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Abstract

ere fairly simple to incorporate. And she loved the story. We parted ways amicably because in my opinion, once she became a grandparent, she had one foot out of the game. Or, wasn’t nearly as hungry as me.</p><p id="3bc1">My friend, after receiving my two-sentence reply, sensed my frustration, I’m sure, as he wrote back that “it’s just a little moving around here, and taking shit out, there,” type of thing.</p><p id="0762">Naturally, wanting my work to be the best it can be, I will go through the script and try to pinpoint the scenes that need “tweaking.” Because perhaps he’s correct in his critique.</p><p id="4644"><i>But, what if he isn’t? What if he just can’t envision it the way I do?</i></p><p id="1d46">So, friends, that’s what provoked this story. After nearly a lifetime of volleying differing opinions on my blood, sweat, and tears, it occurred to me that we writers are constantly second-guessing ourselves because we’re hesitant to trust our guts. But, just maybe, that’s the only thing we <i>can</i> trust.</p><p id="cd3d">Jack loves your novel. Jill thinks it’s shit. Who’s on target? Does it matter?</p><p id="1f58">For me, and for the most part, I’ve taken the instinctual route. I <i>have</i> trusted my gut but maybe I’ve been wrong. Of course, lately, I second-guess everything I do. I’ve shared this with you, my somewhat puzzling and emotionally wearying inability to make decisions. For you who are afflicted with this particular personality quirk, you understand how frustrating it is.</p><p id="3cca">How do you handle this conundrum, guys? If you receive varying assessments on your stories and articles, do you take them with a grain of salt, or do you hunker down and blindly make changes?</p><p id="33d9"><i>Just, who and what do you trust?</i></p><p id="37db">There’s a sweet spot somewhere, a happy middle ground. When we find it, let’s make sure to share.</p><p id="cb8b">Meanwhile, I will go back over my screenplay with fresh eyes and hopefully, a renewed passion.</p><p id="b4ee">As always, thank you for reading.</p><p id="b9c0"><i>© Sherry McGuinn, 2022. All Rights Reserved.</i></p><p id="eb4c">If you can handle it, read every one of my stories and those of other fab Medium writers. I’ll get a couple of shekels and you’ll have full access to this joint! <a href="https://sherrymcguinn.medium.com/membership">https://sherrymcguinn.medium.com/membership</a> Or, fuck it.</p><p id="c3b5">And if this story gave you goosies, please check out the ones I’ve conveniently linked to and my newsletter, <a href="https://sherryraw.substack.com/">Sherry Raw.</a></p><figure id="b185"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*yRjIsSVbaaJxD3AS.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p id="f88a"><i>Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. She is currently pitching her newest screenplay, “The Month We Fell Apart,” a drama with dark, comedic overtones and in

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spired by a true story, as well as “DEAD TIRED,” a female-driven, ass-kicking thriller.</i></p><div id="6490" class="link-block"> <a href="https://sherrymcguinn.medium.com/write-your-heart-out-24c9e1e9a5b7"> <div> <div> <h2>Write Your Heart Out</h2> <div><h3>If there’s a “secret,” that’s it.</h3></div> <div><p>sherrymcguinn.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*tC5DxD-bplbFkHhAb_ijog.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="6905" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/so-you-wanna-be-a-screenwriter-17b7f5a1e9c3"> <div> <div> <h2>So You Wanna Be A Screenwriter?</h2> <div><h3>Part 1: Gird your loins. It’s a tough ride.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*qnB44URiS9Q05lVcbn2iFw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="9774" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/so-you-wanna-be-a-screenwriter-6c02f3cc6692"> <div> <div> <h2>So You Wanna Be A Screenwriter?</h2> <div><h3>Part 2: Time to start pitching.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*pU1lkvaAFFUP0FW_Rg93Eg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="0d7a" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/reel-sex-7d5bbcc07794"> <div> <div> <h2>Reel Sex</h2> <div><h3>The “ins and outs” of writing a sex scene.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*YiPKubGoBqsJzEnQG4HcQQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="480a" class="link-block"> <a href="https://sherrymcguinn.medium.com/the-fire-in-my-belly-66bc067da247"> <div> <div> <h2>The Fire in My Belly</h2> <div><h3>What sparks creativity, for me.</h3></div> <div><p>sherrymcguinn.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*5fylCNF5ELv16OZZFSnsIQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

THE VULNERABLE WRITER

So Many Critiques, So Little Closure

How do we know who, and what, to believe?

