How to Give Good Feedback

I just started to read a friend's current work-in-progress, so the topic of how to give good feedback for a critique partner is on my mind! I've been reading manuscripts for writer friends for years now, so I'm starting to get a handle on what kind of notes are most useful.

In no particular order, here are some tips for giving good feedback to a critique partner.

1. Critique work you like.
This may sound obvious, but it's important. Before you agree to critique for someone, make sure you like their writing. It can be a genre you don't write and a completely different style to yours... but if you don't respect and enjoy the writing, the whole process will be painful, and your notes will be less than useful.

And on the flip side, this is also important if you're exchanging work. How can you take someone's critique notes seriously if you don't respect his or her work? I suggest starting with a small sample first. If you don't feel you would be a good person to critique the whole novel, just say so—and save both of you a lot of time and trouble.

(Luckily, I've critiqued for my current partner before and love her writing!)

2. Catalogue your reactions.
Some of the most valuable notes you can give your critique partner are your reactions to various parts of the novel. Were you stunned by the big twist? Say so! Appalled by something the hero did to the point where you kind of hate him for the rest of the book? That's important information for the writer to know. They may have intended for you to have that reaction—but they may not have, which would indicate that some revision might be in order.

It's also a good idea to make note of times when you put the book down or had to force yourself to continue. Spots where the story is dragging should be prime targets for revision.

3. Make suggestions, but don't be offended if they're ignored completely.
When I point out a problem, I'll often offer up a suggestion for fixing it. I never worry about whether that advice is taken, though. It's not my story! If my suggestion sparks some other idea for a fix in the mind of the writer, I consider it just as good as if they took it outright.

4. Note typos.
You might get different advice from different people on this one. I've heard some say that at this stage, typos are the last thing to worry about, but I don't agree. I'd be mortified to send work to an agent or publisher with typos, so I'm always grateful when beta readers point them out to me. It doesn't take long to note them as you read for bigger issues, so why not?


Finding good critique partners is one of the best things you can do to take your writing to the next level. Return the favor by giving helpful critiques yourself!

How to Criticize Constructively

If you've ever been involved in a critique group, put your work up for public critique in a forum, or submitted to contests, you're probably familiar with the term "constructive criticism."

The definition of constructive criticism, from Dictionary.com: "criticism or advice that is useful and intended to help or improve something, often with an offer of possible solutions."

Raise your hand if you've experienced criticism that was not, ah, quite so constructive.

Yeah, I thought so.

If you're getting your work out there, bad critiques are unavoidable. But you can take steps to make sure your notes on others' work are as constructive as possible.

One method is the sandwich technique. This means to buffer each piece of negative feedback with two compliments.

Okay, maybe not quite like the graphic. But the sandwich method can be a way to soften the blow of relaying legitimate problems with the manuscript. If you don't tell the writer anything but the parts that weren't working, he or she will probably feel like you hated everything about the work, which usually isn't the case.

Another important point to remember when critiquing is to be specific. There's very little worse than getting notes back on your chapters or manuscript like "I just found the main character very unlikeable" or "the plot seemed unbelievable." 

Of course, it's great to give the writer your gut reactions, but then follow it up by pointing out specific parts in the manuscript that caused that reaction (e.g. "After he punched his grandmother in the face, I found that I didn't like him much anymore"). Rule of thumb: specific feedback gives the writer things to fix.

Be specific. Very specific.

And finally, be polite. Apply the golden rule and ask yourself honestly how you would react to notes like the ones you're about to send. Are they helpful? Do they mention what you liked as well as what you didn't? Are they specific? 

Writer's Resource: Absolute Write Forums

Absolute Write is a writer's resource extravaganza. Arguably the most helpful part is the vast online community of the Absolute Write Water Cooler.

Working on a novel in any genre, nonfiction book, short story, or freelance pieces? There's a section of the forum for each at the link above. There you'll find tons of information on writing, editing, and publishing your work. A tip: if there are stickied threads at the top of a forum, read them through before posting a question. The regulars sometimes get a little testy if they're answering the same question for the eighty-ninth time that month.

Another area to check out in the Water Cooler is Share Your Work (SYW). Free registration is required to view this part of the forum. Here you'll find hundreds of people sharing their query letters, synopses, and pages for peer critique. Once you accumulate 50 posts, you can post your own work for critique.

A very important word of caution: SYW is not for the faint of heart or thin of skin! People will be completely, sometimes brutally honest about their reaction to your writing. Keep in mind that a lot of it will be subjective--but if you get more than one person posting the same comments, you would be wise to consider their suggestions.

The Absolute Write Water Cooler isn't right for everyone, but it can be a great way to connect with like-minded writers and find critique partners. Check it out and see what you think!