Several harsh critiques make a writer
Have you ever seen a writer be demolished by another writer? Unfortunately I have on more than one occasion. One incident comes to mind. Several years ago I attended a writing workshop. The participants had a range of ability from complete newbies to those who had been published and were on to their second novel. After a day of writing exercises and discussion, we were all encouraged to go home and write something that would be critiqued by the group the next day. ‘Oh dear,’ I thought, ‘there will be blood.’ Without having given the participants even a basic introduction to critiquing, it was asking for trouble.
Critiquing is a skill. It requires you to put away your ego and connect to the writing in front of you. There are many types of writing and many types of readers. When critiquing you need to put your own personal taste to one side and take a broader view.
Try always to be helpful. It sounds obvious, but some people need reminding. Avoid sweeping statements – these are of no value to the writer. ‘I stopped reading because I was confused’ is not helpful. More helpful would be to point out where or how the confusion arose. Be as specific as you can. You may have an idea for a remedy – but keep this light. It is not your story! The writer may have his/her own solution. With luck your observation will bring an ‘Aha’ moment for the writer who will be inspired to make one more draft.
Sometimes when people critique they think they have to focus on the negatives. Not so. A writer needs to hear when they are getting it right as well as when they are getting it ‘wrong’. So tell them if you fell in love with a character and tell them what you loved about that character. Tell them if a scene was really vivid or if you found yourself moved to tears. Tell them if you loved their use of language. A good critique will be balanced with both positive and negative comments.
Believable characters, evocative settings, use of the senses – these are always the sign of good writing. Telling instead of showing, clichés and misuse of words are generally things that can be improved on – unless, of course, these devices are being deliberately used for effect. And this takes us to that grey area, where a writer is experimenting and trying something out. Don’t rain on their parade!! The rules are there to be broken. I was once told never to write in dialect – but look at Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh. Another ‘rule’ is to avoid the second person (‘you’) – but Ali Smith uses it often in her short stories to great effect. Try this one, The Second Person, where she explores the form.
I would suggest when critiquing a short story, that it should be read three times. The first time is for pleasure (hopefully) and to get a sense of the overall story. The second reading is slower and more focused. On the third reading you might mark (in pencil!) areas of confusion, things that really worked for you and things that didn’t. Remember to be constructive. I can guarantee that whatever you are reading, the writer will have put time and effort into it. We have all been beginners and as writers we are all still learning. Always honour that connection and critique with kindness.
Going back to that writing workshop. I remember seeing a fresh young writer being crushed by an old bore who ridiculed her grammar. (Notably that old bore had been writing for years and had a stack of stories that were no doubt grammatically perfect, yet remained unpublished.) The young writer’s piece was imaginative and fresh. There were some errors in syntax and logic but that type of mistake can easily be fixed. I voiced my opinion in the group, but I had a feeling that the damage had already been done. I remember watching the woman close up her notebook and sit back in her chair. I hope that she didn’t give up.
As a professional editor it is my job to find fault in people’s work. That’s what I’m paid to do! But as a writer myself I know how much this hurts. Marking up typos, spelling mistakes and grammatical errors is one thing – but the more subtle ‘rights and wrongs’ of writing can be very subjective and depend on what the writer is trying to achieve. For me, every client has their own journey and purpose. I am here to help, encourage and support.
A final point. There is a saying in New Zealand about ‘toughening up’. We have all been ‘stung’ by an overly harsh critique. It is part of being a writer. To be a successful writer, you learn to take from it what is useful and discard the rest.
A bit like the saying ‘seven falls make a rider’ – several bad critiques make a writer. You just have to get up, dust yourself down, and get straight back on the horse.
If you would like to leave comments, do so on this link.
Photo courtesy of The Daily Mail.
Critiquing is a skill. It requires you to put away your ego and connect to the writing in front of you. There are many types of writing and many types of readers. When critiquing you need to put your own personal taste to one side and take a broader view.
Try always to be helpful. It sounds obvious, but some people need reminding. Avoid sweeping statements – these are of no value to the writer. ‘I stopped reading because I was confused’ is not helpful. More helpful would be to point out where or how the confusion arose. Be as specific as you can. You may have an idea for a remedy – but keep this light. It is not your story! The writer may have his/her own solution. With luck your observation will bring an ‘Aha’ moment for the writer who will be inspired to make one more draft.
Sometimes when people critique they think they have to focus on the negatives. Not so. A writer needs to hear when they are getting it right as well as when they are getting it ‘wrong’. So tell them if you fell in love with a character and tell them what you loved about that character. Tell them if a scene was really vivid or if you found yourself moved to tears. Tell them if you loved their use of language. A good critique will be balanced with both positive and negative comments.
Believable characters, evocative settings, use of the senses – these are always the sign of good writing. Telling instead of showing, clichés and misuse of words are generally things that can be improved on – unless, of course, these devices are being deliberately used for effect. And this takes us to that grey area, where a writer is experimenting and trying something out. Don’t rain on their parade!! The rules are there to be broken. I was once told never to write in dialect – but look at Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh. Another ‘rule’ is to avoid the second person (‘you’) – but Ali Smith uses it often in her short stories to great effect. Try this one, The Second Person, where she explores the form.
I would suggest when critiquing a short story, that it should be read three times. The first time is for pleasure (hopefully) and to get a sense of the overall story. The second reading is slower and more focused. On the third reading you might mark (in pencil!) areas of confusion, things that really worked for you and things that didn’t. Remember to be constructive. I can guarantee that whatever you are reading, the writer will have put time and effort into it. We have all been beginners and as writers we are all still learning. Always honour that connection and critique with kindness.
Going back to that writing workshop. I remember seeing a fresh young writer being crushed by an old bore who ridiculed her grammar. (Notably that old bore had been writing for years and had a stack of stories that were no doubt grammatically perfect, yet remained unpublished.) The young writer’s piece was imaginative and fresh. There were some errors in syntax and logic but that type of mistake can easily be fixed. I voiced my opinion in the group, but I had a feeling that the damage had already been done. I remember watching the woman close up her notebook and sit back in her chair. I hope that she didn’t give up.
As a professional editor it is my job to find fault in people’s work. That’s what I’m paid to do! But as a writer myself I know how much this hurts. Marking up typos, spelling mistakes and grammatical errors is one thing – but the more subtle ‘rights and wrongs’ of writing can be very subjective and depend on what the writer is trying to achieve. For me, every client has their own journey and purpose. I am here to help, encourage and support.
A final point. There is a saying in New Zealand about ‘toughening up’. We have all been ‘stung’ by an overly harsh critique. It is part of being a writer. To be a successful writer, you learn to take from it what is useful and discard the rest.
A bit like the saying ‘seven falls make a rider’ – several bad critiques make a writer. You just have to get up, dust yourself down, and get straight back on the horse.
If you would like to leave comments, do so on this link.
Photo courtesy of The Daily Mail.
