Critical Feedback

Critical feedback is essential for all writers at all levels. But remember, you make the final decision on which feedback is valuable, which contradictory and which to discard. You are your first and last critic.

Responsibilities of the author

1. Make sure you email your work to the other members of the group at least a week before the meeting.
2. If you would like particular aspects of your work to be discussed please set out the points you would like considered in your email when you distribute it.
3. At the meeting, remind the group of the specific points you want help with (if appropriate).
4. Read your poem or a brief extract from your story (no more than 250 words to give the group a flavour of the piece).
5. Once the group begins to discuss your work you should behave as if you are not present. So:
1. don’t speak until invited to at the end
2. do take notes.
6. Finally, if you know that you are loathe to change a piece in any way - don’t bring it to the group!

Responsibilities of the group

The group owes each piece respect and attention. Before the meeting, give the piece several readings. Print off a hard copy and make notes in the margins (remembering that you will be returning this to the author!). Try to appreciate what the author has done; don’t tell them how you would have done it. Ask yourself the four questions listed below.

1. What is the point of the piece?
2. What worked particularly well? (why?) What did you particularly enjoy?
3. What parts didn’t you understand? What did you feel didn‘t work as well as it might have? (and why?)
4. What passage or aspects might benefit from reworking? (why?)

Discussion should begin with reactions to the overall intention or conception of the piece, then move to details. Keep your remarks as positive as possible. Think in terms of a ‘critical sandwich’ – a positive comment, then a more critical or questioning comment, followed by another positive comment.

Here are some specific points to consider when offering constructive criticism:

1. First impressions: When you have read the piece, what do you remember about it? Are there certain images and impressions lingering in your consciousness?
2. Emotional impact: How has the piece made you feel?
3. Length: Does the writing feel complete in itself or is it part of a longer piece?
4. Vision: Do you have all the information you need to understand the 'point' of the writing?
5. Characterisation: Are the characters convincing, rounded, memorable and unique?
6. Voice: Is the narrator's voice appropriate and consistent? Is the dialogue 'realistic'?
7. Setting: How well does the setting work?
8. Clichés: Was the writing was fresh and original? Were there any unreconstructed clichés?
9. Overwriting: How well edited was the piece? Were there too many adjectives or adverbs?
10. Imagery: Has the writer used imagery, simile and metaphor to good effect?
11. Structure: Was the writing well structured - i.e. could the story/poem have started at a different point?
12. Viewpoint: Is it clear and convincing? - e.g. first person, third person omniscient?
13. Significant detail: Is the author showing (good) or telling (usually not so good)?
14. The whole story: Were you hooked by the beginning? Held by the middle? Convinced by the ending?

In addition, the following points relate to the consideration of poetry:

1. the shape of the poem on the page; the relationship between form and content.
2. the reason lines have been broken, the stanzaic structure
3. any patterns the poet uses, visual and sound e.g. rhyme, repetition, alliteration, assonance
4. any surprising images - concrete and figurative
5. the poem's title
6. any ambiguities or paradoxes in the poem
7. the way the poem develops dramatically

Deal Writers

January 2008