Articles
Click on the photos to follow links to articles about critiquing another writer's writing. You MUST read these before you DO any critiquing and before you RECIEVE any critiques. There are information in both articles that will help you to write a critique and receive a critique.
Sending in Writing to Be Critiqued
Formatting:
3-5 pages
Times New Roman
12 point
Double spaced
At top of your page:
Name
Email
Title for scene (optional)
Paragraph or so of summery for where this scene falls in your book and what you’re are specifically looking for in our critiquing
Email your scene in a Word document to Sabrina, she will email it out to everyone who has volunteered to critique it.
3-5 pages
Times New Roman
12 point
Double spaced
At top of your page:
Name
Title for scene (optional)
Paragraph or so of summery for where this scene falls in your book and what you’re are specifically looking for in our critiquing
Email your scene in a Word document to Sabrina, she will email it out to everyone who has volunteered to critique it.
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<<< You can use this Word document to write your scene in, or copy and paste it into, then resave it and email it to Sabrina
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Writing Your Critique
We want this to be a benefit to the writer so please do not take on this task grudgingly. We will try not to have it too difficult or complicated to critique another writer's work. It will be trial and error for a while until we find the best possible way to do this. If you have suggestions (or questions) please email us!
Choose between the two following formats
Or try something of your own once you get the feel for critiquing. These are just guides to help you write the best critique you can to help the writer. Just remember to be courteous and to not put the writer down. We want them to help their writing to be the best it can be, not to make them think they want to quit writing.
Critiquing:
Pick one of the two formatting options on the Critiquing page, and write your critiques on a separate Word document
Once you’re finished with your critique email it directly to the writer whose work you were critiquing
Critiquing:
Pick one of the two formatting options on the Critiquing page, and write your critiques on a separate Word document
Once you’re finished with your critique email it directly to the writer whose work you were critiquing
Steps from Creative-Writing-Now
Reading:
- First, read the piece through from beginning to end, simulating the experience of an ordinary reader. Take notes on your first impressions before reading the piece again. This first step is important because your perspective will change during a second reading. Your interpretation of the piece's beginning will be colored by your knowledge of the end.
- Read the piece at least once more and take notes again. Subsequent readings will help you develop a global vision of the work's structure and notice additional details.
- First, summarize and interpret. At this first stage, you are not judging the piece or offering suggestions. You are just telling the author what you think it is about, and what you think it is trying to do. This is important because it tells the author how well he or she has succeeded in communicating.It also tells the author if you have understood the piece correctly. If so, the author will take your feedback more seriously. If not, the author knows that any suggestions that follow may actually be based on a misunderstanding of the piece. The author may therefore need to discount these suggestions and work instead on more successfully communicating his or her vision.
- Second, say what you think is working well. Positive feedback can be as useful as criticism. Point out the best parts of the piece and the strengths of the author's writing. This can help the author write more "best parts" in the future and develop his or her individual talent.Starting with positive feedback also makes it easier for the author to listen to criticism later without becoming defensive or discouraged.
- Third, give constructive criticism. Make sure that criticism is respectful and delivered in a form that allows the author to make specific improvements.Authors tend to have high emotional stakes in their work, and may at some level confuse criticism of a story or a poem for criticism of their talent or vision. It is therefore especially important to make your comments as specific as possible and keep them clearly focused on the piece, rather than the author. Give examples from the piece whenever possible to show your points.
Document from Mandy Wallace Site
writing-critique-template.docx | |
File Size: | 508 kb |
File Type: | docx |