Is Honesty In A Critique A Beauty? or A Beast?

[Lex Black]

I mean rewrites. They're very often just plain wrong. What I'm interested in, almost the only thing I'm interested in, almost always, is why someone thinks something needs to be changed.

I believe there's a helpful quote attributed to Neil Gaiman like this: "If someone tells you why something doesn't work for them, they're almost certainly right. If they tell you how to fix it, they're almost certainly wrong."

Or words to that effect.

 

[Carol Rose]

Yes. Great quote.

My Evernight editor is really good at the distinction between suggesting changes and actually re-writing them for me. She doesn’t do the latter because that would mess with my voice.

Instead, she suggests things like further developing the motivation in a particular scene, or better showing a particular character trait I haven’t fully developed.

But the way I incorporate those changes - the words I use - she leaves that to me.

 

[Deleted member 604]

This is a good article.

Cheers Amber

 

[Amber]

I believe there's a helpful quote attributed to Neil Gaiman like this: "If someone tells you why something doesn't work for them, they're almost certainly right. If they tell you how to fix it, they're almost certainly wrong."

Or words to that effect.

I'll take that.

 

[Deleted member 604]

Instead, she suggests things like further developing the motivation in a particular scene, or better showing a particular character trait I haven’t fully developed.

@Carol Rose I want your editor.
But she is an editor in all fairness. So, for us as writers here on Litopia, Saying such and making such recommendations, Is it too much?
Kindest Regards,
Alix

 

[Deleted member 604]

I love this, thanks again @Lex Black

"If someone tells you why something doesn't work for them, they're almost certainly right. If they tell you how to fix it, they're almost certainly wrong."

For me, that sums up Critiquing in two sentences.
Thoughts anyone?

 

[Carol Rose]

@Carol Rose I want your editor.
But she is an editor in all fairness. So, for us as writers here on Litopia, Saying such and making such recommendations, Is it too much?
Kindest Regards,
Alix

I don’t think it’s too much. If we say we don’t feel a character is fully developed, or we feel a scene isn’t fleshed out deeply enough, those are impressions from a reader’s perspective we’ve seen people say before on here.

 

[Deleted member 604]

don’t think it’s too much. If we say we don’t feel a character is fully developed, or we feel a scene isn’t fleshed out deeply enough, those are impressions from a reader’s perspective we’ve seen people say before on here.

And it's all part of being completely truthful in our Critique too. Because for me as well as the story itself, I have such a soft spot for characters, especially flawed, defective ones.
And regarding critiquing a fellow writers work, as long as we don't spell it out for them or do it for them, I supposed that's a good thing?

 

[Carol Rose]

And it's all part of being completely truthful in our Critique too. Because for me as well as the story itself, I have such a soft spot for characters, especially flawed, defective ones.
And regarding critiquing a fellow writers work, as long as we don't spell it out for them or do it for them, I supposed that's a good thing?

I think so too.

 

[Steve C]

I have been reading Pete's article on how to critique and picked out a couple of quotes that answer some of the questions posed here

"It may be quite challenging initially for you to make the transition from writer to reader
when you start giving critiques. But unless you succeed in switching modalities like this,
your effectiveness will be drastically reduced"

He clearly wants us to don a readers hat. Having said that I need some writers input as more experienced writers can point out ways to make things better for the reader.

"The prerequisite for giving and receiving an effective critique is absolute honesty. Put
your ego on hold! An honest off-the-cuff reaction is far more valuable to a writer than any
amount of flannel. You aim to give the author a clear and accurate slice through your mind
as you read their work. Nothing else matters."

This one goes to the heart of this discussion and the last three words are pretty conclusive.