The other day, as I was scanning notes from a friend to whom I’d given one of my screenplays to read, it hit me that as a lifelong writer, I’ve been critiqued and reviewed for what feels like forever.

This includes my long career as an advertising and marketing writer and my more “personal” work, like what I share here and the many screenplays I’ve written.

I’ve been praised and rejected, repped and not repped, told that I have one of the most vital “emerging” voices, ever, and still, here I am, with zippity doo dah.

No doubt you’ve had work that’s been positively received by some readers and gleefully shat on, by others.

By reader, I’m not referencing the average Joe on the street, but individuals who know and understand what it takes to craft work that engages, entertains, and inspires. And makes us writers feel that what we do is worth the inner turmoil of “should we share this?”

“Is it too personal? Will I be shunned by my family and/or friends?”

Writing is a risky business. Oh, not the ever-increasing load of crap that you see floating around here. And that clogs up our feeds because apparently, the algorithm prefers turds as opposed to gems. But, that’s how it is, in a society populated by individuals who can’t think for themselves. So, mediocrity reigns. Because “mediocre” is easy.

“Mediocre” takes no thought, passion, or heart. Nor does it help forge true connections with our fellow human beings. It just is, and it’s everywhere.

My friend, a former writer here who I’ve become close with, brought up some things about my screenplay that both unnerved and perplexed me. He said I was “ninety percent there.”

In my mind, I’m one hundred percent there as I had a manager who was in love with the script, as well as a director, but alas, no producer, as yet.

I appreciate the work that he put in to provide me with notes as I wasn’t expecting that. On the contrary, I was hoping for a rave review. No. Let’s be honest. I was anticipating a rave review. So, as adept as I am at taking criticism and rolling with it, in this particular instance, I was thrown.

Because this screenplay is inspired by a true story, my own, perhaps I’m not being as objective as I otherwise would be, if I was merely making shit up.

Now, the person who is eager to direct this is someone with heft. He knows his stuff and I trust him implicitly. Too, my former manager provided me with notes that were fairly simple to incorporate. And she loved the story. We parted ways amicably because in my opinion, once she became a grandparent, she had one foot out of the game. Or, wasn’t nearly as hungry as me.

My friend, after receiving my two-sentence reply, sensed my frustration, I’m sure, as he wrote back that “it’s just a little moving around here, and taking shit out, there,” type of thing.

Naturally, wanting my work to be the best it can be, I will go through the script and try to pinpoint the scenes that need “tweaking.” Because perhaps he’s correct in his critique.

But, what if he isn’t? What if he just can’t envision it the way I do?

So, friends, that’s what provoked this story. After nearly a lifetime of volleying differing opinions on my blood, sweat, and tears, it occurred to me that we writers are constantly second-guessing ourselves because we’re hesitant to trust our guts. But, just maybe, that’s the only thing we can trust.

Jack loves your novel. Jill thinks it’s shit. Who’s on target? Does it matter?

For me, and for the most part, I’ve taken the instinctual route. I have trusted my gut but maybe I’ve been wrong. Of course, lately, I second-guess everything I do. I’ve shared this with you, my somewhat puzzling and emotionally wearying inability to make decisions. For you who are afflicted with this particular personality quirk, you understand how frustrating it is.

How do you handle this conundrum, guys? If you receive varying assessments on your stories and articles, do you take them with a grain of salt, or do you hunker down and blindly make changes?

Just, who and what do you trust?

There’s a sweet spot somewhere, a happy middle ground. When we find it, let’s make sure to share.

Meanwhile, I will go back over my screenplay with fresh eyes and hopefully, a renewed passion.

As always, thank you for reading.

If you can handle it, read every one of my stories and those of other fab Medium writers. I’ll get a couple of shekels and you’ll have full access to this joint! https://sherrymcguinn.medium.com/membership Or, fuck it.

And if this story gave you goosies, please check out the ones I’ve conveniently linked to and my newsletter, Sherry Raw.

Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. She is currently pitching her newest screenplay, “The Month We Fell Apart,” a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story, as well as “DEAD TIRED,” a female-driven, ass-kicking thriller.