Thanks for the helpful video. Receiving critiques gets less painful as you go on. One thing I always try to remember when starting out with a new critique partner is that they might be terrible at it. What they say is not etched in stone. You don't have to take everything to heart. They may be wrong. As for being harsh, one thing I absolutely hate is people being "brutally honest" and then saying Well, you asked for it. Honesty doesn't have to be brutal or harsh. Sometimes you hear things that are painful in a good critique, but you don't need to listen to a harsh destroyer. They're not helping you. Just move on.
This is great advice. Thank you for this perspective. I will say that your advice means a LOT more work and time invested in critiquing. I can see that an ongoing two-way critique relationship can be a full-time job. Regarding harsh criticism, been there, done that. A fairly unfortunate experience with a Zoom writer's critique group out of San Diego. (It DID, though, prompt me to go back and totally change the beginning to my novel, which I think improved it drastically.
As a professional musician of over thirty years, I have been the recipient of a ton of critical evaluation and have had to dish out my own with students. Teaching anything at all is a great way to get your toes wet with critique, for if you cannot break it down long enough to explain something relatively simply, you shouldn't be making observations about it.
Loved your remarks about not being a jerk. If one can't do it kindly, back out. E.g. I just cannot read present tense, I find it horrible. So it would be quite wrong for me to even try to critique present tense. Very wise and helpful video!
Your video helped a lot, actually! I've always been afraid of the critique process and I know I did a terrible job the one time I attempted it because I had no idea what or how I was supposed to go about it.
I had a dentist drop the drill on my tongue once. I think that was a pretty close comparison to my first literary critique. I would also say that it's important for the author to be cognizant of the fact that their critique partner may not have the same vision that they do. My first "editor" (aka cousin who did well in English) had a very different idea of where she wanted my main character to go. I was writing about a robot, and she felt the robot shouldn't have feelings. I however, evoked very strong emotions from the robot and those that interacted with it. My original story was a much more powerful and moving piece that accomplished what I wanted. Due to my inexperience and insecurity though, I listed to her and toned down the emotions. This made my story boring and lackluster. I wanted the reader to experience an emotional roller coaster, not hit a few happy bumps or sad potholes along the road. I lessened my book by placing too much weight on others opinions.
In coaching we have the idea of contracting - a conversation about what is ok and not ok to say and in what manner. I'm considering signing up to an online critiquing group for my first short story and i think i would want to do this before getting my work critiqued. For example in my case it's alright to say vague things about how the piece affected you, but I'm likely to take advice about specific fixes with a grain of salt. I also work with software teams and several of the issues you mention also come up in code reviewing. It's often a revelation for people when i say they can respond to a code review comment with "thanks, noted" and take no action.
Yes I am. My genre is SF. I'm currently working on a novel, and have some short stories set in the same verse. I've also dabbled in vampires, both short stories and poetry. You?
Thanks for the helpful video. Receiving critiques gets less painful as you go on. One thing I always try to remember when starting out with a new critique partner is that they might be terrible at it. What they say is not etched in stone. You don't have to take everything to heart. They may be wrong. As for being harsh, one thing I absolutely hate is people being "brutally honest" and then saying Well, you asked for it. Honesty doesn't have to be brutal or harsh. Sometimes you hear things that are painful in a good critique, but you don't need to listen to a harsh destroyer. They're not helping you. Just move on.
Couldn’t agree more. It’s hard to find the right group, and once you do it takes effort to keep them together.
This video should be mandatory viewing for all people wanting to get into critiquing. Very well done.
Thanks!
This is great advice. Thank you for this perspective.
I will say that your advice means a LOT more work and time invested in critiquing. I can see that an ongoing two-way critique relationship can be a full-time job.
Regarding harsh criticism, been there, done that. A fairly unfortunate experience with a Zoom writer's critique group out of San Diego. (It DID, though, prompt me to go back and totally change the beginning to my novel, which I think improved it drastically.
That's why I don't do it. It's not actually necessary, you're just paying someone else. Just write it and send it off, or post it online. It's free.
As a professional musician of over thirty years, I have been the recipient of a ton of critical evaluation and have had to dish out my own with students. Teaching anything at all is a great way to get your toes wet with critique, for if you cannot break it down long enough to explain something relatively simply, you shouldn't be making observations about it.
Loved your remarks about not being a jerk. If one can't do it kindly, back out. E.g. I just cannot read present tense, I find it horrible. So it would be quite wrong for me to even try to critique present tense. Very wise and helpful video!
Thanks! One sign of a good critic is they recognize work that isn't a good fit for them and step away.
Your video helped a lot, actually! I've always been afraid of the critique process and I know I did a terrible job the one time I attempted it because I had no idea what or how I was supposed to go about it.
I had a dentist drop the drill on my tongue once. I think that was a pretty close comparison to my first literary critique. I would also say that it's important for the author to be cognizant of the fact that their critique partner may not have the same vision that they do. My first "editor" (aka cousin who did well in English) had a very different idea of where she wanted my main character to go. I was writing about a robot, and she felt the robot shouldn't have feelings. I however, evoked very strong emotions from the robot and those that interacted with it. My original story was a much more powerful and moving piece that accomplished what I wanted. Due to my inexperience and insecurity though, I listed to her and toned down the emotions. This made my story boring and lackluster.
I wanted the reader to experience an emotional roller coaster, not hit a few happy bumps or sad potholes along the road. I lessened my book by placing too much weight on others opinions.
In coaching we have the idea of contracting - a conversation about what is ok and not ok to say and in what manner. I'm considering signing up to an online critiquing group for my first short story and i think i would want to do this before getting my work critiqued. For example in my case it's alright to say vague things about how the piece affected you, but I'm likely to take advice about specific fixes with a grain of salt.
I also work with software teams and several of the issues you mention also come up in code reviewing. It's often a revelation for people when i say they can respond to a code review comment with "thanks, noted" and take no action.
I like your intros....
anyone looking for a critique partner in the spirit of this video? :)
What genre?
Hell yeah...
Working on a third draft.
Yes I am. My genre is SF. I'm currently working on a novel, and have some short stories set in the same verse. I've also dabbled in vampires, both short stories and poetry. You?
Upmarket domestic drama. What about you?
I am writing a high fantasy novel and would be open to sharing writing so we can critique eachother :)
I feel like booktok's reader/influencers claim to be "Readers" in critic's clothes.