Learning Through Others
A good critique helps two writers. Most of us, when we write, know what’s right about our work. We feel it; in that moment when everything just clicks and the words flow like oil from our fingers, we know. Presumably we don’t see the flaws, or we would have fixed them before sharing them with the world. Or we may know that flaws lurk in the thicket of phrases and paragraphs, but not know how to prune them without hacking the garden to pieces. So we throw up our hands and toss them out for review, hoping that someone else will spot the problems and offer a fresh idea. By reading with a more critical eye, and writing an in-depth critique of someone else’s story, we learn by practice to more easily spot the flaws in our own writing – ideally, before we commit them to paper or pixels.
Is It Better to Give or to Receive?
Learning to give and receive honest, constructive criticism also toughens our hides. The writer as sensitive artiste, whose soul is easily bruised by a harsh word, has no place in the world of publishing. Writing is work; to many, it is a profession. A carpenter may make beautiful, original, unique furniture that can double as a treasured work of art, but if it falls apart when used, he’s not much of a carpenter.
Where Do I Get Off Critiquing Others?
There is a difference between a “rate and review” and a good, professional edit. Do you feel that your own skills are lacking, and so you have no right to point out flaws in someone else’s writing? Well, you’re right and you’re wrong. None of us are perfect; few of us are professional editors or English professors. However, when you read and critique someone else’s work, your role is primarily that of a reader, not a writer. And readers are the writer’s reason for being. To say “I write for my own pleasure and amusement” is like a great orator saying, “I live to talk to walls.” Writing is communication. Deep within the writer is a need to communicate, and that takes at least one other person. The reader. For a diarist, that reader may be his older, future self. But I digress. You don’t need to be an editor to rate and review someone else’s work. Your skills do not have to be flawless before you can express the thoughts and impressions a story left in your mind. And in the process of analyzing what works for you and doesn’t, as a reader, the writer within you learns.
Okay, So Where Do I Start?
First, read the story for pleasure. Take off your reviewer’s hat for a moment, and simply read. If you find yourself mentally fixing typos at the end of the second paragraph, stop! Start over. There is time enough for that on the second read.
Now, jot down your initial impressions without rereading the story. Did you enjoy it? Do you feel excited at the prospect of reading more of this author’s work? Would you recommend it to a friend? Was it of the quality, or nearly so, that you would expect to see in a magazine or printed book? Or did you have trouble following it? Perhaps it wasn’t quite your cup of tea. Maybe the ideas expressed offended you, so that your mind rebelled and refused to travel along. Maybe it just flat out bored you. Be honest, but not cruel. Your opinion, as a reader, has unarguable merit. Whether others honestly agree or disagree with you will determine whether this story has an audience or a market. There are many popular authors whose beautifully bound, hardcover editions grace the shelves at trendy bookstores – whose work bores me to tears. Where we got the idea that everyone had to agree on everything, I don’t know. But to say “I didn’t enjoy this story” is not to say “this story sucks eggs.” Be tactful, but be honest. And when you receive a “negative” comment like this, be gracious – remember, it’s a matter of taste that does not necessarily reflect on the quality of the work.
Before you dive in with what needs fixing, try to find at least one to three positive things about the story that stand out in your mind – what, if anything, is especially good about the story or the quality of the writing? Remember, though, that your job is to help the writer identify opportunities for improvement. For writers whose goal is publication, rejection is commonplace. Editors do not mollycoddle writers or offer empty praise and encouragement, so neither should you. If the writer knew about the flaws you are about to point out, he or she would have – should have – fixed them before posting the work for review.
Next, consider the following questions and jot down your answers. Phrase them tactfully but honestly; they will become your critique. Reread the story to answer them if necessary.
“Stunning Visual Effects!” Were you able to see the scene, the characters, and the action visually, in the back of your mind? If not, has the writer told too much and shown too little? Are there long passages of prose with too little dialogue and action? Is it because the writing is unclear or confusing, or because there aren’t enough details given to form a complete picture in your head?
