Taking Advice

Beloved readers, and tolerated passersby, allow me to introduce to you “✨ Waard’s Workshop✨ ”. An alliterative excuse to talk to you about things I am most certainly not yet qualified to teach. Today’s topic is on something that I’m not sure anyone is really “qualified” to teach, Advice!

Advice can be great. Struggling with your golf swing? Well a seasoned pro can help you fix your stance. Struggling to word an engaging post? Your partner can tell you that you’re probably using too much punctuation. In many fields, absorbing advice can be really straight forward. In the creative world however, advice will frequently contradict other advice given. Now this contradictory natures makes sense because most things in life are subjective, and therefore there can be multiple right and wrong answers. Especially if we’re discussing creative critique. I can recall many times where I’ve submitted my work for feedback, and I’d get two people giving me opposing opinions. Person 1 would say, the pacing is a little too slow, ramp it up! While Person 2 then says, in this part you should slow it down. Super confusing right?! Now what can we do about this predicament? Well there are 3 filters we need to pass the criticism through before accepting and implementing it.

Filter #1: What Kind of Critic are they?

In the words of George R.R. Martin, there are generally 2 types of creatives: Architects and Gardeners. An Architect is someone who uses a pre-established structure to make creative decisions. A Gardener is someone who plants a seed and then follows and nurtures it as it grows. So say, I’m more of an architect (which is true), and I’m giving advice to someone who is a gardener. That advice is gonna be really counter-intuitive because we’re operating from two different foundations. In order for an architect to give advice to a gardener, you have to attune your advice to suit the ears of the person who is listening. However, if you’re the one who listening, you have to try and tell if the person speaking is attuning their advice for the type of person you are.

Filter #2: Is this Criticism Macro or Micro?

Keep in mind that both Macro and Micro (M&Ms) are both incredibly valuable.

Macro Examples

• I like the overarching themes you are using, but is the 3-Act structure really the best structure for the kind of narrative you want to tell?
• I think this tone doesn’t fit the arc you’ve established.
• The vibe is “hella” off fam.

Micro Examples

• The wording you chose here isn’t bad but I think it can be tweaked to fit better.
• This section of the melody isn’t complex enough to distinguish it from the background ambience.
• Your character’s hair looks funny.

All are valid and useful, some require some deciphering and inspection, but still good.

Filter #3: What Audience is the Critic apart of?

You probably wouldn’t asked your grandmother if the metal music you’re producing is good (unless she is awesome). You also probably wouldn’t ask your 3 year old if “The Revenant” deserved to win an Oscar or not. Keeping your target audience in mind is universally important, and the critiques you accept should come either directly from that audience, or someone who understands your target audience. For example. right now I’m writing a sci-fi horror novel and I know a lot of people who do not actively consume that genre. That means when I ask one of those people for advice, I have to keep their interests in mind.

That about wraps up today’s section of Waard’s Workshop. Feel free to comment or reply with any creative topics you’d like me to cover, or give insight on. Please keep in mind that your time is not refundable, and all time spent reading/writing is final :)

> TL;DR — How do you take advice? Filter it as demonstrated above.

Stay Classy, San Diego.

-Isaiah Waard