House of the Interpreter

Every Pilgrim comes to a place in the writing journey when he or she needs advice.

Early in Christian's journey he stopped at the House of the Interpreter. This wise, experienced man invited Christian into his house with the promise he would show him "excellent things." The Interpreter "took him by the hand and led him" through rooms of instruction giving him "profitable" advice and caution.

I'm preparing to enter my first writing contest. I've labored over my manuscripts to such great lengths, I quote them in my sleep. I slaved over the opening, created conflict, killed stray adjectives and adverbs, tightened prose, established POV. But then I came to a dead end; I'd done all I could. I needed more help, but where?

This week God brought me to the House of an Interpreter. Tiffany Colter of Writing Career Coach is offering a Writing Contest Special on her blog http://www.writingcareercoach.com/. Since I've never paid anyone to critique my work, I entered this House with mixed feelings—fear and anticipation.

Tiffany took my hand and led me through my entry word by word, paragraph by paragraph. Like the Interpreter she gave me an enormous amount of profitable advice and caution. And now like Christian I must continue on my journey, using the wisdom to guide me.

"So Christian went on his way saying: Here I have seen things rare and profitable; things pleasant, dreadful, things to make me stable in what I have begun to take in hand; then let me think on them and understand."

Have you used a critique service? If so, which one? What was your experience? I'd love to hear.