I aim to give you solid advice on your problems. I don't sugarcoat things and I'm always straight up. Don't come asking for what you want to hear as I always give the truth even if you don't want it because it's what you need and the only way to grow.
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Over the past few months, I have been friends with this guy who wound up being emotionally abusive to me. I finally managed to escape from it 3 weeks ago when we got into a fight about my Christian beliefs (being called self-centered, delusional, and an idiot in the process...), and haven't talked to him since.
He was in the middle of reviewing my novel at the time, critiquing 8 of the 10 chapters. Yesterday, he e-mailed me his critique of the last 2.
I want my novel to be the best it can be, but I'm not sure if I should read it or not. I know it's going to hurt to read, but it'll also help the story. (link)
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First of all never put aside your beliefs for anyone. They are who you are at the core. Anyone who would challenge them or tell you how to practice them is NOT worth it. If they ignite a fight over them than no matter who they are that's dead wrong. You're a strong Christian and that's is that.
I hate to use the term "dick" but that's what this guy is. Yes, that is crude but I'm trying to emphasize you are better than this mega loser. Big mistake if you try to get back together. Don't because he will make you miserable and compromise who you are.
As far as being self-centered goes I cannot think of a more self-centered thing to do than fight your partner over their religious beliefs and trying to make them change. However, he could have the right to be pissed off only if you tried to make him adopt Christian beliefs and he wasn't interested. It's different if you did that.
You don't sound like an idiot to me at least. As far as delusional goes again that involves a mental health issue. You have to have grandiose thinking, no idea what reality is at any given time, sense of omnipotence and something far out you believe as well as see for starters. If that isn't you than it's just another word he is tossing around meant to get at you. Nice guy.
As far as your book goes the one thing I can tell you being a writer is to write this book for yourself and what you would want to read first and foremost. Even if it never gets published you will learn how to write like a professional in the end and pick up all sorts of things. It will help you fully express yourself.
Next, don't give it to some boyfriend who doesn't know beans about writing and especially don't value what he has to say after a fight. Instead, find someone you don't know such as a teacher or prof to read it or someone in journalism or editing if you know such a person. They know what a good book is and isn't and where you need to focus.
The best book you could ever get that will make you a dynamite writer if you follow it through and do all the assignments is Lucille Vaughan Payne "The Lively Art of Writing" Amazon should have it it. That book is like the Bible and will teach you a lot about structure.
If your novel is publishable you need to get a literary agent to read it first of all and shop it around secondly if they think it's a book that will sell.
I echo the self-publishing advice given below. It's a tempting thing but don't. You do wind up with books you will have a hard time to sell if ever and have to give tons of money upfront to have them print it for you. It's a bit of a scam.
The other thing is people who self-publish usually get written off as that they cannot write well and that anybody can do this kind of thing if they have the $.
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Rating: 5
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Thanks. And I'm actually writing this primarily for myself, so I'm going for createspace publishing as a solution. If there's a catch with them, some company that lets me produce like 1 book for myself to keep.
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