Learning from others' critiques

I had pulled back on querying Calling Home because I was having trouble writing a clear pitch. It is seven stories, not one, even though there is a common thread.

I volunteered at Killer Nashville mystery writers convention this weekend. I moderated three roundtable sessions, where people have the first two pages of their manuscripts read aloud (mostly by me) and critiqued by agents and editors. Which means I heard sixty critiques of other people's work in two days.

I learned a few things. One is that I should have more confidence in my writing. While I'm sure they would have found plenty that needs fixing in my writing, I'm probably closer to where I need to be than most of these people who were pitching.

The other is that I have an alternate issue to deal with. A common problem was that stories needed to start closer to where the action is. People took too long to set it up.

While I didn't get critiqued, I think I started too far in. I need a short first chapter that isn't there, and probably a short final one. The one main character whose story it really is doesn't have a voice. Giving him one will bring it into being one story, not seven, something I can write a concise pitch for.

At least, I hope so.