160405 - Hold the Bridge, Part 2 of 2 - Robinski - 4,182 words (L,S,V)

[spieles]

Ah! I just saw your reply.

 

Ugh, the internet. In person it's so much easier to convey these things. I go to a biweekly writing group (with a whole bunch of people who work in NYC publishing) and I feel like we're able to be much more honest with each other simply because in-person it's also so much easier to communicate non-judgment and helpfulness, etc. through facial expressions and tone. We really talk stuff out and if someone is having a negative reaction, we get to the bottom of it and how it should (or should not) affect the manuscript, etc. 

 

Anyway, writing is such an unconscious process that I would never assume that just because a scene might hit a bad note for me - that the writer had some nefarious agenda. (So, no, I would never presume you were a misogynist hack - we just met!) And writing prostitution is such a loaded issue! So many land mines! 

 

So please keep working on this - don't be discouraged. The fact that Magdi is such a motivation for him is really interesting. I think it really ups the ante in the stakes and gives the story emotional heft. I would be delighted to read again. :)

[Robinski he/him]

Thanks Spieles. I was down overnight, but spend so much time questionning myself anyway, that a bit more on top was copable with. I would not have been able to keep going the time I have if such challanges defeated me!

So, I am full of positivity about giving HtB a once-over, but it will be a couple of weeks or 3, I suspect. Due to other writing commitments, including trying to keep pace with you lot! Oh, and work.

[Robinski he/him]

I'd just like to thank everyone again for the excellent comments. I think I've 'harvested' the most important points (and the line edits), from those two weeks of quality critiquing and I'm about to embark on 'The Edit'.

Hopefully, if I can get to a satisfactory place in the next couple of weeks, I will seek to put the story up again - maybe on the Alpha thread - to see if anyone thinks I've managed to salvage something from it!