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It’s Worth It

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Constructive Criticism Builds Bridges

By Kitty Bucholtz

At our last RWA meeting, some friends and I were discussing manuscript critiques. A good critique can help your manuscript become all you hoped for, while a bad critique can keep you cowering for months or years, afraid to let anyone see your work again.

When I was a member of the Tempe Christian Writer’s Club in Tempe, Arizona, we had two hard and fast rules for all critiquing. One, you must begin with something you genuinely like or appreciate about the work. Compliment a bit of dialogue, the originality of the setting, an interesting character. Try not to use banalities such as “I didn’t see a single spelling mistake.” The idea is to build up the writer and give him feedback on his strengths.

Two, when pointing out an area that needs work, you must give at least one or two ideas on how it could be improved. For instance, if the character feels flat and uninteresting, suggest ideas for rounding out the character – a nervous tic, a paradoxical personality trait, a stronger motivation. If you disagree with a “fact” – be it historical or otherwise – that you believe the writer got wrong, suggest that she double check it and let it go. This is not the time or place for you to “win” an argument.

Which leads to another great critique group idea. My screenwriting group has a rule that the author must not speak during the critique. Everyone talks as if he/she isn’t even there. The author makes notes on what everyone said, then at the end asks questions for verification purposes only. This is to prevent the age-old “defensiveness” problem. When you, the writer, listen to everyone discuss your work, you are taking an active role in figuring out what the readers “got” and what they didn’t. If they didn’t “get it” from reading your work, your explanations are meaningless – so keep them to yourself. Use your energy to figure out how to rewrite your piece so that the reader “gets it” in the next draft.

Consider using some or all of these rules in your critique group. And if you’ve found other critique group ideas that work, post them in the comments section to share with everyone. If you haven’t found a critique group yet, ask around. Perhaps you know someone who has room for one more, or you could start a new group.

It can be scary, no matter who you are or what stage in your career, to share your work with others and invite feedback. These rules can help keep a positive tone in the group, but remember you are responsible for both how you speak to others and how you choose to hear what others say to you. Choose to be the critique partner known for her encouraging words!

Putting yourself out there – as a writer and as a human being – can be tough. Sometimes it seems like a much better idea to stay home, alone but safe from the stone throwing. But when I think back on the friendships I’ve made and the amazing progress I’ve seen in my work, I say – it’s worth it!

NOTE: For OCC RWA members, please post a note on The Morning Juice if your critique group is open to new members, or if you’re looking for a critique partner or group. Be sure to note your location, proposed meeting times/days/frequency, whether it’s in person or online, and any other important information such as genre or if your group is for plotting only, etc. Remember – your group can arrive early at our monthly meeting and meet in the back! Take advantage!

Kitty Bucholtz writes romantic comedies because, well, she lives one! She wrote her first book in the NBC cafeteria, the second snowed in at a Reno hotel, and the third from a tiny apartment in Sydney. Even though she loves talking about, writing about, and teaching about writing, she’s pretty sure she knows at least three people who aren’t writers.