As a writer--what is useful criticism?
@morgandrake (2136)
United States
June 26, 2007 11:15am CST
I was talking to another writer yesterday, and we started to kick around what type of criticism is actually useful to a writer.
Now when I give criticism I try to make it useful. Occasionally, I fail--in a large part because what I think is useful is not what the other writer is looking for.
For me, the most useful set of criticism have been in the "This is what you did wrong--this is why it is wrong (normally boring or unsellable), and this is how you might want to consider fixing it" category.
And for absolutely worst criticism--non-writers. They either have no criticism (you are writing better than they do), or they have no idea how to describe the problem (they know that they are bored, but they can;t tell you why).
One thing, I learned in my last writing class I took is that being able to give useful criticism is a skill. It can be learned.
Anyway, as writers what type of criticism do you find useful to you that improves your writing?
2 people like this
9 responses
@pismeof (855)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Hi ,I'm not a writer in any way, shape or form ,But the only criticism that really serves would be that which helps to improve your writing not criticism that draws attention to the critic which I think is more often the case today .If the critic can't give you a precise discription of the problem they have no business commenting .I think it best just to ignore this type of person.
@morgandrake (2136)
• United States
27 Jun 07
Reminds me of the old saying, "Those who can write became writers, those who can't become critics."
@morgandrake (2136)
• United States
27 Jun 07
I find it helpful if they can tell you how to fix it along the lines of developing a skill. I can't stand the ones who can tell me it is wrong, but can't teach me how to improve in that area. Or even good suggestions on how it might be fixed.
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
26 Jun 07
My most useful criticism is when someone tells me to pay attention to detail. I tend to forget that the people who will read my novel cannot read my mind and have no idea that lurking behind the bushes is a band of outlaws whose leader has a red hat with a feather in it, unless I tell them. I can give you a whole spiel as what my worse criticism is "someone who wants to write your story for you and change the characters to suit them and someone when you write the hero falling in love with that beautiful girl at the ball, decides that inside of a historical novel, decides that now the novel is going to be a Harlequin romance.
3 people like this
@scribe1 (1203)
• United States
26 Jun 07
For a story, I would want to know if I left any important details out. I would also want to know if the plot seemed logical and its characters' dialogue realistic. What I would NOT find useful are comments as "I liked it," "I didn't care for it," and "It's a bad story." Such comments give me nothing to work with.
2 people like this
@sojournseeker (1244)
• United States
26 Jun 07
If someone suggests a different style of putting my words into a visual play, I am thrilled especially if specifics are introduced into the criticism. For example, I am describing a watery environment but use haiku instead of straight prose, I would be better off being advsied to detail more than less and take the criticism as a venue for change in style instead of just grammar or punctuation or even which tense the prose will be in . . . I like your queries and many of the responses you are getting. Writing is so rewarding, isn't it ?
sharing the light,
Erica, the Enlightenment advisor M.A. Transpersonal Psychology Studies Counseling, Author & Artist
http://www.associatedcontent.com/signup.cfm?refer=1556
@morgandrake (2136)
• United States
27 Jun 07
I love to write. I starting writing in Junior High, though it wasn't until well after high school that I considered doing it as a profession. For me, the worst day of writing is better than the best day not writing.
@laydee (12798)
• Philippines
27 Jun 07
Don't you mean 'constructive criticism'?
These types of criticisms show us exactly where we are weak or mistaken. It doesn't linger on the general side as comments as "no" or "i don't like it" it gleans to the side of 'why no?' 'why don't i like it?' and 'what could be done to improve?'
Each writer has his/her style but constructive criticisms help polish those styles to qualities that most would learn to appreciate.
1 person likes this
@morgandrake (2136)
• United States
30 Jun 07
I thought about using the term "constructive criticism," but chose not to because what one person calls constructive might be from another writer's viewpoint. And quite honestly, considering most of us react to criticism of our writing as a threat to our creation, the difference between constructive and destructive is a hair.
Like for me, there was this girl in the last creative writing class I was taking that every piece I did, she would say, "I don't understand X, it would help your piece if you explained it better." Probelm was, she only reads poetry and not science fiction or urban fantasy, so the common conventions that any regular reader of that field would instantly pick up on, she didn't get. Sure, she was giving constructive criticism, but it was useless to me. And if I expounded on what she didn't understand, my writing would come across as being a lot more outdated.
"You see, as androids, we have to plug ourselves in every twelve hours, or we cease to function..."
@laydee (12798)
• Philippines
30 Jun 07
I thought 'to construct' means to 'to build' meaning whatever the criticisms are, it's supposed to 'build you up'. In writing isn't it that we try to simplify things so as not to limit ourselves with the bunch of readers we have? We try to incorporate styles that would best fit any type of audience so as to increase our readers.
Well, I don't really know, I am not a professional writer nor am I trying to be one. It's just that growing up, my dad used to write for a local newspaper. I have always asked him his main point in writing, and he would always say 'it's fun' plus 'you reach more people easily'. He wrote medical articles with a touch of funny bones and he was good at it. There were people who tried to do the same but failed terribly. Yes there were criticisms, but he considered those 'something there to boost his confidence'. This is why I thought criticisms are something that tries to 'build you up' both positive and negative ones.
Why? Simply because, each writer needs to have a sense of identity unique from others. If they keep on following the comments and criticisms, they lose their uniqueness thus becoming one of the common writers pile.
Well, this is what I understand from it. If I don't make sense, maybe it's because I just woke up, and my mind is still at the fantasy stage. *LOL*
@peaceful (3294)
• United States
27 Jun 07
I will accept and implement the principals of any criticism that can provide quantifiable positive and profitable results...
Most criticisms of this type are based on imperical experience and/or recorded tomes and papers that report the known facts about such basic "critical" factors...
In this way, both writer and "critic" can literally make sure that they are on "the same page" as it were... and then go on to create or re-create a better work- based on solid and agreed upon "building blocks and foundations".
After the re-write, with the basics of success firmly in place, further pro-active critiques will assist me by: Generously adding the more phantasmic elements of Style, Coloration, Relevance and Continuity, Rhythm, Sight, Sound and Voice for that particular piece.
Any and all critiques that do not seem to lead me to what I deem to be "successful results", will not be simply dismissed... why?
Well, for one thing, such critiques are usually from the "gut" and instincts of the person making them, this can provide a rich "treasure map" into the souls of your intended audience...
Successful writers know that it is good to have "BIG EARS" and an "EXTREMELY MOBILE EGO" that, can get out of the way and allow him to gather the "raw" information that he will need to get closer to the people he expects to get paid by...
But that's just me!
Have a few laffs:
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1101136.aspx
And enjoy this excellent day to it's fullest and finest! :)
1 person likes this
@desertdarlene (8911)
• United States
27 Jun 07
I don't consider myself a writer as much as an artist and I've found that criticism that I have found useful is that which gives me something to improve. For example, someone may say that a certain color or patch of light on a painting is troublesome and may or may not give suggestions to fix it. That is useful, it gives me an idea of what strikes out at people who look at my work.
But, a lot of people are bitter and just like to put people down, that is not useful.
You're right, though, giving criticism is a learned skill, it takes practice to both give and take it.
1 person likes this
@dragonstar13 (1465)
• United States
1 Jul 07
Like you, I prefer the type that tells me what is wrong and suggests how to fix it. But I also appreciate the ones who simply say it was boring or they couldn't understand the point I was trying to make.
The second type is valuable because many people are readers, not writers. They don't care about the intracacies of writing, they just want to be able to understand and enjoy what I write. Since that is my audience, I want to know if I am meeting their needs.
1 person likes this
