Tonight in Baltimore we're eagerly glancing out the window and wondering how much snow will be on the ground by morning. Forecasts are calling for a legitimate blizzard, so all signs point to a weekend spent solidly indoors and away from the roads and sidewalks.
Today I was lucky enough to get the first 60 pages of my manuscript back with comments from a friend -- the best way to prepare for some dedicated time inside. While this kind of peer review can be scary, it is in many ways what I've been trained to do. Critique -- including critique of work in progress -- is part of being an artist, part of having a fine arts degree.
Skimming over my pages was without a doubt the most inspiring part of my day because the comments in the margins were exactly what I was looking for: the kind of feedback you can only get from someone who is comfortable enough to be 100% honest with you and also willing to think critically about what they're reading. Creative people don't share works in progress with each other to hear things like "oh, it's really good, you're a really great writer/painter/photographer." They do it to hear things like "I don't think this character would have done this" or "your proportions are off -- see how that shoulder doesn't look like it fits with the rest of the body?"
I feel privileged to share my life with people who will provide me the kind of feedback I also love to give: feedback that you have to be ready to take constructively, feedback that makes you realize you're still a long way from the finish line but you have something excellent to work with. Sure, there's plenty that can be hard to hear, especially when you've already invested a lot of time and energy in a project. But it's exciting and difficult and ultimately what helps you become better at what you do. I guess it goes back to that old cliche I hate so much: "you can't create art in a vacuum."
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