For the past almost-eighteen years now, I have worked with a writing critique partner on every book. That crit partner has become one of my dearest friends and is none other than IBLF’s own Tamera Alexander. Tammy and I met in October 2002 at the very first ACFW Conference in Kansas City. She wasn’t yet published at the time but offered to critique a novella I was struggling with. (It’s no coincidence that novella, Playing by Heart, went on to final for a Christy Award…one of three finals for me, but Tammy has gone on to win four Christys, including this year!)
You might notice that I’m writing on Tammy’s usual day to post. That’s because she is on the tail end of a super tight deadline and I just happened to turn in a manuscript Monday morning, so I was freer than she was and we traded days. There was a time when we worried about our deadlines colliding, but we’ve both discovered that when we are on deadline, it’s actually inspiring to take a break and critique each other. It’s only happened a few times, but these recent books we each finished were probably the closest our deadlines have been to each other.
I can’t express how helpful I find it to have Tammy’s eyes on my work before I send it off to my editor. Not only does she have an eagle eye for basic typos and grammar issues, but she is the queen of great plotting and substantive editing.
The way our process works is that we each try to get our book about three-fourths finished before we send it off to the other for critique. That way, we’re pretty much on the same schedule and the critiquer can keep up with the critiquee to the bitter end. We use Track Changes just as our professional editors, and we do try to comment on the things we like, even if it’s just a smiley face or a “Love it!” And there’s a mutual professional respect for each other that permeates our comments. But most of the time, we don’t have time for a ton of niceties, and we’re pretty tough on each other because we’d rather have the “wounds of a friend” than hear the same criticism from our professional editors!
The weeks when we are critiquing almost daily for each other are full of laughter and joking and deep appreciation for the gift of our friendship. Tammy always opens her critiques with a written prayer for my book, and that her words would encourage rather than discourage. God has blessed those prayers immensely. I can’t count the number of times Tammy has stayed up with me on the other end of the Internet till three a.m. critiquing scene by scene until my manuscript is finally winging its way to my editor. I admit I haven’t done the same for her because I turn into a pumpkin around nine p.m. But I have gotten up early to read for her. Oh, how we cheer for each other when we finally write “the end.”
Tammy’s favorite line for me is “Don’t make me come over there…” which she types beside any place I broke a writing rule that I know better than. I always tell her I would LOVE for her to “come over here” but so far she hasn’t made good on her threat nearly often enough. (I am delighted that we live less than four hours apart now, and already we’ve been able to get together along with our hubbies because of that shorter distance.)
My most-used line for Tammy is probably “Are you sure this word was in use in 1848?” It has been to our advantage that Tammy writes historical while I write contemporary. I also love that our life experiences have given us such different perspectives. I’m a farmer’s daughter. Tammy grew up in the big city. I’m a Midwesterner, Tammy’s a Southern gal. (We mean different things when we say, “Bless her heart.” 😉 ) We’ve coined another saying for our critiques, too, that we write with the acronym ToT. It means “Take or toss. This is how I would have written it, but it’s your book.” Yet, more often than not, our thank-yous to each other for a batch of edits will say “I took every stinkin’ thing.” We really have come to trust each other as writers and as editors of each other.
It is wonderful when a professional friend becomes a real-time friend, and that’s what has happened with Tammy and me. In our seventeen-plus years as friends, we’ve gone through the deaths of three of our parents together, we’ve cheered each other on and commiserated through the ups and downs of our careers, we’ve encouraged each other in our marriages, and we have enough blackmail-worthy material on each other to keep us both safe for posterity. 🙂
Tammy, it’s a privilege to call you friend, and I truly hope I never have to write a book without you! (I also truly hope you don’t forget to blog for me next Monday. 😉 )
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Such a fun post! So glad y’all have each other. Love you both! <3
Thank you for your encouragement to both of us through the years, Linda!
Gosh I’m tearing up just reading about your special relationship. I love hearing about the critique method you have. You are both are wonderful writers and inspire me. ❤️
Thanks, Daphne. I teared up a little writing it! And Tammy said she did reading it. Happy tears, of course. (Or maybe “snarky” ones on Tammy’s part. 😉 )
Thanks for sharing your very special relationship. It is an inspiration.
Thank you, Betty. It’s always a pleasure to see your name pop up in the comments here. We so appreciate your encouragement.
Deb, thank you for sharing your treasured friendship with Tammy! I’m so grateful to the Lord for those He has knitted my heart with. They are truly priceless gems.
Wasn’t friendship the BEST idea of God’s?! Thanks so much for your comment.
What a blessing to have such a close friend and writing partner. God brought the two of you together for a reason, and all of us who read your books are the beneficiaries!
I have two critique partners that I have been with since I first joined ACFW back in 2005. We’ve all since been published and we have developed a friendship and mutual respect that warms the professional side of critiquing. I wished we lived closer. We rarely get to see each other in person. I’m in Texas, Beth is in Wisconsin, and Gloria is in Pennsylvania. I did get to see Beth last year at ACFW, and that was wonderful!
May you and Tammy continue blessing each other and blessing your readers for years to come, Deb!
Bless your heart, Karen! (And I truly mean that. You bless mine!) So wonderful that you’ve been blessed with great crit partners. And especially wonderful that we live in this digital age when friendships from afar can truly flourish!
Deb, you truly are the sweetest! First, for taking my slot today so I could keep writing, but also for so kindly and GENEROUSLY describing our critting relationship. I still remember you sending me that novella, and me feeling as though I were standing in front of a Picasso with my on-sale Hobby Lobby paint brush.
You have taught me so much. Not only about writing, for which I’m so grateful. But also about life, marriage (said with the inflection from the Princess Bride, which if you haven’t seen that movie, friends, then just read on), parenting, and faith. And garage sale-ing! And peanut butter twists! And loving and enjoying this ever-fleeting life all to the glory and honor of God. Thank you, dear friend.
