Surviving The Shreader
And Other Dangers Down Under
Call it foolhardy or brave, but at GenreCon Writers’ Conference in Brisbane, QLD this weekend, I submitted the first five pages of my novel Claire O’Connor: The Chain-Link Murder to be read at The Shreader (no it’s not a typo, it’s a play on words by the organizers 😊) This was a main stage event, referred to as the “gladiator games” of the conference, where a handful of writers had their work read aloud, critiqued by a panel of authors and speakers, then voted on by the audience whether to “read” or “shred” it, using green and red paddles. The room was packed with well over one hundred attendees. There was a warning on the website that stated, “having your work publicly read, critiqued, and potentially shredded in front of an audience can be harrowing. By making your application, you agree to be part of this experience if your work is selected.”
Without knowing it, mine was first. An audiobook expert with a lovely accent read the opening paragraphs, then one of the professors on stage—let’s call her Doc X—interrupted because she was so offended by the content. My work opens with the discovery of a body impaled on a chain-link fence, which is the inciting incident. As you can imagine, the description of the young woman’s corpse is quite intense. Doc X proceeded to rant about the treatment of women’s bodies in literature, and how authors have a responsibility to create a safe space even for fictional characters. As she carried on, I couldn’t help but wonder: what if the perpetrator had been a werewolf or vampire, would that have been okay? What about the hit The Substance? I provided a “content warning” and asked a senior literary agent about it previously, who advised me to leave it in. After Doc X’s outburst, the rest of the reading revealed minor revisions, but she had turned the mob. As you may have guessed, it was shredded.
So, why would I set myself up for such a public thrashing? Especially as a novelist seeking to debut? Even worse, I had to leave The Shreader early to pitch the same novel to a publisher (CDN that operates in AUS too), when I could barely catch my breath. It felt like an ice bucket challenge; except I couldn’t inhale or stop shaking. I stumbled through the pitch, trying to remember all the things that I love about my book. They asked me for a full submission, but it felt more like pity than genuine interest. Now, as I sit at my desk a day later, I can see the benefits more clearly:
I was chosen out of all the authors who submitted, so my work stood out.
My work kicked off the event which is an honour, albeit a dubious one 🤔
Watching the audience react: no one was bored. That’s a huge win!👍
I learned some things about the manuscript that will make it better.
My audience, who loved it, found me afterwards.💗 (+ a key team member!)
Reflecting on the experience, there is another outcome that means more to me than the rest: I’ve realized that I have the resilience and dedication to keep going, regardless of any hurdles or setbacks. Earlier this year, when I was querying agents, I wasn’t sure. While my manuscript will go in the drawer for a while, it won’t be long before I pick up the pen and make some changes. Round two: ML vs the agents, coming up. Game face on. As for Doc X, she had a point, but whether or not I change the description is not going to be determined by a political agenda or group dynamics, but by what is best for the book. My characters and I will work that out in private.
Other dangers in Oz… I ran into one of these when I was hiking at Minyon Falls:
(stock shot of a carpet python—not venomous, but over six feet and definitely scary!)
In next month’s edition, upcoming changes to my platform, more on my writers’ retreat in Banff, AB, and other takeaways from GenreCon.
Warmly, Mary Lynn
The Wild Rose Writer 🌸