We Laughed, We Cried, We…Fell Asleep? Did the story carry you along in its current or cast you adrift to founder on the rocks? Was there a plot or a point to be made? Did you “get it”? If it was a tale of suspense, did you slide to the edge of your seat while reading? If horror, were the tiny hairs at the back of your neck standing on end? Was it tightly organized or loose and rambling? If it was fantasy, did the writer manage to suspend your disbelief and convince you that this vision was, indeed, a possibility? Did the writing challenge your own beliefs and ideas in a way that made you consider alternatives, whether or not you agreed with them? Did the story make you think? Did it make you squirm? Did it entertain you? Or did you feel like you were always on the outside looking in, a detached and objective observer?
Off With Their (Talking) Heads! Did the characters ring true, and did the author endow each with its own unique voice? Or did all the characters appear to be puppets, manipulated by a barely-concealed hand? It’s tough to create and differentiate characters. All too often, a writer populates the world with a multitude of characters, yet they all end up sounding exactly like the writer and are indistinguishable from one another. Characters have to have their own unique personalities, or they are difficult to imagine and impossible to remember. Are all these actors really essential to the story?
Does dialogue come across as natural (for the character who is speaking)? Read it aloud. Does your tongue trip and sound awkward to your ears? Who gave the best performance? Whose acting was weak? Who do you think should get to stand in the unemployment line?
Shop Talk. Next, scan the story again for “mechanical errors,” or mistakes in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. If these are not your strong suits, then don’t mention them unless they are so obvious as to indicate careless or sloppy work. As with food, beautiful presentation makes a story more appetizing. Does the writer use a little white space between paragraphs, or indent the first line of each paragraph, to make the story more readable on the screen? If you have a good grasp of the mechanics, point out the errors that appear to be habitual – “there” for “their,” improper use of punctuation outside quotation marks, etc. If the errors are the sort that would be picked up by more careful proofreading, you can simply say that.
Finally, look at the word choices, phrasing, and the rhythm of the sentence structure. Do any of the sentences just stand out like a sore thumb, awkward and a little painful to see? Point it out! Does the writer use overly lofty or contrived words – or too many words! – when simpler, stronger, more common words would do better? Give examples if you can. Does the writer choose safe, mundane words when more vivid and imaginative language would serve the story better? Does the writer use simile, metaphor, or symbolism to good effect – or at all? Is there something hinted at that you wish the writer had explored more deeply? Could you summarize the story and/or its moral (if applicable) in a sentence?
Can you think of anything else? There is no ideal length for a review. It may be brief, touching only on one or two points that stick in your mind as you read. It may be longer and more detailed. Just remember to be honest and tactful; avoid stating your opinions as irrefutable facts, and don’t be offended if the writer chooses to ignore everything you’ve said.
Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth
I want to close with a few words on how to graciously accept a reader’s review. When you get a review, remember that it takes far more time and effort to critique a story than it does to offer a few words of praise. Someone has actually bothered to take precious minutes of their life to really think about and offer suggestions that they think will help you in your writing. So say “thank you,” even if it seems a bitter pill to swallow.
Do not bother making excuses. It seems like every time I point out multiple spelling and grammar errors, I get long emails explaining how the piece I’d just reviewed was only a rough draft, or how the author is not really a professional writer but is just doing this for fun and personal enjoyment, or whatever. Basically, that’s telling me I just wasted my time and effort. If you’re going to post a rough draft in a rate and review environment, then have the courtesy to clearly mark it – up front – as such. In any case, don’t tell me I’ve wasted my time. Say “thanks” and let me bask in ignorance, thinking I’ve helped.
Don’t argue. My daughter studies violin. I’ve spent lesson time and money teaching her to say “thank you” when she receives a compliment, rather than bursting into tears and yelling “no, I sucked!” Take the good and the bad, consider what you can use and what you can’t, and say “thank you.” Toss the garbage in the trash and let it go – don’t stew over negative comments, and don’t let gushing praise go to your head. In the end, it’s just one review – a valid opinion from a reader, but certainly not the only opinion out there.
January 30th, 2009
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