How to Critique

[T.K._Paradox]

Criticism, it is a wonderful tool to help others build upon previous mistakes and improve their technique.


That is if it has been used properly, when writing criticism of a certain work both the bad and the good have to be taken into account.


By simply stating the good you don't really point out any flaws the work may have, and it could cause the author to make similar mistakes in later works.


By just pointing out the negatives you have not given examples on where the person's craft shines through, this can discourage the author from writing again and realizing their own potential.


The mixture between the good and the bad can humble more arrogant authors and raise up the meek ones.


So instead unleashing a tirade of praises or drowning someone in 'I am smarter than you' word bukkake attempt to find a more harmonious balance as it really does help the author grow.

 

[Empyrea]

I just got another one star rating without even a chapter comment. It dipped my novel's rating below 4.0, so I'm really jiving with what you're dishing out here.

Edit: Never mind they posted a rude review. Everything is right in the world again.

 

[Syringe]

There's also a correct way of dealing critisism. Point out the positives first, then follow with the negative. This philosophy is also followed in the medical field (at least in Nursing from what I've been taught) to make the negatives easier to digest and let it stick with them. It appears way less hostile, and somewhat professional. Idk why, but it reminds me of how a family member would try to talk to me, so I really enjoy this approach.

It's as you said: Too many positives is bad for our egos and will keep us from improving. The ceiling won't move. Negatives will easily dissuade an author if that's all they get (typically for a genre or one facet that a reader may despise in spite of the actual work being exceptionally good).

A mix is the way to go!

On a side note: Big respect to any authors that pushes through the negatives. Write what you want, but consider the feedback as well.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

I just got another one star rating without even a chapter comment. It dipped my novel's rating below 4.0, so I'm really jiving with what you're dishing out here.

Edit: Never mind they posted a rude review. Everything is right in the world again.

Send them my way!

 

[RepresentingWrath]

No.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

No.

Yes.

 

[Corty]

I just got another one star rating without even a chapter comment. It dipped my novel's rating below 4.0, so I'm really jiving with what you're dishing out here.

Edit: Never mind they posted a rude review. Everything is right in the world again.

Read the review:

Wrote this entire review only to find out you can't swear on reviews and had to Find and remove all the swear words.

What a charming fella. Everyone knows swearing makes someone right instantly. Fucking true I say.

I was putting off your novel because of the ntr warning but after reading this… “review,” I’ll read it soon and leave an honest review after I catch up.

 

[melchi]

Yeah, I saw the heavy slavery focus and ran away. Though this is scribblehub most people just click the star and don't give any written feedback.

 

[Empyrea]

It's honestly not going to be for most people, and with the themes I expected a lot of 1 star ratings. Since it's my first delve into writing I was hoping for more useful criticism from people interested in the genres and tags. That way I could improve my writing, but in seems pretty sparse so far.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Yes.

-_-

 

[georgelee5786]

-_-

I join sailus and anon. -_-

 

[Villainilla]

Something important that isn't often mentioned in the discussions of criticism is how you receive and react to criticism. There is a level of etiquette that comes with giving and receiving that vanished from the creative zeitgeist online. Telling people they should just be nicer with their delivery and guilt tripping with "You made me quit writing" is part of the problem. That is not to say that people should just be allowed to be rude and condescending when giving criticism. Rather, you need to stop reading the insults, curses, and jabs-- look past them. If there is no substance beyond that, then it should be relatively safe to ignore it, don't give parasites your energy. When receiving criticism that is overwhelmingly negative, learn to not take it so personally and sit with it for a bit to see if there's anything you believe you can use and apply. You eventually learn to break down criticisms to their most essential parts and can filter out any rude garbage someone wants to throw at you because they don't like some inconsequential aspect of your work.

Every artist is trying to fulfill a goal with making a piece, they are trying to say something. The purpose of critique is to help the artist see how well they executed their vision. There are no bad ideas, only bad executions. Many already seem to agree that a critique should praise the things the artist did well and then contrast it with where they should improve-- How someone delivers their critique should be irrelevant if said critique is something you agree with. Likewise, what's the point of only listening to backpats if they ultimately provide nothing? Good criticism can be destructive and negative, but no one enjoys it. Which then feeds the apprehension to give criticism at all, out of fear of hurting someone's feelings. Just don't go out of your way to be rude when criticizing a work of fiction and don't let someone being rude live rent free in your head.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

-_-

No.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

No.

 

[greyblob]

man this post sucks

 

[T.K._Paradox]

man this post sucks

Could you please elaborate?

 

[J_Chemist]

Yesn't.

 

[melchi]

Sometimes the feedback doesn't really get through.

For example, one time I was doing some coding for a mod for a game. There was this nice guy who wrote up a whole thing with a character that could be romanced. It was done well, however, the problem was that it was done in too long of chunks to fit the screen. The way the game worked it could handle this but it would put an annoying scroll bar.

So I said hey this is good, I'm willing to put it in the repo but the thing needs to be in more bite sized chunks. The reply I got was that shortening it any more would ruin the flow of the scenes. I tried to show him how half of it was being cut off by the length of the text but could not get any compromise. Eventually, I just had to say I wasn't going to try to code it up in the form it is. Eventually, another person forked the repo and coded up the NPC and got it merged back in from the main repo owner. Eventually players complained about it and last I checked it was slated to be removed.

 

[RavenRunes]

If my work doesn't keep people up at night too excited to sleep, then I want them kept awake too angry to sleep.

Nothing worse than a 'meh' three stars. Except a 1-star review with no accompanying vitriol.
But one thing you learn as a writer is that you won't get far with a fragile ego.
I gave feedback to someone whose books I had enjoyed but when she had her MC travel far from her homeland to a land strange to her, she didn't bat an eye. The author was too busy making sure she herself didn't look 'racist' that she forgot to show us the new land through her MC's eyes. There was not even an adjustment period for the MC, she arrived, and integrated, in one fell swoop and didn't even blink.
I got no response from the author, and she didn't change it. Not my problem. Don't want feedback? Don't ask for it. And that means not putting your work out there in the first place.

 

[Deleted member 58005]

Compliment sandwich with very detailed critcisms to get them thinking