By: Rick Daley
Rick’s blogs:
The Public Query Slushpile
My Daley Rant
Writing a novel is a lonely task. Sure, our characters keep us company, but after numerous readings and revisions they transform into red-headed step-children and we want them to leave us alone. That’s when it’s time to ship them off to boarding school, where they are subject to the critiques of our friends and family. Not all of them graduate.
As writers, we yearn for feedback. Aside from the chosen few who produce flawless prose on the first draft (and can’t ever fathom why the query for their masterpiece was rejected by those ungrateful agents), we understand that hearing the honest opinions of readers is crucial to perfecting our work. However, opening our souls to criticism can be daunting…
Giving a Critique
I recommend the sandwich approach, where you start with a positive point, give an honest opinion of what doesn’t work for you (may be multiple points), and then end with another positive point or words of encouragement. I’ve found that the sandwich approach helps put recipients at ease (especially if they are hungry). It makes people more receptive to constructive criticism and keeps them from getting overly defensive. If you are taking the time to provide the feedback, you should want the person to actually do something with it.
Be careful if you re-write something as an example, especially in a query critique. A short clause or sentence is one thing, but if you start re-writing paragraphs you are providing more than advice – you are providing voice.
What Not to Do When Giving a Critique
– Don’t be overly apologetic or you will undermine your own opinions.
– Don’t hunt for things just because you feel you have to suggest something. Sometimes the work we review is really good. However…
– Don’t limit your feedback to praise just because you are afraid to hurt someone’s feelings. Paula Abdul has cornered that market.
– Don’t be a ruthless jerk. Simon Cowell has cornered that market.
Receiving a Critique
Rule # 1: Don’t pout if you hear something negative. Remember that you asked for the feedback in the first place.
Rule # 2: Wait until all the feedback is in before you seriously contemplate your changes.
Rule # 3: Seriously contemplate your changes. Take time. Work through it. You never microwave a roast. Slow cooking always turns out better. (NOTE: what’s with all the food references?)
Rule # 4: Look for common threads in the feedback and start there. The advice of the many outweighs the advice of the few.
Rule # 5: Re-write. If someone provides a re-write as an example, don’t just copy it. Try to understand why they suggested those changes. Otherwise you may dilute your own voice and you miss the opportunity to learn something.
Rule # 6: Ask for clarification if you don’t understand something. (NOTE: Please remember that this is in regard to critiques, not form rejections. Agents are not critique partners. No matter how much we want them to be.)
Rule # 7: Thank the people who took the time to offer their feedback, and pay it forward by offering a critique to someone else.
OMG people; get off the food, will ya!? I'm dieting here. Though Jared lost weight with sandwiches, I'm just giving up my Ruffles and jelly filled donuts. My kids feel deprived enough the nights I make them hunt down sandwiches or frozen foods when I don't cook so I don't eat.
But seriously Laura, I think thats very good advice about waiting more than a week to revise. Your emotions – either devastation that someone didn't like your favorite passages, or an overwhelming desire to change everything because you value one or another critter's opinion – simmer and, possibly even dissolve. Not defending my creative inspiration during a critique session is hard, but letting my emotions get the better of me too soon after a critique is worse than when my computer crashes before I have a chance to save the last viable changes.
Hmm; I hope that came out right. Maybe I should go to bed and dream up a fix for my latest memory challenge . .
………dhole
Hi Rick,
Too late, I already applauded. 🙂
I'll put you on the list for the catapult though, as soon as Ink cranks it up, that is.
Although watching Ink heave ice cream across the river could have it's appeal as well.
Btw, it's now FOUR people who have e-mailed me raving about you.
When it gets to 10, I'm just going to put an automated forwarding to you on my e-mail. Fair warning.
Oh, I agree with Missye, Laura and Donna about waiting when you get feedback. Not only to be able to take it in, but to evaluate it.
I have an additional problem. When anyone praises my writing, I don't believe them. I think they're just being nice. I re-play what they said, looking for what they REALLY feel. If they wrote their feedback to me, I re-read it dozens of times, trying to read between the lines.
I have to fight the tendency to change things based on positive feedback. Does anyone else have this?