As for all those hair styles (and colors), oy! But it’s fun to see how we’ve changed, how we’ve aged. While I’d love to remove some of the wrinkles and the graying, those marks of time only mean we’re that much closer Home! And closer to getting those heavenly bodies God has waiting for us! #breadinheavenhasnocarbs #ketointhislifeonly
As for any final or win or affirmation I’ve received in this writing journey, you know full well that your name (and shared talent) is all over that. After all, you know what my first drafts are like, and the check is in the mail for keeping those private! 😉
Leave it to you to write a comment that’s as good as a blog post in itself! Love you and appreciate you SO much, friend. And I’ll give that check until midnight Thursday to arrive. If it’s not here by the, all your secrets are toast! 😉
LOL. I’m on it! Then again…turnabout’s fair play, so….
The two of you are a power couple! I truly think that books shine when writers lend each other their talent for brainstorming, critiquing, editing, and more. Trusted writer friends are a gift of the Lord!
Amen, Becky! I do love that about the Christian publishing industry! Since we are all writing for the glory of the same One, the competition isn’t so fierce (but okay…we ARE still human, and I’m a tiny bit jealous of all Tammy’s awards. 😉 ) Seriously though, what a blessing that God has placed wonderful writer friends in our lives to encourage and inspire us! (And thank you for being one of those to me!)
LOL on the power couple, Becky! We’ve been called many things, but never that. ; ) And amen to “a gift of the Lord!”
Love it! Such great photos from over the years. And the whole “Bless her heart!” LOL. Thanks for sharing how two writers can complement and push forward each other. xo
Angie, may I first commend you for spelling “complement” correctly! LOL! And yes, LOL on “bless her heart.” Now, when Tammy says “bless YOUR heart” I think she means it in the nice Midwestern way. I THINK… 😉
I love y’all friendship and partnership on books over the years. I so appreciate both of you! I, too, have long time critique partners (also since 2002!) who have become close friends as well as being my first go-to readers on any book! Such a gift!
It really is a GIFT! How cool that you’ve had your crit partners (critters, as Tammy and I call them) since 2002 as well!
Loved this post. How encouraging to hear that you 2 (some of my favorite authors) need encouragement/critiques in your work, which result in such beautiful, flowing, flawless stories!
Blessings to you both. Please continue to bring us encouragement through more of your stories! ❤️
One thing that Tammy and I agreed to do (so that we’d never lose respect for each other) is occasionally read the final PRINTED version of each other’s books! We see each other’s writing at its worst first-draft stage and we never want to forget how each other’s work eventually DOES shine once our editors and proofreaders have polished it! 🙂
Two of my favorite people on the planet! Isn’t it wonderful how writing brings people together for life. My writer friends have seen me through so much! Great pictures and good memories.
I’ll never forget you coming up to me after I did a devotion at that first ACFW (or maybe it was the second year?) I’m so glad you’ve been along on this journey the whole time I have! You’re one of my favorites too! 🙂
Deb–This was so fun to read. I’ve always known you were critique buddies but didn’t know “exactly” how you did that. I loved reading the behind-the-scenes version.
You haven’t spent quite as much time with me as with Tammy so maybe you don’t know it, but I also have the “gift of snark.” You sure know how to pick your friends! Ha.
LOL! I LOVE people with the gift of snark! It’s people with the gift of self-serving sarcasm I’m not so fond of. You and Tammy make me laugh in the best way. And yep, I did know that about you…and love you anyway! I DO know how to pick friends! 😉
You both are still lovely!
What fun to see into your sweet friendship. Thank you for sharing this post.
It was my pleasure and privilege. Thanks, Jen.
Thanks for sharing this post. I have read before you were critique partners. I love reading books written by both of you. You two have a special friendship.
Thanks, Emogene. We feel very blessed in the friendship the Lord has given us.
What a wonderful tribute to the relationship you both have. I pray I will find a critique partner I can trust and depend on as much as you two have come to do. Thanks for the great post!
It really is gold, Rebecca. I’m praying you find someone like Tammy, too. (Just keep in mind, it took a while to train her. She was more trouble than she was worth at first. 😉 JUST KIDDING!Her snark has worn off on me! But truly, I don’t know how she got so wise before she’d even written her own first book! I do know she STUDIED other writers deeply.)
What a wonderful relationship. I love that you both started off unpublished and now so many books and awards!
Thanks, Karen. We really do feel blessed to have gotten to be part of each other’s careers.
Hey friends! I’m still on deadline and writing like crazy to finally, FINALLY reach The End on Colors of Truth, Carnton 2, but wanted to jump in and say THANK YOU again to Deb for her kind words, and to all of you for yours, too.
I love our community here and am so grateful we’re on this journey together. And just think… Because of Christ, this is just the START!!! I’m pretty sure I just heard Linda Attaway moan… Yep, that’s right, Linda! You’re stuck with me and Deb for all eternity!!! Let the party “there” begin HERE as we do life together in the power of and glory to His Name!
LOL! Poor Linda! But just remember, Linda, it’ll be the REDEEMED versions of me and Tammy and you’ll have all the patience in the world in eternity, so I think we’re good! 😉
I love these pictures ❤️
Thanks, Jessica. Aren’t they fun?!
This post was pure delight to read, Deb–loved it! For years I’ve felt like I’ve known Tamera through you, and I hope to meet her in person someday. Thanks to both of you for your hearts for God and the beautiful gifts you’ve given so many with your writings. Merry Christmas to both of you!
P.S. I think you’re both as beautiful as ever, if not more so. You both shine Jesus.
Aww, Judy, thank you so much! Can’t wait to see you at Mount Hermon next spring!