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Critiques: Some Questions

I’m doing a Writewell Lecture on critiques right now, and I need to know more about how writers use them, what they need from them, all that kind of stuff. So . . .


What are your biggest, fears, worries, whatever about having your stories critiqued?


What do you most want from a critique? What’s a helpful critique for you?


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Published on October 09, 2012 08:50
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message 1: by Deborah (new)
Oct 10, 2012 04:11AM

Deborah Fenwick My biggest fear is, not unnaturally, that all my reviews will be bad ones! But, second to that is that the reviews will not give other readers any information. It's very nice to be given five stars, but if the reader doesn't write a critique to go with them, it doesn't tell other readers (or indeed the writer) what was good about the book so the good point can be built on. I also am not keen on getting poor reviews that don't explain what was wrong. Of the reviews my books have received to date I have only had one below three stars. That was a two star review in which the reader didn't say anything that led to believe she had read more than the blurb - I'm not saying that she didn't read the book, but the review did not give any clue that she had - and commented only on the main premise of the plot, which had of course been highlighted in the blurb. She didn't say whether the writing was good or bad, whether my funny passages made her laugh or give anything in the way of real information.

So what I want from a critique is an honest opinion, preferably expanding on points that were good about the book and points that were not so good. If there is a problem fundemental to the plot and/or characters in the particular book, then I know to try not to repeat some mistakes in the future although I can't change this book now - at least not drastically if I do rewrite. If the problem is just that the reader doesn't like the type of book, there's not much I can work on. Similarly, if the points are positive I know I'm doing the right thing and can build on that. If someone bothers to give a book a rating, it is great if they also spend a few minutes explaining why the book merits that rating. It helps other readers and it helps the writer.

I hope this is helpful. Good luck with the lecture.


message 2: by Kimikimi (new)
Oct 10, 2012 04:09PM

Kimikimi That sounds like what we're trained to do for readers advisory in library school. Instead of telling people that we liked a book we ask if they like plot or character driven stories, fast or slow paced, strong female leads... etc. Maybe thinking of what makes a book individual and then going from there?


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