The Healthy Guide To Giving And Receiving Constructive Criticism

To climb from amateur author to seasoned veteran, there are two main things an author needs: practice, and feedback. With enough practice, you can get more proficient in the art of putting down your thoughts on paper, but without criticism, you may not be aware of just where to begin to hone your craft. That's why feedback is crucial to authors. However, being able to administer such criticism is just as difficult as it is to healthily absorb it.

Giving Constructive Criticism

In order to give out criticism which can be judged 'constructive', or helpful, the most important thing to keep in mind is objectivity. Constructive criticism (concrit for short) thrives on the reviewer's ability to critique from an objective viewpoint. Subjective opinions are not only unhelpful, they can negatively influence the person behind the work you're reviewing as well. (For example, giving a broad statement like "It's boring" or "It looks poorly written.")

That's why constructing a helpful, healthy critique requires that you include a few crucial things:

WHAT YOU LIKED AND WHY

It's easy to fall into subjective biases when putting down thoughts like what you liked and disliked, but if you do, it's important that you add a note about this bias or preference. But chiefly, when reviewing, you need to explore the plot, the characters, and the descriptions in detail, and pen down anything that struck your fancy, or even made you giggle. For example, are the descriptions especially vivid? Could you smell the scents they described? Were a character's quirks lovable or interesting? Was their way of thinking controversial in an intriguing way?

Also important is to add why you liked what you did, whether it's the author's clever use of words, or if it reminded you of something outside the work. In summary, analyse the work from a writer's perspective, and let the author know what they did right.

WHAT YOU DISLIKED AND WHY

As before, remain objective. What struck you as 'wrong' in the manuscript? An illogical plot line? A character's unreasonable reactions? Grammar or punctuation errors that are prevalent? Provide a comprehensive insight into the various elements of the work, and provide your basis for that judgement.

For example, one of my pet peeves is having a character explode in rage for no good reason. An excuse like "the character is easily triggered" would never fly with me, unless the character has sufficient reason to be triggered. Remember, if you find yourself falling into subjective bias as well, make sure to let the author know.

SUGGESTIONS TO MAKE THE WORK BETTER

So you've addressed what works and what doesn't. Now it's time to offer suggestions to help the author patch what doesn't work. Concrit can never be complete without it. In fact, this is the entire purpose of a concrit. Every author seeking to improve will actively look forward to this section.

As always, remain objective. You can't convince an author to scrap the romance in their work because you cringe at cheesy romances. Instead, provide suggestions to help make their characters feel more realistic. Maybe you sussed out a plot hole while reading. How could the author possibly patch it up? You could even give an example or two regarding how you would tackle the problem. And even if you aren't certain how to resolve such an issue, flag it, then ask them to seek a second opinion. Perhaps that other person may come up with a solution.

With these few ingredients, you can craft a constructive, comprehensive critique that will leave both author and reviewer satisfied.

But what if you're on the receiving end?

Receiving Constructive Criticism

Taking in constructive criticism also requires some technique. As the author who's work is being critiqued, you are bound to feel some apprehension. But to make the most of it, there are a few things you must be aware of:

A REVIEW IS NOT AN ASSAULT ON YOUR PERSON

Writing a novel is a very personal endeavor, and receiving secondary opinions about your book can seem like a judgement on your identity as an author. But do not fret. A reviewer's only intention is to help you grow. Regardless, before taking a look at any critique, it is a good idea to take a deep breath and recite some affirmations to yourself. You are a writer. Your story is worth it. You can get better at it.

ONE OPINION IS NOT THE LAW

Reviewers are neither omniscient nor omnipresent. They do not have all the answers to all the questions, and one voice cannot represent them all. Each one will have their unique opinions about your book, and you should not hold them up as the law. Regarding this, it is best to receive critiques from about two or three people. This way, you know that any issues flagged by at least two people are worthy of your attention.

THE FINAL DECISION LIES WITH YOU

At the end of the day, you are the author of your book. If a reviewer's decision does not sit right with you, or if you believe it will be harmful to your story down the line, you have every right to say NO. Don't feel pressured to accept every critique you receive. Despite keeping an open mind, remember that you can accept a critique at your discretion.

Even if you're a novice at giving and receiving concrit, you can rack up experience after doing it a few more times. So? Feeling more confident about exchanging critiques? Let me know in the comments!

Your friendly neighborhood editor,

Chiedozi.