughter cross the country searching for the perfect place to disappear, until they come across Tidal Falls. The town welcomes them, and after a while they happily settle into small town life.
Then Sara’s landlady, a matchmaker and a true romantic, hires one of her new tenants, Nick, to do some repairs on Sara’s house, and the sparks begin to fly.
Can these two work through their emotional issues and find a life together? Or will Sara’s ex-husband catch up to her and destroy everything she’s built?
I’ve had a hard couple of days. The chapter I sent in for critiquing came back with a lot of harsh comments I couldn’t help but take personally. I know you need to pick yourself up, dust off your pants, and keep writing, but sometimes I second guess myself. Maybe I’m not good enough to write a book. Maybe I don’t have the talent to get my thoughts across properly. Maybe I should give up.
Added to this, my DH took Annie, our Shepherd, with him when he left for work this time. She has an issue with other dogs. She doesn’t play well, or at all, actually.
The park we’re staying in has strict rules about dogs, behave or get out. So, he decided to take her with him and set her loose with some other dogs her size, in the hope she would learn to play. If not, he’ll find her another home.
A bad week, as I said.
After a nice breakfast with my biggest fan this morning, my mother, I’ve decided to tackle the book, again. I’ll try to take the best of those critics advice, and discard the rest. I won’t let a few harsh words defeat me.
While I’m working on that, my baby dog is going to be doing the same. Learning to adjust, take the good, get rid of the bad.
We’ll both succeed, we aren’t quitters. 🙂
Have any of you received harsh critiques or reviews? What did you do to overcome them? Any advice on teaching a dog manners? I’d appreciate feedback on both topics. Hopefully next week turns out better.
Jacquie Biggar-USA Today Best-selling author 
Hi Jacquie
Harsh week. I wish I had magic answers. The way I survive critique rash is I take out of their comments what makes sense to me and ignore the rest. Not everyone’s going to like my stories or my writing. That’s what I say to myself. But I’m super sensitive so I’ve learned to be careful who I share my work with. So don’t give up. I figure the successful writers are those who keep going rain or shine. Believe in yourself and your story. Hope that helps.
And about your beautiful dog…my heart bleeds for you. Hope the story ends well.
Best
Jo – Ann
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Thanks for your kind words Jo-Ann. For the most part the RWA society have been nothing but supportive. I just need to develop a thicker skin, I think. For myself, when giving either critiques or reviews, I know that whomever it is has put their hearts into their work and I treat it as such. Constructive criticism is much easier to take than destructive words any day.
My DH texted this morning and said Annie, our Shepherd is settling in okay, lunged at the other dogs a couple of times but then calmed. We’re hoping a couple weeks of enforced proximity will solve the issue. Only time will tell. Thanks for stopping by, really appreciate it, 🙂
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A challenging week indeed, Jacquie, but as you say: you can’t let life defeat you. And as my mom always says: as long as you tried your hardest, that’s all that matters.
After writing the above I guess my advice would be: we need to search out those who help to lift us up when we are down – mothers and friends, including the furry friends who shed a bit too much as times 🙂
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Lol, thanks Jacqui, I appreciate the advice from both you and your mom 🙂
It helps having great friends like the VIC-RWA group. Everyone is very supportive and kind, it means a lot.
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Hey Jacqui, ((hugs)) on you puppy issues. Hope all turns out well.
I’d add two pieces to think about regarding critiques, in addition to the excellent suggestions above by Jo-Ann and the other Jacqui:
1) I’ve been in different critique groups for years and what I’ve learned is that some people are great at conveying their thoughts, others not so much and still some who can get their point across clearly but perhaps not in the kindest way. The trick is to learn how to pick up the golden kernel but leave the packaging behind.
2) And I say this next bit, too, from my long experience trying to improve my writing. Sometimes we’re not ready to hear what we need to hear. And that’s okay. When you are ready to hear a particular insight, trust that bit of wisdom will be repeated. This comes from one of the ten rules for being human. I think it’s rule # 2. Lessons will be repeated until learned. 🙂
I just looked that up…it’s rule #4. 🙂
http://www.drcherie.com/ten-rules-being-human
Hope this helps.
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Hi Shereen,
You’re right, and I’m as guilty of that as the next person. I was always taught “If you can say something nice, keep you’re mouth shut!” 🙂 Not quite, but you get the idea.
Part of it was probably that I was proud of the revisions I’d made and thought the story flowed better. Now, I’m not so sure. Again.
Love your list of rules, I’m going to check that out.
Thanks for your kind words,
Jacquie
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