How To Write A Critique

As writers, we all need to know how to write a critique and we all know the importance of honesty and tact when giving a critique. Without it, typos, ambiguities and simple mistakes can get overlooked, but if the feedback is presented in a manner too harsh it can have an even worse effect, and put the writer off writing for good.

Here are a few simple ground rules on how to write a critique:
Don’t offer advice unless it is asked for.
Always be positive and constructive.
Accept that the writer might not agree with suggestions.

So what are some of the other important things to know before you offer advice?

What kind of feedback?
Knowing how to write a critique in many cases is not as simple as pointing out all the spelling mistakes.

For example:
Is the writer after advice on the overall project, or just some help with grammatical errors and typos?
Do they want honest feedback or to be told how great they are?
Is the request made casually or seriously?
Do they want your comments from the point of view of a reader or a writer?
Are they at the start of their project and willing to consider major structural changes or have they almost finished and only want a final proof read?

Without knowing the answers to these and other questions it’s almost impossible to know how to write a critique that provides the appropriate response. Or, for that matter, to justify the time you spend reading and commenting.

The say something nice sandwich
It’s easy to get so caught up in finding the mistakes in a piece of work that the good points get overlooked, yet they are just as important.

My grandma always had a saying when we, as children, complained about eating our greens, liver and bacon, and other non-children food. ‘Don’t tell me what you don’t like,’ she would say, ‘tell me what you do like.’

And it’s the same with writing; in fact it’s the same with most things. Knowing what’s good and well-received gives everybody a solid, confident base to build on.

The traditional ‘say-something-nice sandwich’ implies including a positive comment before and after something less palatable has been mentioned, to sweeten the suggestion. But I would recommend including positive comments when and where ever you find a reason to add them, as this looks less contrived and, to be honest, more genuine.

Knowing how to write a critique is knowing positive comments don’t just have a ‘feel-good’ function; they also let the writer know what parts of their writing work for you, the strong parts – and they can build on that.

Blood Sweat and Tears
I once got a letter from a lady whose work I had critiqued, saying, ‘Thank you for not bleeding all over my work’. At first I wasn’t sure what she meant, but then it hit me – I hadn’t used a red pen.

For many years it was (perhaps still is) common practice for teachers to mark mistakes on their students’ work with a red pen. And some people, whenever they see red ink on their written work, are instantly catapulted back to the childhood emotions they felt in their classroom. It can make them feel small, insignificant, scared, pressured, or who knows what, and none of us should feel that way.

A ‘B’ lead pencil is always a good choice when critiquing, especially since you can erase it if you make a mistake.

The Writer's Voice
Every writer has their own way of writing, just as they have their own way of talking. Some people like long sentences, some prefer short. Some writers like to play with words, others are exact and correct.

This is what makes writers different and is why some of us love certain authors whilst others want nothing to do with them. A writer’s voice is their individuality. So when making suggestions, don’t be tempted to change sections simply because they weren’t written the way you would have done it.

If you feel changes are necessary, point out the area you are concerned about then ask a question or state simply and clearly what your thoughts are. This way the writer is able to see things from your point of view and make changes (if they want to) in keeping with their own style.

Don't assume there is only one way
Part of learning how to write a critique is to be adaptable. The rules of writing are changing, and have been for many years. It only takes a few minutes of comparison to see that parts of writing, punctuation for example are constantly altering.

At one time sentences were filled with all sorts of punctuation, in the last decade commas took over and became our main form of punctuation within a sentence, and now semi-colons are making a resurgence. (The latter I am sure is due, in no small part, to the addition of them in the MS Word autocorrect option.)

But with so many changes (and that is before we consider the variations between UK, US and Australian trends) it stands to reason that writers have different views on what is correct. Some people love commas, others hate them - it’s just the way it is. Allow for this when offering feedback or editing. Is it an error or is it the writer’s voice? If in doubt look over the work and see if it’s consistent - failing that, ask the writer.

Finally
Offering feedback means bringing the writer’s attention to places in a piece of writing that work well and ones that could, in your opinion, be improved upon. That’s all, no more, no less. As readers and writers we are all qualified to give some level of constructive criticism, when it’s asked for. The skill is doing it well.

When you know how to write a critique you willshow respect for the effort the writer went to when creating their work, respect their feelings and attachment to their work, but be honest - otherwise it’s all a waste of time.


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