Critique Partners
by Melissa Alvarez
If you're like most writers just starting out in the world of
writing you've wanted opinions on your work. But where do you
go?
As a writer you're going to want to know specifics - did the
storyline flow or were there parts that didn't make sense? Are the
characters interesting and did the reader care about what happened to
them? Did the plot keep the reader turning pages? So where do you go to
get these answers?
Family and Friends
This is a good place to start but you may not get the feedback that
you desire. Believe me when I tell you that family and friends will
ALWAYS love your work because it is your work. If you get an objective
critique from a friend or family member you should consider yourself
very lucky. Most of the time you will hear how great the book is but not
the details that you may want if you can get them to take time from
their busy schedules to even read the manuscript. So where do you go
from here?
Critique Partners or Critique Groups
In my humble opinion you will get more in depth feedback if you seek
out a critique partner or a small critique group. I personally prefer working
with two or three individuals as critique partners on an individual
basis.
When you work with another writer you get the benefit of their
writing knowledge and they will point out things like sentence
structure, story elements etc. I feel that a good critique partner is an
asset for any writer.
What will a good critique partner do?
If you are doing a critique for someone there are certain things you
should keep in mind. These are things you will want done for you as
well.
First the person doing the critique should always remember that the
purpose is to help another writer improve their skills. All writers are
at different skill levels but we can all help one another. Our critique
should be given in a positive manner and with reasons for our comments.
Always try to begin and end on a positive note and if you find parts of
the manuscript that you love then tell the writer! There's nothing
better than finding out something worked! Of course there will be
negative aspects that arise but still try to deal with them in a
positive manner so the writer learns from the critique. Don't just say
"You shouldn't have done so and so." Tell the writer why you
think they
shouldn't have done it.
Ok - you're the person getting critiqued. Remember the person
critiquing your work knows this is your baby. There comments are being
made in order to help you grow as a writer. Please try not to take the
comments personally. A critique is not an attack against you (and
honestly, if the critique is like that you need a new partner) but are suggestions for writing improvement. If you get angry because of the
critique - don't send a vicious response back to the person who did your
critique. Take some time to review it and decide if the suggestion
really will work. And know too that it's a suggestion - you don't have
to do what the person said if you disagree with it. This is your
manuscript and it has to feel right for you.
And lastly, I think it's a good idea to create a list of questions
that you would like answered along with your critique. Then you have
your specific issues with the manuscript addressed and you'll get a good
honest opinion. For example if you're worried about how your characters
come across then ask "Do my characters seem like real people that
you are interested in or do they lack development?" If both parties
approach the critique process with a positive, learning, attitude then
it will be a good experience for all involved.
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