Ms M,
While I'm open to suggestions and constructive criticisms, I still go with my gut. Its never wrong. At least for me it isn't.

Creative writing to me, comes from a place inside you that others aren't privy to; a special place. I say be careful and give it great thought before you change directions. If you give a piece you've written to 50 people to critique, you will get 50 different voices in return. If you give it to 3 people, same thing.

While constructive remarks are worth their weight in gold, there are some people who want to be a part of the critique (or you, or your writing) and so they take your piece and write it with the voice inside them, or the way THEY feel or see it.

Clear as mud? Example, I've given some of my work to people before and simply said, "is this funny?" This is a yes or no question. They've come back with a re-write of the entire article. All I wanted to know was "is this funny?" NOT how would you write this?

So in summary of this thesis I've written here, I think you have to take what's valuable to you and your work, then discard the rest. Trust your instincts.

JJ