So, the sandwich approach works for me, because it feels more honest.
Mira,
I heard it said somewhere—‘All criticism hurts; All compliments are suspect.’ I don’t think you’re alone…
Thanks Jbc – I thought I might not be.
Rick, you'll have to find a way to include that – how to take in positive feedback.
This is an excellent post.
I'm getting on this train a little late, but I'm developing a company called TypeTribe where I'll need a critical mass of people available to give feedback to writers interested in improving their work. Feel free to check out https://typetribe.com to sign up for the launch notification e-mail.
Missye / Laura / Donna (and anyone I may have missed),
The time frames will vary based on the work being critiqued. I would think 24 hours should be a minimum for a query, but if you're looking at a solid critique of a 100,000-word manuscript, several weeks worth of thought may be warranted.
Other thoughts:
Don't go to a crit group if all you want is unconditional support. Your parents/spouse/children have cornered that market.
As Stephen King says, "ties go to the writer." Half the crit group likes your ending, half hates it? You get to keep it the way you want. EVERYONE thinks a character is unlikeable, and he's not supposed to be? Better get re-writing.
Thank, Rick!
I am totally against rewriting based on critiques. Five people can have five criticisms. A writer would be rewriting to please readers instead of maintaining his writing integrity. Who cares if something doesn't feel right to one reader. It has to feel right to the author and then the work finds the audience. Rewrites based on readers' feedbacks seems just wrong.
Woody Allen did a small rewrite when asked by The New Yorker.
I am sure J.D. Salinger never did.
re: "EVERYONE thinks a character is unlikeable, and he's not supposed to be? Better get re-writing."
Why? Leave it as it is. My memoir in a blog is supposed to be funny. Many people read it and find it sad. I will not rewrite one word of it so those who do not find it funny will. Their reaction is their reaction… and that's what makes is so darn good.
CKHB,
Can I politely disagree? Or, at least, offer a variant opinion on the opposing crit comments? My thoughts are here if you're interested. In a nutshell, there's advantage in evaluating each critique separately…
Marjorie,
The point is not that you make changes just because someone suggests them. You make changes because someone suggests them and you agree with these changes and think they will make the writing better. If you don't agree, don't make the changes. The key to having people read and offer critique is that it allows you an opportunity to see the writing objectively. The writer is not always right, and sometimes they will see that when offered critique. But the most important thing is not the critique… it's what you do with it. A fantastic critique is useless if you can't apply it in a way that makes your writing better. And a poor overall critique might be useful if it helps you change one small thing element that hasn't been working. In other words, critique is useless without analysis. You have to see evaluate every comment and see whether it supports the creative vision you have for that particular piece.
Just my two cents.
Best,
Bryan
Marjorie,
I think this is central to the point of re-writing based on critiques:
Rule # 4: Look for common threads in the feedback and start there. The advice of the many outweighs the advice of the few.
If 1 person didn't like or didn't get something, it may just be that one person. Worth noting, but may not warrant any further action.
However, if all 5 people didn't like the same thing, you need to think about why they didn't like it. The gray area is what you do to fix it. The 5 people may each have a different suggestion to fix it, and you may have a "6th" suggestion of your own. Which fix is implemented is the writer's choice (as is doing nothing).
I've often followed this rule in business and it also works well for writing:
– Manage to trends, not incidents.
Great advice. Giving and receiving critiques can be difficult and its important to remember that its only for the betterment of the writing so don't be afraid to say what you think. Being honest, both when critiquing and getting critiqued, is really important. I think a lot of people will find this post really helpful. Thanks for posting!
Great advice! I love getting feedback because I know it helps me – I want to be the best storyteller/writer I can be. However I am always scared to return the favor. I am afraid to hurt someone’s feelings. I like the sandwich approach and will try it the next time I am asked for a review.
When it comes to discussions about critique I always think of the great poem about the workshop model by Billy Collins.
If you haven't read it you can follow this link to a copy:
https://alilsumpinsumpin.blogspot.com/2009/04/billy-collins-on-workshop-model.html
Wonderful!
Now I'm hungry.