To Crit Or Not To Crit

by Rachel Bailey

(Article first appeared in RWA’s Hearts Talk, November 2007)

There’s so much written and said about critiquing – some people swear by it and others recoil in horror at the mere thought. So I decided to don my investigative hat (the purple fluffy one) and find out the low-down on critting from some RWAustralia members.

I started with Christine Wells who said, “A good critiquing partner is invaluable. Someone who makes you feel energized and positive about your work, but also won’t let you get away with any laziness either.”

Next I asked Tracey O’Hara, and she told me, “My work was vastly improved by the very first critique group (the Claytons Critters) I belonged to.  I learnt more in a few months with them than I had in an entire year before. I really have them to thank for getting me on the right path.”

The topic of critiquing so interested Lisa Barry that she’s researching it during her Master’s degree in Romance. Among other things, she found, “If we trace critique groups and critiquing back through time we go a long way.  So far my research has discovered that C. S. Lewis & J. R. R. Tolkien had a group named the Inklings.  They read their compositions aloud and expected immediate criticism.”  

So, let’s get a bit more specific. What can a good critique really do for you? Anna Campbell said, “I came up with the ending of Claiming the Courtesan from an American judge's critique. The original ending was a real fizzer and very Pride and Prejudicey with the heroine's sister running away from school and Kylemore proving himself heroic by finding her. A judge in an American contest pointed out that I already had a perfect and very striking villain in Kylemore's mother, yet she appeared at the beginning and never came back into the story. I thought about that, realised it was a great point and thought up the ending where the Dowager Duchess's mania for power really does lift the stakes enormously. Thank you, American judge!”

Sue Burgess-Thompson added, “When I was developing my new voice it was great to be able to put my work forward and receive the encouragement I needed to push ahead with my story. Having a target of producing a chapter a month was also useful.”

So if you find the right partner or group, you get something really useful, and in exchange you have to do the dreary work of critting for the other person, yes?  Apparently not. Many people admit they get as much out of giving crits as receiving them. Melissa Haack said, “It's so much easier seeing others' mistakes, rather than your own. And you definitely do learn from their mistakes!”

Sue Burgess-Thompson agrees. “Giving critiques forces you to look at structure, character, dialogue, etc and sometimes what you see in another's work is what you might need to apply back to your own WIP. Critiquing gets you thinking in an analytical way about your own work.”

What about down sides? The picture emerging was too rosy. I needed to adjust my purple fluffy investigator’s hat and ask the hard questions. Anna Campbell rose to the task. “My negative experiences with critiquing have mainly been based on the critiquer having an agenda.  Sometimes it's to make themselves feel better by putting you down. Sometimes it's to turn your work into theirs. Sometimes it's just to have a little power trip because they've got the pen in their hand, you know! I've also struck well-meaning critiquers who just haven't been tuned into the story or my style or my characters - I'm not talking about failures in the writing here, I'm talking about a fundamental lack of empathy. In that case, accept their critique, thank them kindly for it and just stick to your guns. You can't please all the people all the time!”

Serena Tatti has also had some negative experiences. “I think we've all had those, and I admit that it took me a while to get over the remarks and to have faith in my own voice again. At the time, one writer approached me and asked if she could look at the scene. She gave me some great feedback and encouraging remarks. She became my first critique partner. She taught me that the main thing is to get over it and keep going no matter what. Remember it's only one person's opinion and, really, the only person whose opinion matters is the editor of the line you're targetting.”

Christine Wells had this advice on working with a critique: “Don’t follow every suggestion blindly. Critiquing is subjective. It’s someone’s opinion, not Gospel. I recommend reading through a critique, fixing errors like spelling and punctuation the reader has pointed out, then putting the critique aside and forgetting about it. When you come back to do your own revisions, you’ll remember the good advice when you’re going through. If you don’t remember it, it probably wasn’t advice you should have taken.”

Serena Tatti is of a similar mind. “The most important thing to remember about any critique or even competition feedback from a judge, is that it's the individual's personal opinion and what they might think is wrong for your story might, in fact, be right. You have to read all the comments by different people and decide whether it applies to your piece or not. How au fait are they with the genre? e.g. single title is a far cry from category/series writing and individual series have different types of characters, settings, in fact the entire flavour of the book is different.”

Obviously, then, we have to be careful in the suggestions we make as we critique for others. I needed advice on how to give suggestions appropriately. Lisa Barry is not only studying romance, she’s also a member of the critique group Hearts of Gold. “We use the Triple K method or Kiss Kick Kiss,” she said. “This involves saying something nice about the author’s work.  You’re there to encourage as well.  Remember, as many authors attest, writers have fragile egos.

“After saying something nice, the HOGs then mention nitpicks.  This includes everything.  From spelling and grammar to POV and Conflict. The HOGs finish the critique by saying some more nice things about the work and encouraging the author to provide another chapter soon. Sometimes, the group’s opinions differ.  Subsequently, we brain storm. We bounce ideas around and help the work to grow.”

More advice on giving critiques came from Tracey O’Hara. “One of the most important things is respect the other writer’s voice. You can make suggestions but don’t push things because it is the way you would write it. It’s their story so it’s ultimately up to them.”

So what advice do these wise people have for choosing a partner or group? Christine Wells says, “You must have someone who understands and appreciates your genre. People who don’t read romance can have a different slant, which might take you down a path that won’t lead to publication. I started with a general historical fiction critique group, which was extremely helpful with things like craft and historical accuracy but didn’t quite have the emphasis on romance that I needed later on.”

Melissa Haack thinks, “A CP has to at least enjoy your style of writing/plot etc, because their dislike isn't going to help make your work shine.”

And Sue Burgess-Thompson had this to add, “I think as you grow in your writing experience your critiquing needs might change. For example, early on, when you're developing your voice you might need a gentler approach. Later, as you grow in confidence, you might be able to take more detailed and stronger criticism.”

So how many critiquers is a good number? Anna Campbell said, “I would advise against having too many people critique your work, especially in the early stages when you're trying to find your voice/your characters/your story. Too many critiquers can spoil the broth! Everyone has a different take and too much input can just destroy your chance to tell your story your way. Pick a few trusted people and even then, if what they're saying isn't chiming with your fundamental vision of the story, go your own way! One proviso, though - if six people point out exactly the same problem, revisit it. Chances are it really is a problem.”

And one final pearl of advice comes from Christine Wells. “Don’t rush into a committed cp relationship. Even though, when you start, you’re desperate for feedback and comradeship, the wrong partner or group can have a detrimental effect on your writing if you’re not careful, or very stubborn!”

So our panel of wise experts seem to agree that there are two sides to the coin, but if you choose well and protect your voice there are rewards to be reaped on planet Critique. Time to take off my purple hat and get back to critting for my own cp. But first, some parting words from Serena Tatti: 

“Mostly I have had positive experiences with critiquing. This comes from having a trusted few critiquing buddies who understand how I write and vice versa. It also helps to have someone cry their hearts out at the *big R* or to jump with joy when you finally get *the call*! I wouldn't be without my critiquing buddies!”